DISH OF THE WEEK: Hamburger with Cheese at FRITZL’S LUNCH BOX

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

SADLY, FRITZL’S LUNCH BOX IS NOW CLOSED.

When I first arrived in New York, all of my friends were moving to cheap apartments in this artsy, gritty neighborhood of Brooklyn called Williamsburg. Well, we all know how that story ended. Today, my just-out-of-college friends would not be able to afford to live in Williamsburg. They would manage to find a cheap apartment a little further out on the L train in Bushwick.

I hate to sound cliché, but Bushwick really is the new Williamsburg. That’s where some of the most exciting new restaurants, bars, and art gallerys are popping up. Everybody knows about Roberta’s by now, but it’s worth it to explore a little deeper into the neighborhood.

That’s where I found Fritzl’s Lunch Box. Sandwiches are the main focus of Chef Dan Ross-Leutwyler, who used to work at Vinegar Hill House, but a small selection of salads and entreés are also on offer. And just like Williamsburg restaurants used to be, nothing on this menu tops $14.

But the truth is I’d pay a lot more for the Chef’s gamechanging burger. Seriously, the next time somebody asks me where they can find the best burger in the city, my answer will require a ride on the L train.

Every single component to this monster is perfect. The sweet and crisp seeded bun sops up the flowing juices from the patty. Blended with both beef chuck and beef cheek (yes, chuck and cheek) and ground in house, the burger has a seasoned, browned exterior that bursts with flavor. Cheddar cheese, a sweet relish of pickles and onions, and a schmear of some refined mayonnaise based special sauce put this over the edge.

This burger was so awesomely perfect that the pretty good fries were a total afterthought. I actually picked at them after I inhaled the burger, hoping some of the burger flavor seeped into them by osmosis.

I’d hurry out to Fritzl’s for this burger before Bushwick truly does become the new Williamsburg and this thing will cost twice the price. But it’d still be worth it.