[Photo of Matt Wardrop last summer by Stacie Joy]
As part of its Burger Week, Eater gives some love to Paul's Da Burger Joint, the 26-year-old restaurant on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place.
Here's a little of the interview with owner Matt Wardrop, who discusses his beginnings here in 1989, the gas explosion a few storefronts away on March 26 and what makes a good burger:
You took this over from your cousin, Paul. Why did Paul decide to give it up?
Matt Wardrop: He had been there 18 years. He wanted to spend some more years on a second place in Florida. I think there were some family issues at the time on his end, so he was just like, "I've been here all this time, I got some issues to take care of, You'll take the place." And it kind of worked out, you know?
Were you working here before then?
I'd come hang out, come and eat once in a while. And I'd help out briefly, on different shifts if someone was missing, that kind of thing. But never really the full, on-the-line work.
What were you doing before?
A couple different things. I was in the automotive repair business for a long time. My partner and I had a shop in Queens. Completely different feel from here. I mean, it's still a retail business, but a completely different thing. So I didn't have any hardcore restaurant experience when I came here. I just got thrown in and learned quickly.
Read the whole Q-and-A here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Celebrating 25 years at Paul's Da Burger Joint
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