Back Forty

Back Forty
190 Avenue B

I first read about Back Forty when I was searching online for new hamburger spots to try. A recipient of Time Out New York’s Best Eats award for 2008 (the award plate is prominently displayed near the entrance), Back Forty caters to the locavore diner, with ingredients from local farms and beer selections from Northeastern breweries.

Though we were unaware that the restaurant even offered a happy hour, we managed to go on a Sunday night, where all drinks at the bar are half price. With most beer options normally priced around $6-7 and cocktails at $10, we didn’t need much convincing to sit at the bar (they also have a garden out back when the weather improves that looks like a great summer spot).

We started off with an order of the recommended pork jowl nuggets ($4). Small cubes of what is mostly pork fat, crispy on the outside and fatty on the inside, are placed over a jalepeno marmalade that provides much of the flavor and heat (not recommended for those who do not like spicy foods). For three to an order, they certainly weren’t cheap, and even though they were good, I can’t justify the price tag.

Pork Jowl Nuggets:


A Captain Lawrence pale ale later, and we were ready for what we came for, the grass-fed burger ($11). I topped mine with heritage farms bacon ($2), she topped hers with cheddar ($2), and we split an order of rosemary fries ($2), which I would strongly recommend ordering. The restaurant doesn’t suggest ordering their burgers more than medium, as the grass-fed beef tends to be less fatty than the usual burger meat. Though the patty was juicy and plump, which made it a very good burger, my medium-rare order was cooked slightly on the rarer side (not a big foul), the bacon didn’t really add much to the dish, and I would still prefer one from shake shack anytime. We finished the meal with an order of their pecan brownie topped with vanilla ice cream ($7), which was pretty simple and for $7 I expected a dessert that is more than something I could easily make at home. That being said, I would be happy to come back with a locavore who is interested in trying some of their other offerings or anyone that enjoys grass-fed beef, as long as it is happy hour.

Burger:


Burger with Bacon closeup:


Brownie:


Know of another restaurant that offers food specials at the bar? Interested in going? Post a comment!