Goodbye old friend. The New York Best classic we're going to miss 😭
If there was anything good that came out of lockdown it was the return of New York Best through Fat Louie’s. God answered our prayers just at the right time and we saw our old friend Juicy Lucy return to the menu.
But in the spirit of 2020, change has come. Last weekend it was revealed that the remaining NYB Bistro in Sliema was to close and Corner Crave would replace our last hope of ever getting Juicy Lucy to drip down our chins again. 🤤
You know them, you love them, the iconic burger joint that shook Malta’s hunger for the better. Whether you’ve been claiming your free ice-cream burger every birthday since 2011 or you hopped on the bandwagon when they “broke the internet” with the help of The Clintess (then as Clinton Paul), New York Best has never been far from mind.
Yes, we’ve come full-circle in the life of one of Malta’s staple dining choices. From the vandalising of their controversial Last Supper billboard emblazoned across the Msida Skatepark to the (literal) last supper of New York Best; hold your heads high and recount the fallen soldiers with us:
The Szechuan Chicken Burger
Move over McDonald’s. Rick and Morty didn’t need you while NYB had this bad boy on their specials. Topped with spring onions, this fella oozed opulence and authenticity when it came down to the mysterious sauce.
While it was highly unlikely that any of us would ever come close to trying the real thing, we’re sure there never really was a need to thanks to NYB and their Szechuan surprise.
The Breakfast Bun
Nothing compares to a sausage and egg McMuffin, right? Wrong.
If you failed to start at least one day with one NYB’s breakfast bagels while they were available, we’re terribly sorry but you missed out dearly. This one isn’t exactly a burger, either, but it makes use of the buttery brioche bun we all know and love. Ah, the good old days…
Anyone remember the Avocado Bacon Burger?
This burger right here is the light I saw at the end of the avocado tunnel. For the love of all things 2015, avocado’s build in hype was one of the few gracious empires every foodie with an ounce of common sense rejoiced at.
And, NYB took that excitement, smashed it between their signature blend beef patty, threw a toasted bun on top and then stuck some crispy AF bacon in there because mela, why not? 🥓
Can someone start this again, please? Thank you.
We even miss the Vegan Burger.
Put down your pitchforks and torches - vegan food can be fun. NYB’s vegan burger was fun and then some.
A friendly black bean and beetroot patty came wedged nicely in between a vegan bun (because brioche isn’t the be-all and end all of burger buns - yas!) held down by curried ketchup.
Drooling yet?
Not only was this burger delicious, it was also the bridge built between NYB and the world of veggies after it was revealed that Mark Petric - a local vegan activist (and also one of the guys rescued from a cave back in 2017) - had given his seal of approval to the party after a series of taste tests. Don’t we all love a happy ending? 👌
The Sriracha Dog takes the cake, though.
No room for a double patty (because let’s face it - who really ever ordered a single beef burger from these guys)? No biggie.
So, this one isn’t a burger either, but that’s just a testament to NYB’s passion for food. They did it all. But it did come slathered in sriracha mayo and that is always a good idea.
This hot dog was always there to fill the void left by there never being enough chicken scraps.
Closing off the pre-bistro era, the final shout out goes to everyone’s favourite:
The New Orleans
You’re lying to yourself if you didn’t spend your days at Junior College daydreaming about that thicc, sticky bacon jam.
What made the New York Best experience all the more interesting was the way they captivated their audience (that being everyone within a 10-metre radius of the Maltese islands). The engagement from a foodie standpoint was phenomenal - mainly in part thanks to their Two Euro Tuesday deals that ran every week. Buy one burger, get the second for €2.
Above and beyond their mainline duties, the brothers at NYB even customised their menu to fit the time of year. Easter was always a favourite - when the figolla milkshake hit, it became just that: an absolute hit. Kit Kat, Kinder and Nutella variants followed - even Donuts ta’ Twanny featured in the shakes from time to time. 🍩
But nothing hit better than a sweet sip of figolli-induced regret washed down with a huge gulp of ice cream - all held within a giant Easter egg. Red Velvet was a top contender, too.
And while we’re here, let’s not forget about the relevance these guys used to maintain. Every (good) food trend that swept across humanity while NYB was in operation was coined to their skills. Who remembers the chicken waffle?
The Sliema outlet soon grew to become the place for post-exam pizza and cocktails. There was something about their Negroni mix (most likely the undeniably beautiful patriotism of using Kinnie to dilute the spirits so us teens weren’t haggard by 8PM) that just… worked.
It was from this attitude, a perfect blend of the customer’s influence and the reaction from the chain, that the coastal spot soon blossomed into the most recent incarnation of NYB as we know it now: New York Bistro.
Echoing their dedication to unadulterated satisfaction guaranteed, while their menu was focused on good quality bistrotheque dining with flank steaks and pasta, the MVP this time around was their pizza.
Pizzaiolo Gianni was a machine with his oven. His 17 years of experience, alongside NYB’s charm and newfound maturity, made for what gave the Bistro its own standing beside the era of burgers. 🍕
NYB pizza was always handcrafted, unique and individual to the order. Gianni kicked this all up a notch with his perfection of the Neapolitan crust - NYB’s signature.
Heck, Gianni and the team even managed to conjure up a tennis racket-shaped pizza. Quality here checks out in equal parts creativity.
While some frowned at the idea of NYB closing their original doors in favour of a more intimate approach with the Bistro, it’s easy to see that the evolution was only inevitable. Totally unfair, but also equally deserved.
But with the Bistro now closed for good, where does that leave everything else?
It, sadly, leaves us with one less contender for a great plate of sausage of mash. A British classic, made Maltese thanks to the help of one of our number one exports: the patata. 🥔
No more sage-buttered ravioli parcels bursting with goats cheese, no more Korean-style chicken wings… No more golden schnitzel glistening on a bed of rocket leaves… Who could forget their more recent ace-in-the-sleeve - the maple bacon wings?
New York Best, we knew thee well. You have served our appetites more times than our bank statements would like to admit and your food was never shy of hitting all the right spots. For this, we thank you. Grill softly into the sweet light. We’re not crying, you are. 😳
What was your favourite item from New York Best and New York Bistro? Let us know in the comments on Facebook! Got a suggestion to fill the NYB-shaped hole in our hearts? Send us a message on Instagram. We’re always on the lookout for good food.
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