Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Trummer's has a killer burger on the menu. By far the best I've had in/around DC, and that includes Hellburger and Palena. Obscene fat to meat ratio, with some surprises in terms of ingredients and seasonings. Very good.

Does everyone really like "surprises" in their hamburgers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trummer's has a killer burger on the menu. By far the best I've had in/around DC, and that includes Hellburger and Palena. Obscene fat to meat ratio, with some surprises in terms of ingredients and seasonings. Very good.

The problem with this though is like Central, the rest of the menu is so darned good, how do you go and eat a burger? I love me some burgers, but...

I will say though that eating a burger on the onyx lit bar would probably improve the burger taste to me just because that bar makes the whole room so comforting and relaxing, and eating while relaxed has to make food taste better. And can I just give a big kudos to the bartender a couple of weeks ago when I was in at the bar with the Hubby we ordered two glasses of wine while waiting for friends to join us for dinner and they poured a small tasting pour first to make sure we liked the wine. That is really nice, and I really appreciated it. But pretty please if someone from Trummer's is listening put your red wines by the glass on the bar menu there wasn't a page for them the other week and I can't remember there being hooks on the side of the bar where the hostess stand is, I know it is a little strange, but especially in this day and age where purse stealing has unfortunately become more common it is really nice to be able to hook your purse right in front of you, so it isn't on the floor or out of site and isn't in someone's way. Maybe there just wasn't one near my seat, but I couldn't remember finding one there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem with this though is like Central, the rest of the menu is so darned good, how do you go and eat a burger? I love me some burgers, but...

I think I agree with this sentiment. A burger has limited range, IMO. While I'll take a mediocre burger over mediocre sushi, great sushi beats a great burger every time.

Perhaps it's just a "gateway entree" for dormant gourmands to eventually try the rest of the restaurant's menu.

The most "surprising" burger I ever enjoyed had a chunk of blue cheese embedded in the burger. I wonder if you can poach an egg inside a burger, now that would be cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem with this though is like Central, the rest of the menu is so darned good, how do you go and eat a burger? I love me some burgers, but...

I will say though that eating a burger on the onyx lit bar would probably improve the burger taste to me just because that bar makes the whole room so comforting and relaxing, and eating while relaxed has to make food taste better. And can I just give a big kudos to the bartender a couple of weeks ago when I was in at the bar with the Hubby we ordered two glasses of wine while waiting for friends to join us for dinner and they poured a small tasting pour first to make sure we liked the wine. That is really nice, and I really appreciated it. But pretty please if someone from Trummer's is listening put your red wines by the glass on the bar menu there wasn't a page for them the other week and I can't remember there being hooks on the side of the bar where the hostess stand is, I know it is a little strange, but especially in this day and age where purse stealing has unfortunately become more common it is really nice to be able to hook your purse right in front of you, so it isn't on the floor or out of site and isn't in someone's way. Maybe there just wasn't one near my seat, but I couldn't remember finding one there.

I will tell Stefan tomorrow. More than likely, we'll do the hooks, though no promises. If someone stole your purse there, we'd have it on camera and there would be a gaggle of people after whomever did it, so don't worry too much about it.

As for the surprises, I can't reveal anything more than duckfat, and a 70/30 ratio.

:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the climate of "medium-well when you ask for medium" comes from the fact that most people on the whole aren't stubborn enough to send something like a burger back to the kitchen because they didn't order it for a culinary masterpiece insomuch as a "quick bite," even when in a restaurant over a burger joint. There also might be an attitude from the owners/corporations to avoid some nutjob customer suing them for BSE-related illness a la the McD's "hot coffee" case.

That being said, the only restaurant that has consistently never screwed up *any* meat order for me is Artie's in Fairfax - their filets and burgers have always come out cooked *exactly* the way I ordered them. The shoestring fries on the other hand are salted and seasoned to such a degree that even an Outback chef would cock an eyebrow in wonder (ask for them lightly or completely unseasoned).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elevation Burger

Five Guys

Foster's Grill

Good Stuff Eatery

Z Burger

Of those, I've only ever had Five Guys and Elevation Burger.

I've gotta say that Five Guys... say what you will about it... is still one of my faves. Forget fancy meats and froofy toppings... here's an unpretentious burger that greets your gullet with a simple message: "I'm the worst thing you can put in your body, but you're a dirty girl and you like it. Love me and despair."

Burgers should taste like sweat and tendon and unwashed griddle.

If I want the culinary experience, I'll go to Ray's Hell.

Coda: None of them compare to what you can make at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Five Guys is solid, but unspectacular. American cheese doesn't do it for me, their meat is generally slightly underseasoned, the bun is barely of supermarket quality, and the fries lack any crispness whatsoever, though they still taste better than some of the "fast food" burger places. The toppings are fresh, the sauces are solid, but ultimately it's just "good."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Five Guys - I completely fail to understand the hype. As Arcturus said, low quality bun, skimpy burgers formed from meat that can't even compare to some better options available, and fries that are totally soggy.

Z Burger - Worse than Five Guys, for sure. Generally the same issues, just more agregious.

Good Stuff - At least the toppings are good. I tried the Obama burger a while back, and the bacon as well as the onion marmalade and the horseradish mayo were awesome. But the burger itself is so small that the toppings and bun mostly overwhelm the meat's flavor. The only thing they can't mask is the texture - I don't know what the reason is, but the burger I had from Good Stuff was chewy in a way I've never experienced before, and it did not go down well at all.

Haven't tried the other 2, but I've been curious about Elevation for a while. Plus I'm interested to see how Flip is, since apparently a location is coming to DC. Still, betwen BGR and Ray's, I think burgers are pretty much covered. Especially since some good meat and a generous amount of salt can yield a delicious one right at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Five Guys - I completely fail to understand the hype. As Arcturus said, low quality bun, skimpy burgers formed from meat that can't even compare to some better options available, and fries that are totally soggy.

Plus I'm interested to see how Flip is, since apparently a location is coming to DC.

I, too, fail to understand the Five Guys allure. The burgers are fine for a quick fix, but the fries are just bad. I am a fan of fries that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and I find Five Guys fries to be soggy and greasy. Not worth the MANY calories, as far as I am concerned. In fact, my family had Five Guys for dinner last night, and I opted for leftover spaghetti instead (and was infinitely happier). Perhaps Five Guys was great when it started out, but I feel like overexpansion has taken its toll.

As for Flip, you probably won't want to put it in the same category as any of the choices Don listed above. First of all, Flip is way more expensive, with the slider-type (5-6 ounces) burgers costing more along the $8-$12 range (if I remember correctly--was there last in September). Also, I find that some of Flip's best offerings are the non-beef options. I think the restaurant will do well in DC, but it's a more "haute" burger concept than something like Five Guys or Good Stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Best of the Best
Palena - while I wanted something fried to go with this, I had difficulty even convincing myself to put it down long enough to grab a drink of wine.
Central - Can come across as the stuffiest burger in town, but still delivers a nice amount of flavor.

Over-Rated, or Just not worth the Trip
5 Guys - This was a once good, but never great chain that for some reason is viewed as the east coasts version of In and Out, for the life of me I can't figure out why. I believe that Holly Moore's experience sums up mine fairly well

Have Not Tried
Good Stuff Eatery- Just opened, one day when the humidity is not akin to a tropical rain forest I may make the walk to give it a try.
Burger Joint- the "Boo-Ya" on the menu is a turn-off, but I can get over that, but it being in Bethesda makes a trip a little more difficult.
Hell Burger - for personal reasons I would rather find myself between Kirstie Alley and a Twinkie than pay a visit.

Over the past 8 days, I hit up the above establishments for some intense compare and contrast. Burgers are one of my least favorite foods -- at best, they're a decent meal, at worst, it's a messy sandwich that forces you to eat it faster than it's falling apart. But it was time for an opinion on the local fare, so I started at Palena.

Last Tuesday I was the second person at their bar, and started with a cocktail with orange juice (a Bronx? An Income Tax?). The burger arrived and I switched to a red. I've have never eaten at Palena before, but the burger entices me to try their full menu. A straightforward affair: bun, cheese, burger, garlic mayo. Garnish of pickled veggies. I would imagine that his entrees there are simple as well. The garlic mayo was assertive, and the kitchen didn't drown the sandwich in it. By far the most civilized sandwich that I tried, restrained in its toppings and really good.

I immediately hopped on the Red Line and headed to Central. Burger with side salad and various glasses. Having two burgers within an hour of each other probably isn't a great idea, so Palena may have a first-mover advantage in this review. In contrast to Palena's simplicity, Central's burger is decadent. Bun, cheese, mayo, potato crisp, tomato, caramelized onions . . . this sandwich is more of a triumph than it is a meal. Like Palena's burger, this burger offers insight into what the rest of the menu will be like. But for me, this sandwich is too busy (although it is structurally sound, and doesn't fall apart like many other loaded burgers). I'll stick to Central's awesome steak tartare instead.

Monday, after a long walk enjoying the gorgeous weather, we stopped by Good Stuff. This place is always packed, but once you're seated it's fine. I got the Blazin' Barn Burger, with pickled daikon and carrots, mint, cilantro, thai basil, lettuce and spicy mayo. These were some great toppings, and the burger tasted good, but seriously the wimpiest beef patty out there. Super thin and not that interesting. Also, clearly the messiest burger of those tested, and I wolfed it down before it could ruin my shirt.

Last night, Ray's Hell Burger. I order au poivre, Recommended, with cheese and lettuce. I got a burger that was medium well, but since I'm used to my wife not listening to me, I got over it quickly and thoroughly enjoyed my burger. The meat was really well seasoned and still juicy. I might have enjoyed my burger even more, if the place wasn't such a zoo. No one else seemed to mind, but it was my least favorite setting of those involved. But the burger itself is in the same elite class as Palena's, wish I could have a glass of wine there though.

Just three hours ago, The Burger Joint at Dupont Circle. The Box Set, with cheeseburger, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mayo. And an enormous amount of fries! A perfectly fine burger, just not as distinctive as the others.

I think I hit 5 Guys on Saturday. Give credit where it is due, it definitely smells good. But it's not worth mentioning anymore.

The only other burger that I've had (but not recently) is Bourbon Steak's, which is really smokey and delicious.

So all in all, I discovered I'm more in the "less is more" camp when it comes to burgers, who needs all those toppings? Also, I do like burgers from restaurants that do other dishes (I put Ray's in this category) besides sandwiches. Wish I could provide more insight into burgers after this walk of shame around town, but there it is.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the ones I grill....tonight I grilled for a dozen family members. The burgers were 8 ounces of organic ground beef from Costco, seasoned with Lea and Perrins and Montreal seasoning. Cooked over charcoal to a nice medium--just a hint of pink in the middle--and with just enough char to add flavor. Burger/slice of cheddar/Gulden's spicy brown/tomato/leaf lettuce/slice of sweet onion/sandwich bun from a local bakery. Classic simplicity....it doesn't get much better than this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And the "concrete" is Danny Meyers' ode to St. Louis' Ted Drewes, frozen custard spun with add-ins of your choice. I prefer gelato.

Yeah. He went to my high school. :( Too bad Ted Drewes never trademarked the "concrete"...

I'm not sure there's a better word in the English language to describe burgers ordered medium that come out well-done. :)

"Overcooked" covers it but why not just "wrong"? Shouldn't a place known for burgers not cook the bejeepers out of them? "Cooked medium to well-done" -- that's a huge range of doneness, although I guess less so with a four-ounce burger. I'd be much happier getting one on the medium end of that spectrum, and would be annoyed if I got one at the well-done end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah. He went to my high school. :( Too bad Ted Drewes never trademarked the "concrete"...

"Overcooked" covers it but why not just "wrong"? Shouldn't a place known for burgers not cook the bejeepers out of them? "Cooked medium to well-done" -- that's a huge range of doneness, although I guess less so with a four-ounce burger. I'd be much happier getting one on the medium end of that spectrum, and would be annoyed if I got one at the well-done end.

There are plenty of places know for burgers that cook the shit out of them. I just don't find Shake Shack's to be overcooked, just like I don't find In-n-Out's to be overcooked. They're still plenty juicy and tasty when compared to, let's say, Good Stuff's parcooked, tasteless burger.

Was that overcooked burger returned?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are plenty of places know for burgers that cook the shit out of them. I just don't find Shake Shack's to be overcooked, just like I don't find In-n-Out's to be overcooked. They're still plenty juicy and tasty when compared to, let's say, Good Stuff's parcooked, tasteless burger.

Burgers that emphasize crust over gelatinous middles are absolutely valid. As long as the surface is well salted to give that crust flavor. I'm talkin' to you, Five Guys.

I have no experience with In-n-Out, Good Stuff, Five Guys,* or Shake Shack. I do have experience with Steak'n'Shake, though -- oh, greasy-spoon-chain of my youth! -- so I get the thin-patty/good-exterior idea. I would agree with DR, however, that a burger ordered to be medium that comes well-done has been overcooked; if there's just one level of cook available, then that's different.

It would seem that we're reaching the point in DC at which whatever kind of burger you like, you'll be able to get it. Which I guess is something, right?

*I know, I'm a burger heathen. Or something. <shrug>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently ordered a regular little ol' cheeseburger at Wendys in the middle of nowhere on a road trip. It looked like a burger you'd see on a billboard, perfectly assembled, and tasted quite good. I had a mild case of carsickness before I ate and the burger cured me. Oddly, the last Wendy's cheeseburger I ate over a decade ago gave me a mild case of food poisoning. I'm hopeful, but I doubt, that my local Wendy's will produce such a great little burger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no experience with In-n-Out, Good Stuff, Five Guys,* or Shake Shack. I do have experience with Steak'n'Shake, though -- oh, greasy-spoon-chain of my youth! -- so I get the thin-patty/good-exterior idea.

My lone experience with In-n-Out was in Las Vegas, and I'm glad it's out west. Please keep it there. It is over-rated to the extreme, and couldn't stand up to a Five Guys burger. Not even close. And I'm not a big Five Guys fan either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Adding to the burger love in this town.

Seeing another burger joint makes me want to add hamburgers to the trite list. Unfortunately, this was a drive by so I did not get the exact info and there's no website. Some where in Falls Church City/Mclean/Falls Church border there was a coming soon sign for "Burger 7."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing another burger joint makes me want to add hamburgers to the trite list. Unfortunately, this was a drive by so I did not get the exact info and there's no website. Some where in Falls Church City/Mclean/Falls Church border there was a coming soon sign for "Burger 7."

I believe this is in the Idylwood Plaza shopping center at Rt. 7 & Pimmit Drive -- in the space formerly occupied by Burrito Brothers, next to Jason's Deli.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the burger at Sei this past Friday. American Kobe with sautéed shitake | tempura bacon | gouda cheese | wasabi horseradish. The tempura bacon was AMAZING. I've had burgers almost everywhere in DC except for Palena and would easily put this burger in my top 5. Top 4 places in no particular order: Sei, Bourbon Steak, Central, and Ray's Hell Burger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the burger at Sei this past Friday. American Kobe with sautéed shitake | tempura bacon | gouda cheese | wasabi horseradish. The tempura bacon was AMAZING. I've had burgers almost everywhere in DC except for Palena and would easily put this burger in my top 5. Top 4 places in no particular order: Sei, Bourbon Steak, Central, and Ray's Hell Burger.

I've noticed a disturbing recent proliferation of $17 hamburgers (along with our other disturbing trend of $12-15 cocktails served by unskilled bartenders using lesser ingredients - think carefully before you part with your hard-earned dollars here). Note: I'm not indicting all $17 hamburgers and $12-15 cocktails; merely noting the proliferation of them.

Cheers,

Rocks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed a disturbing recent proliferation of $17 hamburgers (along with our other disturbing trend of $12-15 cocktails served by unskilled bartenders using lesser ingredients - think carefully before you part with your hard-earned dollars here). Note: I'm not indicting all $17 hamburgers and $12-15 cocktails; merely noting the proliferation of them.

Cheers,

Rocks

They just opened a DB in Miami at the new JW Marquis, which offers a $32 hamburger with short rib and foie. It may be their 'signature' offering, but I had to pass. I'm sure I'd have prefered the Palena burger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They just opened a DB in Miami at the new JW Marquis, which offers a $32 hamburger with short rib and foie. It may be their 'signature' offering, but I had to pass. I'm sure I'd have prefered the Palena burger.

I have eaten the DB Burger at the Vegas outpost. (Clearly not on my own dime...) The foie was kind of a waste, it overpowered everything else in the sandwich and would probably have been better on its own. That said, the short rib meat was unbelievably fantastic. Not worth $32, I agree, but good nonetheless. The gimmicky burgers aren't really burgers anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my problem with the way a lot of "upscale" chefs/cooks do burgers: they treat them like steak. Meaning, they make a patty that's an inch thick or more, then sear it until medium rare (or seared and pan roasted).

This creates a center that's a lot closer to beef tartar than "hamburger." I have no problem with beef tartar, or any raw beef preparation - prepared right, they can be a singular luxury. But in order to prepare tartar properly, you need to properly season the beef. The reason this doesn't work in a hamburger is that, if you season ground beef and then toss, you end up seasoning the inside of the patty. Cooking ground beef that's essentially been seasoned from the inside out causes it to seize up and you end up with a rubbery burger (the salt denatures the proteins which then glue together in the heat). The alternative is to only season the outside, but then you end up with a flavorless tartar center if you have a thick burger.

A burger should be thin and cooked to the point where the outside goes from red to light brown to dark brown to golden charred. It should be seasoned only on the outside. It should be a vehicle for char.

A more perfect burger is the double burger. You still get the satisfying beefiness that comes with an inch's thickness of meat, but instead of having a flavorless or rubbery center, you double your char and end up with a beefy, salty, greasy, golden-brown and delicious center.

I declare war on thick burgers.

I appreciate a burger like Ray's, around 8 ounces ? or so, but only when done at Ray's. If I try to make a larger burger, it turns into a hockey puck. I do enjoy the pink center and plain beef flavor in contrast to the char and toppings.

Here's a link to Jacques and Julia Cooking at Home on Hulu. It's the Beef episode. One segment is on hamburgers and it's very interesting to see the contrast between these two giants of cooking. Jacques hand forms a thick-ish patty with no seasoning, covers with oil, cooks on a grill pan and loads up a grilled bun after. No seasoning. Julia rough chopped her 5-6 ounces of meat with a chef's knife and added shallots sauteed in butter and pepper. She then brings a thin patty together, loosely and adds to a salted cast iron pan and cooks 2 min. each side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my problem with the way a lot of "upscale" chefs/cooks do burgers: they treat them like steak. Meaning, they make a patty that's an inch thick or more, then sear it until medium rare (or seared and pan roasted).

This creates a center that's a lot closer to beef tartar than "hamburger." I have no problem with beef tartar, or any raw beef preparation - prepared right, they can be a singular luxury. But in order to prepare tartar properly, you need to properly season the beef. The reason this doesn't work in a hamburger is that, if you season ground beef and then toss, you end up seasoning the inside of the patty. Cooking ground beef that's essentially been seasoned from the inside out causes it to seize up and you end up with a rubbery burger (the salt denatures the proteins which then glue together in the heat). The alternative is to only season the outside, but then you end up with a flavorless tartar center if you have a thick burger.

A burger should be thin and cooked to the point where the outside goes from red to light brown to dark brown to golden charred. It should be seasoned only on the outside. It should be a vehicle for char.

A more perfect burger is the double burger. You still get the satisfying beefiness that comes with an inch's thickness of meat, but instead of having a flavorless or rubbery center, you double your char and end up with a beefy, salty, greasy, golden-brown and delicious center.

I declare war on thick burgers.

Sorry, you're on a lone crusade here. I won't order a burger at any place that insists on cooking to medium or darker, and it's hard to consistently get a medium-rare burger if the patties are thin.

Last night my son's school had a fundraiser at Cheeburger Cheeburger. They won't cook to less than medium (and their medium is most place's medium well) so I had a salad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On record for faves of Palena (in the 'refined or gourmet' category) and Ray's ('big, messy, no holds barred'), I'd also put in plugs for:

- relative newcomer Newton's Table in Bethesda. I'm not a huge fan of the restaurant overall but it is an excellent burger of the more refined type.

- Elevation. For me, this one's best in the fast-food category. Way better than Five Guys and like that they're grass fed and flame-broiled.

Too many other burger spots in town I won't name heavily promote that they use the "best", "finest", "all natural" or "premium" beef but in nearly all cases, said beef is grain or corn fed and from questionable (aka unknown) source.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On record for faves of Palena (in the 'refined or gourmet' category) and Ray's ('big, messy, no holds barred'), I'd also put in plugs for:

- relative newcomer Newton's Table in Bethesda. I'm not a huge fan of the restaurant overall but it is an excellent burger of the more refined type.

- Elevation. For me, this one's best in the fast-food category. Way better than Five Guys and like that they're grass fed and flame-broiled.

Too many other burger spots in town I won't name heavily promote that they use the "best", "finest", "all natural" or "premium" beef but in nearly all cases, said beef is grain or corn fed and from questionable (aka unknown) source.

I'd put Burger 7 in the same league as Elevation Burger. In fact, reading this thread gave me a hamburger craving yesterday, so I had lunch at Burger 7. I'd even go so far as to put this at the top of the upscale fast-food burger heap, except that I'm still not sure whether or not they'll cook anything except well-done. The last two times I went, I ordered mine medium, the cashier nodded her head (there was a slight language issue both times), and the patties came out cooked well-done. So in my mind, the jury's out on this one, but this place really isn't bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have only had the burger at Palena once and I remember liking it a lot.

I will get skewered for this, but I think that Shake Shack has the best fast food type burger in this area. I would also say that Gott's Roadside has the best fast food type burger in the US.

And, I will get completely skewered for this, but I do not understand the appeal, at all, of Ray's and In-N-Out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have only had the burger at Palena once and I remember liking it a lot.

I will get skewered for this, but I think that Shake Shack has the best fast food type burger in this area. I would also say that Gott's Roadside has the best fast food type burger in the US.

And, I will get completely skewered for this, but I do not understand the appeal, at all, of Ray's and In-N-Out.

Hopefully noone feels the need to "skewer" anyone for expressing a point of view. The civil and constructive exchange of views is ostensibly a central purpose of this board? But, IMHO, it's always cool to explain or support a point of view, especially if a minority or unpopular view--simply because others can then consider that and maybe even reassess their own views.

For example, of course respecting any view, I personally favor Ray's (along with Palena's) burgers because Ray's:

- uses fresh ground (onsite--this is unusual but not unprecedented), high quality* beef as all the Ray's outposts do

- offers a much wider selection of higher quality toppings than most any other burger place in any category of burger

- sometimes a big, messy burger is just the thing...if you like that kind of thing as I sometimes do

- any place good enough for Barack, Joe and the Russian President (er, PM) is probably good enough for me :mellow:

Palena: Common Ground :unsure:

* I can't remember the specific provenance of Ray's beef but think that has been shared and is buried on one of the Ray's threads somewhere?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally think Ray's has best taste. I have not been able to duplicate at home. They have great toppings. I'm can go between medium and medium well as long as the end product of burger, bun and toppings is juicy and tasty.

I will not eat at 5 guys, but have been know to eat at Red Robin, elevation, BGR and others.

The turkey burgers i grill at home are just ok.. But add Guac, hot peppers and dijon mustard.. now we're talking... Don't need char!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For example, of course respecting any view, I personally favor Ray's (along with Palena's) burgers because Ray's:

- uses fresh ground (onsite--this is unusual but not unprecedented), high quality* beef as all the Ray's outposts do

- offers a much wider selection of higher quality toppings than most any other burger place in any category of burger

- sometimes a big, messy burger is just the thing...if you like that kind of thing as I sometimes do

- any place good enough for Barack, Joe and the Russian President (er, PM) is probably good enough for me :mellow:

* I can't remember the specific provenance of Ray's beef but think that has been shared and is buried on one of the Ray's threads somewhere?

Recently, we've been going to Ray's, too. The 5 oz. burger on the menu is just the right size for us. The regular burger is just too big for one and not quite big enough to share. The smaller burger is a crazy good deal, too. Add in the waitperson service and the option of having a beer to all the basic positives outlined above, which explains why it is always our go-to burger choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those who require a sturdy bun, I suggest visiting Liberty Tavern. They have a few new burgers (a lamb burger with house made chevre and fennel and an Italian sausage burger) they've added to their $10 burger and a pint special before 5 on weekends and they updated the bun along with it to something that's very sturdy but still tasty enough I ate it solo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully noone feels the need to "skewer" anyone for expressing a point of view. The civil and constructive exchange of views is ostensibly a central purpose of this board? But, IMHO, it's always cool to explain or support a point of view, especially if a minority or unpopular view--simply because others can then consider that and maybe even reassess their own views.

For example, of course respecting any view, I personally favor Ray's (along with Palena's) burgers because Ray's:

- uses fresh ground (onsite--this is unusual but not unprecedented), high quality* beef as all the Ray's outposts do

- offers a much wider selection of higher quality toppings than most any other burger place in any category of burger

- sometimes a big, messy burger is just the thing...if you like that kind of thing as I sometimes do

- any place good enough for Barack, Joe and the Russian President (er, PM) is probably good enough for me :mellow:

Palena: Common Ground :unsure:

* I can't remember the specific provenance of Ray's beef but think that has been shared and is buried on one of the Ray's threads somewhere?

When I first went to Ray's several years ago, when it first opened, I will admit to loving it. But, over the years, I do feel like it has gone downhill. I cannot get past the fact that I simply do not like the bun. And, while the toppings are higher quality than pretty much any place out there, I am thrown off by the fact that the egg that I order last time was cooked all the way through and the guacamole that I ordered the time before was essentially brown. Add that to the fact that our burgers generally are served with issues (auctioning off at the table, wrong toppings, various temperatures that are incorrect, etc.) and average, at best, fries, I just don't see the appeal to this place. And, it is not as if I have not tried, I have worked in Rosslyn for almost one year and we go to Ray's, both the original and Too, on an almost monthly basis.

As ar as Shake Shack is concerned, I like the potato bun and the shake sauce. I also find their beef to be well seasoned. And, while their fries are not potato-y enough, I appreciate the fact that I always get them crispy and hot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Subtle change in the name of the thread noted, with approval! Or did someone hack it? If so, also noted with approval!

191 (not 190) RBIs (*),

Don "The Human Vacuum Cleaner" (*) Rocks

(*) 3rd in AL 1964 and, yes, still, the greatest ever (**) to "don" a mitt.

(**) And if you disagree, you simply don't remember (***).

(***) Portrait painted by Norman Rockwell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those of us that don't know your tastes how are each of the 3 burgers different?

Bobby's patties are much too tightly packed for my taste, the texture of the burgers even when ordered rare did not work for me. Seasoning is also not a strong suit, you absolutely need a sauce or the salt and pepper shaker for your burger.

Ray's was totally unsatisfying on my last visit, unfortunately. The bun is a disaster, I don't want to belabor a point that has been discussed ad nauseum in that thread already but mine was bordering on stale on the last visit. The burger itself is still of good quality, meat far superior to Bobby's IMO but the bun kind of ruined the experience for me along with the fact that the burger was incredibly greasy (some people don't think this is a bad thing).

BTS is a loose pack as mentioned above, very nicely seasoned and the Benton's bacon I got on mine really made it sing. By far the best bun of any of the group, I didn't mind the size but loved the flavor. The meat was a bit on the drier side but in a good way, the burger took well to the garlic mayo I got on it and was not sopping wet by the time I was halfway through it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bobby's patties are much too tightly packed for my taste, the texture of the burgers even when ordered rare did not work for me. Seasoning is also not a strong suit, you absolutely need a sauce or the salt and pepper shaker for your burger.

Ray's was totally unsatisfying on my last visit, unfortunately. The bun is a disaster, I don't want to belabor a point that has been discussed ad nauseum in that thread already but mine was bordering on stale on the last visit. The burger itself is still of good quality, meat far superior to Bobby's IMO but the bun kind of ruined the experience for me along with the fact that the burger was incredibly greasy (some people don't think this is a bad thing).

BTS is a loose pack as mentioned above, very nicely seasoned and the Benton's bacon I got on mine really made it sing. By far the best bun of any of the group, I didn't mind the size but loved the flavor. The meat was a bit on the drier side but in a good way, the burger took well to the garlic mayo I got on it and was not sopping wet by the time I was halfway through it.

[Just wanted to say ... a nice, balanced response to a legitimate question by mdt.

Also a good time to remind people about the "Snapback Function" here on the Invision software. If you go to DPop's post (just above), and click on the "little gray bubble thing" just to the left of "mdt"'s quoted text, it will "snap you back" to the correct thread. In computer lingo, it's called "reverse threading" and it's a very useful way to regain context once some overzealous moderator has split a post into a different thread. -_-]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Little grey bubbly thing?" It looks like a reverse arrow on my screen. Time to upgrade to a larger phone or tablet, Don? ;)

And to keep this on topic, has anyone else tried Dorothy Moon's Gourmet Burger? I noticed the food truck outside my office a few weeks ago, and just had to try it. I've been salivating waiting for the truck to come back to my neck of the woods...loosely packed, delicious griddled burger with loads of flavor. Potato bun, I think. Definitely worth seeking out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Little grey bubbly thing?" It looks like a reverse arrow on my screen. Time to upgrade to a larger phone or tablet, Don? ;)

And to keep this on topic, has anyone else tried Dorothy Moon's Gourmet Burger? I noticed the food truck outside my office a few weeks ago, and just had to try it. I've been salivating waiting for the truck to come back to my neck of the woods...loosely packed, delicious griddled burger with loads of flavor. Potato bun, I think. Definitely worth seeking out.

This is interesting. Any other details you can share? Who's Dorothy Moon? How big is the burger? Any chance it's grass-fed beef? Cost? Merci.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...