A Look Back at National Burger Week 2013

May
2013

Last week we did our annual burger-a-day thing and observed the shit outta National Hamburger Week. Seven burgers in seven days isn't too difficult a task for our well-trained bellies and with the ever-expanding, quality options in the area, we didn't have to travel far in order to fill up our week-long agenda. All the joints in the Burger Week lineup were familiar to us, though we did get a chance to try some creations that had yet to cross our greasy lips. We downed three signature burgers, one create-your-own, a Burger of the Month, a Burger of the Week and a DIY-hybrid that married delicious meat with even more delicious meat. A look back at our festive celebration of National Hamburger Week 2013:

Day 1: Joe's Burgers

Churning out the beefwiches since 2007, Joe's is one the veterans of the now-crowded D.C. burger scene. We hadn't hit up the McLean joint in quite some time, so we made it our first stop of the week. We went with Al's Numero Uno which, while inconsistent, still made for a successful start to Burger Week. Read up on our Day 1 burger here.

Day 2: Ray's to the Third

Checking out their new digs across the street, we discover the Hell Burger is still, in fact, very much alive. While the venue may have changed, the burgers have not and are as good as ever. We went with the Holy Trinity of toppings, --bacon, egg and cheese-- and our stomachs still haven't stopped thanking us. More on our belly-pleasing Ray's to the Third encounter.

Day 3: Red Apron Butcher

What do you get when you cross a 2013 BOTY candidate with a pork-laden flavor bomb of a sandwich? You get the burger we threw into our faces on Day 3. Jump on The Porkstramburger details here.

Day 4: Mad Fox Brewing Company

Wednesday is Epic Burger Day at Mad Fox Brewing Company. So of course we spent Day 4 of National Hamburger Week at Mad Fox Brewing Company. The Tex-Mex burger-of-the-day was loaded up with salsa, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato and onions and proved to be a fiesta for our mouths.

Day 5: BGR The Burger Joint

Too many pickles aside, our Day 5 selection of BGR's Cuban was another successful entry into Burger Week. The ham, roast pork, mustard and Swiss-topped beef, pressed ever-so-deliciously on the grill, extended our streak to five consecutive winners, with dreams of batting 1.000 for the Week still alive... More on BGR's take on the Cubano here.

Day 6: Dogwood Tavern

And just like that, hopes for a perfect Burger Week were dashed on Day 6. With a solid description of a blackened patty, onion straws, bleu cheese and horseradish sauce, Dogwood's May BOTM sounded like a sure-thing. However, the burger was sorely lacking in execution and it turned into our first disappointment of the week. Find out why we were blue after eating Dogwood's Black-N-Bleu.

Day 7: Good Stuff Eatery

Seeking to end the Week on a high note, we hit up one of our favorites, Good Stuff Eatery. While the patty of our Obama burger wasn't up to snuff, our Spike's Sunnyside was dynamite and saved what could have been two consecutive days of burger duds. Plus we downed a Toasted Marshmallow shake.