On the morning of the finale of my Saturn Return, I scheduled an early morning facial followed by a lunch at The Odeon with friends Claudia, Spencer and Mac. I succumbed to the suggested microdermabrasion add-on and when I was finally roused from my skincare stupor I realized I was there for two full hours. I ran over to the Tribeca eatery with raw red skin and open wounds and hoped this burger would be worth it.
Looking to continue my spa morning, I ordered a cucumber martini on arrival and all of us ordered our burgers. This is the rare burger where there’s an upcharge for cheese, which felt destined especially on such a cosmically significant date. On May 24th, the day I had this meal, Saturn exited Pisces. For those unacquainted with astrology, every 26-29 years, Saturn returns to the sign it was in when you were born - for me that was Pisces! Dropping some light reading on Miss Return below:
TL;DR: Saturn returns bring about a lot change and kind of turns your life on its head, for better or worse. And this period of Big Change ™ was coming to an end (at least for Claudia and I) so what better celebration than a burger in a glorified diner (said with love and adoration).
The Odeon burger comes on a brioche bun with the classic LTO and a housemade chipotle mayo and a side of fries for $27, falling slightly above the average cost of a “with fries” burger. Cheese will run you another $2.
Our burgers came out of the kitchen and I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever seen a real life burger look more like a Krabby Patty. A big leaf of butter lettuce, sliced raw red onion and a bright ripe slice of tomato all topped a thick patty with grill marks (!!!) on a fresh shiny bun.
I dug in and was immediately transported to a backyard barbecue. I could tell all the produce topping my patty was fresh and well-sourced. Nothing limp and nothing blasé. The chipotle mayo was a great little touch to contrast with the lightness and crunch. But, my one big area of opportunity was in the patty. With this much veg and therefore water content, I was craving a little more salt or even a higher percentage of fat. Combined with the sweet pillowy bun, I just wanted more umami overall.
I’m ranking The Odeon burger at 25, between 4 Charles and Corner Bar. I’d suggested making this a priority specifically for the summer, either for lunch or to start a 80º+ night out. Minimal grease and a strong martini make it a seasonal treat.
FACT-CHECK: your face looked fine and in fact good
I just had this burger recently!! Love the Odeon <3