April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman, the powerhouse restaurateur duo behind Spotted Pig, The Breslin, John Dory Oyster Bar and Salvation Taco, are expanding their Salvation line with Salvation Burger, which opened today inside the Pod 51 Hotel on East 51st. As the name would indicate, burgers are the big draw here, though the kitchen isn't resting on beef patties alone. Fish and veggie burgers are also part of the game plan, as are hot dogs, salads and a selection of pies that outweighs anything between two buns.
Riffing on the popularity of her blue cheese burger at Spotted Pig, Bloomfield has dropped the eight ounce Salvation Burger with caramelized onions and taleggio cheese, using beef from a locally-sourced whole steer that the team is butchering in-house. Like its predecessor in the West Village, this burger's a paycheck drainer at $25—still not the city's most expensive, though it's up there—but they're also doing a $17, two 3.5 ounce patties version, which leaves a few extra bucks to order some $7 french fries.
Veggie Burger (L), Grapefruit Pie (R) (Dan Dickinson/Gothamist)
Gothamist's Dan Dickinson stopped by for first lunch service this afternoon and reports back with a "solid" veggie burger ($16)—made here with carrot, sweet potato, vermicelli noodles, rice and garam masala—and likewise with the pie options. Though not a stand-out like the burger, he also tried the Giardiniera ($5), the Italian pickled vegetable medley that comes either on its own or topping their smoked hot dog ($14). He reports that the fried pies (either lemon or apple) weren't ready to go, but the Grapefruit ($6) with sesame, candied ginger and rosewater was a unique and tasty option.
Take a peek at the menu below for the full food lineup, which also includes virgin and boozy milkshakes. The restaurant portion will be open for lunch and dinner daily until midnight and the bar will stay open until 2 a.m.
230 East 51st Street, 646-277-2900; website
(Dan Dickinson/Gothamist)
