Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers(sfgate.com)
sfgate.com
Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers
https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Impossible-Foods-raises-another-114-million-for-12809487.php?t=acd556910c
23 comments
I've had the Beyond Burger both at home and at which ever chain of the TGIChilibees variety has/had it. The smell had a meaty essence to it, but more along the lines of dog food or potted meat rather than a burger. The taste was also along the lines of highly processes meat byproduct, but I guess that's a kind of progress? Otherwise as far as eating experience and texture, it was at least closer to a real burger.
I think both vary widely depending on how they are cooked and dressed. It's interesting to contrast different restaurant's approaches.
Beyond seems a bit more "diner" to me and best when treated a bit "greasier". The best I've had was a "dirty" burger that was a messy vegan play on a Big Mac of sorts (at Against the Grain, a brewery and smokehouse).
Impossible seems a bit more "steak" to me, and best when treated a bit "medium rare". The best I've had was a Southwest burger at Morel's (a "witchcraft" vegan place best known for their Farby's "roast beef" sandwich). Morel's mainstay on their menu though is a "steakburger" with A-1 and fried onions that very easily plays to Impossible's strengths.
Beyond seems a bit more "diner" to me and best when treated a bit "greasier". The best I've had was a "dirty" burger that was a messy vegan play on a Big Mac of sorts (at Against the Grain, a brewery and smokehouse).
Impossible seems a bit more "steak" to me, and best when treated a bit "medium rare". The best I've had was a Southwest burger at Morel's (a "witchcraft" vegan place best known for their Farby's "roast beef" sandwich). Morel's mainstay on their menu though is a "steakburger" with A-1 and fried onions that very easily plays to Impossible's strengths.
I'd not judge anything based on Veggie grill though. IMO it's one of the worst restaurants here.
I've cooked the Beyond burger for family (who normally hate the veggie burgers I thrust upon them) and they all really liked it. Not quite meat, but they were open to eating it regularly as an alternative. I've had better beyond burgers than Impossible burgers, but that may depend on the restaurant and it's style.
I’ve had both Impossible Bueger (@Umami) and Beyond Meat (@home) and thought the latter tasted better. Umami gave you two small over cooked patties (I tried it twice). But looking at the ingredient list I didn’t feel like I was eating something healthier and I didn’t feel satiated like I would have from a regular burger.
Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?
I had one at a publicity event. It was pretty ok, definitely adequate for replacing most of the cheap hamburgers you see around the place, including the supposedly not-cheap ones you get in pubs and such that are actually cheap ones. It probably won't satisfy my meat connoisseur friend, but since I rarely crave a hamburger and the finest steak at the same time, I'd replace almost all my hamburger consumption with Impossible Burgers if available.
I tried the Impossible burger @ Umami Palo Alto. I was quite impressed, it tastes like a real beef burger and not like a vegan burger thing.
Devout meat-eater here. I've had it. The burger is quite delicious. I was really impressed with what they've done. My burger was done sort of in the style of smash and scrape, which gave it a wonderful, crispy texture. The flavor is not exactly the same as a burger, it's more like the abstract idea of "meat". That's not a turn off though, it was quite good.
Me and my girlfriend we tried at last week. We really enjoyed the taste. Burgers, of course, come in a variety and also taste quite different depending on what kind of burger you eat. My girlfriend observed that the Impossible Foods one tasted a lot like homemade burgers as they're made for BBQ.
I liked it. It tasted fairly similar to ground beef. Besides the flavor (which can be overwhelmed by spices and sauces in the burger anyway) it was satisfying in the way that a tempe or tofu or mushroom burger is not.
I've had it several times. The best way I can describe it is as an mediocre to somewhat-above-average patty. It's not going to impress you as being better than a good burger, but it's easily better than bad fast food.
I'd say it competes with regular burgers, it's notably different if you pay attention, but not so salient if you aren't paying attention.
Once they get the price below regular burgers I wouldn't be surprised to see it become a default option.
Once they get the price below regular burgers I wouldn't be surprised to see it become a default option.
Definitely can't come close to a good burger.
But way better than a McDonald's beef patty.
But way better than a McDonald's beef patty.
A couple of times, and it’s nowhere near a real hamburger, but then, neither are a lot of what people get from fast food or buy frozen. It could probably replace the ultra-low-end burger, but anyone who likes actual beef is going to be confused by the hype. Personally, I’d rather eat less beef for health and environmental reasons, an avoid substitutes that try badly to be like beef.
Vegetarian food is at its best when it’s not trying to imitate something it isn’t.
Vegetarian food is at its best when it’s not trying to imitate something it isn’t.
From someone who stopped eating beef a few years ago, it’s the first fake burger to satisfy my burger craving, and none of the others come close. Maybe if I were still eating real burgers I’d know what I was missing.
I've had it several times. It's not going to be the best burger you've ever had, but it is quite delicious and leagues above the standard veggie burger.
I had an Impossible Burger that was cooked like a smash burger, and it was excellent (9 out of 10). I'm not confident that I could tell the difference with an actual beef patty in a blind taste test. They nailed the texture, the flavor, the juicyness, everything.
I know this is different than what many of the other commenters are voicing. My best guess is that the differences in preparation will make or break its similarity to beef. I am a former competitive BBQ judge, so I am no stranger to tasting meats.
I know this is different than what many of the other commenters are voicing. My best guess is that the differences in preparation will make or break its similarity to beef. I am a former competitive BBQ judge, so I am no stranger to tasting meats.
I thought it tasted like beef, but like a cheap, lean beef. Like the cheap, premade, frozen patties you can get at the grocery store. Not a bad flavor at all. Just mediocre for a burger.
I was extremely disappointed with the Beyond Burger-- it had a weird taste and I personally did not think it tasted anywhere remotely near real meat. It was oversalted, but I've heard some other people complain it's because the patty is already very salty and restaurants add more salt. It also might be a function of the fact that this was a vegetarian place and I don't think they're used to cooking burgers.
The Impossible Burger I was much more impressed with-- it still wouldn't fool me at all and I wouldn't quite replace beef with it yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing if they can improve it just slightly. For me, it doesn't have to taste exactly like beef before I would eat it over traditional burgers, it just needs to be a little closer. I would also like to try it somewhere that doesn't put as many fixings on it to taste the patty in a more pure form, since my burger was some miso-seaweed thing with strong flavors that could have been masking the patty (perhaps intentionally).