Elena Kagan Gets Her Own Bartley's Burger

There’s a new burger in town! And it’s named after a pretty interesting Harvard Law School graduate…and no, it's not Barack Obama (they already have one dedicated to him). But you're getting warmer...

If you haven’t noticed yet, there’s a new sign outside of Mr. Bartley’s Gourmet Burgers that reads: "The Elena Kagan: Experience??? 'Don’t ask, don’t tell': A burger smothered with a liberal amount of salsa and grilled pineapple served with onion rings. $9.99.” A burger inspired by Obama's Supreme Court nominee? Of course we had to try it.

When we first arrived at Bartley's, there was, as always, a line stretching past the Harvard Bookstore, and the smell of the burgers and fries coming from the little restaurant only affirmed our hunger and excitement for the “experience”.

During the 15 minute wait in line outside the famous burger cottage, we started to wonder whether this curious burger actually existed. When we told the waitress that we wanted the Elena Kagan, she questioned our choice and even asked how the name was spelled.

Eventually, though, the order was in, and exactly 15 minutes later, we were seated at a long table in the middle of the restaurant. Everyone around us had already gotten their burgers, but it seemed that nobody had been daring enough to try the Elena Kagan, so we really had no idea what to expect.

Finally, the Elena Kagan arrived. Just as the sign had promised, the medium-well burger was topped with salsa and two slices of grilled pineapple, giving it a rather tall and daunting appearance. It was an interesting choice: a nice mix of sweet and spicy, but not enough to overwhelm the famous taste of the Bartley's burger.

Bill Bartley, the owner of the famous burger shack, couldn't be reached for comment, so you'll have to draw your own conclusions about what this burger says about Obama's nominee.

Photo by Agnes K. Sibilski/The Harvard Crimson.