good stuff eatery

while i was in dc, my friends and i popped into good stuff eatery for a quick dinner. it was raining cats and dogs, and this place was conveniently located on the ground level of my friends’ apartment where i was crashing. good stuff eatery is dc based chef and top chef contestant spike mendelsohn’s burger chain, and apparently kind of a big deal in dc (or at least that’s how my friends made it sound).

i got the vegetarians are people too ‘shroom burger ($6.98) plus the snack fries and soda combo ($4.45). the fries were rather sad and soggy, and i could have done without them. the burger? when i think of ‘shroom burgers,shakeshack immediately comes to mind (duh), and their shroom burger is a tough one to beat. good stuff’s portobello burger is very similar with muenster and cheddar cheese, then fried with panko. ehh, i wish the cheese were warm and gooey, but it wasn’t. overall, the burger seemed like it was lacking something. meh, it just didn’t do it for me. not sure if it’s just this location or good stuff eatery in general, but based on this visit, i’d say they don’t serve very good stuff. (har har har.)

good stuff eatery has always left me satisfied when i've gone there for shakes. from the marshmallowshaketo the new peach shake. so i was honestly taken aback when max and i went there for dinner. when i got my bag the fries were bare, and the seasoning (rosemary and thyme) were just sitting on the bottom of the bag. they were soggy - i had maybe one crisp fry - and i found one or two that was longer than an inch. i was really looking forward to my burger after a few bites of the fries. when i unwrapped my burger it was practically a solid brick - from being wrapped tightly. the onion rings were fried, but soggy on the outside and slime on the inside. totally gross. i hate saying this, but i could probably get a better quality burger at wendy's. the picture is after some fluffing of the bun. i think i'll stick to shakes when i go back to good stuff.

heard that it was a great burger andshakeplace. it's not. dairy queen, burger king, and chick-fil-a are much better. nothing special at all. the burgers were smooshed even though we ate there. the fries were cold. the best part about the fries was the dipping sauce which wasn't amazing. they got our simple order of burgers, fries, and milkshakes wrong. after we ate, we then watched the bored teenagers stack water cups into a pyramid on the food counter. after they toppled all over the counter and floor, they re-stacked the cups. ready for the next unsuspecting customer. oh yes, and i realize that everything is ridiculously pricey in dc, but 4 regular burgers, 2 orders of fries, and 4 kid-size milkshakes were $60. it was less than that for better food at rotating restaurant, the skydome lounge.

excellent burgers!!. a friend who works in dc suggested this restaurant which is a second location to the capital hill original. the location in crystal city is along a restaurant row that caters to office workers and those who are "in the know" to head toward the business side of town after hours and on weekends.

even with no residences nearby or even an abundance of street parking, the restaurant was filled with diners upon our arrival. after reviewing the menu, i opted for spike's sunnyside, as did my friend with whom i split an order of fries. after collecting our drinks, we visited the dip bar and tried the various dips for the fries - amoung them were horseradish mayo, old bay mayo, mango mayo and chipotle mayo.

the burgers arrived fairly quickly especially given the number of diners in the restaurant. spike's sunnyside includes bacon and an egg with a side of extra napkins!! the description was quite accurate - the burger was quite thick, not packed super-tight so that the meat was actually flavorful but it was messy!! certainly not a dainty meal but it was double-wrapped which was quite helpful.

the burger was excellent - the thick patty was cooked med well which isn't my usual request but it worked well with the other ingredients. the result was a very juicy burger but from the good stuff sauce which was liberally applied beforehand. overall, the result was excellent.

we opted to share a bananas fostershakefor dessert. theshakewas excellent - ultra thick yet creamy. excellent flavors and topped with bits of caramelized sugar which was very nice.

this puts this puts the other gourmet burger joints to shame b/c they offer good food and a good atmosphere!! i'll be back.