Football Food for Eagles Fans - Week 12, DMV Edition

While this week's selected food looks as delicious as ever, I think it's the fact that Mark took the opportunity to take a knock not only at their football team, but also the fact that DC lacks any "discernible food character" that I enjoyed so much.

From Mark's flickr page:

It's never easy or simple, is it?

Eagles get stymied by too many penalties and I get hit with a city (Washington, D.C.) with no discernible food character.

But, Eagles got it done with a win and I think I did too. Though I had to go to Virginia to get it.

Remember when Pres. Obama and VP Biden went out to lunch? They went to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA.

This is my take on Ray's B.I.G. Poppa (We Love It When You Order B.I.G. Poppa) burger: At least 10 oz. of grilled hamburger with a peppercorn and seasoning crust (I used McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning) , fresh grated Jack cheese, mushrooms sauteed in brown butter and sage, grilled red onion between a grilled bun laced with ketchup and Creole mustard.

Not exactly like the B.I.G. Poppa, but what the Ray. It tasted great.

View Large and On Black.

On the side, baked salted-and-rosemary flat fries.

View from the top here.

In the glass...Philadelphia Brewery's Rowhouse Red. What can I say....still cleaning out the T-Day fridge.

Off to a new adventure. Maybe I pick up something new to make....

Thanks to Mark as always. And now I'm curious what percentage of you just decided you need to hit up Five Guys or your closest burger joint for lunch and a burger almost assuredly inferior to Mark's concoction?

Comments

[Ben Garvey]

Should have gone with a Ben's Chili Bowl Half Smoke knock off.

Actually not. That burger looks ridiculously good.

[Poster Nutbag]

i would second a chili cheese half smoke. you also could have done blue crabs, even though its not DC specific, it is representative of the region. or jumbo slice.

[miss bee]

i was just about to say ben's/half smoke, but TOUCHE on the jumbo slice, nutbag.

[enrico]

Jumbo slice is not good pizza.

[Pete D]

Jumbo slice is not good pizza, but I've never had a bad slice at 3am in Adams Morgan. Even with the ever-present chance of being stabbed mid-bite.

[Todd]

Since the Skins actually play on the MD of DC, you should have gone with a crabcake sandwich.

[Zack S]

I'm not gonna knock this selection. A chili half smoke is tough, b/c the half-smoke part is really the only part of the equation specific to DC. Anyone who goes to Ben's (which, admittedly, I've never really dug) for the actual chili is probably a bit off. What's the challenge in grilling up a half smoke? Unless he grinds his own sausage - uhhh....

And anyway, they're opening a Ray's in Adams Morgan anyway, so this is a DC-centric dish. I say good choice, Mark. Looks delicious.

[Phatty]

I live a few blocks away from Ray's and they really are the best burgers I've ever had in my life. But the Big Poppa has bleu cheese on it. Even though bleu cheese is the shit, I don't like it on burgers as it overpowers the meat too much.

[MikeY]

Can't do blue crabs with the Redskins...crabs are more of a Baltimore thing.

[jd]

just not a fan of ben's chili half smoke. don't even try getting one at the nats ballpark. waste of money.

jumbo slice, however, has never steered me wrong in adams morgan. especially after dan's cafe, which should tell you something about my lowered expectations.

[Ben Garvey]

I retract my earlier comment and put my full endorsement behind Jumbo Slice. To those that say it isn't good, have you eaten pizza anywhere else in DC? It's terrible. Jumbo Slice is an oasis in a desert of bad pizza. A giant, triangle shaped oasis.

Once I was a little drunk and put too much hot pepper on my slice. Almost choked on the walk back to my apartment until I found an oddly placed vending machine for a soda.

[Mark]

Thanks for all the ideas. That's why DC is tough - no real city food to hang it's hat on. I'm not doing crabs for DC - that's a Ravens game. I did chili onetime...with Redskin potatos in it. Trying to vary it up. Big slice, I'm assuming is pizza. Ain't doing that for DC anyway. And as I said, this was my version so no bleu cheese here. Felt more into Monteray jack cheese. I gotta say...for a burger, this was pretty damn good. The spices that crusted it was key, as were the 'shrooms.

On to Atlanta..

[Francis]

Alberto's is much better than Jumbo Slice. Alas, they are both terrible from a sober perspective. But pretty cool at 3 AM. And you're not going to get stabbed eating Jumbo Slice while waiting for the metro at 2:30, don't be such a pussy.

Thanks for giving props to Ray's Hell Burger. I've lived very close to it for years, but only recently discovered it. The El Diablo is the best hamburger I've ever had.