This post was written by Hatchet food columnist Scott Figatner.
Bobby’s Burger Palace
2121 K St., NW
With the slew of burger joints in D.C., one might be wary to build another. But Bobby Flay, celebrity chef and restaurateur, did just that, firmly planting the proverbial flag and showing his confidence in fast, casual cuisine.
Bobby’s Burger Palace features interpretive burgers inspired by Flay’s travels. You may find yourself in Philadelphia eating a burger with provolone cheese, grilled onions and hot peppers, or in Miami eating a burger with pressed ham, cheese, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise. No matter where you decide to travel, you can always order your burger “crunchified” with a tower of crispy potato chips.
On a lime green swivel chair under the warm light of gold, sparkly pendant lamps, I took my first bite of the Napa Valley Burger seconds after the server proudly laid it down. The burger, laden with melting fresh goat cheese (one of Flay’s favorites) was cooked medium rare like I asked.
The burger itself lacked the ‘beefiness’ of some others. Often in new restaurants, the food can have a flat taste without the advantage of a thoroughly seasoned flattop grill, imparting the flavor from generations of ground-beef patties.
Another burger, the L.A. Burger, is topped with a refreshing chunky avocado relish, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and peppery watercress. Although they lacked the mind-blowing flavor of a Ray’s Hell burger or a BGR burger, the burgers were more creative and unique.
As for Flay himself, he’s a seasoned chef and his signature sauces are a great complement for the burgers. His very savory Burger Sauce is flavored with oregano, cumin, mustard seed and horseradish. His chipotle ketchup is somewhat like a southwestern cocktail sauce. For something with lots of tang and spice, try the jalapeño hot sauce or keep it simple with yellow mustard.
I can honestly say that Flay’s milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard. These ain’t your mother’s milkshakes; Flay reinvents his milkshakes by spiking them with alcohol. Mine was made with vanilla ice cream, caramel and bourbon. The shake had the perfect amount of alcohol, and the richness and sweetness of the ice cream mellowed the bourbon.
For those of you who love Bobby Flay, he will be in during September for a book signing. For those of you who love good burgers and shakes, they’ll be here all year round.
