500°, which I assume stands for the grill temperature, is the downscale offshoot of Rouge, on Rittenhouse Square.  The burger is a little smaller than Rouge's, but half the cost.  The fries are fresh cut and twice fried.  Service is walk-up/ paper instead of server/ china. The menu is straight forward, a few burger variations, a few fry variations and choice of a soda or milk shake.

The menu board alarmed me - nothing less than medium - two choices of doneness, medium or well done.  I still ordered medium rare and received something between medium rare and medium.  Nice and juicy.  Would have preferred the burger cooked a bit less.

I went for the 500 degree burger .  A good sized grilled patty on a brioche hamburger bun with bibb lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and bacon. It's cooked to order, which is good but slow.

I got the combo meal including truffle oiled fries and a soda.  Milk shake combos using Bassett's ice cream is also on the menu. 

A classic hamburger stand in a Center City Philadlephia store front serving one of Philadelphia's better burgers.

August 2010