This week, the Bowery will welcome to its boutique-stuffed environs a new branch of PYT Burger, a Philadelphia-based patty shack known for doing wild and crazy things like making burgers with doughnuts for buns, because that’s just how people roll in Philadelphia. It looks like the invaders have done some exploring in the new hood, as they’ve discovered that Jean-Michel Basquiat lived right around the corner, at 57 Great Jones Street.
And if a guy dies of a heroin overdose in a nearby building, the least you can do is name a sandwich after him. Thus: the Basquiat Prime Beef Burger. How often does an artist get their own food creation named after them in this town? Not enough, really.
Here’s some more info, from Bedford and Bowery:
PYT has already made friends in New York, partnering up with Japan Premium Beef Inc. on Great Jones Street, which led to burger shop’s first New York-inspired creation, the Basquiat Prime Beef burger (Basquiat lived and died in the building where Japan Premium Beef is located).“The guys at JPB made this beef especially for us,” Malcolm added. “The meat itself costs about fifty-something dollars per pound, and the spices used on that is very high end. It’s like butter, it’s so soft.” The ritz is reflected in the price tag: the Basquiat is yours for a cool $64.
Nope, that’s not a typo—64 big ones. Maybe this is the most expensive sandwich in New York? Maybe PYT Burger should have stayed in Philadelphia where people perhaps go in for this sort of thing?
Then again, the Basquiat Prime Beef Burger is $6,299,936 cheaper than a Basquiat that sold at Sotheby’s in London last week.