Fat Hippo*

Had six wee burgers from Fat Hippo (71 Clinton St. @ Rivington). The dish is billed as a burger fondue, and comes with a truly execrable floury, pasty cheese sauce. The idea is that you dip the burger in the sauce, then in the accompanying chopped onions, pickles, and bacon bits. After tasting the alleged cheese sauce, I dipped my little burgerlets in ketchup, then the bits. Quite a nice mouthful, and unexpectedly and beautifully rare.
The show stopper was the appetizer beet tart with olives, goat cheese, and beet jam. Sadly, it was hacked to bits before I could grab a camera. It was a lovely combination of tartness and sweet earthiness in a wonderfully short crust.
*The reason we got takeout from Fat Hippo is the same reason I have been so silent here: a sudden mountain of work combined with a back so bad that I was flat on it for a few days.