The next stop on the tour is Elevation Burger. With the slogan "ingredients matter," Elevation Burger prides itself on being an "organic" burger joint. They don't use antibiotics, pesticides or growth promoting hormones. Instead, their cows graze freely on grass pastures...
In 2005, the franchise opened its first burger shop in Falls Church, Virginia. Less than five years later, 11 of the organic burger joints have sprouted up around the country including six in the DMV. Ten more stores are poised to open throughout the country in 2011. According to their website, Elevation Burger plans to open two of these burger joints in DC. We ventured to their National Harbor location during a Saturday evening dinner rush.
The Burger: Organic grass-fed beef... Deli style non-processed cheddar cheese... A bun that compliments the burger rather than competing with it... After taking my first bite, I realized what all of the signs plastered around the eatery where trying to say, THIS BURGER IS REALLY FRESH AND REALLY TASTY! Everything sticks out with the burger: the seemingly unseasoned, but just-butchered meat, the powerful cheddar cheese and the lightly grilled bun. The cheeseburger's Original toppings include Elevation Sauce (mayo-based), two thinly-sliced pickles, tomatoes*, and lettuce. Besides the fact that Elevation Burger doesn't sell bacon, the only gripe might be the diminutive size of the burger. This can be quickly remedied by ordering The Elevation Burger - double the meat and double the cheese. Unfortunately, only the single (bacon) cheeseburger can be judged for this blog.
The "Fresh" Fries: cooked in olive oil, the finger-sized french fries were unskinned. They had just the right amount of salt that no condiment was needed or desired.
Free Fixins: Besides the items that come on the Original (see above), other condiments gratis include caramelized onions, mustard, mayo, raw onions, balsamic mustard and hot pepper relish. Ketchup is the only item placed on each table.
Atmosphere: Signs throughout the burger joint repeatedly remind you that you are eating fresh, organic, grass-fed, meat. Ingredients matter, ingredients matter, ingredients matter... yeah, we get the point.
Cost: The cheeseburger (sans bacon) is $3.99. The fresh fries are $2.59.
Overall: This was the first location where we were compelled enough to eat another burger right away. Was this due to its great taste and freshness or the fact that a large man might consider it a slider? Probably the former.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Elevation Burger
Z Burger
Desperados
Fries
The Burger Joint
Elevation Burger
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Free Fixins
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Elevation Burger
The Burger Joint
Desperados
Atmosphere
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Desperados
Elevation Burger
Z Burger
Cost
Elevation Burger $3.99/$2.59
Z Burger $4.38/$2.59
Desperados $9.50
Good Stuff Eatery $6.69/$3.69
The Burger Joint $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Elevation Burger
Z Burger
Desperados
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Desperados - why don't you come to your senses?
DC's newest burger joint, Desperados Burgers and Bar, opened up shop on U Street back in August. The sit-down restaurant, which also offers carry out and home delivery options, had a schizophrenic design best described as John Wayne meets Mardi Gras. The ambiance within the 60-person capacity restaurant was much more subdued than the other burger eateries reviewed. While the past locations were packed at the time of our testing, Desperados only had seven other customers (two tables) the entire time we were there. Half of these people seemed more concerned with their New Orleans Saints marching over the Carolina Panthers (yes, Desperados is a "Saints" establishment) than the burgers that they were munching on.
The Burger: Cheddar is the cheese of choice on Desperados bacon cheese burger. It also comes with lettuce, onion, tomatoes* and a pickle. The slab of meat, while commendably thick, wasn't very large at all. Unseasoned and without much flavor, I thought of adding some sort of condiment to the burger immediately after every bite. Yes, ketchup and mustard might be made for hamburgers, but the American classic does not need the traditional condiments when made correctly. The sesame seed bun wasn't any better. It appeared to be toasted for about five seconds and reminded me of something from my high school cafeteria.
The Fries: They looked good and appeared to be seasoned. Nonetheless, the only thing noteworthy about the spuds is the fact that they accompany the burger at no extra charge (perhaps we should have substituted them for the baked potato; this appears to be the norm).
Free Fixins - For Desperados we should rename this category "limited fixins." Like Good Stuff Eatery, the U Street burger lair offers for types of sauces - Cajun, roasted garlic, chipotle and honey mustard. Unlike Good Stuff, you can only order one with an order of fries and the portion size is rather limited. Since there were three of us, we were able to try all of them except the honey mustard. The Cajun had a hint of bucking bronco to it, but overall these cowboys were rather tame. Each table offered the basic of the basics selection of salt, pepper and ketchup.
Atmosphere: A big projector screen and smaller television by the bar were playing the Saints. Perhaps the place is a bit livelier around dinner time...
Cost: $9.50 for the burger, fries included.
Overall: I have no objection to outlawing this burger corral.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Fries
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Free Fixins
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Desperados
Atmosphere
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Desperados
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger $4.38/$2.59
Desperados $9.50
Good Stuff Eatery $6.69/$3.69
The Burger Joint $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
The Burger: Cheddar is the cheese of choice on Desperados bacon cheese burger. It also comes with lettuce, onion, tomatoes* and a pickle. The slab of meat, while commendably thick, wasn't very large at all. Unseasoned and without much flavor, I thought of adding some sort of condiment to the burger immediately after every bite. Yes, ketchup and mustard might be made for hamburgers, but the American classic does not need the traditional condiments when made correctly. The sesame seed bun wasn't any better. It appeared to be toasted for about five seconds and reminded me of something from my high school cafeteria.
The Fries: They looked good and appeared to be seasoned. Nonetheless, the only thing noteworthy about the spuds is the fact that they accompany the burger at no extra charge (perhaps we should have substituted them for the baked potato; this appears to be the norm).
Free Fixins - For Desperados we should rename this category "limited fixins." Like Good Stuff Eatery, the U Street burger lair offers for types of sauces - Cajun, roasted garlic, chipotle and honey mustard. Unlike Good Stuff, you can only order one with an order of fries and the portion size is rather limited. Since there were three of us, we were able to try all of them except the honey mustard. The Cajun had a hint of bucking bronco to it, but overall these cowboys were rather tame. Each table offered the basic of the basics selection of salt, pepper and ketchup.
Atmosphere: A big projector screen and smaller television by the bar were playing the Saints. Perhaps the place is a bit livelier around dinner time...
Cost: $9.50 for the burger, fries included.
Overall: I have no objection to outlawing this burger corral.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Fries
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Free Fixins
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Desperados
Atmosphere
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Desperados
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger $4.38/$2.59
Desperados $9.50
Good Stuff Eatery $6.69/$3.69
The Burger Joint $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Desperados
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Bravo, Spike!
After a brief summer hiatus, the Great DC Burger Caper returns through a stop at Good Stuff Eatery. Located on Pennsylvania Avenue on Capitol Hill, Good Stuff was opened by chef and reality tv star Spike Mendelsohn in 2008. Spike was a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef Chicago which aired a few years ago. Last week, he was also one of 18 chefs selected for the upcoming Top Chef All Stars season to premiere on December 1.
Given Spike's reality tv-stardom, local periodicals and blogs have consistently reported on Good Stuff Eatery. This "free" advertisement is clearly working as the place was packed upon our arrival at 3:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, it didn't take them too long (about 15 minutes) to serve the 30 people in front of us and there were plenty of tables available on the second floor of the burger joint.
The Burger: placed on a Pennsylvania Dutch-style bun, the Farmhouse Burger comes with onion, lettuce, a long-cut pickle, tomato*, and good stuff sauce (which appeared to be a mayo-based condiment). American cheese and Applewood bacon were added as part of the Burger Caper guidelines. At first glance, the burger looks somewhat small. However, this is due to the size of the bun as opposed to the actual thickness of the burger, which is more than adequate. The burger was cooked to medium - pink in the middle. While no red juices flowed out of the sandwich, grease was everywhere. In fact, it saturated almost the entire bun by the time I got to my final bites. Still, the meat tasted fresh and had a nice amount of seasoning. Nothing was overpowering. In fact, the bacon blended to the extent that it was hard to notice its inclusion. Still, it is clear that Spike knows what he is doing when it comes to burgers.
The Fries: Slightly less greasy than the burger, the fries were cut to about half their typical size. This made it necessary to eat two or three of them at once. Spike leaves the skin of the potato on the fries and sprinkles sea salt over top. The fries were good; however, they needed the condiments.
Free Fixins: Hot sauce, vinegar and sea salt are featured on each table, while ketchup and mustard are located on the fixin bar. Nonetheless, it's the four types of mayo that are notable. The Old Bay mayo combines a tangy kick with a little bit of spice. Sriracha brings some true spicy heat, but also includes a degree of sweetness. The mango mayo was rather mild compared to the others; however, it's sweetness provides a nice contrast to the savory fries. Spike's 4th featured mayo is the Chipotle. All four are noteworthy, but the Old Bay seems the most complex and innovative. If you are in seach of a spicy kick, try the sriracha.
Atmosphere: Although there was a long line, the second floor dining area was rather comfortable. The R'n'B that crooned on the first floor was barely audible up above, where patron conversations mixed with the sounds coming from the two (or three) flat screen tvs featured on the walls.
Cost: The regular burger with American cheese and Applewood bacon is $6.69. The regular french fries goes for $3.69.
Overall: Good Stuff Eatery is more than just hype. I doubt a better burger can be found on Capitol Hill.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Fries
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Free Fixins
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Atmosphere
The Burger joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger $4.38/$2.59
Good Stuff Eatery $6.69/$3.69
The Burger Joint $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Given Spike's reality tv-stardom, local periodicals and blogs have consistently reported on Good Stuff Eatery. This "free" advertisement is clearly working as the place was packed upon our arrival at 3:30 pm on a Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, it didn't take them too long (about 15 minutes) to serve the 30 people in front of us and there were plenty of tables available on the second floor of the burger joint.
The Burger: placed on a Pennsylvania Dutch-style bun, the Farmhouse Burger comes with onion, lettuce, a long-cut pickle, tomato*, and good stuff sauce (which appeared to be a mayo-based condiment). American cheese and Applewood bacon were added as part of the Burger Caper guidelines. At first glance, the burger looks somewhat small. However, this is due to the size of the bun as opposed to the actual thickness of the burger, which is more than adequate. The burger was cooked to medium - pink in the middle. While no red juices flowed out of the sandwich, grease was everywhere. In fact, it saturated almost the entire bun by the time I got to my final bites. Still, the meat tasted fresh and had a nice amount of seasoning. Nothing was overpowering. In fact, the bacon blended to the extent that it was hard to notice its inclusion. Still, it is clear that Spike knows what he is doing when it comes to burgers.
The Fries: Slightly less greasy than the burger, the fries were cut to about half their typical size. This made it necessary to eat two or three of them at once. Spike leaves the skin of the potato on the fries and sprinkles sea salt over top. The fries were good; however, they needed the condiments.
Free Fixins: Hot sauce, vinegar and sea salt are featured on each table, while ketchup and mustard are located on the fixin bar. Nonetheless, it's the four types of mayo that are notable. The Old Bay mayo combines a tangy kick with a little bit of spice. Sriracha brings some true spicy heat, but also includes a degree of sweetness. The mango mayo was rather mild compared to the others; however, it's sweetness provides a nice contrast to the savory fries. Spike's 4th featured mayo is the Chipotle. All four are noteworthy, but the Old Bay seems the most complex and innovative. If you are in seach of a spicy kick, try the sriracha.
Atmosphere: Although there was a long line, the second floor dining area was rather comfortable. The R'n'B that crooned on the first floor was barely audible up above, where patron conversations mixed with the sounds coming from the two (or three) flat screen tvs featured on the walls.
Cost: The regular burger with American cheese and Applewood bacon is $6.69. The regular french fries goes for $3.69.
Overall: Good Stuff Eatery is more than just hype. I doubt a better burger can be found on Capitol Hill.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Fries
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Free Fixins
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Atmosphere
The Burger joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger $4.38/$2.59
Good Stuff Eatery $6.69/$3.69
The Burger Joint $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Good Stuff Eatery
Z Burger
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Rock 'N Rollin' with My Taste Buds
This can't be. Is it possible that my mouth is still watering six hours after finishing one of the most amazing beef patties of my life? A stone throw away from Dupont Circle's namesake sits BGR The Burger Joint. One of four locations, The Burger Joint's NW location could, from the outside, be mistaken by tourists or some Real World cast members as a trendy nightclub. Ok, ok the giant neon light burger in front of the building might quash this possibility; however, the inside of the eatery takes the scene of a club with vibrant dark blue walls, stage lights and blown up pictures of rock and roll album covers from Def Leppard to Prince. vh1 classics was featured on two flat screens to give you an idea of what type of music BGR would play if it were in fact a club. After walking into BGR, we realized it was no typical burger joint. Soon we discovered that they don't serve your typical burger.
"The Burger": comes with lettuce, tomato*, onion, pickle and mojo sauce. American cheese (or three other kinds can be added along with Applewood Smoked Bacon. Served on a personal size pizza tray, the thick burger exploded out of the toasted, but almost fake looking, bun. The first bite brought the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction that we were looking for when we first conceived of this burger odyssey. The meat itself made the first impression - served medium, but seasoned well. Then the huge chunk of onion and crispy pickle made their marks along with the cheese. It wasn't until the third bite that I realized that it came without ketchup or mustard. At that point, there was no screwing up an amazing thing with condiments. The mojo sauce was on their anyway, even if unnoticeable with everything else going on with the burger. One of the only downsides was that the burger was served in two pieces, which helped it to fall apart rather easily. Ultimately, the burger was so good that it wasn't until I was only my last bite that I realized they omitted the bacon.
The Fries: named "The Gold Standard" these amazing spuds might find themselves with a medal by the end of this journey. They look about as average as possible; however, they taste like every fry should. Perfectly fried and salted, these guys didn't need any ketchup or mustard either.
Free Fixins: there was no major condiment bar; however, Grey Poupon mustard, ketchup, A1 Sauce and vinegar were on each of the tables.
Atmosphere: Every table was full of families or young professionals, although no one ever seemed to be waiting for an empty one. In addition to what was mentioned above, each table was surfaced with mosaic tile and there were funky Lego like lights.
Cost: The burger was $7.99 (it would have been $8.99 if they remembered the bacon). The fries were $2.89.
Overall: Instead of visiting all of the burger joints in DC, it may be a tastier idea to try every item on The Burger Joint's menu. The bar has been set and it's pretty high.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Fries
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Free Fixins
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Atmosphere
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger - $4.39/$2.59
The Burger Joint - $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
"The Burger": comes with lettuce, tomato*, onion, pickle and mojo sauce. American cheese (or three other kinds can be added along with Applewood Smoked Bacon. Served on a personal size pizza tray, the thick burger exploded out of the toasted, but almost fake looking, bun. The first bite brought the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction that we were looking for when we first conceived of this burger odyssey. The meat itself made the first impression - served medium, but seasoned well. Then the huge chunk of onion and crispy pickle made their marks along with the cheese. It wasn't until the third bite that I realized that it came without ketchup or mustard. At that point, there was no screwing up an amazing thing with condiments. The mojo sauce was on their anyway, even if unnoticeable with everything else going on with the burger. One of the only downsides was that the burger was served in two pieces, which helped it to fall apart rather easily. Ultimately, the burger was so good that it wasn't until I was only my last bite that I realized they omitted the bacon.
The Fries: named "The Gold Standard" these amazing spuds might find themselves with a medal by the end of this journey. They look about as average as possible; however, they taste like every fry should. Perfectly fried and salted, these guys didn't need any ketchup or mustard either.
Free Fixins: there was no major condiment bar; however, Grey Poupon mustard, ketchup, A1 Sauce and vinegar were on each of the tables.
Atmosphere: Every table was full of families or young professionals, although no one ever seemed to be waiting for an empty one. In addition to what was mentioned above, each table was surfaced with mosaic tile and there were funky Lego like lights.
Cost: The burger was $7.99 (it would have been $8.99 if they remembered the bacon). The fries were $2.89.
Overall: Instead of visiting all of the burger joints in DC, it may be a tastier idea to try every item on The Burger Joint's menu. The bar has been set and it's pretty high.
Burger
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Fries
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Free Fixins
Z Burger
The Burger Joint
Atmosphere
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Cost
Z Burger - $4.39/$2.59
The Burger Joint - $8.99/$2.89
Overall
The Burger Joint
Z Burger
Saturday, July 10, 2010
ZZZzzzzz Burger
The quest began at Z Burger in Tenleytown. The glorified fast food joint was filled with families and some holdover AU students. I suspect the nest is filled with Eagles during the school year as it is a good place to get your AVERAGE burger. Indeed, everything about Z burger was fairly typical of what you would expect of a burger and burger joint.
The Burger: Z's single bacon (American) cheeseburger comes with mayo, lettuce, tomato*, pickles, fried onion, sauteed mushrooms*, fried onions, mushrooms and ketchup - not a bad list of toppings for a regular burger. The burger came wrapped in tinfoil and when unraveled appeared to be rather normal. The bun and burger size were fairly common, although the former was toasted. The bacon was crispy and it tasted fine. Nothing was overpowering or unbearable.
The Fries: the fries were seasoned with what appeared to be three or four spices. They had a decent amount of flavor, but nothing special. Their presentation was best. They came in a cup within a larger bag. The cup was overflowing with the deep fried taters with about 30 or so scattered among the bag.
Free fixins: this is where Z burger may end up with some bonus points. You can ask for up to 11 additional toppings including banana peppers, red crushed peppers and Z sauce.
Atmosphere: as stated above, a glorified burger joint with families and hungry college students. After you eat, you leave. Nothing to it.
Cost: $4.39 for the burger and another $2.59 for the fries.
Overall: average, average, average. In fact, the most notable item was one that isn't being judged: the onion rings. I'd go back for these beasts, which come with a yummy special-mayo sauce.
*Omitted ingredients
The Burger: Z's single bacon (American) cheeseburger comes with mayo, lettuce, tomato*, pickles, fried onion, sauteed mushrooms*, fried onions, mushrooms and ketchup - not a bad list of toppings for a regular burger. The burger came wrapped in tinfoil and when unraveled appeared to be rather normal. The bun and burger size were fairly common, although the former was toasted. The bacon was crispy and it tasted fine. Nothing was overpowering or unbearable.
The Fries: the fries were seasoned with what appeared to be three or four spices. They had a decent amount of flavor, but nothing special. Their presentation was best. They came in a cup within a larger bag. The cup was overflowing with the deep fried taters with about 30 or so scattered among the bag.
Free fixins: this is where Z burger may end up with some bonus points. You can ask for up to 11 additional toppings including banana peppers, red crushed peppers and Z sauce.
Atmosphere: as stated above, a glorified burger joint with families and hungry college students. After you eat, you leave. Nothing to it.
Cost: $4.39 for the burger and another $2.59 for the fries.
Overall: average, average, average. In fact, the most notable item was one that isn't being judged: the onion rings. I'd go back for these beasts, which come with a yummy special-mayo sauce.
*Omitted ingredients
The Great DC Burger Caper
DC is known for history, politics, and its plethora of lobbying groups. It's time for our nation's capital to be known for something a bit tastier and what's better than a meaty burger and fries? Tony "The Italian Rock" Fescina and I are out to find the best burger that the DC Metro area has to offer. We'll stop at no lengths to find the greasiest, cheesiest, fattest molded hunk of ground beef (or turkey or pork combo) in the DMV. What burger is good enough to steal and go to jail for? It's time to find out.
The Great Burger Caper excursion will take us to at least thirteen glutton palaces. Each burger joint will be graded on the following: burger, fries, atmosphere, cost, free fixins and overall experience. The regular single bacon cheeseburger will be judged along with the regular fries. Whatever fixins, spices or cheese that come on a regular will be ordered. If there is no regular cheese, American will be the default. Because they are gross and would ruin the experience for all, mushrooms and tomatoes will not be consumed at any time except in the form of ketchup.
Let the games begin!
The Great Burger Caper excursion will take us to at least thirteen glutton palaces. Each burger joint will be graded on the following: burger, fries, atmosphere, cost, free fixins and overall experience. The regular single bacon cheeseburger will be judged along with the regular fries. Whatever fixins, spices or cheese that come on a regular will be ordered. If there is no regular cheese, American will be the default. Because they are gross and would ruin the experience for all, mushrooms and tomatoes will not be consumed at any time except in the form of ketchup.
Let the games begin!
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