Back to the Borough

Several years ago, Borough, then located in the Podium, was a game-changer: A 24/7 restaurant inside a mall that served comfort food favorites that were far, far from the other all-day offerings late-night citizens were used to.

It enjoyed a longer lifespan than most establishments have these days, but its closure still stung for all its loyal patrons. I enjoyed several meals there–often less sober than I admit, but I vow that the food was always satisfying.

Now, Borough has found a new home at Bonifacio High Street, replacing its sister restaurant Nolita. The space is hip and cool, still Brooklyn-inspired, with its cool blue tones and sparse metal accents.

BOROUGH Pub’s Chicken burger. The design is trendy but with a purpose, still comfortable and cozy. It reminds one of its old interiors, but updated for today, and for its new location.

A quick look at their menu shows that they’ve retained a lot of their classics, which made me incredibly nostalgic–their signature milk and cookies were one of my favorite desserts, simple but genius.

One of my usual orders at Borough was their cheese injected portobello pita pocket, which sounds excessive, but the way it’s done makes the whole fried thing never too heavy. You get a massive portobello mushroom filled with gooey, melty cheese fried in a fine crumb coating that is far from greasy. It’s tucked inside a warm pita pocket, then layered with vegetables that are roasted to make them sweet and intense. It’s the messiest thing you’ll ever eat, but the payoff is huge: it’s juicy, decadent and the best example of modern American comfort food you’ll get.

Even a pub chicken burger is simple, but the way it’s cooked ensures maximum flavor.

Chicken burgers can often be dry, but this one isn’t. It’s topped with layers that complement it, and add to its texture and succulence. There’s smoked gouda, bacon and a sweet, caramelized onion jam.

CHEESE injected portobello pita pocket. Don’t forget to end with the aforementioned milk and cookies, which have become iconic, at least to me. You get a plate of 12 tiny cookies that they should definitely be selling in regular size; since they’re so delicious, they’d definitely sell out.

The least exciting flavor is the chocolate chip, but they are still great versions: crispy on the outside, but with a molten center that feels the right side of underbaked.

A peanut butter cookie is studded with peanuts, and the dough is creamy and full of sweet and salty peanut butter notes.

But the best is the ginger, which you should definitely save for last. It’s like a concentrated snickerdoodle, and feels like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled into a confection. Wash it down with their “milk,” which is really blended vanilla ice cream, making it sinful and rich.

MILK and cookies. With all the new places opening left and right, it’s okay to revisit old haunts-hopefully, they won’t disappoint you and leave you with the same tasty experience as you remember. Borough’s new location changed nothing about the restaurant and that’s a good thing.