The Humble Gourmand

After years of being an avid Top Chef viewer, it was finally time for me to put my catty judgments where my mouth was.

Walking into Good Stuff Eatery, you’ll be greeted by two things: a very welcoming general manager (or a man I had assumed was the general manager) and a glimpse of Spike’s signature hat. Oftentimes I would be annoyed by someone capitalizing on his reality TV “popularity” in order to make a buck, but in this instance, I really could not fault the man. The place smelled too good.

Good Stuff Eatery found its home among the cavernous taverns, abundant coffee shops, and less-than-$10 lunch joints that fill DC’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. While it doesn’t quite look like the place where political blackmailing will occur, it does look like a place where someone could grab a decent lunch while plotting her great political climb. The white-tiled restaurant is peppered with the same sort of cutesy posters that every other “good food fast” restaurant is covered in, proclaiming the freshness of the food. A piece of plastic kitsch hangs from the ceiling — a cowbell with the bovine insignia on it.

The walls of the upstairs eating area are adorned with flat-panel TVs with various 24-hour news channels playing (so typical for DC). The only thing wrong with the place’s entire setup is that it creates one of the loudest restaurants I have ever been to in my entire life. Still, I could not fault Good Stuff. The place smelled really good.

The menu is simple, boasting 11 burgers, 4 wedge salads, fries, and drinks. I wasn’t over-stimulated by the burger choices, which was fantastic, and the offerings spanned a variety of tastes — smoky, spicy, sweet, and quintessential Americana. I opted for spicy, with the Blazin’ Barn Burger and a side of Spike’s Village fries. My fabulous dinner partner and our guests opted for the Good Stuff Melt, Smokehouse Burger, and Classic Wedge salad.

The presentation was nothing to call home about, (the bun was a little crushed and the overall package reminded me of late-night fast food runs), but, wow, it was a perfectly done patty. The burger was juicy and helped to mellow the taste of the spicy mayo, Thai basil, and cilantro that topped it (carrots, mint, and pickled daikon accompanied). The portion was “just right sized” for me, but my fabulous dinner partner (who is a quite-large male) thought his melt was a little on the small side.

If the juicy burger was not enough to completely floor me, the fries were. Seasoned delicately with salt, pepper, and rosemary, they were fried to perfection.

For your perfect Good Stuff meal, skip the salad (which is just iceberg lettuce with various toppings) and grab one of the seven signature burgers. The aforementioned Blazin’ is my favorite, but the Good Stuff Melt, topped with cheddar and muenster cheeses, caramelized onions, and mushrooms passed the burger test with flying colors. Order a side of Spike’s signature fries and take a trip to the dipping bar, which has the standard ketchup and mustard fare, as well as four flavored mayonnaises. To finish off the meal, try one of the handspun shakes, made with homemade custard. A friend tried the toasted marshmallow shake, and his smile said it all.

Good Stuff’s vibe is exactly that — some good stuff. The service is wonderful (the general manager, aka Spike’s Pop, offered my boyfriend a free/delicious coffee because of a beverage ordering snafu). The food is delicious and suited for a lunch on the go (if the line isn’t too long). The place is loud, however, and not terribly conducive to conversation that goes beyond:

“THIS PLACE SMELLS REALLY GOOD!”

“WHAT!?”

But that’s the glory of a place that’ll pack up your food in a bag for you — if you don’t like the scene, you can still enjoy the food elsewhere.

Good Stuff Eatery
303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003
 (202)543-8222

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