Brennan And Carr's Gargiulo Burger

There's little new about Brennan & Carr in Gravesend, Brooklyn. The squat, roadside beefeteria has been doing its thing since 1938: roast beef in a place where if you squint, it could be a Revolutionary War era tavern. The sign says most of what you need to know: "Hot Beef." The rest? Application. Hot beef broth, hot beef burger, hot roast beef, hot beef burger topped with hot roast beef and cheese.

At Brennan & Carrt it's all about the Gargiulo, a "burger smothered in roast beef" and cheese ($5.90). The Gargiulo, waiters explain, was named for the employees of the Coney Island Italian stalwart, Gargiulo's Restaurant, frequent customers who concocted the sandwich.

While the Gargiulo is on the take-out window menu, it's not on the placemat menu. Don't be confused– you can still get it inside. Don't be deceived by its appearance either. Like most sandwiches (most everything actually) at Brennan & Carr, the Gargiulo requires dipping in a "half-cup" of the blister-your-mouthroof-hot jus, which doubles as an incredibly tasty, very beefy beef broth soup.
 

The process goes like this. Cut burger in half. Dunk. Pause. Soak. Wait. Wait. Okay, eat. There's an infusion of flavor, the meat goes soft and juicy, the onions seem sweeter, the cheese gets all melty Kraft Single-like, and the bread turns into a moist kaiser sponge filled with flavor. It's like a riff on French Onion Soup, American-style, with a burger sitting in it.

Remember, if you don't dunk, you've missed the point.

Know another great roast beef dip sandwich? Recommend it below!