DISH OF THE WEEK: The Greenbird at UMAMI BURGER

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

Turkey burgers have always been hit or miss. Even for the health conscious or those trying to avoid red meat, there’s no guarantee that when you order a turkey burger that you won’t find a dry hockey puck in its place.

In fact, Thanksgiving is the only time we really celebrate the turkey. So in its honor, I decided to see if I could find a worthwhile turkey burger. And I did – at Umami Burger.

The California based company opened its doors in New York just over a year ago. Earlier this year, they opened a second, less crowded location in Brookfield Place’s food court, Hudson Eats.

It was here that I learned that their turkey burger, named the Greenbird, is available this week at $8. I can only imagine the promotion is in honor of Turkey Day.

And amazingly, it’s the best turkey burger I’ve had in recent memories. The patty is packed with juicy turkey flavor and is held up well by its green accompaniments. Butter lettuce, sprouts, and crushed avocado gave the burger some lightness, while the green goddess dressing and tangy goat cheese mixture brought a desired richness. And Umami’s signature crisp brioche bun added a wonderful texture and sweetness.

I was hoping this turkey burger would be something to write about, but I didn’t expect it to be as successful as this. If all turkey burgers were this moist and flavorful, they might never have earned that bad reputation. So let’s celebrate the turkey burger on Thanksgiving and every day.