As evidenced by my Serbian stuffed burgers post, I really like the idea of cheese as burger entrails rather than burger beanie. Even though you’re probably consuming the same amount of dairy and meat either way, there’s something so satisfyingly savage about biting into a patty and encountering oozing, orange gobs.  Whitmans in the East Village offers such a rugged experience with its Minneapolis-based Juicy Lucy burger.  The grass-fed beef is encased by thick layers of char (a little less blackening would have been preferable) and a squishy, seed-studded bun. I liked the old school bun choice because it was able to house its corpulent tenant with ease.  Like a tootsie pop, three bites led me to the core — which was gushing with a pliant but melty pool of spicy cheese.  Fresh new pickles and caramelized onions also garnished the burger for added tang, sweetness, and freshness. I actually would have liked a little more of where that came from.

Fries are an extra $3, but order ‘em. They’re a beautiful golden color and crisp on the outside, soft on the inside.

Though I was feeling pretty full and paunchy, I couldn’t pass up the iced coffee float promised by Goods’ seductress chalkboard.  Goods is a silver trailer in Williamsburg with outdoor patio space that offers burgers, fries, and the like.

The float was equally tasty and sloppy. The coffee is Intelligentsia and the dark chocolate hazelnut gelato is Il Laboratorio del Gelato.  The whole contraption is topped with thick, freshly whipped cream.  The chocolate and cream blended nicely into the coffee, though while I was eating it I kind of wished I was just having gelato and whipped cream.