Honest and Accurate Burger Reviews by TheBurgerBusters

The Lab Brewing Company -- Agoura Hills, CA

2012-02-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Lab Brewing Company
30105 Agoura Road
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
818-735-0091
website

The Lab Brewing Company had been gently and politely inviting me out to Agoura Hills to try the burger there, and I will admit that I had been hesitant to make the 30-mile sojourn for a burger in the "outer provinces." That said, The Lab Brewing Company had been garnering favorable reviews for its ambitious menu, and I was at loose ends on a Tuesday night. The Lovely Romanian Princess had just departed for the chill of NYC, and I found myself in need of a drive and a cheeseburger to drown my sorrows.

The Lab Brewing Company occupies the former Moz space in Agoura Hills. The new occupant dressed up the building and turned it into a functioning brew space with 188 seats, creations on the walls made by local artists, a stage for live music, and enough sound damping elements (including cork floors) to keep the din of a room full of diners down to a level where civilized conversation was an option. My civilized conversation was with part-owner and full-time Brewmaster, Roger Bott. Roger had been making his own beer since he was 16. Hint for the youngsters...they don't card when you buy yeast, malt, and hops. I had the opportunity to sample the Big Ass Red, a light and hoppy Extra Pale Ale. This was a remarkably well-balanced ale. The bitter note held strong and steady from beginning to end, but it was tempered with notes of wood, sweetness, and creaminess. This was an easy-drinking beer that made me think that 30 miles wasn't too far to drive after all. Roger kept 5 house-brewed beers on hand, and nice selection of guest taps. More impressive than Roger's encyclopedic knowledge of brewing science and the menu was the fact that after only 2 and 1/2 months of being open, guests continually came up to hug him and thank him for his hospitality.

The Lab Brewing Company's menu was ambitious and varied. The ambitiousness of the complicated menu was heightened by the fact that the kitchen was manned by a brigade of three. The Executive Chef was Moez Megji. If you were paying attention, you may have noticed that the previous incarnation of the space was eponymous for the present Executive Chef. The menu was strong on seafood and fresh, seasonal ingredients. A butternut squash pizza with walnuts, caramelized onions, and Bleu cheese was one such seasonal dish, and I liked it more than I wanted to. I also tried the PEI mussels in a red curry sauce. This dish was heavy enough on the spice that the coconut notes of the curry were all but lost, and this caused me to wonder if the burger would be seasoned as bluntly.

I ordered one of the signature The Lab Burgers, and waited a scant 12 minutes with Roger until the burger arrived.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The burgers at The Lab Brewing Company were a hefty half pound of Wagyu and Sirloin. The beef was only mildly wet-aged, and there really was no trace of aged funk. The burgers were wonderfully juicy. While it was clear that the fat content of the house-ground beef was just over 20%, the burger was not even remotely oily. The flavor was restrained in a way that only a very competent and skilled chef can deliver. The bite was subtle and complex. There was a mild note of beef, which swelled as the dish cooled. There were delicate notes from the Sirloin, and they were pleasantly complicated and gently muted by the fat from the Wagyu. The texture was firm but yielding. All in all, this was a very pleasant and nuanced burger.

The Seasoning: The dusting of seasonings on the burger's exterior were complicated and foreign. The chef's African roots came into play here, and I stopped trying to guess the components of the seasoning blend. It was mildly savory and downright interesting. A variety of fresh herbs made there way into the grind to further complicate the flavors of the dish. I think a little bacon may have made its way in there, too. Bacon makes everything better. Bacon is a lot like cleavage.

The Sear: Yes! The sear on The Lab Burger was marvelous. The sear was thin, crisp, and remarkably satisfying. I found myself peeling away the sear from the uneaten half of my burger and snacking on it.

The Preparation: The beef was ground in the morning, and it was pattied twice--once for lunch and once for dinner. The three-hour rest period allowed the fat to reincorporate into the beef. The grind was medium on the coarseness scale. I requested a Med-Rare burger, and that was exactly what I received. The burger was cooked on a flat top/griddle, and that cooking surface must have been hot enough to smoke peanut oil. There was obvious skill in the kitchen.

The Cheese: The cheese used by The Lab Brewing Company on the burger was a mild blend of Gruyere and Bleu with just enough bacon to make it fun. The blend was heavy on the Gruyere, so the overbearing sharpness of the Bleu was kept at bay. This worked nicely. The subtle flavors of the cheese blend wove into through the mellow flavors of the burger.

The Bun: The bun was a simple, sweet, buttery, unseeded model from La Brea Bakery. The buttery bun contained just enough fat to hold back the tide of juices from the burger even as the bun compressed. My fingers remained dry. The bun was remarkably light and tender. It was mildly sweet and not even a little yeasty. The bun worked with the burger. A yeasty bun would have dominated the delicate flavors of the beef and cheese.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was spot on.

The Fries: The fries were house-cut, peel-on, and par-cooked. They were cooked to a dark brown in hot vegetable oil. The fries were seasoned with salt and fresh oregano. There were other spices in the mix, but the oregano was the one that carried the most weight on the palate. The fries were hearty, earthy, and crisp. The mild bitterness from the deep browning made complete sense once the fries were dipped in a little ketchup. The bitter and sweet married perfectly.

The Toppings: The cheeseburger at The Lab Brewing Company was probably best appreciated fully dressed. The arugula was perfectly nutty and nicely dressed in oil and lemon. This gentle tartness carried over into the sweet onion marmalade. When these two accoutrements were added to the dish, the result was a splendid bite. The arugula complemented the Gruyere. The tartness of the marmalade made its way into the beef and added a gentle note of iron to round out the flavors.

The Value: The Lab Burger was a 14 dollar cheeseburger. The Lab Burger was a wonderfully executed 14 dollar cheeseburger made from a Wagyu and Sirloin, and it came with a LOT of fries. The complexity of flavors, the care put into the preparation, and the quality of the ingredients all added up to a good value at 14 dollars.

The Live Art of Brewing was what Lab stood for in the establishment's name. The beers were delicious and meticulously crafted. The same could be said for the burgers and other dishes at The Lab Brewing Company. I plan on returning to sample other items from the complicated and creative menu.

Burger Review : The Lab Brewing Company's burgers and hand-crafted beers make the trek from LA totally worth it. One of the finest burgers in Los Angeles can be found in Agoura Hills.

Rating: 5 Bites rounded up from 4.5

Victor's Meats and Delicatessen -- Los Angeles, CA

2012-01-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

10002 National BlvdLos Angeles, Ca 90034
310-837-8401

The second toughest guy at my morning bootcamp suggested that I try the burger at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen. What the hell--it was only a few blocks from the world headquarters, and I had been meaning to check out the butcher shop there anyway. Victor's sold Porterhouse steaks for $9.98/pound and Filets for $11.98/pound. I would be returning to Victor's for some steaks. The burger was advertised on the marquee, but there was no mention of it on the menu boards. No matter, I faked it and ordered a cheeseburger with some fries, a kiddie pool-sized soda, and a couple of pork ribs from the hot case.

Once I ordered my burger, so pretty cool things happened:

The guy that took my order walked over to the display case and scooped up a large amount of ground Chuck.
He formed it into a massive patty by hand.
He created a deep dimple in the surface of the burger patty.
He ladled some Brisket juice, from the hot case, into that dimple.
He managed to seal the juice into the pocket.
He then placed the burger patty onto a sizzling griddle and covered it with a grilling weight.

The whole cooking process took about 5 minutes. At the end, I had a roughly 1/2 pound cheeseburger, a gang of fries, a couple of barbequed pork ribs, and a quart of soda for $9.98. The tables (2) were outside at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen. These tables overlooked a parking lot and the 10 Freeway.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen was freshly ground, 80/20 Chuck. The burger was wonderfully beefy. It had no trace of aging. The grind was medium. The burger was nicely juicy and moist without a hint of greasiness. The bite was amazingly tender--there was no chewiness--the burger patty yielded without protest.

The Sear: The griddle applied a moderate and thin sear to the burger patty. The sear was not noteworthy.

The Seasoning: The exterior of the burger patty was satisfyingly salty. That was only the beginning, though. The interior was infused with the brisket juice, and this amped up the flavor of the Chuck to a level more commensurate with a premium cut of beef.

The Preparation: While I requested Medium, my burger came out closer to Well-Done, but that was fine. The 8 ounce cheeseburger at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen was juicy. I assumed that the longer cooking time rendered off some of the fat from the 80/20 Chuck. This was a fine compromise.

The Cheese: Victor's Meats and Delicatessen applied two slices of American cheese to my burger. Sadly, the cheese was unmelted. This meant that the American cheese did not add its usual creaminess to the bite.

The Bun: The standard, seeded, burger bun was briefly toasted in a massive Wolf oven. Unfortunately, the bun was two days past its prime. This made for a slightly dry bun. Had the cheese been properly melted, this would have been forgivable.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This would have been perfect, but the stale bun skewed the ratio in favor of of the starch. I at mine R-rated (topless), and it was fine.

The Toppings: The Romaine lettuce was fresh and crisp. The freshly sliced tomato was crisp. This was not what I was looking for, but it was January, so ripe tomatoes were hard to come by.

The Fries: The fries were of the frozen, bagged, skinless, shoestring variety. The fries were fine. I did not go to a butcher for great fries. Still, the fries at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen were crisp, browned, and lightly salted.

The Value: The wholes works at Victor's Meats and Delicatessen was less than $10. That was a fine value. I was not able to finish all of the food in front of me.

Victor's Meats and Delicatessen served up a better than average cheeseburger. The brisket juice really put it over the top. The value was remarkable, and the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and prompt.

Burger Review : If you are in the Palms neighborhood, Victor's Meats and Delicatessen would be my suggestion for a darn fine burger and some very reasonably prices cuts of beef.

Rating...4 bites (rounded up from 3.5)

Mel's Drive-In -- West Hollywood, CA

2012-01-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

8585 Sunset BLVD
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-854-7201
website

It was a perfect LA Saturday afternoon. The exception being the Hooray-For-Me drivers on Santa Monica Blvd, but perfection is hard to come by. Happy Meal and I had a Groupon for Mel's Drive-In, and we were hungry for cheeseburgers. Parking at Mel's was a breeze--free valet! We chose the counter for instant seating. We ordered a couple of cheeseburgers, and Happy Meal ordered his very first float--Diet Coke with Vanilla ice cream. Our orders were up in about 5 minutes.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: Mel's Drive-In used 100% Chuck for their burgers. While I made a point of ordering my burger Medium, it came out Well-Done. I really didn't want to argue, since I had already sent it back once for having the wrong cheese. That cheese (Cheddar) was partially scraped from my burger, and the American, which I ordered was just melted over the "used" burger patty. That said, the over-cooked burger patty was moderately beefy. The burger weighed in at 1/3 pound. The fat content had to be near 25%. The burger patty was not juicy, but it was on the dry and greasy side. There was no trace of minerals or aging. The bite was firm without being chewy. The beef was slightly below average.

The Seasoning: The burgers were nicely seasoned with a salty blend. The seasoning was solid.

The Sear: The griddled sear on the burgers at Mel's Drive-In was crisp, dark, and even. The bites near the edge provided a firm crunch, and that coupled with the toasted texture of the bun, were particularly satisfying.

The Preparation: Meh. The burger was over-cooked. Instead of a re-fire, the incorrect cheese was simply scraped off of my burger. The uniformly round patties were formed with medium pressure.

The Cheese: Mel's Drive-In applied 2 slices of American cheese to its cheeseburgers. The cheese was perfectly melted. It was creamy, savory, and satisfyingly gooey. The cheese picked up the slack where the beef was too dry. The cheese was the hero in this cheeseburger.

The Bun: The seeded bun was nicely toasted and mercifully unbuttered. The bun was mildly sweet. It was about a day past its prime, but the cheese filled in like a champ.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: A 1/2 pound burger would have been a better match for the Mel's Drive-In bun.

The Toppings: The Iceberg lettuce was fresh and crisp. The tomato slice was ripe and juicy.

The Fries: Mel's Drive-In served up some competent, peel-on fries. The seasoning was meager, but the color and crunch were strong.

The Value: A 1/3 pound cheeseburger was $7.95...ouch, and a ice cream float was $4.95...double ouch. The pre-Groupon total for our meal was $24.58. This was an overly steep price for a very average couple of cheeseburgers.

Mel's Drive-In served up pricey food with little regard to quality.

Burger Review : Over-priced mediocrity at Mel's Drive-In in West Hollywood.

Rating...3 Bites

Pop Burger -- New York, NY

2011-12-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

14 East 58th Street
New York, NY
212-991-6644
website

I had about an hour for lunch with the LRP (Lovely Romanian Princess), and Pop Burger was close and convenient. It was about noon, and the place was relatively quiet. We ordered some ridiculously over-priced burgers (over $40 for two lunches) at the window, and we waited about 7 minutes for our orders to come up. I ordered the POP Burgers, and LRP went with a veggie burger.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: Yawn. I discovered, much to my bemusement, that Pop Burger served mini-burgers. The patties could not have weighed in at more than 2 ounces each. The beef was mild, bland, and only moderately beefy. As for the cuts of beef in the grind...I guessed it was Chuck. The burgers were basically devoid of character. The beef was a little on the chewy side. It was neither greasy nor juicy. The beef was dull.

The Seasoning: I detected a faint hint of salt on the exterior of the wee patties, but it was not enough to improve the bland burgers.

The Sear: Pop Burger valiantly attempted to sear the waifish burger patties, but a proper sear would have dried out the patties even further.

The Preparation: Well Done was the only way to get a burger this small. The burgers were so small that each amounted to 2 bites. The beef was ground at a medium setting. I honestly gave up on these tiny pucks of Chuck. They were so uninteresting that analyzing them was nearly pointless.

The Cheese: Pop Burger provided a mini slice of American cheese to top the teensy burger patties. The cheese was fine, but the burger was just dull. The cheese could not save this lifeless burger.

The Bun: Pop Burger served up its POP Burgers on mini-brioches, which were a day past their prime. The buns were bland, dry, and chewy. Pass

The Meat To Bun Ratio: The dryish brioche slightly outpaced the dryish burger patty.

The Fries: The battered and par-cooked fries at Pop Burger were FAR better than the glorified amuse bouche burgers. The portion was not laughable, and the quality was fine. The fries were golden, crisp, nicely salted, and the crunch of the batter served to balance the creaminess of the centers.

The Toppings: The tomato slices were ripe and flavorful, but the shredded Romaine lettuce was watery. The lettuce served to make a dull burger even more dull.

The Veggie Burger: Woof--this was a $10 breaded and deep-fried slice of portabella mushroom. It was rubbery and greasy. Pass.

The Value: For $9.25, Pop Burger served up 2 miniscule burgers. Each was about 2 bites. When I surveyed my lunch, my initial thought was, "Are you kidding me?" They were not. A side of fries was $4.25, and that was well over-priced for potatoes, but at least there were more than 4 bites of fries. The value at Pop Burger...it wallowed in weakness.

I was grateful for the company of the LRP, because Pop Burger was a bust, otherwise.

Burger Review : Pop Burger served up bland and tiny burgers for an exceedingly high price. Don't!

Rating...2 Bites (3 but the Value took this one down a full point)

The Burger Kitchen (3rd Visit) -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-12-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

8048 W 3rd St
Los Angeles , CA 90048

323-944-0503

The Burger Kitchen had recently been featured on Kitchen Nightmares. The son, Daniel, had taken over the operation and sent father, Allen, off to do other things. Fat Bruce Lee and I were curious to see if the Gordon Ramsay treatment had delivered or fizzled in terms of burger success. We walked into a completely empty restaurant at 12:30 PM on a Thursday afternoon in a section of Mid-Town Los Angeles, which was otherwise bustling with foot and vehicle traffic.

We were quickly seated and handed a couple of shoddily photocopied order sheets,which oddly made no mention of the name of the restaurant on them. The formerly sizable and descriptive The Burger Kitchen menu had been stripped down to a couple of items and a fistful of sides and toppings. We ordered a couple of the 8-ounce beef burgers with American cheese and a couple of sides. Our burgers arrived in about 15 minutes. We did find it especially charming that the manager's girlfriend ran out to her car to get Fat Bruce Lee some Splenda for his iced tea.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The burger beef was a combination of 45%, wet-aged Short Rib and 55% Chuck. The fat content was 22%. It was unfortunate that the beef was aggressively over-salted. I was forced to dig into the middle of the patty to determine the flavors. What I discovered was a very competent and tasty burger. The blend delivered a medium note of beef. There was a mild taste of iron. Missing were funk and blood. The beef was juicy and with just enough fat to remind me that it was bad for me...in a good way. The grind was medium. Overall, the beef was better than average, but the seasoning overwhelmed the beef to the point where determining the actual flavors was an academic exercise.

The Seasoning: There is no point in belaboring this. Curiously, when I brought this up with The Burger Kitchen's manager, he simply thanked me for my input. And so it goes.

The Sear: The crusty sear from the flat-top was no more. What we got instead was a competent sear from a properly hot gas grill. The sear was satisfying and semi-crisp.

The Preparation: The burgers were competently cooked to the requested Medium. The beef was ground in-house, and it was formed into the 8-ounce patties during shift prep. Care was clearly taken not to over-manipulate the beef when creating the burger patties. The bite was firm but tender enough not to be considered chewy.

The Cheese: The Burger Kitchen offered up a nice range of cheese choices (each for an additional $.50): Blue, Goat, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Swiss, and American. I selected the American cheese. It was perfectly melted, and it provided a desirable creaminess to the bite. The seasoning masked any flavor contributions, which the cheese could have made.

The Bun: The brioche at Burger Kitchen came from Napoleon Bakery AKA Melrose Bakery. The brioche was neutral and surprisingly firm and chewy. This was not unpleasant, but it was very un-brioche-like. The bun was toasted to a satisfying crispness, which lent a nice texture to the bite.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was fine.

The Toppings: The shredded Iceberg lettuce was just ok, but it was a little on the wilted side. The tomato slice was hearty and refreshingly ripe.

The Sides: Both the fries and the fried pickle chips were cooked in oil, which was at least a day past its prime. As a result, the fried items tasted a little rancid and more than a little burnt. The pickle chips oozed an unpleasant puddle of oil onto the plate. The fries had a good color, but they were a little on the gummy side. The fries were seasoned with sea salt.

The Value: Had the burger not been salted to death, the value at The Burger Kitchen would have been fine. $7.50 was not a crazy price for a cheeseburger. Considering the over-seasoning and the burnt-tasting fries, I was not a fan of the value on this visit.

I had watched the episodes of Kitchen Nightmares, which featured The Burger Kitchen, so I understood the unenviable position that Daniel Saffron, owner and manager, found himself in. Sympathy aside, the burger was merely OK, and it was not the sort of thing that I would return for.

Burger Review : The new Burger Kitchen featured a scaled back menu in terms of selection. The burgers and fries both came up lacking in terms of preparation.

Rating...3 Bites

Mon Ami Gabi -- Las Vegas, NV

2011-11-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-944-4224

website

Fun facts about Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas, NV:

At the time of this review...

Mon Ami Gabi was the 9th busiest restaurant in the US with $36 MM in sales in 2010.
Mon Ami Gabi went through about a ton of potatoes every day.
Mon Ami Gabi's french fries were hand cut using blades specifically configured for the restaurant.
Mon Ami Gabi seated about 600 people--150 on the patio.
Mon Ami Gabi was a chain with locations in NV, IL, MD, and VA.
Mon Ami Gabi was in possession of a time machine at the time of this review, because that was the only way to explain the blazing speed with which menu items were delivered to the table.

Happy Meal and I were spending Thanksgiving in Las Vegas as a clever way for me to dodge the cooking and cleaning tasks attendant with the holiday. It seemed like a lot of work for the two of us, and the boy liked the idea of all-you-can-eat. We both won.

I had been in contact with Mon Ami Gabi's Executive Chef, Terry Lynch, and he was kind enough to reserve a table for us on the patio for Friday evening. The staff was most attentive and accommodating...half of our party of 4 was 40 minutes late due to awful traffic. Happy Meal and I enjoyed our wait watching the fountains at Bellagio, looking up at the replica of the Eiffel Tower, and tearing into savory, hot, crusty baguettes. To accompany those baguettes we had occasion to sample the Carrot Amuse. This was a fine slaw of fresh carrots with honey, cilantro, parsley, champagne vinegar, and cayenne pepper. The slaw was delicate, earthy, and just sweet enough to work in balance with the baguette.

When our friends arrived, we ordered a bunch of Prime Cheeseburgers. Within a scant 5 minutes, our burgers and fries arrived.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef blend at Mon Ami Gabi was a custom blend of USDA Choice Angus Chuck and USDA Prime Top Sirloin. The 8 ounce patties were formed in-house during morning prep. The burger beef was ground (medium) and blended off-site and delivered by Buedel Meats. The fat content was 20%. That fat perfectly coated the lips without being overwhelmingly greasy. The flavor profile of the beef was marvelous. The burgers were beefy with mild notes of funk from 7-10 days of wet aging. The bite also delivered a firm, but not overbearing note of minerals from the Sirloin component. The mouth feel was juicy, tender, and steaky. This burger kept one mindful that it was composed of high-quality ingredients. Happy Meal was equally delighted with the flavor of his burger.

The Seasoning: The seasoning was just barely there. At first, I found it a little concerning that such a light amount of seasoning was applied to the beef, but it became clear that this was intentional, after my first bite. The cheese deftly picked up the slack.

The Sear: The brief time that elapsed between ordering and enjoying indicated that the heat of the cooking surface was near that of the sun. The sear was dark, flavorful, rich, and it provided just the right firmness. One can observe the thin layer of sear, which encased the evenly Med-Rare interior to appreciate the level of care and practice that went into the preparation of this burger.

The Preparation: The burgers were gently formed into evenly round, flat, 8-ounce patties during shift prep. The tenderness and looseness of the bite were indicative that great care was taken when pressing the ground beef. There was absolutely no trace of the proteins forming new bonds. My burger was cooked on a brilliantly hot, gas-fired grill to a perfect Med-Rare.

The Cheese: Mon Ami Gabi offered Brie, Bleu, or Gruyere with the Prime Cheeseburger. I went with the Gruyere. I chose well! The Gruyere delivered the usual nutty and buttery notes, but it also came through with a satisfying hit of salt and iron. The savory and well-melted cheese was a perfect match for the gently seasoned beef in terms of both texture and flavor.

The Bun: The brioche bun was delivered by Bon Breads. Bon Breads came through with their usual impeccable quality. The brioche was nothing less than perfect. It was mildly sweet. It was buttery and perfectly toasted. The crew at Mon Ami Gabi had the sense not to brush the top of the bun with any oil. I was grateful for this, because I truly detest getting my hands greasy from a burger bun--it is the purpose of the bun to keep grease AWAY from my fingers. The tender, moist, fresh bun compressed perfectly, and it held the juices of the burger at bay without lending any breadiness to the bite.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was exceptional.

The Fries: The ribbon-cut fries were spectacular. The fries were par-fried and then fried to order in very fresh vegetable oil. The fries were crisp to the point of resembling long chips. They were perfectly salted. The portion was massive, and not one of us managed to eat more than a third of the fries, which accompanied each of our burgers. The potatoes were partially peeled prior to being cut, so they retained some of their earthiness.

The Toppings: The tomato slices were fresh--this was November, and the tomatoes were Summer fresh. The Iceberg lettuce was crisp and sweet.

The Desserts: We tried the Crème Brûlée and the Bananas Foster. Both were wonderful, but I couldn't stop picking at the Bananas Foster. Buttery, sweet, caramel, banana with a fresh crêpe filled with Bryer's Vanilla Ice Cream---delicious. Again, the desserts appeared with unnatural speed.

The Value: Mon Ami Gabi only charged $12.95 for one of the best cheeseburgers in Las Vegas (in the country). This delicious burger weighed in at 1/2 pound, and it came with more fries than a human should consume in a week. The value was very good at Mon Ami Gabi.

The Prime Cheeseburger at Mon Ami Gabi was a study in refinement and complexity. Each bite delivered no less than 8 sequential notes with the same timing and order. Steak..Beef...Fat...Juice..Funk...Nuttiness...Savory...Sweetness...Butter. It was a bit like eating music.

Burger Review : Mon Ami Gabi made one of the most thoughtful and complex burgers, which I have had the pleasure to sample. Sample? Nay, devoured! I ate the whole thing and some of Happy Meal's...it was that good.

Rating...5 Bites

Paul's Da Burger Joint -- New York, NY

2011-11-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

131 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
212-529-3033
website

While in NYC filming the pilot for my fledgling, burger show, the crew and I happened upon Paul's Da Burger Joint. Fortuitously, this place was already on my list of well-reviewed burger shops in the city, and we just happened to drive by it,.The team at Paul's Da Burger Joint was kind enough to let us shoot some footage there. I found it noteworthy that the place was packed with regulars at 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Some of those regulars were even sporting shirts emblazoned with the restaurant's logo.

Below is how the establishment's website described itself:

"Paul's "Da Burger Joint" was established in 1989 by its namesake Paul. Originally called "Paul's Palace".

It was a family operation run by Paul and his immediate family. To this day, it is run by the same people in the same manner. We can be described as a 50's eatery with counter service, checkered table cloths and vintage decorations. Many people have described us as "their home away from home" because of the friendly cozy environment created by our hospitality and style. Regulars enjoy sitting at the counter, talking with the cooks that they know by name, while eating their big juicy burger and sipping their cold beer.

We offer a wide variety of toppings available on any burger including mushrooms, jalapenos, chilly, bacon, etc to name a few. We make shakes, frosteds, egg creams and soda floats. We provide a big portion of high quality food at a reasonable price and do our best to satisfy all customers and make everyone feel at home. We look forward to dining with you over and over."

I sat at the counter and ordered a 1/2 pound Cheeseburger for $5.50. I was a little concerned that 1/2 pound of meat for $5.50 was to good to be true. I half expected a bland mess, which was beloved by locals for reasons born more of nostalgia than current quality. I was happily incorrect.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The blend in the burgers at Paul's Da Burger Joint was bespoke and prepared off-site by their butcher. That same butcher seasoned the blend. The grind was coarse, and this gave the burger a satisfyingly firm and long-grained mouth feel. The mild funk and iron notes led me to conclude that some dry-aged Sirloin made its way into the burgers. The burger also carried a strong beefy flavor even though it was only cooked to the requested Med Rare. The fat content was a mere 15%, but the burgers were extremely juicy. The beef was somewhere between good and great.

The Seasoning: I noted a mild dusting of salt on the exterior. Mesquite was added by the butcher during the blending process.

The Sear: The sear on the burger patties at Paul's Da Burger Joint was solid. It was even, dark, and crisp. The griddle was hot enough that the sear did not penetrate deeply enough to compromise the Med Rare cooking request.

The Preparation: Did I mention the excellent sear and the perfect cooking temperature? Watching the cooks create the burgers was entertaining. When an order was placed, they grabbed an 8-ounce ball of ground beef and spiked it hard onto the flat top. That was the extent of the shaping, which the patties received. Interestingly, all the burgers that I watched leave the pass were all generally circular. The seared burger patties were finished under metal domes, which served to retain the heat from the gas-fired flat top and cook the thick patties more rapidly than an open cooking method. This was like tenting a turkey to reduce the cooking time.

The Cheese: The choices were Cheddar or American. I went with American. Paul's Da Burger Joint applied 2 slices of cheese to its cheeseburgers, so the savory goodness inherent in the American cheese was pronounced and satisfying. The cheese was nicely melted, and it filled in around the coarse beef.

The Bun: The bun was a standard, seeded, lightly toasted, burger bun. It was mildly sweet and a little yeasty. The toasting lent a pleasing crunch around the edges. This toasting complemented the texture of the sear on the beef.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was just right. The chewy, soft bun captured all of the juices from the burger without adding undue breadiness to the bite.

The Fries: The fries were previously frozen, par-cooked, peel-off, steak fries. The fries were crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. I noted a pleasant earthiness in the thick-cut fries. The seasoning was absent, but this was easily remedied.

The Value: I couldn't finish the meal. It was $5.50 for a 1/2 pound of steak-heavy cheeseburger with a gang of fries on the side. The value was excellent at Paul's Da Burger Joint.

After trying the burger art Paul's Da Burger Joint, I was not surprised at the loyal following they had amassed and retained over the years. The burger was tasty and well-priced. The staff was exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

Burger Review : A really, really good burger and an amazing price was enjoyed at Paul's Da Burger Joint.

Rating...4 Bites

Kobeyaki -- New York, NY

2011-11-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

293 7th Avenue

btw 26th & 27th Street

New York NY 10001
212-242-5500

Mr. Frankenburger, Protein-Style, the B'Ass Fisherwomen, and myself found ourselves in need of a break from the Javits Center and, more importantly, in need of a burger. Protein-Style, with an eagle eye, spotted Kobeyaki. We had been seeking out a different spot, but I got us good and lost. Protein-Style stepped in like a boss. Kobeyaki was reminiscent of Super Duper Burger in San Francisco. The focus was on organic, healthy, fast food.

Here are some excerpts from their site: "At Kobeyaki we have a fresh approach to Japanese cuisine by providing healthy, creative and delicious Japanese food in a fast casual environment...

...We believe that raising animals humanely and naturally on a vegetarian diet without the use of hormones is important to the sustainability of the planet...

...All of our Kobe Style Wagyu Beef is naturally raised on family farms without the addition of growth hormones or antibiotics. All the Waygu cattle live on a 100% vegetarian diet and are raised humanly with love and care. Kobe style Wagyu beef contains less saturated fat and more omegas 3 and 6 fatty acids than regular beef which means this nutrient dense protein helps you maintain muscle while burning fat and maintain a healthy weight and healthy blood sugar levels...

...The sustainability of our food sources is important to us and we will continue to strive to partner with vendors who can help us achieve these goals..."

We ordered our meals at the counter, paid, were handed pagers, and we settled in for a 5-minute wait. Expectations were reasonably low, but the place was packed, and the kitchen was jammed with cooks. I counted at least 6 cooks and about 6 counter people. My low expectations were ill-founded.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The Kobe beef patty was interesting in terms of both flavor and texture. The beef was beefy, really beefy, and it led me to wonder if Kobeyaki had added a little MSG or kelp to bump things up. It seemed unlikely, but they certainly used something interesting to get so much flavor out of the Chuck. The Wagyu beef was organic and grass-fed, so I guessed that some of the strong flavors were a result of the cattle's diet. The beef was springy in the way that perfectly tender, fresh meatloaf is springy. If they used a filler to pull that off, I was unable to discern what it was. The bite was loose and juicy. There was a minimal amount of oiliness. The patty was strongly flavored and quite savory.

The Seasoning: I ordered this burger with no modifications, so it came fully sauced and dressed. The seasoning was salty and complicated in the way that good Japanese spice blends tend to be.

The Sear: The sear from the flat top was nominal, and this burger would have benefited from a robust sear to hold it together and round out the texture. The juiciness of the burger and the volume of burgers that were being cooked made the moisture conditions impossible to impart a solid sear.

The Preparation: Kobeyaki was packed, and I didn't want to stall the line by asking a bunch of questions. The burgers were cooked to a delightfully juicy Med Well. The burger buns were sauced on both the top and bottom. I gave up trying to analyze the sauces, and simply let myself enjoy the experience. The sauces contained enough oil and creaminess to make up for the lack of cheese on the burger. The burger was wrapped in a waxy paper satchel in a fashion, which I assumed was commonplace in Japan, but it was not something that I had ever encountered in the context of a burger.

The Cheese: There was no cheese, and it was not missed.

The Bun: The bun at Kobeyaki was a simple brioche. It was nicely toasted. The top was not oily. The bun was pleasantly sweet and yeasty. Most importantly it was moist and fresh. The bun competently contained the copious juices from the sauces, slaw, and burger patty.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: Perfect.

The Toppings: The slaw, which topped the burgers, was fresh and crisp. It balanced the delicate sweetness of sunomono with the earthy snap of carrot slivers. I ordinarily eschew veg on my burgers, but in the case of Asian-themed burgers, I have found it most satisfying to enjoy the dish as a whole. Examples of this include MIRU8691 and Neri's Curbside Cravings--both spectacular LA burgers.

The Fries: Kobeyaki offered one kind of fry and that was tempura-battered sweet potato fries. Sweet lord, these were delicious. These were, hands down, the creamiest sweet potato fries that I had ever tried. The tempura was perfectly crisp, and it remained crisp as the fries cooled. The interiors were smooth and gently sweet. The fries were marvelous.

The Value: I dropped about 15 bucks on a 5-ounce Kobe Beef Burger ($9), a side of fries ($3), and a fountain drink ($2), and I walked away sated and happy with the quality of the meal. The value was completely fair.

I walked into Kobeyaki with low expectations, and I anticipated a gimmicky, low-quality, fast food burger. What I had was a high-quality, flavorful, and well-executed burger. My sole regret was that Kobeyaki did not have the soft-shelled crab sandwich on the menu on the day that I visited.

Burger Review : Win

Rating...5 Bites (rounded up from 4.5)

The Spotted Pig -- New York, NY

2011-11-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

314 West 11th Street
New York, NY
212-620-0393
website

The Spotted Pig was high on the list of most of the New York burger review sites, which I had read. I had tried to go the previous evening, but a 2-hour wait for a burger was not going to happen. I chose a less busy time the following day, and I was seated immediately. Service was friendly and prompt. I ordered the $17 Chargrilled Burger, and settled in for a 25-minute wait. During that time I learned about the burger. I also enjoyed watching the endless parade of kitchen staff shuttling food from the basement storage area, through the dining area, and into the kitchen. In New York, things are different.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The Spotted Pig worked with a blend of Pat La Frieda-sourced cuts. The burger incorporated Brisket, Short Loin, and Chuck. The flavor profile was mellow, and the Brisket was the flavor that dominated. While very competent, I had hoped for something a little more aggressive in terms of beef flavor, but what I got was a really subtle and thoughtfully prepared burger patty. The fat content was high, but it was well-balanced by the juiciness on the burger. I pegged the fat around 25%. There was only a mild taste of funk from aging. The texture was springy and moist. All told, this was a very smooth tasting burger. However, this was only determined by eating parts of the burger not covered in the Roquefort cheese. The cheese overpowered the mild beef.

The Seasoning: The seasoning was appropriate to the mild flavors of the beef. The savory blend was applied as the patty cooked, and and it served to round out the mild flavors of the carefully constructed burger.

The Sear: The menu promised a Chargrilled Burger, but the only char that I found was on my bun. The beef was treated to a lackluster set of grill marks. The thick patty certainly could have taken on a competent sear without over-cooking. Still, this was in keeping with the theme of mellow restraint at The Spotted Pig. The grill marks imparted no interesting flavors or textures to the dish.

The Preparation: The burger making process at The Spotted Pig was laudable. The Pat La Frieda beef was ground and gently blended in house. The burger patties were carefully hand-formed into beef pillows a day in advance and allowed to rest for at least 24 hours. During morning a prep a test burger was cooked, and if the test burger was not perfect, then the beef was allowed to rest even longer. The gentle handling ensured that the burgers did not become chewy. The long rest period allowed the copious fat in the burgers to thoroughly re-incorporate so that the burgers would not be greasy. The burgers were cooked on a too-cool gas grill. I imagined that this was intentional, but the effort fell flat in terms of flavor, texture, and presentation. The kitchen sent out a perfect Med Rare in keeping with my request. The 8-ounce patty was cooked so evenly that it gave the appearance of having been cooked sous vide.

The Cheese: The decision to top such a cautiously crafted and gently flavored burger with Roquefort cheese was puzzling at best. It was like projecting Ansel Adams photos at a speed metal concert. The juxtaposition was jarring to the point that the beef was utterly lost in the salty tang of the soft, white cheese. I found this to be an epic misstep.

The Bun: The top of the bun was charred, and this lent an unwelcome bitterness of burned starch to the bite. Otherwise, the brioche was bland and relatively neutral. It lacked any discernible crispness. The unseared, moist beef coupled with this bun and the creamy cheese made for a very tame mouth feel. This dish needed something by way of texture to liven it up, and the bun was not up to the task.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was good. The brioche caught all of the juices without becoming soggy. The mild bun did not detract from the bite--it was barely noticed.

The Fries: The shoestring fries were cut in house and served peel-on. They were thin enough that they did not require par-cooking. The fries were cooked in vegetable oil and finished with rosemary and salt. The seasoning was perfect, and the fries were difficult to put aside.

The Toppings: There were no toppings, and that was just fine.

The Value: $17 for a cheeseburger borders on absurd. The ingredients were of high quality, but the preparation, combination, and assemblage simply did not support the price point.

The cheeseburger at The Spotted Pig was half fantastic. The beef was delicious and well considered. The cheese was a nightmare, and the bun was dull. The price was too steep when these factors were all taken into consideration. I would recommend trying this burger without the cheese.

Burger Review : Tasty and thoughtfully handled beef at an overly high price at The Spotted Pig.

Rating...4 Bites (rounded up from 3.5)

BareBurger -- New York, NY

2011-11-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

535 Laguardia Place
New York, NY 10012
212-477-8125
website

The lovely Raquel, the concierge at the Trump SoHo, recommended BareBurger as one of her favorites. It was a snap to get a table as the restaurant opened, and I had the good fortune of getting some of Misha's time. Misha was a managing partner at Bare Burger and was highly involved in the operation the Laguardia Place location. This was the second location of six with another scheduled to open in mid-November and seven more in the works. BareBurger was expanding rapidly, and I hoped that they were doing it with integrity.

BareBurger took sustainable and organic to a new level. The wood for the tables was harvested from storm damaged trees. The walls were bamboo. The light fixtures were recycled containers. The to-go containers were made of biodegradable corn. The ketchup and mustard were organic. All of the meats were sourced cruelty free, free range, and organic. The meat choices were broad: bison, ostrich, elk, beef, chicken, turkey, and wild boar was on its way the following month. All of the vegetables were certified organic, as well.

It was with a little trepidation that I ordered an Original BareBurger, and I requested Med-Rare after determining that Chuck was a minority constituent of the beef blend. My concern was that BareBurger, in their relentless pursuit of delivering a certain type of product might have lost sight of the goal of delivering a delicious burger. My concerns proved to be unfounded.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The 6-ounce patties were a Sirloin-heavy blend of Sirloin and Chuck. The beef was wet-aged and sourced from Blackwing. The fat content was a scant 10%, and that fat was not missed. The burger was wonderfully juicy. The flavors were strong steak and beef with a mellow note of aging. The bite was juicy and tender. The Med-Rare cooking temp let the minerals shine through from the Sirloin.This was highly satisfying beef. I had difficulty putting this burger down.

The Seasoning: A great deal of care went into the preparation of the proprietary seasoning blend, and this savory/tangy mixture was liberally applied to the exterior of the patty as it cooked. The seasoning lent a savory and mild barbecue flavor to the dish. The seasoning was unique, interesting, and it worked perfectly with the flavorful beef.

The Sear: The sear at BareBurger was created using a properly hot flat top. The sear was crisp and dark. It enhanced the already rich and sturdy flavors of the meat and seasoning. The texture was also most welcome.

The Preparation: The beef was ground to medium and gently formed into the thick, 6-ounce patties no less than three times per day. The point of this was not to let the proteins knit together to create chewiness. This attention to detail resulted in a very tender bite of perfectly cooked chopped steak. My Med-Rare request was perfectly executed.

The Cheese: The blend of organic Colby and Jack Cheddars was flavorful and sharp. The cheese lent just enough oil to the dish to round out the mouth feel.

The Bun: I was briefly taken aback to learn that the Brioche buns at BareBurger were sourced from Philadelphia. That seemed like a long way to go for buns when New York had so many good bakeries. The moment that I bit into the moist, firm, eggy, sweet, and toothsome bun, I completely understood why they selected that bun purveyor. The bun was perfect for the burger. It brilliantly absorbed the juices while maintaining its consistency and contributing its own flavors to the dish. The bun was lightly toasted, and in the case of this burger, the crunch was not missed.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was perfect. Every bite was ideal.

The Fries: Wow! The organic, peel-on, hand-cut fries were par-cooked in soy oil and finished in peanut oil. They were crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. They were golden brown and perfectly seasoned. I had difficulty not filling up on the fries at BareBurger.

The Sauces: The sauces were best described as smart. I was especially fond of the house-made barbecue sauce. This sauce employed some Indian themes as well as traditional flavors. Since it was a proprietary blend I have chosen not to share the breakdown of the ingredients, which I managed to puzzle out. The chipotle sauce was splendid, as well.

The Toppings: The lettuce and tomato were both surprisingly fresh and flavorful for the first week of November.

The Shakes: I sampled a chocolate shake at BareBurger, and it was marvelous. The ice cream came from Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn. This purveyor shared the same passion and commitment to sustained organic food. Beyond that, the ice cream was fantastic. There was an abundance of crumbly, dark chocolate shavings that lent a wonderful texture to the creamy dessert. I loved the shake.

The Value: A cheeseburger at BareBurger went for $8.95, and that was money well spent. The value at BareBurger was strong.

I walked into BareBurger a hungry skeptic, and I walked out of BareBurger a sated fan. I strongly urge you to try BareBurger. They prepare thoughtful, skillful, and flavorful burgers and fries. I came to learn that the kid-friendly establishment serves a Sunday brunch with Nutella whipped cream on waffles covered in root beer syrup. It was like they cracked open my head and stole my fantasies.

Burger Review : A wonderful and flavorful burger was enjoyed at BareBurger. Go there and go there soon. I hope that BareBurger finds its way to Los Angeles.

Rating...5 Bites

DBGB Kitchen and Bar -- New York, NY

2011-11-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

299 Bowery
New York, NY 10003
212-933-5300
website

For the first burger on this NY trip, I had wanted to try The Spotted Pig, but that spot came with a 2-hour wait for a table. The runner-up choice for the evening was DBGB Kitchen and Bar. Tess of the B'urgervilles and I had high hopes for this spot. We scored the last table in the bar and settled in for an unduly long wait just place our orders. Once ordered, the burgers did not arrive until at least 35 minutes later. We had some catching up to do, but that was a long wait for a couple of cheeseburgers. Nonetheless, we imagined that a burgers with a Daniel Boloud pedigree and a stout $16 price tag would be well worth the wait. We imagined incorrectly.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The 6 ounce burger patties were a blend of Ribeye, Short Rib, and Strip Steak trimmings. The flavor was very mild, and the burgers were pushing 30% in terms of fat content. I assumed that the Strip Steak trimmings were primarily fat. The flavor of the burger could best be described as mildly steaky. Tess remarked that it was the sort of burger that she was glad came with toppings. The beef, while fatty, was also quite juicy. There was no trace of aging, and the burger lacked notes of beefiness, which would have been appropriate. The bite was loose and yielding.

The Seasoning: The burger patty was lightly seasoned with a salty blend.

The Sear: The sear on the burgers at DBGB Kitchen and Bar was meek. These fatty, thick, juicy burgers would have benefited from a competent sear. The lackluster sear did nothing for the burger in terms of flavor or texture.

The Preparation: The preparation was fine. I ordered a Med-Rare burger, and I was presented with a Med-Rare burger. The beef was gently formed into patties during the day shift. The burgers were cooked on a moderately hot gas grill.

The Cheese: The White Vermont Cheddar, $2 extra, was the clear winner on the plate. The Cheddar had character, but not enough to pull the dish out of the mediocre neighborhood where it was slumming. This marvelous cheese was not only shamefully over-priced, but it was also the sole item on the plate of genuine interest.

The Bun: What, oh...sorry, I nodded off while thinking back on the bun. The bun was utterly devoid of flavor. It was perfectly neutral with all of the appeal, to the palate, of a sheet of newspaper. The bun was also not toasted, so it sopped up the copious grease oozing from the burger patty. The bun was a lukewarm, oily, bland mess.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This, while completely moot, was fine.

The Toppings: Mine never showed up, and I didn't have the extra 35 minutes to wait on tomato and lettuce.

The Fries: The first batch were mealy, lank, and barely warm--they were also fishy tasting. The second batch was crisp, unseasoned, and they had the bitter after-taste of stale fryer oil. Yech.

The Value: The value must have been fantastic for DBGB Kitchen and Bar. It was miserable for me. I was most unhappy to have paid 16 bucks for slow service, an average tasting burger, and unpleasant fries.

DBGB Kitchen and Bar was several years old at the time of this review, but the service and quality all spoke to an establishment in its first month of life. I was astonished that the restaurant was packed on a Monday night. Perhaps other dishes on the menu were good, but the burgers were on the low side of average.

Burger Review : A shamelessly over-priced, sub-par cheeseburger was left half-uneaten at DBGB Kitchen and Bar.

Rating...3 Bites (2.5 after the half point deduction for weak value)

Johnny Rockets -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-11-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

6060 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-634-0888
website

Happy Meal and I had spent a couple of hours at the Peterson Automotive Museum, and lusting after cars, which were well beyond our means, had left us with a gnawing emptiness that only a burger could fill. Johnny Rockets was attached to the museum, so it was a pretty simple choice. Johnny Rockets touted itself as "The Original Hamburger." This left me scratching my head. We had seen some of the "original" automobiles, and I would have much preferred something more recent. We ordered a couple of Rocket Singles with cheese. Our wait was about 15 minutes, and that seemed overly long considering the place was fully staffed and less than 1/3 full.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The menu proclaimed that the burger patties were 1/3 pound of fresh, never frozen, 100% beef. The beef was most likely plain Chuck, although it lacked the beefiness that most Chuck delivers. The burgers were mild at best. There was no trace of aging or anything else of interest. The beef was dryish, and the patty was not not chewy or oily. The beef was competent but not interesting.

The Seasoning: The patties were seasoned...I watched the kitchen apply something from a shaker while the patties were on the griddle. The seasoning was a mild salt and pepper blend, and it did little to enhance the flavor of the burger patties.

The Sear: The sear was darn fine at Johnny Rockets. It was dark and even. It was mostly cosmetic, since the beef lacked any real character, which would have been enhanced by a good sear.

The Preparation: The 1/3 pound patties were cooked to Well Done on a properly hot flat top. The patties were seasoned as they cooked, and they were only flipped once, which was appropriate. The patties were irregular in shape, so I assumed that they were formed in-house.

The Cheese: The Cheddar that topped our burgers was uninteresting to the point of being invisible. I was completely unaware of the cheese on my cheeseburger. The Cheddar was completely pointless on these cheeseburgers.

The Bun: The bun was just right. It was an unseeded, plain, fresh, moist, slightly sweet, and slightly yeasty, burger bun. It was beautifully toasted. This lent a satisfying crunch to each bite.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was just fine.

The Fries: The fries at Johnny Rockets were previously frozen and completely bland. They were on the mealy side, and they were under-seasoned. I tried some of Happy Meal's fries, but I went with a salad.

The Toppings: My burger came with chunk of Iceberg lettuce from deep in the interior of the head. The lettuce was pale and a little bitter. The tomato slice was fresh, juicy, and ripe. The lettuce in my salad was Romaine, and it was perfect.

The Value: The Rocket Single at Johnny Rocket was $7.59, and it came with a side of fries or a salad. The burger was small and bland (average), and the fries were uninteresting. They did offer all the fries that we could eat, but we didn't want to finish the ones that we had. The value was weak but not insulting.

Johnny Rockets served up a slightly over-priced and uninteresting burger. I had tried Johnny Rockets in the past, and I had been unimpressed. That experience was not a fluke. The burgers were on the low side of average. What was confusing was that JNJ Burger Shack used the same blend of beef, and their burgers were mighty fine.

Burger Review : Whatever

Rating...3 Bites

Ruby's Diner -- Carlsbad, CA

2011-11-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

5630 Paseo Del Norte #130D
Carlsbad, CA 92008
760.931.7829
website

Happy Meal and I were at Legoland California........again, and we were in need of snacks. We had enjoyed some solid cheeseburgers at Ruby's Diner in the past. Ruby's Diner had swapped out the American Kobe Burgers with something new, Premium All-Natural Burgers. What, apparently, set these burgers apart from the others on the menu was that they were composed of Premium rather than Choice beef. This led me to believe that these particular, featured burgers would be in some way better. Better for me, that is. They were better for Ruby's Diner, since they were charging a premium price. The first attempt was a cheeseburger, which barely resembled what I had ordered, but this was resolved in a few minutes. Total wait time: 15 minutes.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef (Chuck) in the Premium All-Natural Burger was far less flavorful and far oilier than the standard burgers at Ruby's Diner. The burger was only mildly beefy. It had no trace of aging. The beef was oily, and I pegged the fat content near 30%. Overall, this was a bland, oily burger. The bite was firm but not chewy.

The Seasoning: There was none.

The Sear: Ruby's Diner got half of a sear onto the burger patty. The ho-hum sear coupled with the lack of beefy flavors and seasoning made for an uninteresting and average-tasting cheeseburger.

The Preparation: The beef was ground on the fine side of medium. The burgers were cooked to Well Done on a hot flat top. The patties were turned once during the cooking process. The preparation at Ruby's Diner was competent, but they were working with an dismally bland product. The patty was roughly 6 ounces. The patties were clearly mechanically formed and shipped to their final destination.

The Cheese: Ah, American Cheese....what can't you do? The twin slices of American cheese on my burger were perfectly melted and lent all the savory and umami that they could to the otherwise flavorless patty. This was not enough to save the dish.

The Bun: The seeded, standard burger bun at Ruby's Diner was perfect. It was fresh, moist, a little sweet, a little yeasty, and perfectly toasted. The bun lent a perfect crunch to the bite. The bun was a runaway winner.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was perfect.

The Fries: Ruby's Diner took delivery of pre-cut, par-cooked, frozen, bagged fries, and they were fantastic. I snagged some of Happy Meal's fries, and I opted for the healthier cottage cheese option. The fries that I did savor were perfectly cooked to a crisp, golden brown on the outside, and the interior was positively creamy. The fries were a little under-seasoned, but the texture was wonderful.

The Toppings: This fell completely flat. Both the Iceberg lettuce and the tomato slices had a sallow look to them. The lettuce was past its prime, and it was spoiled in one spot. The tomato was clearly under-ripe, and it had no business on a plate.

The Value: The Premium All-Natural Burger came in at $9.99. This was 2 dollars more than a more flavorful and leaner burger with comparable toppings and sides. The value was weak for a dish advertised as Premium.

I happen to like Ruby's Diner, and Happy Meal likes it, too. Sadly, the Premium All-Natural Burgers are over-priced, and they under-delivered. Go to Ruby's Diner, and enjoy a regular cheeseburger.

Overview: Pass. The Premium All-Natural Burger at Ruby's Diner was a pricy downgrade.

Burger Review...3 Bites (rounded up from 2.5 Bites)

Oh My Burger -- Gardena, CA

2011-10-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

2142 West El Segundo Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90249
213-283-8638
website

KGB Deals posted a $7 for $14 deal for Oh My Burger in Gardena, and I was unable to resist the siren's call of low price and an unknown burger in a part of LA to which I had never ventured. I grabbed Happy Meal and we buzzed down the 405 and the 105 to seek out Oh My Burger. When we arrived, it did not seem like the sort of place well-established enough to be utilizing local deal sites. It was a typical LA burger shack. There were three folding tables inside and a handful of partially covered tables outside. I came to learn that Oh My Burger was also getting great word-of-mouth referrals from around the neighborhood. One of my favorite decor touches was the stack of bail bondsman cards beside the advertisement for chili cheese fries.

Oh My Burger had only been open for 6 weeks when we visited. I learned that, and a host of other facts about the place, by eavesdropping on the conversations between the proprietor and her various customers. The location had already been host to a number of restaurant ventures, each of which had sputtered out in rapid succession. The last one made it 6 months. Oh My Burger was the first go at a restaurant by the young woman, 24, that owned it and ran the kitchen.

One of the more adventurous burgers on the menu was the Big Luther, which was a bacon cheeseburger served on a Krispy Kreme donut bun.

We kept it simple and ordered a couple of basic Fresh Burgers with Cheddar. I ordered fried pickles, and Happy Meal went with fries. After about 15 minutes our orders were ready at the window.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The burgers at Oh My Burger were mild Chuck, but the Chuck was blended with bits of fresh onion. The burger was about 6 ounces. The fat content was in the 20% range. I found the beef over-manipulated to the point where it was a little chewy. The onion flavor dominated, and the burger had a very homey taste like when your mother would try to jazz up a burger with onion soup mix. I am not a fan of onion in my burger, so I was not a fan of the flavor of this burger. Still, it seemed to cater to local tastes.

The Seasoning: There was no seasoning.

The Sear: The thin patties were well-seared around the edges. Unfortunately, the dry bun and the lack of seasoning robbed the sear of any style points.

The Preparation: I assumed that the beef arrived pre-ground (medium). It was blended with chopped onion and formed into firm, thin patties. The burgers were cooked on a properly hot gas griddle/flat top. My burger came out an odd sort of Med-Well. There were little blotches of pink interspersed throughout the patty.

The Cheese: The Cheddar at Oh My Burger was likely a Tillamook, but it didn't matter. The dry bun crushed the cheese and destroyed any contribution that it might have made.

The Bun: The Brioche bun was stale and crumbly. It was likely 2 days past its prime. The young owners definitely cut corners here, and that was unfortunate. The high-domed bun was also oiled, and I could have done without that.

The Fries: Under-cooked and mealy but nicely seasoned. I discovered, by listening in, that they were working their way through the last of the frozen, crinkle cut fries so that they could transition over to house-cut fries. It was clear that she knew she was serving an inferior product, but she didn't want to throw out product, which she had already purchased. I found that a little insulting, since I was within earshot and eating the very fries, which she was discussing/disparaging.

Later, while doing additional research, I noted that the owner, Danielle H., had commented on Yelp that the fries were hand-cut and par-cooked, in the past. This led me to conclude that Oh My Burger had tried the frozen crinkle cut fries, discovered that they were not as good as the previous fries, and continued to serve them just to get rid of them. This was most disappointing.

The Deep-Fried Pickles: These were fine. They were tart and crunchy.

The Sides: The veg looked fine on other burgers, but I came to Oh My Burger for a cheeseburger, not a salad.

The Value: I paid $7 for the coupon and an additional $4.99, so this would have been a $19 meal. It was not worth $19. It was nearly worth the $12, which I actually paid.

Oh My Burger had a long way to go when I visited. The quality and prep were in need of much fine-tuning. I hoped that the young owners didn't go broke learning the lessons required to earn repeat business.

Burger Review : A home-style burger, which may improve as the staff gains experience.

Rating...2 Bites

Earl's Gourmet Grub -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-10-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

12226 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 9006
310-313-1717
website

Just down the block from where I had been taking take Happy Meal for his haircuts was Earl's Gourmet Grub. I had been meaning to stop in, but since it was a breakfast and lunch only shop (most days), it had been tough to work it in. Fortunately, Chi Burger was down for a lunch burger, so we rolled over in his mobile ashtray to see what gourmet grub was all about. At noon on a Thursday, we found metered parking in front of the 1/4 full restaurant, and we encountered no line when it came to ordering at the counter.

I was not convinced that "gourmet' meant what they thought it meant. The counter staff was sarcastic, dismissive, and uninformed when it came to the ingredients. The cut of beef was a mystery. When I asked about the origin of the produce, the answer was, "the ground." I hoped that the kitchen was more on their game than the individual at the register. We did get a 10% discount on the $9.00 The Earl's Burger for knowing the phrase of the day, which could be found at www.earlsgourmetgrub.com. Our meals were ready in about 12 minutes.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: Earl's Gourmet Grub made use of Niman Ranch beef. The one-dimensional flavor led me to assume that the cut was Chuck. The burger patty was juicy, and it carried a nice beefy flavor. That was it in terms of flavor, though. No minerals, no funk, no nothing. The fat content was most likely 20%, but that was a guess, since the counter staff was clueless about the menu.

The Seasoning: The cheeseburgers at Earl's Gourmet Grub were properly seasoned with a salt and pepper blend while on the grill.

The Sear: The tiny gas grill at Earl's Gourmet Grub imparted about 50% of the amount of sear that would have made the burgers interesting. The grill marks were present, but the sear was not crisp, dark, or deep enough to enhance the flavors of the average-tasting burger patty.

The Preparation: The burger patties were straight-sided and uniform in thickness, so it was assumed that the burgers were pre-formed using a mold during morning prep. Either that, or they were pre-pattied by the purveyor. The grind was medium. The pressure used to create the patties was also medium, so the bite was firm without being chewy. The kitchen nailed my Medium cooking request. I did make a point of ordering everything on the side. When I flipped over my burger, I noticed that they had applied sauce to it, and then kind of, sort of, sloppily wiped most of it off. Weak.

The Cheese: The cheese part of the cheeseburger was Tillamook Cheddar. The nine-month aged Cheddar was melted well, and it was relatively flavorful, but it was lost in the unforgivably cold bun.

The Bun: The buttery brioche bun at Earl's Gourmet Grub was provided by Homeboy Bakery. This bun would have been spectacular had it been warmed up. The brioche had a layered, croissant-like interior. Sadly, since the bun was cool, those buttery layers were not luscious--rather they were overly springy and a little greasy. The cool bun chilled the cheese and the burger and robbed the dish of any savory notes. The cool bun also caused the cheese to loose its gooeyness and become dense. Finally, the bun was freshly oiled on top, and this served to round out the unpleasantness--it was greasy in the hand and the mouth.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: Had the bun been toasted, Earl's Gourmet Grub would have nailed this. Since the bun was chilly, the ratio was skewed, unfortunately, toward the bun.

The Fries: The were none.

The Toppings: I was grateful that I ordered my veg on the side. The lettuce was so far past its prime that it had deep veins of black rot. The tomato, on the other hand, was wonderfully juicy and fresh.

The Value: With the 10% discount, each burger was $8.10, before tax. No fries, rotten veg, laughable service, and a cold bun all ratcheted the value down from a grudging "OK" to a well-deserved "mediocre."

Yuck, just yuck!

In the case of Earl's Gourmet Grub, the cheeseburger was most certainly less than the sum of the parts. The word "Gourmet" must have been code for "Careless."

Rating...3 Bites

Yuca's -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-10-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

2056 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-662-1214

I had visited Yuca's a few times over the past few years. I had always been hoping to catch a glimmer of that James Beard Award winning excellence. In 2005, the small taco stand was recognized in the American Classics category. That was a long time ago.

Yuca's had two locations, one on Hillhurst Ave., the other on Hollywood Blvd. I have tried the cheeseburger at both locations, and I have experienced similar results. The Hillhurst Ave. location shared a parking lot with a liquor store, so parking was free and plentiful. The menu was small, and the food was inexpensive. I ordered and paid at the counter and waited for my name to be called out. There was an assortment of tables and metal chairs available in the partial shade of the awning that was attached to the taco stand. After about 10 minute, my burger was ready.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The miniscule, 3-ounce patty was not especially interesting. The beef was ground at a medium setting. It was mildly beefy, and that was it. The burger was cooked hard, so it was moderately chewy. It was moist and not greasy. The beef was most likely Chuck, and the blend was most likely 20% fat. I did not interview the staff, since I didn't want to interrupt the flow of the kitchen on a busy day. Overall, the beef was fine but not interesting.

The Seasoning: TOO MUCH! The burger patty at Yucs's was over-seasoned and nearly punishingly salty. There were a hint of chili powder in there, too. This was all topped off with a single drop of hot sauce.

The Sear: Not so much. The burger patty received a light sear around the edges, but otherwise the beef had a steamed appearance.

The Preparation: The burgers at Yuca's appeared to have been hand-formed into the tiny, thin patties. The burger meat was cooked on a moderately hot gas grill. The burgers were cooked to Well Done.

The Cheese: My cheeseburger at Yuca's came with a single slice of American cheese. In spite of the diminutive patty, the cheese was barely discernible over the heavy seasoning and the cool, untoasted bun.

The Bun: Blah: The bun at Yuca's was wildly uninteresting. It was a generic, burger bun. It was cool and untoasted. The bun was fresh, moist, and a just barely sweet.

The Meat to Bun Ratio: This was fine, but it was a fine ratio of two completely mediocre components.

The Fries: There were no fries.

The Toppings: The produce was far superior, and more filling, than the actual cheeseburger at Yuca's.

The Value: A cheeseburger at Yuca's was $2.20. This felt like it was too much for a tiny burger, which was prepared in such an uninteresting fashion.

Yuca's won a James Beard Award a long time ago. From what I have seen, that award had nothing to do with the quality of its burgers. If that was the case, then standards have slipped a long way since 2005.

Burger Review : A cheap burger, which was prepared with little regard at Yuca's.

Rating...3 Bites

The Bucket -- (Eagle Rock) Los Angeles, CA

2011-10-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

4541 Eagle Rock Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-257-5654
website

Happy Meal and I had a Groupon for The Bucket burning a hole in our collective pocket, and traffic was light on the Sunday afternoon of this review. I think everyone was watching the Raiders get destroyed by the Patriots. I know that was what was happening at The Bucket. Half of the crowd on the loud patio of the sports bar was composed of Raiders fans, and the other half was families with kids. We were lucky to arrive near the end of the 4th quarter as the fans of the losing team were wrapping things up.

Free parking was easy enough to find in the attached lot. The Bucket's menu was strictly burgers and wings. The Bucket was celebrating its 76th year of operation. It was a typical, LA burger stand. There were a handful of counter seats near a sweltering grill, and there was a collection of tables in an enclosed patio area with some TVs. I had Happy Meal stake out a table, and I ordered a couple of cheeseburgers, fries, and some canned soft drinks. This set us back $10 (Groupon). Our burgers arrived in about 20 minutes.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The Bucket used a pretty average tasting Chuck for their cheeseburgers. The beef was mildly beefy. It had no trace of aging. The fat content was about 20%. The beef was moderately juicy. This was perfectly average burger meat.

The Seasoning: I tasted a very faint amount of seasoning, but it was not nearly enough to complement the mild beef flavor of the burger patty.

The Sear: The Bucket got a decent looking sear onto the burger patties, but it was neither deep nor crisp. The sear was cosmetic only.

The Preparation: The Bucket cooked their burgers on a very small gas grill (6 patties at a time), and they toasted the burger buns on the attached griddle. Burgers at The Bucket came out Well Done. It was safe to assume that the burger meat arrived pre-ground. The 1/2 pound Chuck patties were thick, and they were packed loosely enough. The bite was firm but not rubbery.

The Cheese: The Bucket offered two cheese choices...Monterey Jack and American. We went with American. The cheese was fine, and it was properly melted. Unfortunately, the single slice was lost in the 8-ounce patty, so the cheese was largely invisible to the palate.

The Bun: The generic, seeded burger bun was moist, fresh, and toasted. It was mild to the point of contributing no substantive flavor to the dish. While the bun was toasted, it was not crisp, so there was no crunch from the bun.

The Fries: The Bucket used frozen, par-cooked, crinkle cut fries. The fries were cooked to a crisp golden brown, and they were properly seasoned. Then the fries sat around for about 20 minutes. The fries came out luke warm, so the interiors were on the mealy side.

The Toppings: The tomato slice was surprisingly fresh and juicy. The dill pickle chips were refreshingly spicy. The Romaine lettuce leaf was crisp and fresh.

The Value: We only paid $14 for our meal...$10 Groupon and a $4 tip. That was about what it was worth. I would have been bummed out if I had paid the menu price of $7.50 for each burger. Fries...$3.00 per serving--ouch. Canned soda...$2.00 each. The value at $10 was fine, but at the $24 that we would have paid for full menu price, the value would have been............discouraging.

The Bucket served up a perfectly average burger. It was big and bland, but it was filling.

Burger Review : Big, average burgers at premium prices.

Rating...3 Bites

The Counter -- Century City, CA

2011-09-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Westfield Century City
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067

310-282-8888

website

It had been a little over a year since our last visit to The Counter, and the newest one had just opened a few blocks from TheBurgerBusters world headquarters. Fat Bruce Lee, Chi Burger, Special Guest, and I reluctantly made our way there with the hope that this location would serve up a more palatable burger than the Santa Monica location. We arrived just before the lunch rush, and the restaurant was only about 1/2 full. We sat at the counter, and ordered our burgers via the "build you own burger" method. I ordered my cheeseburger Medium, since the counter person at The Counter could tell me nothing about the cuts of beef in the burger other than what I could read on the menu. This was not a great sign when I stopped to consider that The Counter only served burgers, and the staff couldn't tell me about the components of the only thing on the menu.

Then, we waited, and waited, and waited. After about 15 minutes a couple of plates of lukewarm fries arrived. Then we waited some more.

This was puzzling, since no less that 4 manager types were milling about the front of the house, and one would have expected one or more of them to be A) running food out of the kitchen, and/or B) raising hell in the kitchen and expediting food orders. About 15 minutes after that, my lukewarm burger arrived on a dirty plate. I held onto my burger as I waited for a clean plate to come back. This took several minutes, which left me wondering why it was so difficult to locate a clean plate in a restaurant. The new plate had food crusted on the underside, but I sort of knew the score at that point. I counted myself lucky to have a plate that was clean on one side. In addition, we ordered as a group, but Fat Bruce Lee's meal (salad) arrived within 5 minutes. This was very poor form on the part of the kitchen and the front of house staff.

Yes, this location had only opened a week ago, but since they were charging full price, it was fair to expect full service and full sanitation. Service kinks should have been worked out well in advance. This was one of many The Counter locations, so it was not like they were breaking new ground.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The burger meat at The Counter was a proprietary blend of 100% natural, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free Angus from Meyer Natural Angus. I guessed that The Counter took delivery of their beef in pre-ground form, because it would have been difficult to explain the rubbery texture otherwise. The grind was on the fine side, which didn't help the mouth feel. The beef was neither juicy not dry--it was neutral in that regard. The flavor of the beef patty was relatively neutral, as well. It was mildly beefy, and that was it. There was no trace of funk or mineral flavors fin the "proprietary blend." It was very likely that Chuck was the dominant player in the patties at The Counter. If the burger had been served warm enough, it would have been average.

The Seasoning: The exterior of the mild burger patty was barely dusted with seasoning. This was unfortunate, because a little salt and pepper would have gone a long way.

The Sear: *sigh* There was no sear. The burger patty was cooked on a too cool grill, and it only received nominal grill marks. It was tough to forgive a 30-minute order to plate time frame.

The Preparation: It was impossible to tell what was going on in the kitchen of The Counter, but I was pretty sure that it wasn't cranking out excellent burgers. The rubbery beef was most likely ground by the supplier and delivered as pre-formed patties. The uniformity of the patties and the lack of interesting flavors and texture suggested that this beef had been fully mechanically processed and then shipped. The gas grill was clearly far too cool for the task of cooking burgers. On the plus side, I ordered Medium, and they nailed that. The lukewarm temperature and rubbery texture of my burger suggested that the burgers were cooked in advance and assembled at a leisurely pace.

The Cheese: The Counter offered 12 cheese choices, and I went with American. The cheese was melted properly, and it was otherwise just fine.

The Bun: The bun was also lukewarm upon arrival, and the lack of crispness in the competent looking toasted surface suggested that the buns were being toasted ahead of time and then set aside on a cool shelf to be used when the burgers were ready. Otherwise, the standard, unseeded, neutral buns were fine.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was fine.

The Fries: The fries arrived crisp and properly seasoned. The fries also arrived lukewarm. The peel-off, shoestring fries would have been fine had they been served at the proper temperature.

The Toppings: I ordered a bunch of things on the side:
a) Tomato Slice: fresh and juicy.

b) Hard-boiled Egg: lukewarm (yikes) and mealy. I think these showed up in the Sysco Foods truck.

c) Sliced Black Olives: lukewarm and bland.

d) Dill Pickle Slices: fine.

The Value: A year ago, a really bad 1/3 pound burger at The Counter in Santa Monica, CA was about $7. A year later, in 2011, the same 1/3-pound cheese burger went for $8.95...amazing. Last year, The Counter comped my burger, because they made a mess out of the preparation. I took three bites and gave up. 9 bucks would have been steep for a good cheeseburger without fries. Considering that a stingy single order of fries was about $2 more, the value was poor at The Counter.

Burger Review : I have tried The Counter 3 times, and the burgers have been inedible on the most recent 2 of those occasions. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, and biting into hot or cold foods is an issue, then The Counter would be a safe choice.

Rating...3 Bites (2.5 rounded up. This would have been a 3 Bites cheeseburger if the food had been served hot, in a timely fashion, and on clean plates.)

Ercolés -- Manhattan Beach, CA

2011-09-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

1101 Manhattan Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-372-1997

Whenever I have asked anyone from the Manhattan Beach, CA area about burgers, the name Ercolés has always come up pretty quickly. Happy Meal was on a play date on this particular Saturday afternoon, and that meant that I could finally try a burger at the 21 and over only establishment.

Metered parking was convenient and close by. Seating was ample inside the small, dim space. Ercolés had been established in 1927, and it looked like very little had changed since opening day aside from the addition of a bunch of flat screen TVs on the wall, which were showing various football games. Ercolés only served the burgers between certain hours during the day and on select evenings, so call ahead. When I walked in, I was impressed at the sheer size of the patties already sizzling on the tiny gas grill.

The protocol at Ercolés was to order at the bar, pay (cash only), find a seat, and wait for your burger to show up. My cheeseburger arrived in about 10 minutes.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The burger meat at Ercolés came from Manhattan Meats, which was located next door.....seriously, it was the actual next door to the North. I popped in to speak with the staff at Manhattan Meats. They informed me that the Ercolés burgers were Chuck with a 15% fat content. The beef was delivered (walked next door) pre-ground and formed into thick, 8-9 ounce patties. The grind was medium-fine. The burger patty was quite good. It was pornographically juicy. It was strongly beefy, and a firm note of iron was imparted from the ancient cooking grate upon which the burgers were grilled. The patties were loosely formed, and this created a pleasant and yielding mouth feel.

The Seasoning: A salty seasoning blend was liberally applied to the burger patties as they cooked. The seasoning was spot on, and the salt enhanced the beefy flavor of the thick patty without masking any of the flavors.

The Sear: The sear on my burger was nominal. The grill could have been 20 degrees hotter. The patty picked up some good color, but it was lacking in crunch. That was the trade off from the low fat and high moisture content. It was worth it, because the burger at Ercolés was fantastically juicy.

The Preparation: I ordered Medium, and a Medium burger was what showed up. My burger had deep indentations on the surface, which indicated that it might have been pressed on the grill, but it was so juicy that even if they leaned on it, it was still good.

The Cheese: The cheeseburgers at Ercolés came with a single slice of nicely melted American cheese. On any future visits, I intend on ordering my cheeseburger with two slices. The cheese was nearly lost in the massive beef patty. I am not faulting Ercolés for delivering a great burger value. The bites where the cheese came through were splendid.

The Bun: The standard, seeded, burger buns were moist fresh, and perfectly generic. The un-toasted bun just barely contained the juices from my burger. The bun was invisible in the bite, but it did manage to keep my fingers dry. The interior of the bun was saturated by the third bite.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was one of those rare cases where the meat DOMINATED the bread.

The Fries: There were no fries.

The Toppings: The massive dill pickle spear was crunchy, and it had a refreshing clove flavor. The thick tomato slices were ripe, juicy, and very flavorful. They must have provided 1/4 pound of fresh Iceberg lettuce, too. The veg at Ercolés was surprisingly good, and there was a ton of it.

The Value: The value was spectacular for an Ercolés cheeseburger. It was a mere $6.25 for a 9-ounce, juicy monster with delicious, fresh veg.

As I was departing Ercolés, I noted that the guy from the butcher shop next door was sitting in a booth waiting for a burger. I think that said it all.

Burger Review : A darn good and amazingly juicy burger for an excellent price.

Rating...4 Bites

Pelican Grill at The Resort at Pelican Hill -- Newport Coast, CA

2011-09-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Resort at Pelican Hill
22701 Pelican Hill Road South
Newport Coast, CA 92657
949-467-6800
website

Fat Bruce Lee had been prodding me to go and try the burger at Pelican Hill for some time. I finally had a meeting in that part of the world, so Pelican Hill it was. Parking was a breeze--it was either self parking and a 100 foot walk or the free valet service. The Pelican Grill was the more casual of the dining venues at the resort. I arrived in jeans and a polo shirt, and I did not catch the side eye from anyone.

We ordered a couple of the Prime Sirloin Beef Hamburgers with aged Cheddar and fries at $17 each. Our meals arrived about 15 minutes later.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The meats at Pelican Grill came from K & M Meat Company, in the LA area. The beef in the 8-ounce Pelican Grill burgers was a blend of Chuck and wet-aged Sirloin. The beef was ground in-house to a medium-fine grind. The fat content was hovering around 25%, so it was a little oilier that I would have liked. The flavor was solid. The burger was moderately beefy, and it carried some nice iron and steak notes. There was a mild scent of funk from the aging, but this did not translate into the bite. The fine-ish grind worked in this case. The Sirloin was hearty and firm enough to provide just the right amount of resistance without being crumbly. The beef was a winner. It checked most of the boxes and came in well above average.

The Seasoning: The Pelican Grill kitchen applied a thorough and even amount of salt to the exterior of the thick burger patties. The salt was spot on, and it served to perfectly enhance the steak and beef flavors.

The Sear: The sear on our burgers was pretty decent for a gas grill. The sear looked good, but it didn't really contribute much by way of texture. The burger was firm enough that the sear didn't noticeably amp that up.

The Preparation: The8-ounce burgers at Pelican Grill were hand-formed into firm patties during morning prep. The burgers were turned three times, yet they remained very juicy. I requested Med-Rare, and my burger arrived a perfect Med-Rare. My companion's burger arrived a perfect Medium, as requested.

The Cheese: The aged Cheddar that I went with was fine. There were a couple of other choices, but Cheddar was the most smooth melting of the lot. The Cheddar was fairly mild, and its flavor was all but lost in the seasoning and steak notes. The cheese did lend a pleasant creaminess to the bite, and that served to balance out the firm beef.

The Bun: The bun at Pelican Grill was a mild and sweet brioche from OC Baking Company. This was a darn fine brioche. The kitchen had the decency not to oil the top. The bun was fresh, lightly toasted, and delicately sweet. It was refined without being fussy or crumbly. The bun yielded perfectly in the mouth, but it was sturdy enough to contain the thick, juicy burger patty.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: Perfect.

The Fries: The fries arrived frozen and pre-cut at Pelican Grill. They were properly crisped in fresh canola oil, and they were nicely seasoned. The fries were not spectacular, and they did not have a strong earthy flavor. They were perfectly adequate and very nicely prepared.

The Toppings: The Butter Lettuce was fresh and firm as was the tomato slice.

The Value: This was a $17 burger. Pelican Grill was at a resort/golf course, so we were paying resort/golf club prices. $17 for a burger and fries was steep, but the quality of flavor and preparation was strong enough that I was not full of regret after paying the check. I was a little surprised that a cheeseburger, which was touted as a Prime Sirloin Beef Hamburger was predominantly composed of Chuck. The value was a little below average but not poor.

The Pelican Grill at The Resort at Pelican Hill served up a pricey but darn fine burger. It would be difficult to make the argument to make that drive, but if you are already in the area, then that cheeseburger is a solid choice.

Burger Review : A very good and skillfully prepared cheeseburger was enjoyed at Pelican Grill. This was the best cheeseburger that we have had in Orange County, CA.

Rating...4 Bites

Stout -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

1544 North Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-469-3801
website

Stout was long overdue for a visit by TheBurgerBusters, and we finally managed to right that wrong. Fat Bruce Lee (actually on a diet), myself, and a friend met up for lunch. Parking was a massive hassle, and we ended up shelling out 6 bucks to valet the car in the lot directly in front of the restaurant. Stout had a burger-heavy menu, but the staff was light on burger knowledge, and that did not bode well. Stout had only pre-set burger selections, but they did allow us to order the burgers minus the toppings that we wished to skip.

I ordered The Imperialist, which was the closest thing to a plain cheeseburger that I could find. I asked them to put the mustard relish, ketchup, and roasted tomatoes on the side. I ordered my burger Medium. after about a ten-minute wait, Fat Bruce Lee's burger was perfect, but the other two burgers arrived cooked to Well Done.

At Stout, re-fires went to the back of the line. A ruined order led to a ruined dining experience. Fat Bruce Lee finished his meal well before the second attempt at the other two burgers arrived at our table. Meanwhile, numerous other tables that were seated after ours received their orders. This was sloppy and inconsiderate of the restaurant. On the second attempt, the burgers came out a lukewarm and mushy Rare, but we simply did not have the additional time to let the kitchen try yet again to cook a competent burger. Our server didn't seem to care that the burgers were a flop and that we pushed them away after trying half.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef at Stout was a very greasy blend of Brisket and Chuck (huh?) from Newport Meats. I guessed that the fat content was close to 30% based on the oiliness of the bite and the stomach pangs that followed the meal. The under-cooked beef was bland, watery tasting, and mushy. The burger had no trace of aging or minerals. The claim was this was a 7-ounce patty, but that was probably overstated...the burger patty at Stout felt like it was 6 ounces at best. 6 ounces, 7 ounces--who cares--it was miserably bland and terribly greasy.

The Seasoning: There was none. The bland beef was completely unseasoned.

The Sear: The sear on the burgers at Stout was oddly impressive. Naturally, the sear on the over-cooked first attempt was superior than what we saw on the under-cooked version. Still, in both cases, the kitchen applied a solid sear to the patties. This was for naught, however. The sear only provided texture enhancement. The bland flavor was not improved.

The Preparation: It was a mystery to me why Stout chose to serve a burger comprised solely of two of the blandest cuts of beef. The beef was ground in-house, and it was formed into loose patties during morning prep. The burgers were cooked on an appropriately hot flat-top. Sadly, the kitchen staff appeared to be picking the moment to stop cooking the burgers by using some sort of random number generator. Out of five burgers that made it to our table, only one was properly cooked. The lack of seasoning was also an issue. They seasoned the fries, so I was able to deduce that they weren't out of salt.

The Cheese: Stout offered a number of cheese choices. The Imperialist came with Aged Cheddar. The Cheddar was completely useless. It tasted of absolutely nothing. It was only barely melted over my nearly raw burger, and it was punishingly bland.

First try at Medium

Second try at Medium

The Bun: The bun at Stout managed to be the star of the show. That was because the bun had actual flavor. The source was a mystery to the staff, so I can't properly acknowledge the purveyor. That said, the brioche was soft, fresh, moist, sweet, and tender. It was also the only thing that we could taste when eating our burgers. This phenomenon was also noted by the minions back at the world headquarters after we brought the uneaten portions of our burgers back for second and third opinions.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was fine in terms of texture.

The Toppings: The roasted tomato slices were lukewarm and unappealing. Fat Bruce Lee had his burger without a bun. Instead it was served on a bed of leathery arugula. He described this as trying to eat a tree.

The Fries: The fries at Stout were terrific. We tried both the sweet potato and standard fries. Both were cut in-house, and the standard fries were peel-on. The fries were nicely seasoned and properly crisped.

The Value: It was 10 bucks for a tasteless, incompetently prepared, and small burger. It was 4 bucks for decent fries at Stout. The value was exceedingly weak.

When we tried Stout, it was during the lunch hour on a Friday, and it was less than 50% full. That should have been an indication of what to expect.

Burger Review : A bland, greasy, over-priced, badly prepared burger was not enjoyed at Stout.

Rating...2 Bites

The Local Peasant -- Sherman Oaks, CA

2011-09-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

14058 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-501-0234

Let me start with...holy cow, there is a decent burger in the Valley! At least there was at the time of this review.

I had been hearing good things from numerous folks about the recently opened (10 months ago) The Local Peasant. My UrbanDig Editor and Fat Bruce Lee were among those that had extolled the virtues of the cheeseburger at this establishment. Happy Meal and I made our way from civilization all the way to the San Fernando Valley in a reasonable amount of time for a Saturday evening. We opted for the $4 valet parking rather than hunting down the rare open metered parking on Ventura Blvd. Happy Meal and I were quickly seated, and we ordered a couple of The Classic Burgers and a side of fries. After about 17 minutes, our meals arrived.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The Local Peasant was not screwing around when it came to the beef in the burgers. They were using a blend of Filet, Short Rib, and Skirt Steak from Rocker Brothers Meat and Provisions. All that said, the beef was excellent. It was thoroughly beefy with a firm and sustained not of iron. It had just enough funk, and that was mostly to the nose. The flavor was all ground steak. The texture was predictably firm and just chewy enough. The fat content was about 5% higher than it needed to be. I pegged it at about 25%, and that was a little too much for this burger. It seemed like fat for the sake of fat. The burger was juicy enough and flavorful enough to carry off the standard 20% fat content without skipping a beat in terms of flavor or moisture.

The Seasoning: Salt and pepper only. That was all that it needed. The seasoning was liberally applied but not in a heavy-handed fashion. The salt and pepper served to further showcase the premium cuts of beef in the burger.

The Sear: Hooray! The Local Peasant seared the burger in cast iron skillets. The sear was dark, deep, crisp, and flavorful without being burnt. The sear was simply superb.

The Preparation: The beef arrived pre-ground and blended from Rocker Brothers Meats and Provisions. I did speak with one of the co-owners, Karl Makinen, and he indicated that the kitchen really wanted to bring the beef grinding and blending in-house. The patties were hand-formed into thick 8-ounce patties during morning prep. The burgers were cooked on intensely hot cast iron skillets. The use of cast iron to sear the burgers was a very thoughtful touch and surprisingly rare. The Brindle Room in NYC prepared their burgers in a similar fashion, and it just worked. Cast iron is what I use to sear ALL of my proteins when I cook at home. My burger came out a perfect Med-Rare, and Happy Meal had his Medium. The kitchen nailed both cooking temperatures.

The Cheese: We both ordered our Classic Burgers with a slice of Cheddar. The cheese was competent, but completely superfluous. It added an element of creaminess, but it was otherwise invisible to the palate. The burger was complete enough to stand on its own.

The Bun: The buns at The Local Peasant were sourced from L.A. Baking Company. The moist, fresh brioche buns were almost completely neutral. The bun served only to deliver the quality ground meat from the plate to the palate. That was fine. The meat was so good, that it would have been pointless to draw focus from it with a bun. The bun was lightly toasted, and it gracefully gave up its life absorbing the copious juices and fats from the burger.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: This was spot on.

The Fries: The fries were cut in-house. The Local Peasant served a thick-cut, peel-off fry. The fries were thoroughly brined and par-cooked. They were perfectly seasoned, and they came out very hot. So hot, that we couldn't really get to them until about the midway point of the meal. The thick fries were crisp on the outside and uniformly creamy on the inside. No fries were left uneaten.

The Toppings: The Roma tomato slices were ripe, juicy, and flavorful. The Iceberg lettuce looked just fine.

Dessert: We had the good fortune of sampling the flourless, chocolate cake. This was a delight. It arrived very hot and nearly molten in the center. It was topped with vanilla ice cream and dusted with powdered sugar. The plate was drizzled with caramel. No cake went to waste at our table.

The Value: The Local Peasant's The Classic Burger went for 10 bucks, and fries were 3 bucks extra. While the value was not exceptional, the ingredients were thoughtfully selected and prepared. The value was average, and the burgers were delicious.

Burger Review : The Local Peasant...finally, a truly good burger in the Valley.

Rating...5 Bites (rounded up from 4.5 Bites)

The Six -- Revisited -- Los Angeles, CA

2011-09-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

10668 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

310-837-6662

website

The Six was one of the LA burger spots, which I had highlighted on my UrbanDig Burger Tour. FreshBooks had booked the large table at The Six, and they had invited a group of customers to come down for burgers. FreshBooks was kind enough to invite me along to discuss the burger. Even though it was noon on a Saturday, it was a cinch to find metered parking on that stretch of Pico Blvd. On my previous visit, the server had been utterly clueless about the burger. On this occasion, I had the good fortune of Kacie helping our table. She was knowledgeable about the burger at The Six, and she expressed a genuine passion for burgers in general. Also, there was a new chef on the scene. The Six had hired chef Sean Mindrum, most recently from Mustards in Napa and also with Patina "San Francisco" as executive chef, to oversee the planned expansion of The Six to both Studio City, CA and Venice, CA.This from the menu..."At The Six, we use sustainable, locally sourced products. We make slow food as fast as we can."

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef was a secret/bespoke blend, which arrived pre-ground from Premier Meat Company. This was the same purveyor, which supplied Sauce On Hampton (hooray) and Rustic Canyon (boo) with their burger meats in Los Angeles. They also did the beef for both LBS: A Burger Joint and Holsteins in Las Vegas. The blend tasted like an 80:20 blend of equal parts Chuck and Sirloin. The beef was juicy, and this was fortunate, since it was a little over-cooked to Med-Well. In spite of that, the bite was moist. The flavor was exceptional. Beef and mineral flavors dominated, and a mild note of aging was briefly sustained on the palate. The grind was medium to medium-coarse, so the bite was firm, and the grain and texture of the Sirloin was showcased. The beef was a little better than I remembered, and that was refreshing.

The Seasoning: The exterior of the patty was perfectly salted as it seared.

The Sear: The sear was as solid as it was on the previous visit. The sear was even, deep, and lent a satisfying firmness and crunch to the dish. The sear came at the price of a slightly over-cooked burger, but this trade-off was worth it.

The Preparation: The Six hand-formed the 8-ounce patties during morning prep. The burger meat was handled with moderate pressure, and it was not over-manipulated. The burgers were cooked on a properly hot flat top.

The Cheese: The Cheddar, which I ordered in lieu of the Bleu, was mild. It added a nice creaminess to bring the dish together, but its flavor was lost in the beef. A thick slice of American would have worked here, but the burger at The Six was good enough not to require a slice of melted cheese to round out the flavor profile.

The Bun: The Six served their burger on a buttery and mild brioche bun from Ca' d'Oro. The brioche was moist, yeasty, fresh, barely sweet, and while it was high-domed, it compressed perfectly when bitten. The butter in the dough served as a competent barrier to staunch the river of juices running from the moist beef. Look, it's hard to go wrong with a brioche from Ca' d'Oro...they just get it.

The Meat To Bun Ratio: Perfect.

The Fries: I passed on the 6 buck fries on this visit to The Six. Other members of the group seemed to enjoy their fries.

The Toppings: The Butter Leaf Lettuce was fresh and sweet, and the tomato slice was perfectly ripened and juicy.

The Value: The Signature Six Burger Six was 11 bucks. This included red onion/onion rings but no fries. The quality of the beef was high, and the burger certainly was filling without the fries. The value was average at The Six.

The Six seemed to have upped its game. The new chef brought some enthusiasm and a boost of talent. If Kacie was an indication of the level of professionalism and energy of the rest of the front-of-house team, then The Six was well on its way to consistently serving one of the best burgers in Los Angeles. The burger at The Six was very nearly perfect. Everyone that tried the burger at my table was impressed. A couple of folks indicated that this was the best burger that they had ever eaten (they were from Toronto). I took half of my cheeseburger back home to Happy Meal, and he was impressed. He had just eaten, but he tore into The Six burger like he was starving.

The Six Signature Burger Fully Dressed

Burger Review : A delicious burger with an excellent sear. One of the best in Los Angeles.

Rating...5 Bites

BOMBURGER -- Huntington Beach, CA

2011-09-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

200 Main Street

Huntington Beach CA 92648

website

Happy Meal and I were in Huntington Beach to use our coupon for some discounted time in/on a Scoot Coupe...good, dorky fun. Happy Meal spotted BOMBURGER as we were tooling around the streets of Huntington Beach. Parking in Huntington Beach on a weekend can be a hassle, but we found parking for a buck in the garage around the corner. None of the staff appeared to be older than 18, so I dispensed with the usual attempts to discover the sources of the various ingredients. We ordered a sampling of burgers and fries at the counter and waited about 7 minutes for our number to be called.

The Burger Breakdown...

The Beef: The beef at BOMBURGER tasted like Chuck with a 20% fat content. The flavor from the 4-ounce patty was nicely beefy. There was no trace of aging, and no mineral notes were present. The burger patty was juicy without being greasy. The texture was firm but not chewy. All told, the beef was just fine.

The Seasoning: The exterior of the thin, uniformly-shaped patties were seasoned with a pepper-heavy blend of salt and pepper. The pepper was very satisfying, in this case. It added a welcome dimension to the competent, but not exciting, beef.

The Sear: BOMBURGER nailed a nice sear on the flat-top. The burgers were turned a single time while cooking, and this allowed the thin patties to develop a proper sear.

The Preparation: It seemed safe to assume that BOMBURGER received the burger patties preformed. The patties were very uniform, and they had a machined appearance to them. They were cooked on a blisteringly hot griddle, and the burgers were competently cooked to a juicy Well-Done. The seasoning was also appropriate. The preparation was just right.

The Cheese: The sole cheese choice at BOMBURGER was American, and this was just fine. The American cheese was properly melted, and it served to bind the dish in terms of texture and flavor. American cheese = WIN.

The Bun: The buns were standard, unseeded, hamburger buns. The bread was moist, fresh, moderately sweet, and just a little yeasty. Most importantly, the buns were toasted to a firm crunch, and this crunch carried through the entire dish. The contrast in texture was most welcome.

The Fries: The fries undoubtedly arrived frozen, but they were competently cooked in a neutral and properly hot oil. The fries were crisp and perfectly seasoned.

The Toppings: The lettuce was a reasonably crisp and fresh, but bland, Iceberg lettuce. The tomato slice was unforgivably under-ripe. Pass.

The Value: A single cheeseburger at BOMBURGER was $3.99, and the combo (cheeseburger, drink, and fries) was $6.49. The burgers were small, but so were the prices. The value was average.

BOMBURGER served up burgers which neither bombed nor were "the bomb." The burgers at BOMBURGER were just fine. They were superior to In 'N' Out and TK's, and they were not quite as good at Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

Burger Review : BOMBURGER served up a fine cheeseburger at a fair price.

Rating...3 Bites

TheBurgerBusters on UrbanDig

2011-09-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

Link to article.

Check it out--TheBurgerBusters were featured in an article on UrbanDig.