Holy Cow Burger Joint to Open Before End of Year

The folks behind Pork Barrel BBQ are preparing to open their next restaurant venture called “Holy Cow, Del Ray’s Gourmet Burger Joint.”

Bill Blackburn promises—with a nod to the barbecue’s delayed opening—the fast-casual burger spot located next the The Dairy Godmother on Mount Vernon Avenue will open before the end of the year.

Holy Cow will offer natural Angus burgers, potato and sweet potato fries, shakes, beer, wine and sodas. Other menu items include Quinoa veggie burgers, turkey burgers and chicken breast sandwiches.

Blackburn said the restaurant did some rigorous taste-testing to come with a fry recipe “unlike anything else.” He said the restaurant will have a dedicated gluten-free fryer.

The working menu includes 10 different signature burgers like “The Big Deal,” made with beef, a fried egg, Applewood bacon and provolone and cheddar cheese on a toasted brioche bun, and “The Popper,” made with fried jalapenos, garlic aioli, cream cheese, Chipotle ketchup and bacon on a beef patty in brioche bun.

Customers will also be able to build their own burgers with a variety of toppings, from standard burger stuff to more fancy fare like Vietnamese slaw, fried green tomato, chicken pate, local herb goat cheese and Swiss gruyere.

Burgers come on soft brioches, potato Kaiser buns, whole wheat buns, in a lettuce wrap or “bowl style” served over mixed greens.

Like Pork Barrel BBQ, there will be no official table service. Patrons will select their items on a piece of paper attached to a clipboard and submit their order over the counter. Staff will bring meals to the tables.

On the menu sheet, customers will also select a local nonprofit organization that will receive 25 cents from each burger sold.

“Mango” Mike Anderson said the idea came from working with John Porter of ACT for Alexandria on May’s Spring2ACTion fundraising event.

“We were really impressed with what John and ACT for Alexandria was able to do with that fundraising drive and how we were able to raise money,” Anderson said. “He challenged us to do more, and that's how the quarter-a-burger idea came about." 

Anderson said checks would go out to the charities once a quarter with the total money raised at the restaurant.

Holy Cow was originally planned to be a fast-casual Asian fusion restaurant.