Goodness Gracious

I love fine dining and holes in the wall in almost equal measure. Born and raised in cattle country, I often crave hamburgers: Central and Matchbox are among my favorites in DC, Five Guys is great for a quick fix (the fries, however, are overrated) and alas, I have yet to try Ray's Hell burger in Arlington (I keep meaning to go, B. has yet to take me). Good Stuff Eatery probably owed it's initial buzz to Top Chef Fetishists (a chance to try a contestant's food!) but after a year, it's still going strong in a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue that's packed with restaurants.

The shakes are sufficiently thick, the fries crunchy and seasoned and the atmosphere jovial and quick without feeling rushed. The burger I keep going back to is the Prez Obama: applewood bacon, red onion marmalade, horseradish mayo, and roquefort cheese. The overtone is distinctly horseradish, paired with the smoke notes of all the other ingredients. The burger is warm enough to have the cheese be somewhat melted. With such a play of strong favors, I've never felt like I had to add condiments (though there's a mayo bar for the fries). The burger fits comfortably in my rather small hands - it leaves you full, but not overwhelmed.

The salad options look interesting, but the line at Good Stuff is where all diet resolutions should go to die. Walk it off with a power walk around Capitol Hill if you must.



Good Stuff Eatery view menu
303 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-8222
www.goodstuffeatery.com