There are many ways that Chef Brandon elevates the conventional burger at FishScale, a new eatery in Washington, DC, but the most important difference is the makeup of the patty. Instead of beef, Brandon uses heart-healthy fish — and not just any fish. He and his kitchen team source their fish fresh each morning from anglers who deal only in wild-caught filets. Then they transform the fish into burgers without using any breadcrumbs or fillers, simply shaping the fresh seafood into patties that can be seared on the grill.

The result is a delicious "burger" complemented by organic produce and condiments created in-house from other organic ingredients. The menu changes each day to reflect what's available on the market, including choices such as black sea bass, mahi-mahi, and blue Maryland crab.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr wuestenigel