FOOD REVIEW: Ray's Hell Burgers (Arlington, VA)

There has been much discussion lately about whether Five Guys or In-n-Out has the better burger. However, as I blogged about earlier, President Obama has switched his allegiance from Five Guys to Ray's Hell Burger. My position is that Five Guys is better than In-N-Out.

Recently I happened to be in Washington, DC for a business trip so I decided to check out Ray's Hell Burger, which also happens to be in Arlington, Virgina, a suburb of the District. It has a pretty distinctive menu with an interesting selection of quixotically named special burgers.

Pictured above is the "Soul Burger Number 1" which comes with a 10 ounce all-American beef patty, applewood smoked bacon, cognac and sherry sauteed mushrooms, grilled red onions with swiss cheese on a toasted brioche bun for $8.95. I replaced the cheese with Vermont White Cheddar. I also added small sweet potato fries for $1.75.

Although the burger is about three dollars more expensive than a Five Guys  burger and almost twice the cost of an In-N-Out burger it is well worth it. Like Five Guys, it is probably too big to eat at one sitting. The sides are incredible.The sauteed mushrooms  are amazing and the bacon and cheese were pretty incredible. Five Guys wins in the bun department (their buns are pleasantly dough-y and fresh, which I think goes better than toasting). Ray's fries are better than Five Guys but not as good as In-N-Out's.

Next time I'm in DC I will definitely check out Ray's again, but I will also grab a Five Guys burger to eat on the plane home.

Name: Ray's Hell Burger

Location: 1725 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209. 

Contact: 703-841-0001.

AMBIANCE: B+.

SERVICE: B+.

VALUE: A.

FOOD: A.

OVERALL: A-.

VA GOV Issues Legally Meaningless Gay Nondiscrimination Directive

There is mass confusion in Virginia (and the traditional media and the blogosphere) about the status of LGBT citizens' civil rights to employment, public accommodations, housing and education thanks to the recent actions by its recently elected Governor and Attorney General.

Thanksfully, legal eagle Chris Geidner can clear it all up for us, in an article entitled "No, Virginia, There Is No Nondiscrimination Policy":

On Wednesday, March 10, Gov. McDonnell issued an ''Executive Directive'' regarding the ''Standard of Conduct'' for state supervisors and employees ''Concerning Employment Discrimination.''

In it, he suggests a pronouncement on the state's position on sexual orientation nondiscrimination. The set-up looks like an attempt to create some space between Cuccinelli's move as attorney general and his own administration. But it does no such thing. To the extent it mentions sexual orientation, it is simply a basic restatement of federal constitutional law. It fails to mention gender identity or expression at all. 

[...]

The law, by the governor's own words, is the same on March 11 as it was on March 9. There is no protection provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia or Gov. McDonnell to LGBT people other than the slight protection already provided to them by the U.S. Constitution. And McDonnell has taken no action to ask the legislature to do more.

[...]

In the days since Cuccinelli's letter, people across Virginia have been asking McDonnell to tell them the truth about his commitment to nondiscrimination. On Wednesday, like the Sun's editor, McDonnell gave a saccharine response aimed more at providing pleasant words than it did providing a real answer. McDonnell's directive, unfortunately, purports to give comfort to LGBT people in the state about something that is not really there.

We're not falling for your ****, Bob McDonnell, no matter how square your jaw is!

VIDEO: Obama Hits McCain On Equal Pay For Women