Bite-Size Burgers

Ever since its inception in 1921, only two good things have come out of White Castle: Harold and Kumar and the "Slyder." The first of its kind, White Castle's trademarked Slyder is a two and half inch square burger complete with sizzling onions, a steamed bun and a crisp fresh pickle, that easily slides down the throat in just two bites. Miraculously, it has taken over 80 years for the rest of the restaurant world to figure out what White Castle knew all along: tiny burgers are delicious.

What began as a trend in bars and burger joints has been spreading nationwide from casual dining chains all the way up to some five-star restaurants. Family-friendly TGI Friday's debuted their chimichurri and cheeseburger sliders in September 2007, and plan to roll out even more versions in 2008 due to their immense popularity. Sag Harbor's Mumbo Gumbo has put their own signature twist on the slider offering two mini Bayou Burgers served with a spicy Cajun ketchup. Meanwhile, upscale restaurants like Manhattan's Stanton Social are offering Kobe beef sliders that are slightly more expensive than bar fare, but worth every penny. Erica Cohen, co-owner of Manhattan's trendy ONE Little West 12th Street says that her namesake sliders (Erica's bad ass cheese burgers) are by far the most popular item on the menu, and with two juicy burgers topped with either saga blue cheese or aged cheddar and chipotle mayo, it's not hard to see why.

For centuries, Americans have operated under the philosophy that bigger is better (just order a large movie theater popcorn for proof), so it's easy to question why someone would lean towards bite-size burgers when they could just order a bit fat juicy 8 ounce patty. For starters, sliders are a perfect well, starter. Let's face it, after you take down a hamburger and some fries, you rarely have room for anything else. A slider, however, fulfills that burger craving but still leaves room for a more balanced meal. As an added bonus, sliders are much easier to eat than your average burger, saving you from stretching your mouth to ungainly lengths for just one bite.

As the diet craze sweeps the U.S., sliders also offer a perfect opportunity to exercise some portion control. The recommended portion size for meat is only 3 to 4 ounces, which could translate to a boring cut of meat roughly the size of an Ipod or two delicious sliders. The choice is obvious. Furthermore, because these 1.5 to 2.5 ounce burgers usually come in groups, they're ideal for sharing, keeping you from overeating and ensuring that no one snags the best bite from your perfectly prepared bacon cheese burger.

Though White Castle is considered the home of the mini burger, more and more specialty restaurants are opening exclusively dedicated to these bite-sized treats. Sassy's Sliders on Manhattan's Upper West Side offers beef, chicken, turkey and veggie sliders while Pop Burger in the Meatpacking district has an entire bar scene surrounding their signature snacks. As the slider continues to evolve, restaurants are forgoing the traditional hamburger meat for pulled pork, lamb and even lobster. The Little Owl's gravy meatball sliders were so popular they even graced the cover of Bon Appetit, solidifying the slider's role in fine American cuisine.

So the next time your eyes light up at the prospect of three ketchup dripping, finger licking good burgers sliding into your stomach, remember to pay tribute to the folks over at White Castle, who were the first to prove that when it comes to burgers, good things really do come in small packages.

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