TKO BURGER 2350 WASHINGTON PLACE N.E. WASHINGTON, D.C.

TKO BURGER, CAROLINA KITCHEN’S LATEST ENTRÉE!

My first visit to TKO BURGER revealed what is easily one of the best hand-crafted burgers in Washington, D.C and one of its best kept secrets. TKO BURGER is a smaller, accessory restaurant connected to Carolina Kitchen’s new Rhode Island Avenue location by a small interior doorway making it possible to grab a burger and hit the well-stocked bar without having to go outside.  TKO BURGER is located at 2350 Washington Place, N.E. Washington D.C. and their contact number is 202-733-1216.

TKO BURGER features a handsomely appointed handmade patty crafted from commercially ground beef.  I had hoped the meat would be freshly ground on the premises but while I ordered I watched the cook cut and weigh the ground beef from a huge extruded length of meat.  I was not dismayed nor was I disappointed at the outcome which far exceeded my expectations being a burger purist and admittedly a huge burger snob.  We burger purists do not allow sauces and condiments to take away from the main production which we understand to be beef!  Sauces also tend to make a burger soggy and condiments such as lettuce, tomato, etc., tend to make it mushy and slippery; nobody likes an unstable burger construction.  A burger, like a hot dog-boy, hero, cheesesteak or other American sandwich is intended to be eaten with the hands and not with a fork, knife and spoon.  Now this burger was cooked to a perfect medium rare, I prefer rare when the meat is freshly ground and the cheddar cheese had a rich, aged flavor.  There is only one other topping I prefer on a burger and that is onion and maybe pickles.  The TKO BURGER comes with a signature TKO Sauce which I wisely declined but found a glossy dollop had been placed on my plate anyway.  Like most of Carolina Kitchens sauces it was far too sweet for a burger.  I did speak with the chef and suggested a savory sauce alternative perhaps with a mixture of mayonnaise, brown mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, black pepper and sage.  This food critic dislikes any sweetness whatsoever in a meat or other main entrée opining that it would be better served as dessert.  So I pushed the heavy, sweet concoction to the side after dipping an onion ring in it pinning its sugary flavor out of my reach.  The burger was stacked high, juicy and replete with the honest flavor of the grill. 

The onion rings were excellent, the cornbread batter was crunchy and savory and the onions were sweet tender white onions that tasted almost like Vidalia’s.  I might have preferred that TKO sauce for my onion rings but only if another savory sauce accompanied it. 

TKO BURGER is a must go for true burger lovers who enjoy that homemade flavor lost in most restaurants that serve them.  The interior design theme is nostalgic of American boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali AKA Cassius Clay and Joe Louis, it is chock full of boxing memorabilia.  There is a large flat screen at the front for sports lovers and more intimate table and booth seating further inside or you can get it to go.  Don’t sleep on TKO burger, the fresh, healthy flavor really will knock you out!

FIN

Written By: BIGDADDY BLUES