Buffalo, somehow beefier than beef itself. $5.
  • Buffalo, somehow beefier than beef itself. $5.

This announcement is part of our 2013 Burger Week (Aug 5-11), where we team with local restaurants and vendors to bring you $5 gourmet hamburgers!

Rockin' Robyn's Sassy Burger proves that Burger Week has continued to inspire cooks to new heights.

Robyn's Buffalo Burger is: Ground buffalo patty (meat provided by Nicky USA), peppered bacon, roasted red peppers, smoked Gouda cheese, tomato, a thick slab of white onion, pickles, and a Portland French Bakery brioche bun. Robyn tried both buffalo and water buffalo before deciding that the former's clearer flavor would work best with her proprietary spice blend.

Robyn's cart has been one of my favorites since I wrote about the Rose City Food Park cart pod in March. She seasons her meat blend (and makes no apologies for her style), griddles the thick patties to a rosy medium-rare (while achieving a good, caramelized crust), and dresses them with old-school slabs of crisp, fresh vegetables. Her Burger Week entry is one of the few to take advantage of Nicky USA's more exotic meats, and the buffalo she's chosen tastes beefier than beef itself, with a tender texture and long, clean finish. The meat is brightened by the sweetness of the roasted red pepper, and the peppered bacon adds bursts of salt and spice to the mellow overall richness. Thanks to careful prep and stacking order, the fresh brioche bun never splits or sogs. This $5 burger makes the Carls' Jr. "$6 Burger" look like someone peeled out on a disused draft animal and threw a bun on top.

Pair the buffalo burger with some of her truly good fresh-cut fries and a milkshake, and if you have the time, stop and chat with Robyn, who is as friendly and gracious a proprietor as you're likely to find. Robyn also stocks a bizarrely wide selection of canned Shasta sodas, for the aficionado.

Rockin' Robyn's Sassy Burger
5221 NE Sandy (in the Rose City Food Park cart pod)
Open M- Th 4:30pm to 8:00pm, F & Sat 11:30am to 8:00pm, and Sun 11:30am to 7:00pm

1374474448-burger_week_200.png

Portland Mercury Burger Week on Facebook