There are many burgers to try in Portland, and I’m definitely still a fan of the simple but elegant burger at Mash Tun.
New to the Portland burger scene is the Spore Uproar Burger at Liquid Riot. If you’re not familiar, this burger is part of the James Beard Foundation’s Blended Burger Project. Chefs have been asked to compete nationally with their take on what a burger, blended with mushrooms, could be.
There’s a little bit of creativity and sustainability behind this project, and restaurants all over the country have served their own blended burgers, with mushrooms used as a focal point in the recipes.
Liquid Riot’s Spore Uproar Burger is an earthy sort of burger. It’s bursting with flavors that meld together really well, without ever being overpowering. The burger patty is blended with local mushroom purveyor North Spore’s mushrooms, which gives the patty the earthy flavor, as well as its moistness and tenderness. The patty is topped with a mushroom pâté, green tomato relish, goat cheese, and arugula.
I have to say, I love this burger. Full disclosure: I love mushrooms and try to add them to everything from pasta to breakfast sandwiches. So a burger that’s blended with mushrooms is pretty much my idea of the best kind of burger. But this is the kind of flavor where it’s not in your face that this burger is blended with mushrooms. There’s nothing overpowering, and all the ingredients are extremely complementary, especially the relish and goat cheese.
That being said, the burger is required to be on the menu until July 31st in order to be considered for the Blended Burger Project as an entrant. There’s no official word on if this burger could be added to the permanent menu, so go sooner than later if you want to try this deliciously unique burger at Liquid Riot! Vote here for their burger to win.
PS: the fries, beer cheese sauce, and the Tropical sour beer all put this burger over the edge, and are a must with your meal!
