Outline:
A New Culinary Venture in Anacostia
DaBo Burger, a new burger joint located at 600 Howard Rd., SE, has recently opened its doors in the Atlas Bridge District Brewery & Tap Room’s new location in Anacostia. This latest venture from Mélange and Doro Soul Food chef Elias Tadesse is making waves with its unique approach to burger buns and menu offerings.
The Signature Milk Buns
One of the standout features of DaBo Burger is its signature milk buns, which take three days to make. The buns are inspired by French and Japanese culinary traditions, featuring a sprinkle of pearl sugar and a touch of salt. Tadesse, who trained in France, drew inspiration from pain au lait, a bread that holds a special place in his memory. He explained, “I don’t know if anyone has done pearl sugar on their bread for a burger before.”
Opening Details and Special Offers
The restaurant officially opened on Thursday, January 15, and will be serving a variety of smash burgers, milkshakes, and more. To celebrate the grand opening, the first 25 customers when the restaurant opens at 4 PM will receive free fries with a purchase of a burger.
Chef Tadesse’s Background
Tadesse, a French-trained chef with a Michelin-starred resume in New York, is no stranger to beef patties. In 2016, he launched a burger pop-up in DC called Salt N’ Pepa. His focus on burgers has been a consistent theme in his French- and Ethiopian-inspired concept Mélange, which originally opened in 2020 and has found a new home in Shaw alongside fried chicken-focused Doro Soul Food.
Collaborative Efforts
When Tadesse was approached by Atlas founder Justin Fox about collaborating at their new outpost, he decided to switch up his recipes a bit. While the buns may be unique, DaBo Burger’s smash patties are familiar. Tadesse’s goal was simplicity, taking inspiration from former menu items.
Menu Highlights
The restaurant’s signature burger, “Le Royale,” includes colby jack cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and butter chive dijonnaise. Tadesse also nods to Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America with “The McDowell,” the restaurant’s version of a Big Mac with American cheese, diced onions, shredded lettuce, pickles, and the restaurant’s special sauce. There’s also a mushroom burger with smoked cheddar and roasted garlic aioli. Prices start at $9.95.
Milkshakes and Drinks
Tadesse is continuing to offer milkshakes too, including one inspired by cold cereal milk and a “PBJ + Toast” option with toast ice cream, strawberry jam, peanut butter, and sweet toast crumbles. All milkshakes are topped with whipped cream.
For those who prefer beer, there’s always the selection from Atlas’s new solar-powered flagship brewery. There are at least ten drafts to choose from, including the District Common Lager or the Half Street Hefeweizen.
Operating Hours
DaBo Burger will be open Thursday through Friday from 4 to 9 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and closed Monday through Wednesday.
