Elevation Burger report
Kobe beef burgers in Falls Church City.
My burger was a disaster. Densely pressed together (seems machine formed), meat very well done, taste is fairly bland/ healthy. Bun is supermarket taste and texture. Be wary of the house-made Elevation Sauce. Although the guy at the counter said it was tomato based, no mayo, this is a light pink sauce made with some kind of dairy or substitute. Very sweet pickle slices. I ate it, so I guess it wasn't horrible, but I feel like a chump. Not savory like Lindy's, around the corner from where I work.
Both the chili from across the street (P and P) and the marinated milkfish at Karaoke Idol (philippino, down the block) provided better flavor. Must investigate Karaoke Idol more.
By Steve
on Nov 3, 2005 01:54 PM
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I don't think it was that bad, but I agree the patties they are turning out are too hard and lack juiciness. I think perhaps it is because they are using wagyu beef, which I frankly can't fathom--give me classic ground chuck, 80-20, any day. The fries somewhat redeemed themselves from my earlier visit however, since this time they were somewhat softer in the middle while staying crisp on the outside, and they were properly salted too!
My research on wagyu indicates that the stuff is good only when quick seared, preserving the fattiness and flavor on the inside. If you cook it through it loses all the fat/juice and you wind up with blah, worse than ordinary beef. That seems to be the story here. Anyway it makes no sense to grind the stuff up in the first place.
The chile from P&P across the street was good, but you're liable to succumb to smoke inhalation while waiting for it in there. Better to send in your kid brother while you wait outside.
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So but nobody has indicated about P&P:
1) How many times anyone got called "Hon"
2) How many people were legally intoxicated (yes, I know it was around noon)
3) If anyone was chastised for language because they "had customers" (even though 10-12 people are already there)
4) How many fly strips were hanging up
I need to go back, I love that place.
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We've been afraid to go in all these years...
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I was the only one who went in to P&P---the rest of them, namby-pambys that they clearly are, just sat in the sun and waited for their burgers.
There was one guy at the end of the bar who smoked 3 cigarettes while I was waiting for my order. There was another guy sitting at a table with a drink doing the same thing, barely keeping his head up. There were two guys shooting pool. Them, the lady behind the bar, and me was it. I didn't move or look around too much because I was trying to breathe as little as possible. It was pure Damon Runyan.
I remember thinking to myself that the place definitely ought to be bulldozed ASAP. But that would deny the world a classic establishment with classic chili. So hopefully it will be around for a while.
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>> I remember thinking to myself that the place definitely ought to be bulldozed ASAP. But that would deny the world a classic establishment with classic chili. So hopefully it will be around for a while.
Great summation.
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Yes, but did you:
1. Lay down on any handicappers at Charlestown or Belmont?
2. Hold the line for the Skins-Eagles at home (Skins w/5)?
3. Double down on the VaTech-Miami game? (UM 3 1/2)
If not, then you've missed the entire point of the P&P.
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We really hated the sauce. We were told the same thing when we went, with the added comment that everybody likes it and we would too, assuming we like tomatoes. I didn't notice the sweet pickles, thinking the sauce was what was so sweet.
I remember that I asked for my burger medium rare. While it wasn't what I would call medium rare, it wasn't overcooked. But not juicy soaking the bun like I would like.
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Since I like my burger a bit moving and possibly mooing I was not pleased with the dull grey "puck" on the bun but the caramelized onions were yummy. I still can't figure out why my hamburger came with cheese, what would the cheeseburger come with?. They offered 2 Iced Tea flavors but both were nasty. One cinnamon orange flavored, the other sicky sweet rasberry, neither was complimentary vintage to the main fare. No plain tea on site. Since the fries were done in olive oil we concluded that they were "healthy" fries.
More on Karaoke Idol, later.
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The first burger I had there was overdone, but I gave them a second chance a couple of weeks earlier. I asked if it could be cooked medium and not well done like the one I had previously. The guy at the counter said they usualy shoot for medium but that it took them a couple of weeks to get the hang of setting their grill. The next one was fine, though I agree that any taste comes from what's on it and not the meat itself.
I don't care for the Elevation Sauce either. Traditional cheese, mustard, lettuce, and grilled onions work for me. Not the best burger I've ever had (I liked Ollieburgers with their very active seasoning) but Elevation makes me feel better than eating at Wendy's. One or two a month is about right.
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who knew! bring an appetite and a song book?
Image: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/we...
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who knew! bring an appetite and a song book?
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNWzZm2ZtWP_
Link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNWzZm2ZtWP_
Image: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/we...
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After our snack at Elevation Burger, and a taste of chili mac at P & P, what else could we do? The natural conclusion was Philippino fare from Karaoke Idol. Of course.
Unfortunately we let the waitress steeer us to the most boring selection on a six-page menu: Combination Rice Noodles. What were we thinking? The gooey lumpia were also not a hit, and not cheap at $8! But the day was saved by a dish of marinated milkfish, super duper tasty little fish, fried to a char and eaten whole. Long menu with many unusual items, so definitely a place worth some exploration.
Thanks for the pictures, Roe!
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I might add that, in an effort to obtain more meaty goodness, I ordered the two-patty "Phat" burger. The highlights of the Phat burger were the crispy lettuce, balsamic mustard, and carmelized onions. Oh, and my pickle was not sweet. That was good, too.
What is the difference beween Kobe, Wagyu, and "Angus-certified"?
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I must not eat enough hamburgers any more, because I think Elevation's Phat Burger is pretty good. By comparison I found the one Five Guys burger I've had (from the Chantilly Crossing outpost) to be a bit dry.
Conversely, while I like Elevation's thin fries cooked in olive oil, Five Guy's boardwalk-style fries are SICK! (Sick as in really good, like The Junkies might say). I made the "mistake," on my first Five Guys visit, of ordering the large fries. I have never eaten so many fries in one sitting in my life. Those are some good fries. But the smaller size is more than sufficient -- for two people!
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I just went to 5 Guys today to refresh my memory. Gotta say that I liked it better than Elevation, and I've been trying to be a fan of Elevation. Meat had some taste, bun was better, and no pickles - at least you don't have to remember to tell them not to put pickles on it.
I do wish that 5 Guys had a "kiddie size" order of fries. I wouldn't be embarassed to order it. I eat what's loose in the bag and take the cup home to freshen up in some oil at another meal. While it does my conscience (and probably arteries) to eat Elevation's cooked in olive oil, I prefer the larger size of 5 Guys fries. They stay hot longer.
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The following is my understanding
Wagyu is the breed of cattle developed in Japan which is used to "make" Kobe beef. It is supposedly super marbled, more flavorful, etc etc. But everybody says that about their favorite breed, especially since they probably have an economic interest.
Kobe, for practical purposes, is when they do the beer and massage thing, although supposedly any Wagyu cattle can be called Kobe as long as it was processed (I'm not sure how that is defined) in Kobe, Japan. This is why you can get Wagyu beef from the US/Canada (they raise the breed) but you'll never get "true" Kobe beef (it's like an appelation controlee, and of course in addition in the US nobody is massaging them and feeding them all that beer and special grain). Wagyu believers believe it is already so good that most of the supposed goodness of Kobe comes from the breed, not the process. I couldn't say.
Certified Angus means the beef is from Angus cattle, and in addition I believe it can be used as a label only on the better choice cuts and up, not the lesser choice and down. Most beef guys say Angus makes the best steaks/roasts etc., but Herfords have their partisans, among which I believe is Michael Landrum of Ray's the Steaks.
I have linked something which discusses the Wagyu topic, tho it appears out of date since the meat is widely available in the US now
Link: http://members.tripod.com/~BayGourmet...
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In addition to what you said, Certified Angus is essentially a brand of beef, not unlike clothing, and has nothing to do with the USDA grade. In my experience, alot of restaurants try to entice you by saying they serve only Certified Angus beef. This usually means they are also selling USDA Choice, not Prime.
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Did anyone happen to try out the veggie burgers? I was kinda looking forward to going there for one and a milkshake, but you all don't seem to like the sauce. If the sauce ain't good then there is no point in getting a veggie burger.
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Add me to the list of those who aren't impressed with Elevation Burger. I had read good things on this board and so I headed over with a friend on Saturday. While I did like the taste of the fries, and my milkshakes was a delicious indulgence, the burger did absolutely nothing for me. I ate it because it was there.
I did grab an oatmeal choc. chip cookie for the road and it was quite good. But that isn't a reason to go here. I will stick with Five Guys.
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I went to Elevation Burger the night before it opened ( ate for free after showing up accidentally during a "family & friends" night). Since it has opened, I have eaten there numerous times, and have enjoyed it every time. It is a fast food place, and you shouldn't even expect them to cook your burger to your liking. They don't do that at Five Guys! All in all, the burgers are really good, the elevation sauce is Thousand Island dressing or something close, and you can get a burger with fries and a soda for about $6. My only complaint is how long it takes for them to cook a burger.
I want to try the chili place, been waiting a long time but never make it.
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