WWeek’s #1 ranked burger in Portland in their Burgerquest article: Metrovino’s cheeseburger, a double patty of Painted Hills 20% fat house-ground chuck plus ribeye trimmings, Wisconsin swiss style fontina between the patties, shredded iceberg on the bottom, and onions & fancy sauce mix on top of the second patty, served with a side salad dressed with a vinaigrette.
When it comes to the meat itself, it was juicy and full of flavor without being too fatty. The cheese and sauce swirl into the meat juiciness like they were always born to be together, with the lettuce offering a bit of a mess factor because it is shredded but offering crunch texture (although not much taste) to counter richness. I was willing to forgive the iceburg because of the tart side salad that came with the plate with its vinaigrette. I didn’t mind that it wasn’t a choice of fries here- with such a substantial double cheeseburger the fact it came with a salad seemed to make you feel less bad about what you are about to do to your arteries. Its acidic vinaigrette and bitterness in the greens was a nice break in between the juicy meat and cheese and bread to counter the richness.
Ah, the spongy bun that tried hard to hold together the double patties- wish the kitchen would stick a skewer to help hold it together as the meat wants to tenderly melt apart even though it hasn’t quite gotten into your mouth yet. I always cut my burger in half so I can hold it, and sometimes I can cut it into quarters, but not this one. Oh, and my napkin was a mess at the end of this. To the bun’s credit, as I continued to bite into the meat, the bun kept together as it absorbed all the sauce and squeezes of juice with every bite- I just had to realize I would not be able to put this burger down until I was done.
This was a tasty patty in the same way that somehow, McD quarter pounder with cheese meat just has something compelling in terms of flavor that I still miss even though I’ve given up on McD fast food. Whatever the kitchen does back there in crafting this burger, they are doing it right. It didn’t have the spicy tang that I liked about Toro Bravo’s take on the cheeseburger (thanks to their use of romesco), but minus the sauce, I think I would pick the Metrovino burger plain over it. That Toro Bravo sauce really is the key ingredient that is the only reason that that burger could top the meat of the Metrovino.
This offering at Metrovino is a double cheeseburger off of the regular bar menu, but is also offered as a single patty cheeseburger (aka 6 oz instead of 12 oz of delicious meat) during happy hour- but hurry to the bar area by 5 as it quickly fills up). Since for $5 more you get a double though, I’m not sure why you wouldn’t just go ahead and go all the way and double up on the meat. You are already getting your drink on with a cheeseburger- go indulge and maybe share with a friend!
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