I love having a brunch burger. Well, I do have a weakness for most burgers… I saw a photo of a tasty burger from Set L.E.S. somewhere, which was totally drool-worthy, so we decided to go check them out for a brunch. We arrived a few minutes before they opened, and there were handful of people waiting outside. A good sign of their popularity!
The inside was really fun, full of vibrant colors, very energetic! It was a nice size, not too large, but had a good amount of seating. They had a large bar with a few large screen TVs. Cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Set L.E.S. offers interesting dishes with Asian twist, which I always enjoy.
They have a Brunch Special for $20, which comes with a choice of Home Fries, Tater Tots or Waffle Fries. It also comes with a choice of a Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Beer or Any Non Alcoholic Beverage too! What! My hubby chose one of their Brunch SETs, so he got Bloody Mary. It was pretty good, it had solid flavor. Strong with a bit of peppery-ness to it, that went well with the tomato flavor.
He went with SET 4, Bulgogi Burger ($20), made with Korean BBQ Marinated Sliced Ribeye, Tex Mex Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Kimchi, Sunny Side Egg and Chili Garlic Aioli on an English Muffin. He chose Tater Tots as the side. We had a Bulgogi Burger at D’avant Bakery in NJ, and it was not made into a patty, so it was interesting to see the way SET L.E.S. created their burger.
Bulgogi Burger was super tasty! The patty had delicious, sweet marinate. It was juicy and tender, with a bit of fresh kimchi underneath. Tater tots are nice and crispy, not greasy. The aioli had a little kick to it, which was nice. The bottom bun got very soggy quickly, but it was soooo tasty we didn’t care… just eat it with knife and fork so that your hands get crazy messy. Toasted English muffin was a nice addition. We really enjoyed it!
Since I really wanted a particular burger that was not offered in the Brunch SET menu, I didn’t get a complimentary drink… I ordered Pat Lafrieda 30 Day Dry Aged Burger ($20), with Bacon, American Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Sunny Side Egg and Garlic Aioli on a Brioche Bun. Even though it does not come with a drink, it comes with a choice of Home Fries, Tots or Waffle Fries. I went with waffle fries for mine.
Burger was juicy, cooked a bit more than I like, but not over-cooked. Egg was cooked just right on both burgers, giving us egg porn… Caramelized onion were nice, but I felt it didn’t have enough on it. I somehow thought this burger would be bigger with more ingredients, so it was kind of a letdown. And the flavor of the Bulgogi burger was better and more delightful than this one. It was tasty, but at the end of the day, it didn’t live up to my expectation. Waffle fries were amazing! Great spice and flavor, soft and potato-y, loved them!
Their bathrooms are by the bar, near the entrance. I used the gender-neutral bathroom, closer to the entrance. It was large, well lit, and clean.
We had a nice, relaxing brunch here at Set L.E.S. The staffs here were really nice and friendly, and took a good care of us. The Bulgogi burger was really amazing, and the waffle fries were great too… And I thought the Brunch SET was priced right, considering everything you get. They do have other interesting menu items, so we might head over there again if we are in the area.
Set L.E.S. – 127 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002