Photo by Robyn Lee.

Dish of the Week: Veggie burgers

Where:BGR, Smoke and Barrel, Shake Shack

Meaty dishes, especially of the porcine variety, are a staple in the Weekly Feed. But this week is just for the vegetarians — or anybody who can get behind a good meat-free patty.

If you’re looking for a veggie burger that tastes like cow, prepare to be disappointed. Veggie burgers are a completely different anim… er, vegetable. And even if you’ve had bad meatless burgers in the past, bear in mind that not all vegetable patties are created equal. For creative chefs, they provide a blank canvas for endless combinations of grains, seeds, and vegetables.

Case in point, consider the different veggie burgers offered by a handful of D.C. restaurants. At BGR (1514 Connecticut Avenue NW), the veggie burger is a mass of rice and beans that’s barely held together by a sweet molasses glaze. For those of you missing meat, the messy concoction is reminiscent of a pulled pork sandwich. Smoke and Barrel’s (2471 18th Street NW) compact sweet potato, pecan, and oat patty is quite the opposite, but it still pairs nicely with a squirt of house-made smoked jalapeno BBQ sauce. And while it’s natural to think that veggie burgers are a healthy food, Shake Shack (1216 18th Street NW and 800 F Street NW) proves everyone wrong with their ‘shroom burger, a deep-fried, cheese-stuffed portobello mushroom.

Do you have a favorite place to eat a meat-free burger? Let us know in the comments.

Small Bites

Thursday Happy Meals
U Street’s Vinoteca (1940 11th Street NW) is bringing back last year’s hit “Hot Dogs & Bubbly” and “Burger & Beer” combo meals, designating the Thursday night summer special an “Adult Kids Meal.” The combo — which might range from a boudin pork, red onion-topped “Who Dat Doggy” paired with a glass of house sparkling wine, to an “O.G. Bocce” beef burger with basil aioli and fresh mozzarella paired with a Lagunitas IPA — will run you $11. Each entrée and drink pairing comes with a side of house made potato chips and the most important part of a kids meal, a toy (in this case Vinoteca sunglasses).—Ashley Wetzel

Bread Knows No Age
D.C.’s preeminent baker, Mark Furstenberg, decided that the city was missing a great neighborhood bakery, so at age 75 he’s opening Bread Furst (4434 Connecticut Avenue NW) to fit the bill. The Van Ness bakery will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the primary focus will be on the baked goods. In addition to this undertaking, Furstenberg brought on five apprentices through the nonprofit NURISH, teaching them not only the art of baking, but of opening a small business.—Ashley Wetzel

It’s B-aaa-ck
The American Lamb Board is hosting the 4th annual D.C. American Lamb Jam on Monday, May 19th, in the North Hall of Eastern Market (225 7th Street SE). Lamb fans will get to sample over 20 dishes from the region’s top chefs and will vote for categories such as “Best in Show,” “People’s Choice,” and “Best Leg, Shank and Ground and Shoulder.” A $60 general admission ticket gets you access to the event from 6-9pm (food and drink included) and a portion of the proceeds benefit DC Central Kitchen.–Ashley Wetzel