We went out on the night of November 15th, 2014 to settle a simple question. Who has the better burger: Farmers Fishers Bakers or Black and Orange? We knew this would be no simple task, so we laid down some guidelines: We would ask for the most popular burger at each restaurant and eat it. At Farmers Fishers Bakers this was the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Burger and at Black and Orange it was the Rogue State. We sat down, ate these burgers, and had a great time going through the challenging process of ranking these establishments. Below is the winner of this epic contest, but first, let’s talk about these burgers, these testaments to mankind’s ability to take some of the finest beef and create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Farmers Fishers Bakers
Coming in as the highest ranked burger in the bracket, we came in with very high expectations. Typically, ordering food at this restaurant entails a 45 minute wait; however, we were lucky to find that there we could avoid this tantalizing delay if we sat and ordered at the bar, which proved to be the best place to chow down on a burger. We asked for the best burger, and the clear response was the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Burger.
Meat: 9/10
The meat was, simply put, exquisite. The beef is prepared in house, and tasted incredibly fresh. The only reason this delicious piece of meat did not receive a 10/10 is that it could have been the slightest bit juicier.
Presentation: 5/5
The burger came out, on a plate that seemed to be a holy offering to the burger gods, complete with fries and some form of delicious, red mayo spread on the plate. It came out looking like a burger that had been tended to with the love and care of the most experienced chef.
Value: 5/5
For only about $12, this incredible burger features two-grilled cheese sandwiches, incredible meat, bacon, fantastic fries, and incredible service. At most higher end restaurants you can expect to spend close to $20 for a burger only half as good. The fact that we also had service the entire time added a lot of value to the experience.
Bun: 5/5
While this has been alluded to, the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Burger uses two grilled cheese sandwiches as the buns. I would like to add that I would go back just for the grilled cheese sandwich, which was excellent and toasted to perfection. The standard bun has nothing on explosion of flavor that comes from eating a grilled cheese with your burger.
Toppings: 4/5
The toppings on the burger were incredible, it had bacon and onions that really complimented all of the other flavors. The factor that keeps this score from reaching the 5/5 mark is that there could have been more toppings. A wider variety of flavors biting into the sandwich could have been nice, such as more basic toppings such as lettuce and tomato. However, the toppings that were there were just what the burger needed.
The Bottom Line: 28/30
Hot damn that was a great burger. I am so thankful for every life choice I made that brought me to the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Burger and Farmers Fishers Bakers on November 15th, 2014. I will go back, and I will put their delicious meat in my mouth again.
Black and Orange
After a 2 mile trek from Farmers Fishers Bakers, we had built up a big appetite. We were excited to see if this underdog could pull off an upset. It was David versus Goliath. As we entered Black and Orange, we were greeted by a bizarre and slightly concerning sight: A completely empty restaurant on a Saturday night.
Nonetheless, we pressed forward and ordered their most popular burger, the Rogue State, and a side of fries.
Meat: 8/10
If there is anything about this restaurant that would bring me back, it’s their meat. Juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection, the highlight of the burger. Each bite of the patty was succulent and oozing with flavor. The “house spice blend” seasoning on the patty was a perfect mix of salty and spicy that made the burger experience much more enjoyable.
Presentation: 3/5
Presentation was pretty standard for a fast-casual burger joint. We placed our order at the cashier, put a numbered flag on our table, and within 10 minutes we had a foil-wrapped burger and basket of fries in front of us. It was not a true sit-down dining experience, but it was better than those brown paper bags that Five Guys hands out.
Value: 2/5
The half-pound burger was $8.00 and fries were $2.50. They also slapped on an extra $0.50 because we opted for pepperjack cheese. All-in, the meal was pretty expensive for a casual burger restaurant. Look elsewhere for better deals.
Bun: 1/5
The bun left much to be desired. It tasted like it had just been taken out of a bag of buns and slapped on the burger. Probably due to the fact that our buns had, indeed, been taken out of a bag of buns and slapped on our burger. Note to Black and Orange: It is never good to let customers see a giant pallet of mass-produced burger buns right next to the kitchen.
Toppings: 3/5
The lettuce and tomato tasted very fresh and were cool and crisp. The variety of toppings was lacking. We could have added bacon, but opted out. Nonetheless, we were impressed by the veggies which were cool and crisp.
The Bottom Line: 17/30
If you’re hungry and in a rush, Black and Orange will hit the spot. Otherwise, Black and Orange simply offers an underwhelming burger experience. Judging from the lack of customers, Dupont locals must agree.
The final standings:
The bracket:
TOMORROW: THE TOMBS VS BURGER TAP & SHAKE
Photo: Connor Letendre and Adam Lupicki/The Georgetown Voice
Graphics: Daniel Varghese/The Georgetown Voice
