Best fake burger?

As a strict omnivore I do not claim any knowledge of veggie burgers or soy burgers or alt-burgers. In college, a very brief fling with a vegetarian led me to discover the delicious wonder that is MorningStar’s spicy black-bean burger but other than that, I have stayed away.

I’m beginning to reconsider, though, because some local fake burgers do sound tasty.

The Burger Business Web site noticed that Blanc Burgers + Bottles has one of the “25 great non-beef burgers worth respect.” Blanc describes the sliced lentil burger as being made of curried lentils and vegetables, spiced yogurt, cucumber/red onion salad, avocado and radish sprouts.

While there is no doubt Blanc has some delicious burgers, The Pitch declared Room 39‘s to be the best fake

burger, saying it “this might be the only veggie burger ever devised

that could be savored

by itself. What comes between the buns here looks meaty (it’s bulgur

and black beans), tastes rich and moves across the palate like silk.”

But those words were written in 2007, before Blanc opened. Is it possible that Blanc’s bogus burger is better? In his review of Blanc, Charles Ferruzza said the lentil burger is “good, but the crumbly,

fragile patty of curried lentils and vegetables is difficult to eat.” In the end he called it an “exciting alternative” to normal veggie burgers.

So which one is better? Let the fake wars start over the fake burgers.