RFD's Brew Burger

We tried to go RFD a few weeks ago but didn't due to an hour wait. This time we made reservations and didn't have a problem. RFD stands for Regional Food and Drink, and there is plenty of both. As we are a burger club, we decided on the Brew Burger. According to the menu the Brew Burger is "a half pound of lean beef marinated in Kostritzer Black Lager grilled to your liking." One does not turn away from a burger marinated in beer. Burger = good. Beer = good. Burger + Beer = double good. Simple math. The Brew Burger is a big half-pound burger that manages to deliver on quality as well. The quality of the meat was top notch, but the burger was a little over-cooked. But that's the cooks fault and should not degrade burger itself. While having a nice charred exterior, it remained somewhat juicy on the inside, but a far cry from a moist pink center desired in a burger.

The bun situation was pretty abysmal and it was the obvious weak link in the Brew Burger ensemble. The bun was way too doughy as if they didn't let it finish rising. It was a basic white bun, and while it managed not to fall apart, it would have been destroyed by a burger with any juiciness. It's a shame to have such a plain bun for such a burger. Toast it. Put sesame seeds on it. Something.

The cheese is hit or miss. The selection of nice cheese options is appreciated but having to pay a dollar extra is frowned upon. They have your basic cheeses like American and Provolone, but they also have Gouda and goat cheese. It is rare to see goat cheese as an option for a burger. That being said the goat cheese was spectacular, as it stood out amoung the common cheeses. The goat cheese provided a great texture and the cool, creamy balance was an outstandingly compliment to the burger. The Gouda is good(ah), but wasn't smoky like a nice smoked Gouda should be. Goat cheese is the way to go.

The Brew Burger comes with lettuce, tomato, and a supposed pickle according to the menu. None of us got a pickle. WTF? Don't promise a pickle and then fail to deliver. There have been riots over less. The tomatoes were ripe and very red, but that doesn't make up for shredded lettuce. Fail. It takes more work to shred a leaf of lettuce than just keeping it in leaf form. Why? Onions are a dollar extra, which is a direct affront to LTO (lettuce/tomato/onion) which should come standard on all burgers. There are several other options for toppings that are all an extra dollar. Sauteed peppers and jalapeno are a solid choice, but if the burger itself already costs nine dollars, the toppings shouldn't cost extra.

RFD is a great bar and a great place to grab a beer in Chinatown. It's sort of a sports bar, but it has that little extra that separates it from the crowd. RFD is a pretty popular place, as I've never seen it not be crowded. There is a nice atmosphere if you can manage to get a table or a seat at the bar. The fries were forgettable and obviously direct from the freezer bag. A lot of restaurants use frozen fries, so who cares, right? NO. Don't serve crappy fries that bring the burger experience down. Stop it. The service was good and the waitress was very nice, but the beer is what really stood out. RFD is the sister restaurant of the now defunct Brickskeller so you know RFD is going to have some good beer. Hand-pulled cask ales of Flying Dog were on special, and the Raging Bitch and Snake Dog IPA were a great pairing with the burger. Even if you don't get the burger, this is a great place to grab a beer.

The Brew Burger is a solid burger; a half-pound of delicious meat. It would have been even better if it was cooked properly. The bun was an utter disappointment; unworthy of the burger. Toppings were okay, but it's not worth paying an extra buck for onions, and shredded lettuce dooms any burger. If you are going to pay the extra dollar for cheese, be sure to go with the goat cheese to provide a creamy contrast to the charred burger. The fries sucked, so try the onion rings. Anything else has to be better. The location and beer at RFD really set it apart. It's right in Chinatown, so it's a great place to grab a beer before or after a Caps game. This also the time when it gets packed, so get there early if you are planning on going to RFD before a Caps or Wizards game. The beer selection is great and all the beer is quality. RFD has awesome beer, and pretty good burger.