The Vitals: the spot: Au Cheval 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 the eats: Single Cheeseburger with bacon and a fried egg the bucks: $16.99 + $2.99 for the egg and $6.99 for the bacon  the full nelson: an over the top bacon cheeseburger done with class but comes at a price

Au Cheval Burger: outstanding burger or overhyped?

As soon as the Au Cheval burger landed in New York City back in 2019 that question landed in the burgerverse. If I was going to answer that question there was only one way to do it. And that would be the Chicago way. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Special Guest: Chef Chris Cullum

Fellow burger freak, James Beard finalist and architect of one mind blowingly decadent burgers I've ever had was in Chicago and joined me on this burger escapade. He had already been there a few days earlier and decided to come back. That speaks volumes.

An indulgent Au Cheval burger order

You have indulgent options with the Au Cheval burger order. Single patty or double? Feel like adding an egg? How about a serving of bacon that eats more like pepper crust pork belly steak than backup to a stack of pancakes? I went with all of the above which resulted in a magnificent, over the top bacon cheeseburger experience. Chef Cullum told me "the single is a double" and based on this review it would appear that Au Cheval burger starts with two five ounce patties. That means a double would be three and that is kind of insane to me. As far as the bacon and egg went, it was for the sake of indulgence and while that was clearly delivered, I don't think I would repeat this order on a second visit. That also means I'd go back for a second visit But the biggest question you should be asking yourself is this burger worth the $27 you are about to fork over for it?

Lets look at the cost breakdown:

• single cheeseburger $16.99
• bacon $6.99
• fried egg $2.99

The egg was delicious but I suspect superfluous . . . the burger is plenty rich without needing a waterfall of velvety egg yolk. The bacon was probably one of the most impressive takes on America's favorite pork product. Meaty like a smoked pork belly and as peppery as a great steak au poivre you definitely need to experience this on your first Au Cheval burger experience. So skipping the egg means we can deduct $3 from my next Au Cheval experience for sure. That leaves us at $24 to try the burger again. That's an easy yes on my part. But I would actually want to try the burger as a straight up single to see if the beef can stand on its own. If the Au Cheval burger is worth the impressive hype it gets, I'd absolutely go this route for visit #2.

The Answer:

Yes, Au Cheval is absolutely worth a try and a second visit to tweak the order to your liking. Sure, a $27 burger is a commitment but so is eating something this decadent. Whether it is price or calories, I wouldn't mess this burger more than a couple times a year but I'd definitely consider a visit every time I'm back in Chicago.  

The Vitals: the spot: Jim's South Street 400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 the eats: Cheesesteak the bucks: $13.49 (cash only) the full nelson: a quintessential late night Philly cheesesteak experience

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Jim's South Street is the late night cheesesteak experience I've been needing and I didn't even know it. I've been coming to Philadelphia annually for almost 20 years and somehow never made it to South Street till now. It's a late night scene, akin to say Bourbon Street in New Orleans, though the crowds have thinned in recent years. After an early dinner and a few beers for dessert, I found myself on South Street and ready for my fourth meal. Cue Jim's South Street.

Jim's South Street 2.0

A fire a few years back put Jim's South Street on ice for a few years. They reopened in May of 2024 so I consider my timing fortuitous but I'll take all the late night eats luck I can get.

The perfect late night order

Back in the day I would have advocated for Provolone on my cheesesteak at all costs. It strikes me as the more sophisticated choice because it's, well more sophisticated than American cheese or cheese whiz. But this was a late night cheesesteak experience, and being in a scenario strikingly different from my other cheesesteak experiences, namely John's Roast Pork(featured on Cheap Eats), I was open to suggestions. "Get it with Whiz and American" the gentleman behind the grill told me. I happily accepted the suggestion and took it a step further and added cherry peppers, a popular spicy pickled condiment at Philly Hoagie and steak joints. Late night cheesesteak bliss was unlocked:

Zero Shame = Zero regrets

My late night cheesesteak experience at Jim's South Street checked every box. Ooey gooey meaty cheesy deliciousness that only Whiz and American cheese can provide. And the cherry peppers added just enough heat and tang to take me over the finish line. Jim's South Street is a late night cheesesteak right of passage for any student of the game.

Video

https://www.tiktok.com/@alikhaneats/video/7390097195745283359

Beyond the Washington DC Food . . .

I swear we came first and foremost to check out the museums. And on that note we recommend visiting The National Museum of African American History and Culture, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the International Spy Museum. There is so much to see and learn in D.C. that the few days we spent barely scratched the surface. And the same goes for the food . . .

DC food crawl stop 1:

The Vitals: the spot: Umai Nori 1147 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20036 the eats: Umai Temaki(signature hand rolls) the bucks: $6 and up per roll, plan on $40 a person the full nelson: solid neighborhood sushi joint

The first stop of my Washington DC food crawl satisfied a sushi craving without breaking the bank. Umai Nori does a good job of offering value to what ultimately is a luxury food. We stuck mostly with nigiri(fish over rice) which featured generous cuts of fish and hit the spot. It seems that the signature dish at Umai Nori is their hand rolls. They aren't rolled into a cone so they appear somewhat "taco" like. Pro tip: save room for a few of these.

DC food crawl stop 2:

The Vitals: the spot: Tatte Bakery multiple locations in the Metro DC area the eats: Ham and cheese croissant, French Toast, pretty much whatever you're in the mood for the bucks: $5-$15 the full nelson: The best bakery chain ever

The smoked ham in my ham cheese croissant at Tatte Bakery took my breath away. Equal parts meaty to smokey, that bite of ham washed away a sea of bad ham and cheese croissant memories and was a total value at $6. My son's french toast was literally as decadent as it looked. Maybe it's because we don't go out for breakfast like this often but Tatte Bakery was one special way to start the second day of our Washington DC food crawl.

DC food crawl stop 3:

The Vitals: the spot: Grazzie Nonna 1100 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 the eats: Pizzas, bucatini with meatballs, antipasto, calamari the bucks:  plan on $40 a person before drinks and dessert the full nelson: East Coast Italian that splits old school comfort with new school quality 

Grazzie Nonna does fancy pizzas but don't think it is just another Neapolitan style joint either. The third stop of our Washington DC food crawl was all about the vibes of Chef Casey Patten's youth spent cooking with his grandmother. Throw in some evergreen comfort favs like fried calamari and meatballs in a Sunday gravy worth waiting all week for, and you have that quintessential East Coast Italian food experience.

DC food crawl stop 4:

The Vitals: the spot:  Eat Brgz 1200 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 the eats: burgers  the bucks:  $15-$20 a burger the full nelson: Casual burger joint with premium-ish prices= better than I thought 

Part of a family vacation means pleasing the family. My son wanted a burger and while I had higher hopes for another spot, Eat Brgz won the bid for the fourth stop of our Washington DC food crawl. It was better than I thought. Though a bit overpriced and a dash underwhelming, the sum total was respectable enough. You've had worse food on vacation and while that might seem like a backhanded compliment, this place is still a notch up from Shake Shack.

DC food crawl stop 5:

The Vitals: the spot:  Chicken and Whiskey multiple locations in Washington D.C. the eats: Peruvian roasted chicken and more  the bucks:  $15 a person before drinks the full nelson: Peruvian fast casual fare meets whiskey bar

With a name like Chicken and Whiskey, I would have bet fried chicken was specialty of the house. Instead it was Pollo A La Brasa, a wood fired rotisserie chicken and Peruvian staple. It's also a fast casual with a bar featuring an extensive whiskey selection. Umm, what the huh? Turns out the fifth stop of our Washington DC food tour was kinda perfected for what we needed: pregaming food and drink before a baseball game. This particular location is right in Navy Yard, a short walk to the Nationals' ballpark.

DC food crawl stop 6:

The Vitals: the spot:Ben's Chili Bowl multiple locations in Washington D.C. the eats: A half smoke with chili the bucks:  $8.50 the full nelson: a Washington DC food icon ain't your average chili dog

My first time trying a half smoke was a convenient one. Scoring this chili dog at Nationals' stadium puts it in the running for best ballpark dog ever. But a half smoke is more than a hot dog and Ben's Chili Bowl is more than a restaurant. A fixture in the Washington DC African American community over 60 years, their signature menu item half smokes, are truly a DC thing. A spicier, more coarse ground sausage, their are similarities to a hot dog or even a Kielbasa but a hot smoke had a taste all it's own. And it stands up to chili like no mere weiner ever could.

DC food crawl stop 7:

The Vitals: the spot: Yellow 1524 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007 the eats: Chicken Shawarma sandwich, Falafel Sandwich the bucks:  $15-$17 the full nelson: a glimpse into the cooking of the most outstanding chef in America

For two years I have been hearing the praises of Chef Michael Rafidi. The winner of James Beard's Most Outstanding Chef of 2024 won the hearts of DC foodies by elevating the food of the Levant and even impressed Michelin inspectors which earned him a star for his flagship restaurant, Albi. Yellow was my chance to get a taste of the Palestinian American chef's cooking in a hand held. I tried the chicken shawarma which noticeably was studded with the freshest mint leaf I've ever had along with the falafel. The latter unquestionably is worth the $15 price tag. One thing is absolutely clear, my next DC trip will be built around a reservation at Albi.