EYHO NY: Church Street Tavern

The Church Street Tavern is hardly your average "Tavern" with a basic setup. The space is decadent throughout, with black leather banquettes on each side and black leather chairs in the middle to match. On the walls, there are black subway tiles, with a beautiful chandelier and additional lighting brightening up the room just enough for the New York crowd. We were seated in a table for four next to food blogger Kelsey Wood, whose clever instagram @bring_eat_on had us salivating as soon as she showed us her IG handle (follow her for NYC food escapades galore!). Now having the perfect companions for the night, we were greeted with an extensive cocktail menu featuring some of the most innovative drinks New York City has to offer. The standout and our go-to drink of the night was the Strawberry Blonde, which contained Vodka, St. Germaine, strawberries and more. Not your everyday meal, come here with your #CaptainKennedy or #HopelessRomantic after a hard days work As great as the drinks were, the main feature was their signature burger. The Dry Aged beef is perfectly complimented by a thin layer of Vermont cheddar, bacon onion relish, and some arugula on the most delicious buttered potato bread you will ever taste. All of us at the table couldn't help but help ourselves to seconds and thirds of the scrumptious burger. We wanted to learn more and chef Ryan Skeen was available to answer some burning questions we had. Labeling Men: How did you put a personal spin on the menu since taking over the kitchen? Ryan Skeen: By bringing relationships with friends and specialty purveyors who help cultivate unique products such as our connection with Royalton Farms and our Dry Aged Wagyu beef blend for our burger. Labeling Men: Tell us about the award-winning burger? How did the idea come to you and how do you think it stands out from every other burger place in the city? Ryan Skeen: The burger is a blend of 100% Dry Aged Wagyu, Dry Aged NY Strip, Wagyu beef heart and Wagyu beef fat. We came up with the burger after talking about wanting to age other parts of the cow that aren't normally aged, and we bought a whole Wagyu cow from Drew at Royalton Farms, and aging it to play with the results. Our burger is the beefiest, richest burger in the city. Hands down. Labeling Men: Besides the burgers, give us one item that every person should try?

Ryan Skeen: The Brick Chicken with preserved lemon and rosemary. Labeling Men: The drink menu is very unique, tell us how did you come up with them?

Ryan Skeen: It was a true team effort and has evolved since the beginning. The result is the best of the Best Sellers. Labeling Men: Give us your two favorite drinks, and which one pairs best with the burger?

Ryan Skeen: The Rye & Ginger / Spicy Margarita – Rye & Ginger pairs best with the burger.