Elevation Burger - Provisional Blackball (last reviewed Apr 26, 2009)

Elevation Burger has a few things going for it -- intriguing name, outdoor seating in Harbor East, a well organized menu and a rectangular cake pan for a tray (say what?). All of these good things, for the 4 loyal followers (props to Fabian for making it #4) are known to be irrelevant. I'll tell you what is relevant. Let's begin with the basics -- their "organic" burgers are too much like a Big Mac and lacked any taste. It was as if I was chewing a piece of beefy melba toast. To attempt to add flaver, we were discussing what the "Elevation sauce" could possibly be and we speculated that it was Thousand Island dressing which was later confirmed by the cashier. How lame! A worst deal in Baltimore -- adding a spindly order of shoe string (not manly steak cut) fries -- for a buck two fifty felt like I'd been robbed and I will not soon forget that jonesing. Unlike their blackballed cousin, 5 Guys (aka 3 Things), they fry their stamped out hamburger patties and fries in Olive Oil. They do have a big list of toppings, including carmelized onions, milkshakes and those funky trays which gets them barely off blackball. The frosty sensation, which I did not try, may be their only salvation but I did not partake. I'll let you know how that works out. -DB