7X beefs up Denver’s Best Burger

Denver is a city known for its fantastic hamburgers, but on the evening of August 6, the debate about who makes the best was settled — if only temporarily.

The great decision was handed down at the 6th Annual Denver Burger Battle, a charity event that pitted 13 of the city’s best restaurants against each other for a year’s worth of bragging rights. The two winning restaurants were The Nickel, in the judged competition, and TAG Burger Bar, in the people’s choice category.

The sold-out event took place at Sculpture Park at Champa and Speer, where more than 1300 ticketed guests enjoyed unlimited samples of the burgers and an open bar of beer and wine. Chefs served up bites from Parkburger, TAG Burger Bar, Highland Tap & Burger, Crave, Acorn, Squeaky Bean, Euclid Hall, Chop Shop, D Bar, The Nickel, Kobe An Shabu Shabu, Ophelia’s, and El Toro the Tot. Eighteen sponsors provided financial and material support for the event, which raised $20,000 for Denver hunger- and child-related charities.

Three chef judges — Matt Vawer of Mercantile, Tom Ryan of Smashburger, and Pete Marczyk  of Marczyk Fine Foods — honored The Nickel’s “7x Wagyu Beef Burger” with top honors. The burger, by Chef Chris Thompson, was crafted of Colorado’s ultrapremium 7X ground beef, and topped by Funkwerks cheddar, lettuce, tomato, bone marrow-onion jam, and a Grateful Bread brioche bun.

Guest voting determined the people’s choice award, which went to TAG Burger Bar’s “Truffle Shuffle ” by Chef Troy Guard. This meaty monster was composed of fresh ground chuck, brisket, and short rib, with a mushroom duxelle, aged Swiss cheese, grilled onions, and a truffle shuffle aioli.

These winning burgers will be featured at their creating restaurants through the month of August, and perhaps beyond. Guests of last Thursday’s event may show their badges for 50 percent off those burgers, as well as on entries from Parkburger, Crave, El Toro the Tot, D Bar, Ophelia’s, and Kobe An Shabu Shabu.

Denver Burger Battle is an annual charity event hosted by the Kossler Foundation. The Foundation supports Denver non-profits in hunger relief and child welfare. Past recipients have included We Don’t Waste, Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics, Edison Elementary School, and The Kitchen Community.