Before getting to the actual burger review, I wanted to give a bit of structure to my burger hunt. Because I started this burger hunt with a bacon cheeseburger, all burgers I review will be bacon cheeseburgers. This (at least in my mind) will provide a measure of uniformity to the critiques (and I just really happen to like bacon and cheese…on pretty much everything). Also, the four elements I will be reviewing are appearance (visual appeal and presentation), bun (for taste and sturdiness), toppings (for taste and for their overall contribution to the burger) and patty (for freshness and taste). The final portion of the review will be an overall summation of the burger and how the three elements work together. Now on with the review!
So the hunt will definitely continue because this was not the best burger in DC…or in downtown DC for that matter. It wasn’t a bad burger, it just wasn’t a GREAT burger. And honestly, I was expecting more from the Chophouse. We went with friends I hadn’t really seen in a while, so I was really looking for the one-two punch of good food and good conversation. I got the good conversation (great conversation actually) but the food…not so much.
Appearance: I will be honest, the burger looked like a creature from the deep legions of the sea. The bacon crisscrossed over the patty in a manner resembling tentacles and the cheese…well, it kind of looked like snot. Not a pretty picture I know, but imagine looking down at it, knowing you were about to eat it. The patty itself looked fairly greasy but was thick. To its credit, the DC Chophouse burger’s tentacles…I mean bacon, looked nice and crisp. No fatty deposits left behind anywhere on this strip of bacon! The bun was, yet again, shiny and proud. Overall, the burger was a respectable size without making me feel like I had to have a mouth the size of Joan Rivers to eat it.
Bun: I am willing to bet the bun was either made in house or purchased from a local bakery. It was a soft, yet sturdy bun with a lovely finish of onions. Like the bun at Stoney‘s, this bun had a slight sweetness to it and the all important bun “shininess”. The addition of the charred onion bits complemented the hint of honey present in the bread. The bun, like at Stoney’s, was also lightly toasted, allowing it to hold up quite well to the assorted toppings of the burger.
Toppings: Upon my first bite of the burger, I didn’t taste the cheddar cheese at all. Considering it’s mucus-like appearance, I was hoping the cheese was at least tasty. However, upon my second bite, I finally tasted the sharpness of the cheese. Then I had the third bite…and guess what? Didn’t taste the cheese at all. This went on for the rest of the burger, meaning I didn’t get to enjoy the cheese consistently. And for someone who loves her cheese, this was a let down. Any good cheeseburger should have the taste of cheese throughout every bite (call me crazy but when it says CHEESEBURGER, I like to taste cheese every time). But when I did get a taste of the cheese, it was robust and well aged, adding a punch to the entire burger. A look back at the pictures I took show that the cheese wasn’t evenly melted, which could explain the inconsistency in the cheese taste. The bacon was a hell of a lot better than the “bacon” at Stoney’s. First, it was actually fully cooked, meaning I was eating bacon and not fat. And it was a nice, thick bacon too, lending a smoky flavor to the burger. Each bite had a uniform crispness and I detected a hint of hickory. When the bite lacked cheese, there was always bacon to cheer me up. When I got a taste of both the bacon and the cheese, the smokiness of the bacon added a level of complexity to the sharpness of the cheddar. They worked very well together, making me miss it when the cheese wasn’t there.
Patty: I won’t mince words; the patty had no flavor to it. I could tell it was made from fresh ground beef, but apparently nothing else was added to it. Some salt or pepper would have been nice, because all I tasted was the charred grill. And charred grill doesn’t taste that good, no matter what you put on top of it. And remember when I said it looked greasy? Well, looks were not deceiving. The burger had a slimy greasiness to it, taking something away from the hard working bacon and sometimes there cheese.
Overall: I was disappointed with the DC Chophouse burger, especially considering it is a steak house. Sadly the highlights (the bacon, the bun and sometimes the cheese) were outweighed by the negatives (the flavorless, greasy patty and the case of the disappearing cheddar). While it was better than anything I have ever had at Five Guys, it wasn’t up to the standards I would set for a restaurant known for its beef.
So the current standing on the Great DC Burger Hunt is:
1. Trio
2. Stoney’s
3. DC Chophouse
Up next for the great DC Burger Hunt? Palena, Kemble Park Tavern and Ray’s Hellburger! Stay tuned!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
The steak I had there wasn’t all that great either. It wasn’t a bad steak but I can certainly make a better one. Well, at least the hunt continues, I certainly don’t mind going out and having burgers.
So, where do we stand now? Is Trio’s still at the stop of the list?
@ Rick Bman – Good point about where the burger hunt stands. I will add that to the post! I knew there was a reason I dated you (besides awesome hats and movie knowledge).
@ Colleen – I LOVE How I Met Your Mother and I know exactly which episode you’re talking about! Regis Philbin was actually funny in it (for a change)! I even had a mini marathon of the first 3 seasons over the last two weekends!
By chance have you seen that episode of “How I met your mother” the one where they are on the hunt for Marshall’s best burger in NYC? The repeat aired last night and I thought of your blog! Funny episode too, I recommend it.
You may wish to consider adding Morton’s, and King Street Blues to your search. Though I am confident that the Palena burger is going to finish the season ranked number one.
Looks like we are truly on the same hunt! I haven’t had the Chophouse burger but would imagine that it wouldn’t be that great because their steak isn’t. So far for me, it’s Central, Stoney’s, Clyde’s. I’ll probably try Palena this week. And like you, I loooove bacon and cheese!
@ Restaurant Refugee – I will definitely add Morton’s and King Street Blues to my list! I’m open to any and all suggestions!
@ City Girl DC – Central is definitely on my list and I’ll make it to Clyde’s for their burger (I’ve been there many times but haven’t had the burger). We should get together and go to Palena together because it’s on my list!
Too bad about the burger at the ChopHouse but I hope you redeemed your downtown visit by going to the Red Velvet Cupcakery a few doors down. We had a few the other night before the Wizards/Suns game. They are on the small side and a little dry, but not bad when you need a “fix.” I’ve had a Ray’s Hell Burger and thought it was just “ok.” I’ve had his steaks too and have no clue why people wax poetic about them.. oh, well, at least there’s always Five Guys (still the best if you can’t get to Shake Shack in NYC)!
@ PhillyGirl – I have tried Red Velvet Cupcakery twice (I work near it) and have been very disappointed in them. Like you said, they are dry and honestly, the Red Velvet is not a true Red Velvet cake (I’m a Southerner…we take our Red Velvet seriously). For the price, I would much rather either make them myself or head to Dupont Circle to Hello Cupcake. It’s really sad because I was hoping they would be at least comparable to Hello Cupcake. Downtown DC has some awesome restaurants, but Red Velvet Cupcakery isn’t really one of them. On a side note, Tangy Sweet has an awesome cup o’ hot chocolate! I had some during the Inauguration festivities downtown!