Of all the D.C. food scenesters to show up for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami this past weekend—-sightings included Graffiato‘s Mike Isabella, Proof/Estadio‘s Mark Kuller, Red Apron Butchery‘s Nate Anda, and BGR: The Burger Joint‘s Mark Bucher—-perhaps none made a grander entrance than Spike Mendelsohn. The Good Stuff Eatery owner arrived to the splashy event’s annual Burger Bash competition dressed in a faux mustache and sideburns—-a bit less conspicuous than the Hamburglar costume he wore last year.

For all his work at appearances, Mendelsohn might be better advised to devote more attention to his grilling. Reporting from the scene, Y&H special correspondent Melissa McCart (also the food critic for the Broward-Palm Beach New Times) was underwhelmed with Mendelsohn’s steak-­frites burger—-a nod to his forthcoming new eatery on Capitol Hill perhaps?

Other judges seemed to agree. (Cleveland’s Michael Symon took top honors with his pig-laden “Porky Burger.”)

Topped with french fries and bearnaise sauce—-and, apparently, created in partnership with US Foods—-Mendelsohn’s contest slider tasted rather dry compared to his usual Good Stuff fare. “Overworked,” said one taster at the competition.

Mendelsohn’s accompanying crème de cassis shake, however, was actually pretty good, McCart reports.