Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers • Hacker News Board

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#11

Post by andrewmunsell » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 9:55 PM UTC

I've had both the Beyond Burger (at Veggie Grill, a vegetarian restaurant) and the Impossible Burger (at an actual burger restaurant).

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).

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#12

Post by scottie_m » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 10:02 PM UTC

dgritsko wrote: post #2

Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#13

Post by ghfbjdhhv » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 11:42 PM UTC

dgritsko wrote: post #2

Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#14

Post by DogOnTheWeb » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 11:53 PM UTC

dgritsko wrote: post #2

Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#15

Post by doctorsher » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 12:24 AM UTC

dgritsko wrote: post #2

Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#16

Post by jjeaff » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 2:53 AM UTC

dgritsko wrote: post #2

Anyone here tried one? How do they compare to the real thing?

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#17

Post by ratsoman2 » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 3:08 AM UTC

andrewmunsell wrote: post #11

I've had both the Beyond Burger (at Veggie Grill, a vegetarian restaurant) and the Impossible Burger (at an actual burger restaurant). 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…

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#18

Post by rdlecler1 » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 4:29 AM UTC

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.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#19

Post by praneshp » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:30 AM UTC

andrewmunsell wrote: post #11

I've had both the Beyond Burger (at Veggie Grill, a vegetarian restaurant) and the Impossible Burger (at an actual burger restaurant). 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…

I'd not judge anything based on Veggie grill though. IMO it's one of the worst restaurants here.

Re: Impossible Foods raises another $114M for meatless burgers

#20

Post by bsharitt » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 11:57 AM UTC

andrewmunsell wrote: post #11

I've had both the Beyond Burger (at Veggie Grill, a vegetarian restaurant) and the Impossible Burger (at an actual burger restaurant). 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…

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.