Friday, July 15, 2011

Cascade Burger

(Update on 4/25/12: Cascade Burger is OPEN on NE Alberta and 23rd!)


(Update on 2/16/12: I had been wondering if Cascade Burger had actually closed. Out of pure randomness, I checked their Twitter page today. They are now -- supposedly -- at 7525 N Richmond Ave. in Portland. Please let me know if they are still there, if they closed for winter, or permanently shuttered.)

Cascade Burger, located at the Cartlandia food pod in SE Portland, is known for their Epic Burger (beef) and Veggie Epic Burger. They also have fries and milkshakes for sale.


Menu

While I like meat, I'm a sucker for veggie burgers, so I got the Veggie Epic ($5), a hand-made vegan patty with pepperjack cheese, fresh greens, tomato, and other condiments (without mayonnaise). Note that if I did not order any cheese, the burger would be vegan (unless the bun also has a dairy product in it).

Veggie Epic Burger
Cross-section of the burger
The burger was made to order; I waited about 10-12 minutes for it. I thought the burger was very good. This is not your typical fast-food burger, not by a long shot.

I liked the bun here. As you can see in the photo right above (cross-section of the burger), it is a fluffy bun, and a nice sized one at that.

The pepperjack cheese was good, although I probably could have done without it (my fault, since I asked for it). The cheese wasn't the gooiest, cheesiest experience ever, but I guess it'll do. The greens gave the burger a nice gourmet touch, and had more bite and flavor than regular lettuce. The tomatoes were fresh and delicious as well. Perhaps it's just me, but condiments like ketchup and mustard may just be too ordinary for me. It's nice on this burger, but I really am that sucker for more unusual toppings and sauces.

I would have liked to see the vegan patty be just a bit firmer. I was warned the burger could get a bit messy, and while I did a good job of controlling the damage, the patty basically did fall apart. This "epic" vegetarian burger really did remind me of a Sloppy Joe. The burger flavors were flavorful and delicious, but not mind-blowing. Still, major points to Cascade Burger for making their own patties!

Overall, Cascade Burger makes a very good Veggie Epic. I would definitely come back to this place because they offer the healthy Veggie Epic for a reasonable price (hey, I can't be eating super fattening foods all the time, right?). But hey, if you're really in the mood for a meat burger, try their Epic Burger for a dollar more ($6). 7/10

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