BURGERGASM!

Molly's Last Day...

2011-06-30T13:00:00.001-07:00

I'm currently sitting at one of my favorite burger stands in the city..

Absolutely crushed they're closing down...

Full post later..

BURGER WEEK REIGNS on!

2011-06-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

..so I'm gonna not be so bold to POST every day, but definitely give you the recap by the weekend of the rest of the madness that is BURGER WEEK at the Oinkster in Eagle Rock.

Thank you so much for reading, and your nice comments & responses. I'm just doing this because I enjoy GOOD food, and especially telling more people about it.

You guys are fantastic!

DAY 2 of BURGERWEEK at The OINKSTER! : The Tommy Burger!

2011-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

as some of you may have started reading yesterday but I've been trying to take on The Oinkster's BURGER WEEK in full force! So NIGHT 1: The Big Mac, excellent.

Night 2: The Tommy Burger!

as you can see, they aren't fooling around with this guy. Completely prepared the way Tommy's does it; The toasted bun, all beef patty, giant tomato, pickles, cheese, mustard all wrapped up in paper. NOW. Let's get one thing straight, when you're having a Tommy Burger, I almost always get my chili on the side because I know it's gonna be a mess. This time, I just ran with it because they're done as is. This was NOT a messy Tommy Burger, at all. This was a burger done properly the way Andre Guerrero intends, and honestly I have to say it was (again) incredibly close to the taste of the Tommy Burger. The Chili was meaty and smooth (no beans) and you get that little punch of mustard in there. I love the giant tomato as some I was watching them yank it out ?! Cmon people, that's one of the best parts!

This time I totally enjoyed every bite of my burger since the night prior I just demolished it, and didn't even take a minute to go, WOW. The Big Mac was good, this Tommy Burger just got better. I can't even begin to imagine what the Father's Office burger is gonna be like, that's such a fancy burger to imitate! Even with this one, there's a freakin' Tommy's like not even a mile away!! If I was crazy, I'd had gone to Tommy's immediately after to compare, but.. as my friend Nick put it; "Everytime I eat at the Oinkster I'm reminded I have arteries and a precious little heart that keeps me going... but it's SO damn good." Truth indeed.

If you haven't been going to Burger Week, or just possibly LIVE too far away. I suggest you start your own or join me later at DAY 3! I'll be then washing this back with a tropical drink at the Tiki Ti for my weekly Tiki fix!

a very long hiatus! a RETURN with an epic story!

2011-06-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

holy smokes people. I feel like I left a lot of burger aficionados in the DARK! ..and frankly yes I did. I've been busy doing a million other things. I've started a musical project: http://soundcloud.com/carlosrossi called BLOOD & SAND (a mix of twin peaks, surf, and noir), I've been doing a Tiki blog: http://darkandtiki.blogspot.com shocasing my "dark view of the tiki culture", and showing off places, drinks, haunts, and so forth. I've also been doing my own tumblr pages for all these mentioned: http://carlosrossi.tumblr.com & http://darkandtiki.tumblr.com and honestly, I can't BELIEVE I forgot about my little burgergasm page! I checked my email today and say about 800 emails that were mostly Twitter follows but also some people trying to license photos, and mergers that wanted to use my blog for this and that, and I was just shocked that people even NOTICED! SO, here I am, I'm back, I'm ready to attend to you, and give you some amazing stories because I've been visiting some AWESOME places since we last spoke.. And today I return with this.

THE OINKSTER! and BURGER WEEK 2011

SO, if you live in LA, you probably don't venture TOO far east..

Well you're making a HUGE mistake.

Gently nestled in the east end of Los Angeles there's a little haven called The Oinkster.

If you've driven down Colorado from the 2 fwy heading towards Pasadena, you might have noticed a little red A-Frame standing alone on the left side of the street. If you just thought it was some other mom & pop burger spot, you're totally wrong.

Chef Andre Guerrero has been a well known name in the Los Angeles restaurant circuit, and with this particular location he has nailed it with a solid blow of his hammer. The Oinkster has been known for their amazing Pastrami, Burgers, and other great foods, but also their SHAKES! They make a killer chocolate malt in case you're wondering..

..but here we go.. Let's cut to the chase:

I was lucky 85 as me and my lady took our seat and of course loaded up our table with their amazing Chipotle Ketchup & Pickled Carrots..

now these are just my prep as I await the amazingness of what is in fact one of THEE best things I've ever had but BETTER. As a kid we all remember McDonalds fondly and in my case I loved sharing a Big Mac with my dad. Now this ain't your dad's regular burger.. This bad boy was fully loaded with the proper stuff; two all beef patties, lettuce, pickles, cheese, special sauce on a sesame seed bun.

and here it is, In ALL it's glory and frankly, looking at it, ..I kinda miss it. *tear*

You guys have no idea how amazing this thing was, I can't say that enough. The sauce was perfect, the cheese had the same consistency, the bun was airy and light and the meat cooked excellent and actually charbroiled, not unlike that nuked piece of whatever it is you get at McD's.

Properly side dished with their Belgium Fries, and I wish I could've fit in a Malt, but I was perfectly filled to the brim with this amazing burger. Oinkster, you seriously have done this properly!!

Now this is MERELY night number 1. Tonight (6/7) is their interpretation of the Tommy Burger!

this thing looks MEAN (photo taken from Oinkster's facebook)

come back tomorrow for day 2 blog!

for more photos visit my flickr set! : http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatalblades/sets/72157620739499816/

the golden state, ...home sweet home.

2009-08-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

SO. here i am at fairfax's newest neighbor 'the Golden State', just cozied across from the famed Canter's deli and the also fairly new installment Animal.

I've been eating here since it's original inception and I usually go drink across the street at the Kibitz room when I noticed the early phase of construction.

As I finally read that the restaurant neared completion and I waited to finally show up and check it out. As the reviews began to show up, I read that there was a pretty tasty burger on the menu, next to a Muffaletta sandwich (which is amazing), and other sandwiches. Now, truth be told; I had eaten at Umami burger I think maybe a week prior to enjoying this particular burger however, it did not hinder my taste buds when i bit down into that Harris Ranch beef. By far the star of this burger is their choice of beef, very well seasoned and very far from dry. The cheddar was spectacular and the bacon nested on top would be the perfect combination. I loved the peppery perk from the Arugula and the bun was toasted just right. Originally I had this with fries but owner Jason Bernstein insisted on a 2nd visit to try the Jalapeno Cabbageslaw, boy was he right. If you like a little spark on your plate by all means try it and you won't be disappointed. I've been experiencing a regular burgergasm at the Golden State now, and I do believe it will be an ongoing experience.

the VOODOO Donut Burger! (via portland!)

2009-08-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

my good and dear friend @RobPaine sent me this @reply on twitter last week and I completely forgot to post it!

RobPaine :THE ORIGINAL's Voodoo Doughnut Burger = Best Happy Hour @Burgergasm Deal Ever! Includes fries, $4. Also $1 PBR. http://twitpic.com/e1x7k

for more on this amazing burger read this!

http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/medium-rare-finds-burger-insanity-in-portland/

I am now ready for lunch!!

INDIA JONES to the rescue!

2009-08-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was extremely fortunate to have a little piece of heaven (thanks to @DeniseMullins) that's only a little over a week old, it's name? India Jones Chow Truck.

Chef Sumant has stepped up the lunch truck game with his authentic Indian Street food menu. With such dishes as the Bombay Frankie (either lamb, chicken, shrimp, fish fry, or paneer wrapped in Paritha), to plates like Butter Chicken over Rice, Meat Curry, Channa Masala, small plates like Samosa Spring Rolls, Pao Bhaji, Aloo Tikka and Specials like; Meat Curry Kofta, Veggie Curry Korma, Beef Frankies, and so much more.

I had the oppertunity to chat with Chef Sumant and he is a real down to earth guy. Big smile on his face and serving up dishes that are so flavorful I almost forgot where I was. The overwhelming response from the patrons next to me was strong, and the dishes were all prepared quickly, and at a very reasonable cost. ($3.50 for Johnnies and at the most $6 for large plates).I highly suggest you follow this truck on twitter @indiajonesct and friend them on facebook!

the Juicy Lucy has arrived? or maybe I'm late on this one..

2009-08-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.miralerestaurant.com/specials.php

apparently the Mira'le restaurant on 3rd has decided to create a GOURMET version of the famed Juicy Lucy burger.

In case you were wondering what a Juicy Lucy is? (first off, you probably dont watch Food Network as much as I do, and second it's just wrong in such a good way)

The Juicy Lucy is a burger with cheese.. but the cheese is packed inside the patty before you cook it. There are 2 diners in Minnesota that still fight to this day who invented the thing, and who makes it better. Matt's & the 5-8 club both serving an army of believers and I'd love to put them both to test personally.

So at Mira'le they have decided to create their own version of it;
(taken from the menu)
THE BLUE LUCY: Stuffed with Blue Cheese, topped with carmelized onions, bacon, baby greens anda touch of Dijon Mustard
THE LUCY BRIE: Stuffed with Brie Cheese, topeed with baby greens, cranberries and a touch of Dijon Mustard
THE GREEK LUCY: Stuffed with Feta Cheese, topped with Roma Tomatoes, olives and mixed greenstossed in a lite balsamic vinaigrette
THE JACK N' LUCY: Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese, topped with bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato and a touch of mayonnaise
THE WESTERN LUCY: Stuffed with Cheddar Cheese, topped with pickles, onion rings and BBQ Sauce

This sounds like a possible burgergasm, and I need to get here stat.

Good Golly Miss MOLLY..

2009-08-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

OK, if you know me personally you will hear me rant about Molly's on Vine and Selma in Hollywood. Granted this place looks like a total joke. They have Asian food on the menu, and the pictures look somewhat stock/generic, but there is something special about this little burger stand.

Opened in 1925 (the sign says so) this little stand has been serving tons of patrons for almost 85 years. I just discovered this place last year when one of my colleagues mentioned it was a serious burger for a serious lover.

It's fairly simple; Lettuce, Tomato, Sliced white Onion, 1000 Island, Pickles, and a simple bun. They have crinkle fries but I opted for onion rings this time. I am always amazed at the quality of this burger. The patty always is bigger than the bun, and the burger is always delicious. I have a feeling it's that grill that's been used for probably decades. It's got some sort of magic embedded inside of it.

The other items on the menu are pretty good. (I've had their pastrami, bacon cheeseburger, and been told the Teriyaki Steak sandwich is pretty good too..) but I am a firm believer in their burger. I pass this burgergasm onto you.

COOL HAUS! the perfect ending to a burgergasm..

2009-08-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

ok, normally i'm doing blogs about burgers..

but today i hit the cool haus truck.

friends, ..you must must must find this truck and have a sandwich.

this truck definitely knows it's ice cream. i'm a gelato fan lately, but the traditional ice cream still is a favorite. this paticular sandwich was their 'dirty mint choco chip' sandwiched between 2 freshly baked choco chip cookies. it was heaven!!! at a mere $3.50 it was well worth it. follow them on twitter @coolhaus !

8oz burger, melrose's hidden spot..

2009-08-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/summer/food/la-fo-review24-2009jun24,0,7879371.story

read here about the underrated 8oz burger on Melrose.

I haven't eaten here yet, but something tells me I'm gonna this week.

more news to follow!

UMAMI to open 2nd location!!!!

2009-08-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/restaurant-openings-and-closur/umami-burger-locations-feliz-s/

Apparently my friendly neighbors the Umami burger squad has moved across town to Los Feliz, and I guess there's talk of a Santa Monica branch?

Very exciting for the Umami folks!

Heroes in Fullteron

2009-08-10T14:02:00.001-07:00

Not often do I venture out to the OC ..or I should say Fullerton for that matter. But It was my other half's birthday weekend and we went to visit her parents and they took us out to dinner.

Heroes in the "SOCO district" of Fullerton was nothing new to us. I've been here with her several times but I think this was my first burger from this place!

It was another case of amazing condiments and a boring patty. I'm not gonna say it sucked entirely because this paticular burger the "Black & Blue" had Jalapeno mayo, super shredded lettuce, big bleu cheese crumbles, and I dont think it had onions or tomato. It was a great taste and flavor, but I like tasting everything in my meal! The actual patty seemed kinda bland, not well seasoned or maybe just overwhelmed by all the other flavors. However, this sucker was HUGE. I think it was 1/2 a lb but then again all the portions at Heroes are always made for Lumberjacks.

I wasn't super crazy about the burger here but I've had other plates of food that definitely did me right. The Apple Pie Crumble we had for dessert was actually the best part.

The Burgergasm was faked but in the end I was satisfied.

Did I mention they had something like 100 beers on tap? GEEZ.

the APPLE PAN in westwood

2009-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Good Lord I can't stop staring at these photos.

The Apple Pan was suggested to me by a close friend months ago, and when I had finally made it to this spot I seriously double Burgergasm'd

This place is classic, and still dishing out just 2 kinds of burgers since 1947.

Now there's the Steakburger and the Hickoryburger (pictured). Some people will argue which is better but I've had both and I'm definitely on team Hickory. I love the smoky woody taste of this burger's sauce. It's just a taste that is probably hard to duplicate, and if you can please tell me how. On a big wedge of lettuce and smothered with cheese and sauce on this simple grilled bun comes this amazing patty that tastes just fantastic.

Now another great part of the restaurant is their U-Shaped counter. You walk in and it's always pretty much full. You just gotta stand behind people and wait your turn at a chair. The gentlemen that's always serving has a no b.s. take at his order-taking. Hickoryburger, cheese? yes, Fries? yes, Drink? Coke, and he bolts off and gets it going. Pours some ketchup into a little plate, gets you a coke in a classic paper cone, and sure enough your fries are ready to go as well. I think my overall turnover was less than 20min.

Impressive.

Now honestly, I dont know how I did it before but I wolfed down a burger, fries, and then a slice of their AMAZING pie, this time ..not so much.

However it is a sin not to try the pie at least once, and I highly recommend going here during off-peak hours. This was one huge Burgergasm. I needed alot of napkins.

Swingers! The Santa Monica one..

2009-08-10T13:35:00.001-07:00

Ah, Swingers.

I've always liked having you conveniently located on Beverly.. But what's this? I went to Santa Monica during a weekend and I found another one? I had no idea!

So what did I do? I had their Swinger Burger and this is what it was like.

Ok, I'm a fan of Swingers' menu and I really like their Tuna Melt. However, this paticular burger, ..was missing some love. It was a nice bun, and the Onion Rings were pretty great BUT, the burger was kinda bland. In these instances I usually try to accomodate myslef but either adding ketchup or tabasco or SOMETHING to give it some taste. I just kinda ran with it and just decided to say this was more of a Burgertease. I definitely didnt feel it anywhere, but I'd be willing to give it another chance if you season the meat a little more and maybe even put some better cheese on it. Still, my quest goes on and on..

The Fix in Silverlake!

2009-08-10T13:23:00.001-07:00

this is a burger from The Fix in the silverlake.

many aren't aware of this little hamburger haven located on Hyperion just before Rowena in the arty corner.

i actually located this one via urbanspoon and i've been a believer in it.

the first time I ate here, we were looking at the menu and realized 'me so horny' came over the speakers. at that moment, the fellow at the counter decided it was probably best he change it up. (remember that) but that day i found = a very nice charbroiled burger that tasted like something you'd make in your own backyard. it was a 1/2 lb burger so that alone is going to be a meal, but with fries and onion rings, forget about it. my girlfriend and i were definitely eating with our eyes that day. I had a pretty simple burger and this is it. It had pepperjack cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo, grilled onions, and i said 'what the hell, ..bacon!'. It was a match made in heaven!! Now this was a simple burger because again I wanted to get the feel of this place. Also available on the menu was; Ostrich, Buffalo, and I think other specials.. A wide range of toppings, and sides, and best of all: shakes! and I hear they're pretty damn good. On my scale of 'gasm I give the fix a big O' face, because not only is their food delicious, the guy at the counter is awesome as hell. He's from NY and he knows how to make a mean burger.

welcome

2009-08-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

BURGERGASM (noun) : when some one eats a Hamburger so delicious they have an orgasm.

"That was an amazing burger. I think I just had a burgergasm."

my name is carlos rossi, and I give to you my stories and encounters with extremely tasty burgers.