Ode to Ray's

I really can't believe that I've never written about Ray's Hell Burger here before. This is one of my favorite places to eat in DC. Rumor has it that unused steaks from Ray's: the Steaks are ground up and served at Ray's Hell Burger. Rumor also has it that so many people were ordering burgers at Ray's: the Steaks that he had to open this burger joint.

Actually there are two Ray's stores in the same shopping plaza: the main one is McDonald's style service--order your burger and pay in cash at the front and then push people out of the way to try to get a table (okay, okay, so I've never actually had trouble getting a table at McDonald's). The other Ray's Burger place is a sit-down place where you can order. Plus: (and this is an enormous advantage) they offer a smaller size burger. Ray's Hell Burgers are so big. They're enormous. So usually you can't manage to eat a whole one and some sweet potato fries, and the sweet potato fries there are worth eating.

The burgers really are amazing--they are so juicy that once you commit to picking one up and taking the first bite, you usually don't put it down again until you're done (cutting the burger in half at the beginning can help--this allows you at least one break in the eating of the hamburger). The toppings are quite remarkable. This last time, I ordered "Soul Burger Number One"--applewood smoked bacon, swiss cheese, cognac and sherry sauteed mushrooms & grilled red onions. Often I get the B.I.G Poppa--a black pepper crusted burger, with Danish blue cheese, cognac and sherry sauteed mushrooms and grilled red onions. Ray's can get fancy: there's something to do with bone marrow on the menu (I've never looked very closely at that one); and brie is an option (brie on burgers feels and tastes a little strange, though, I think).


(picture, picture)