Molly's Shebeen Shoulda Been Better Than That!

It's not my nature to ever want to speak poorly of an establishment steeped in tradition and well regarded for its ability to withstand the test of time - especially in a world as fickle as that of the culinary persuasion.

Unfortunately, along the way in my travels, I inevitably encounter a place whose food simply cannot keep up with its reputation. It can often be the case for these ageless eateries that they've steeped, arguably, in the pot of tradition for too long. I would submit that there are a handful of eating establishments in New York City's whose reputations not only precede them, but actually preclude them from any sort of objective reality. It's not that I don't respect the tradition of this food, nor am I insensitive to the visages of yesteryear that so many of us still cherish in today's over-gentrified New York; it's just that it appears as though we have reached a point where we give these joints a pass simply for their lasting power.

The most germane example in this case, would be Corner Bistro in my West Village neighborhood. It's old, well-known for its highly celebrated burgers, and continues to command a cult-following, yet its "bistro-burgers" just aren't any good. Many vehemently disagree, others quietly concur, but I couldn't' feel more strongly about this. CB is BS - to put it simply.

That said, a recent trip to Molly's Pub and Shebeen, Gramercy's much respected Irish Pub, managed to conjure up Corner Bistro-type feelings when I attacked its often-recommended burger.

In the authenticity department, Molly's passes with flying colors. Burger aside for a moment, the establishment as a whole is easily one of the coolest old-school joints in all Manhattan. Sawdust-covered floors (a la McSorley's), a low-level ceiling spattered with sparse lighting, and barely navigable original tique wooden booths along the wall make this place an exceptional specimen of another New York, from perhaps a simpler time. Throw in the fact that actual Irish people run this place, and it's hard to criticize what they're doing here as a whole.

But I will anyway.

Strictly from a culinary perspective, Molly's burger, hailed for its girth and breadth of texture, is actually quite disappointing. Unlike most places, especially Pubs, whose burgers fail miserably at attaining mediocrity due to a sheer lack of care, it isn't cutting corners that is Molly's problem. I would go as far as to say, Molly's is trying too hard.

My bacon cheeseburger was delivered as promised: large, rotund, and almost steroidal. Thick, crunchy loop-the-loops of bacon traverse a truly massive hunk of ground beef draped, almost coated, by a bright orange layer of cheddar cheese (below). This brawny beast of bovinity is accompanied by a tornado of what must be house-made onion rings. Though I rarely order rings, these are really good and are the smooth, battered variety, and not those grainy, breaded ones that come out of a bag.

But I wasn't here for the rings.

Visually there is no doubt this burger is impressive, but its achievements end there. Off the bat, the patty itself is way too thick, which makes its extremely difficult, almost impossible in fact, to cook properly. If there is anyone out there that loves a massive burger it's me, but whereas I once pined for burgers that required jaw dislocation for consumption, I have come to realize that with burgers, bigger is not better (more however, is). Molly's burger is roughly 2+inches at its widest point - a thickness that requires an extended period of cooking in order to achieve medium rare doneness in the center - of course in achieving that doneness you've, by that time, overcooked, and ostensibly, dried out the exterior layers of the burger, leaving you with an earth-like burger: a crunchy crispy juicless crust around a slightly less dry mantle which envelops the core of properly cooked meat. Furthermore, regardless of the type of meat used (chuck vs sirloin, etc), the thickness dilemma will always superceded the quality of meat, rendering it dry and grainy, and of course, without flavor.

All that said, though I certainly appreciate its mass, the burger at Molly's is not nearly as good as its made out to be, plain and simple. It does have potential though.

In fairness. I think Molly's problem is in the "How" and not the "What". A downsized patty, and an upgraded bun (the run-of-the-mill sesame seed buns just dont' cut it anymore), would together do wonders for this classic neighborhood favorite, making it easier to cook them properly while increasing the flavor profile of the actual compilation of ingredients.

I have the utmost respect for Molly's and all it has accomplished in this cold, bipolar City of ours but given my commitment to exposing the best, the worst, and all that falls in between, in this City, it behooves me to question tradition and ask whether what was once believed to be true, is in fact, still true - an existential proclamation by the Ubereater? - or an obscure explanation for eating more burgers.

That's for you to decide.

Molly's Pub and Shebeen (map it)
Food (Burger): C+ Too thick, difficult to eat, and has a tendency to be dry, generously dressed
Ambiance: A - A true Irish Pub and the heavy brogued Bartenders to prove it.
Service: A- Satisfactory, typical bar/pub type service
In a thought: "Come for the nostalgia, come for the experience, come for a beer, but don't come for the burger."