I'm still crying about losing Jays (Santa Monica and Myra) and Meaty Meat Burgers (Pico and LaBrea), and the Fatburger on Western and Adams that burned (baby burn...) in the Rodney King riot.
Any of you Angelians remember Ara's Armenian Burgers? The cat was a composer of classical music who played his stuff while you ate one of the best burgers in town in his little shack. I don't remember where it was though. In the Valley I think.
Carney's on Sunset is still good;
The Original (not the satellites) Tommy's Burger on Beverly and Rampart. There's one in Vegas now (actually Henderson), so I'm hoping Phoenix is next!
Cassells on 6th near Vermont;
The Apple Pan out on Pico.
In Vegas, you've GOT to try the Original NY DB Burger at Daniel Boulud at the Wynn: 9oz of sirloin stuffed with braised short ribs, black truffle and foie gras. The best $32.00 burger on the planet! It does come with Pommes Frites :)
In Phoenix (my home for the last two decades), but also now in Pasadena and Santa Monica from what I've heard (you L.A. folks have GOT to check this place out), Le Grande Orange doesn't grind the meat 'til you order the burger! It's pretty freaking good, especially the green chili one. 12 bucks though... This place is primarily a wood-fired pizza joint; but got "Best of Phoenix" in the New Times for it's BURGER last year! The wings are unlike anything you've ever had, and are incredible in their own rite.
Also, we've got a Cheeburger Cheeburger (I know there's one in San Diego; but not sure about the L.A. market) that's pretty stellar;
Delux Burger on 32nd St and Camelback is great, AND open late for post-concert fare;
but my favorite is The Wineburger on 19th Ave and Bethany Home. Their grill is like fifty years old, and seasoned to absolute shed-a-tear perfection. Their meat is insane, their burgers come in sizes of which the largest would make Guy Fieri break out in a sweat and their buns are magnificent.
Los Angeles is to hamburgers what New York is to pizza. When I visit my mother, she is under strict orders not to cook anything; because I only have so many appetites in one weekend trip!
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Fatburger and In N Out both have this dynamic where people who've heard about how great they are for years finally break down and go there for the first time, only to come back saying "I don't get the hype". You can't just go in and order a burger in joints like this. In the case of Fatburger, if you ask instead for a Double King with cheese, egg, bacon and chili with everything on it, you'll be impressed; and with In N Out, a Double Double with extra grilled onions is a tasty burger indeed. On your second visit, ask for it "Animal Style". BTW, the french fries served Animal Style are pretty fun also. |
MacDad, I'm guessing that Pappas Burger is related to Pappadeaux's? We have a Pappadeaux's (pronounced "Pappa Does") in Phoenix, and it's an insanely good Cajun Creole food restaurant. When I was in Houston three years ago, I found out that there's a slew of places this guy has, like Mexican; BBQ etc, all with "Pappa's" in the name in a creative way.
My question is: Are they ALL great? |
Here's a heads-up for you guys, for when you make burgers and steaks at home. Peter Luger's steak sauce is available online. This stuff makes all other steak sauces second fiddle, even pretty good ones like Virginia Gentleman. Everyone who's tried it so far agrees, there's nothing close. Another nice thing about it is that it has good synergy with John Henry's Pecan Rub, which is also a lot of fun. |
A couple of others I remember from growing up in L.A.
Fat Jack's
The Great Grill
They may still be around in name; but are shells of their former selves.
BTW, The Original Tommy's was so popular in the Seventies that it spawned a bunch of ripoffs (Tommie's; Tomy's etc.), some of which were pretty good; but none of them got the chili right. Some did have that one topping that I deem, after grilled onions and sharp cheddar, to be indespensible to a good burger: Avocado! |
Come on, I'd crush burgers at In N'Out before I'd destroy burgers at Carl's Jr any day, and I love Carl's Jr. Yes, there's a doctor's office clinicality to the interior; but I don't see a lot of bicycles out back, so I think we're safe from the Mormon thing.
I don't see a lot of Brothers working there though. Hmmm...
I had my first Double-Double back in '78, so I know it's not about the lawyers, because we just laughed at guys that said they were going to sue us back then and beat them up some more. I was a big Tommy's guy, and didn't think the In N'Out was a big deal either at the time. The only thing different from today was the fries. They were shoestring. Better for a rabid case of the munchies, IMHO. The shakes have never been spectacular, and I know this is heresy; but I never thought their lemonade was that good either.
...But saying In N'Out isn't good is like saying a great bagel shop that gets all the fundamentals just right is just OK because they don't do anything "different". What's different is the integrity of the essence.
(Hey, since this thread has been hijacked so many times---Lebanese food?---and speaking of bagels, what about Jewish delis? I always liked Mort's in Pacific Palisades; but Shep's on Pico was good, and Art's in 90210 was pretty good too. Weby's on Ventura is gone :( Brisket and pastrami, add swiss and cole slaw with Russian dressing on an onion roll...OK, enough of that)
Even my beloved Carl's Jr has gone to a freaking microwave, and that stuff that's supposed to pass for eggs (Ya, In N'Out, breakfast would be nice. Bacon seasons the grill very nicely), so keeping your integrity for more than thirty years speaks volumes to a company's sense of vision. Even the afore mentioned Mc D's was a lot better when they used to throw stuff away all the time, and everybody knows it. Make it fresh. Keep it for 10 minutes. Throw it away if no one shows up to buy it. God I love America! |
At "Ptomaine Tommy's", if you order "extra chili", you end up with this mess that ten of those paper towels they call napkins won't make a dent in (BTW, they have those paper towel dispensers EVERYWHERE ...At least fifteen of them; but you go into the restroom to take the post-Tommy's chowfest face shower? Air dryer!!! Only in L.A...); but if you ask for "extra chili BOWL-STYLE", they turn the burger that already has enough chili in it to render a small nation defenseless on it's side, and ladle a HEAP of that greasy heaven into the "bowl", and plunge a spork into the mess. Much more doable. |
Me too on the Lebanese food! There used to be a place on Westwood that had great chow. I was just commenting on how far away from burgers we'd gotten. Don't fret; I'm a big high-jacker myself.
Remember Josephine's on Santa Monica? I'm still in mourning.
Orleans had a blackened redfish that was in a blackened SAUCE. It was insane!
Great sandwich board at The Tom O'Shanter on Los Feliz just outside of Glendale. They are owned by Lawry's, and the prime rib is therefore of course incredible to boot. |
Ya, in the same strip as Dinah's was (is?) a little Mexican restaurant run by old ladies (need I say more?) that had Nopalitos con Huevos for breakfast (yup! Cactus and eggs!!). Only place in town I ever saw it, and boy, was it good!
The place was called El Ruby Cafe. |
All of a sudden there are a couple more on my (local to Phoenix) radar:
Smashburger (I ate at the one on 20th and Camelback)
Blu Burger Grill (101 and Northern)
Blu Burger being the better of the two. Better than most, really. They have Angus, Kobe and Bison to choose from. Lots of variation possibilities. I liked it better than Cheeburger Cheeburger by a wide margin.
Smashburger is recommended too; but not as enthusiatically as Blu. |
OK, I was in LA for the weekend to attend the 67th anniversary of the Atwater Village Lion's Club Breakfast (pedestrian at best; but I get to see a lot of folks I grew up with), and I took the opportunity to try Oinkster in Eagle Rock. It was featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives, so I showed up with more than slightly elevated expectations, and the joint did not disappoint.
The Oinkster pastrami is clearly the must-try item; but the pulled pork is also quite good. The pastrami sandwich is thick with meat (he cures it himself), and topped with red cabbage slaw, caramelized onions and Gruyère cheese.
I've been staying away from fries lately, trying to lower my carb intake; but this guy makes his own ketchup (!!!), so I ordered some. He calls them "Belgian" fries, and uses a combination of beef shortening and rice oil to cook them in. He makes two kinds of ketchup, and they are both stunning: regular, and chipotle.
I went back again on my way out of town and had a burger, as a fat black gentleman had suggested I try one while we were standing in the (very) long line on my first trip. It was great. More carmelized onions, some pastrami, sharp cheddar and avocado... This GREAT dressing. They called this one "The Royale" (Don't ask. I didn't go to Burger King).
They have rotisserie chicken that I have yet to try. It looks good.
I had an Horchata milkshake on my first visit. Expensive at $4.50; but I would have it again. It was great.
Their website has all sorts of info, including a link to the D,D&D segment.
This place is fun. I'll be going back next LA trip for sure. |
OK, since we've gotten thoroughly off the beaten track of burgers in this thread, I feel it is my foodie-arse's duty to inform of a recent tear-in-eye find.
I'd heard through several reliable epicurean channels that a breakfast nook of epidemic proportions existed in my own neck o' the woods, and have finally seen the light; heard the choral "Hallelujah"; and been forever enlightened.
Matt's Big Breakfast in downtown Phoenix is certainly the best breakfast nook I've yet experienced.
To give you an idea of how good, only the coffee is bettered in my estimation by two others (Dana Point and the Embarcadero in SF, for those in the know...). EVERYTHING else is the best I've had. Amar'e Stoudemire has said his fave (there) is the chorizo (certainly homemade, as is everything) pancakes; but they have yet to be on the menu when I'm there.
The breads and homemade preserves? Just you wait.
The eggs? Like someone is in back catching them before they hit the nest.
The hashbrowns? Maybe the best thing of all.
The country fried potatoes? Best I've had.
The waffle? My god...
The bacon? You mean smoked, sliced pork belly? Indeed.
I haven't been able to say "No" to the special yet; but when I can, I will try an omelette, as I've seen them whisked by my drooling mug on their way to other tables, and they look incredible.
So here's another chalk mark on the Phoenix area map to go along with Binkley's, Pizzeria Bianco and Barrio Cafe (The bar none best tasting menu, wood-fired pizza and Mexican food restaurants respectively in the country).
BTW, for you L.A. audio-cureans, any of you had the pork chili verde at Antonio's on Melrose? |
Thanks Bongofury. Always wanted to visit Seattle. |
I think it's that the grill gets seasoned at Fatburger because they also cook bacon on it. I had my first Fatburger (a double King cheese egg bacon chilli with everything on it) in 1978 when I was working delivering furniture for Levitz. The drivers there would only stop for lunch at Fatburger or Cassell's on 6th near Vermont. It was the Fatburger on Western near Adams (that burned in the riot). Of course, just like the Original Tommy's on Beverly and Rampart, you swore it was better than the other locations. |
...and Carney's burger is like an Original Tommy's burger without the Ptomaine poisoning (which definitely adds flavor...).
There used to be a place on Santa Monica and Myra called Jay's A-Dog that made the best Tommy's rip-off burger in town.
IMHO the Fatburger on Western near Adams that burned in the riot was the only location that could hold a candle to Meaty Meat Burgers. |
Don't get us started on Mexican in L.A...
I used to drool for Carrillo's, a carniceria in San Fernando. You would go in for a burrito and hear the women in the back clapping their hands together making the masa tortillas by hand. The flour tortillas were so fresh that they had an elasticity to them. They would pull as you bit into them. Epically sized carnitas burrito with fresh pico de gallo and guacamole. Salsas to die for.
There used to be a lot of great taquerias around York and Figueroa (Highland Park?). Great "Giddy Food" for after a night of partying. Some of the trucks have been parking in the same place for decades, and shell out the best lengua (tongue) tacos I've ever had. I would typically do eight or ten of those, and another five or six al pastor tacos. Total endorphin rush at 2:30AM. |
Sounds good; but I'll take the Agujas or the quail at Pappasitas if I'm stuck in Houston for my last meal... |
Angeleans may want to check out the front page of the L.A. Taco site. There's a new burger joint in town called Kalbi Burger. Check out the pic of the burger, and tell me you don't want to try this one.
Check out the Taco section for more mouth watering pics also. |
Alright, I've tried two more "joints" in the Phoenix area, and I have some good news. I've got one more that I've been told is good that I have to try, and I expect to hear of more, as I'm an exterminator here in town; and as a foodie, and in need of smalltalk for when I'm servicing customers' homes and I get the glazed over look upon steering the conversation toward audio equipment, I tend to go straight to favorite recipes and/or restaurants. Seeing as the thermometer is going to reach 113 degrees twice this week, I'll be trying like heck to drag said conversations out, to buy a few more minutes in my customers' air conditioned interiors before being banished to the outside to burn my hands on my spray-rig, and bump my head against the Arizona sun. The worst is when I put my hand in a glove and the sweat from the last job scalds me.
But I digress. The name of the burger joint I have to try is Plush Burger; but as I said, I have good news.
I have a new current favorite (in Phoenix).
I tried a place called Five Guys, and it was good. I would eat there again (and again...); but the place that has me oohing and ahhing these days is a joint called Burger Studio on Mountain View and 7th St.
They have a burger (their "Signature" burger) they call "The Caprese Burger". Great patty, great bun; with sliced (not melted) artisan mozzarella and tomatoes, romaine, a fresh (and almost coarse) pesto mixture, onions and finished with a superb balsamic reduction drizzle.
I admire simplicity; and yet am a sucker for an over-the-top creation. This gem has a little bit of both going for it. Their fried stuffs are very good too. Sweet potato fries and of course regular, and really good onion rings. I saw them pour the zucchini out of a bag into the fryer; but they were nevertheless very good also.
I want to try some of their other creations; but am in no hurry.
You've got to try this burger if you get the opportunity. |
Anyone going to Denver for the show should know about (now that I've secured my reservation!) a great little foodie opportunity.
The name of the place is Bones. They are a gourmet take on the classic Japanese noodle bowl parlor. Their site is at bonesdenver dot com. |
I don't know Macdad, the best sandwich? I'd have to say it came from a Jewish deli, like
5) Art's in B.H. or Studio City
4) Mort's in Pacific Palisades
3) Shep's on Pico (I think it's gone)
2) Carnegie (N.Y.)
1) Webbie's on Laurel Cyn and Ventura (*sniff* gone...)
and was probably a hot brisket/pastrami combo with coleslaw, swiss cheese and Russian dressing on rye or onion.
Or maybe a tongue/liverwurst combo.
Non Jewish deli mentionables:
The Tam O'Shanter on Los Feliz has a GREAT sandwich board, and is a pretty good restaurant too. Owned by Lawry's, so the prime rib is terrific, too.
Here in Phoenix there are a couple of places, Luke's and Guido's, that make outstanding Italian beef/sausage combo sandwiches (ALWAYS with peppers and provalone).
My dad was born and raised in Upper Darby, Pa. I have no excuse for not getting over there one day to try real Philly cheese-steak. |
Thanks Tvad. I've been hearing about Langers for years; but it kind of fell off my radar. I'll get there the next time I'm in town, for sure.
I used to live across the street from Cal St. Northridge on Nordhoff, and I've never heard of Brent's. I'll give it a try also.
Bongo, you just flat out get around!
I enjoyed a place in Vegas the last time I was there. It's a small chain. It's called Hash House A Go Go. Take a look at the images Google puts up. It's lot of fun. San Diego's got one also. The dish I had was the featured dish on Man Versus Food. |
Well, drove to RMAF this year from Phoenix, and timed it to do lunch in Santa Fe, so I could finally try the green chili cheeseburger at Bobcat Bite. Alas, a sign on the door saying they would be closed 'til the 20th let me know that it wasn't to be. Licked my wounds (and the plate) down the street at Harry's Roadhouse. This place is fabulous! Best strawberry rhubarb pie EVER followed a Buffalo Burger to die for. My daughter-in-law had a turkey panini with goat cheese, roasted peppers and artichoke hearts. I took a bite or three. Best panini I've ever tasted.
This place is a GEM, and I'd have missed it altogether if Bobcat Bite hadn't been nice enough to engage in corporate narcissism and take some down time! |
I said "followed", not "followed by"! I had to watch them bring pie after pie from the kitchen while I ate lunch. They all looked insane; but strawberry rhubarb is one of my faves, and not a lot of places known for pie have it. I live down the road from The Rock Springs Cafe, THE place for pie in the Phoenix area, a folksy old restaurant that pushes pie out the door in epidemic proportions, and Harry's Roadhouse had them beat hands down across the board. Rock Springs does have a bourbon apple pie that is far and away the best pie they produce, and this pie could sit on the cooling rack next to Harry's pies and not be too embarrassed, I suppose. You have to special order it though, so it's not available by the slice, which is a crime. |
I've come to the conclusion that the best dog in the Phoenix area is the one at Delux. I've had the Kobe dog at one of the chophouses, and was a bit underwhelmed. The Delux dog is an all natural hotdog, and they hit it with (if you ask for it with the works) sauerkraut, chopped onion, sweet hot beaver mustard, celery salt and sweet relish. Its not natural cased, and I love natural cased dogs; but this one is something special. The menu says it's an all-beef kosher Niman Ranch dog. It comes with fries, and Delux has very good sweet potato fries, and of course the regular old spud fries. |
I've been to Zinburger now. Twice. I have to say I like it. Kind of matches my sensibilities: I feel that the hamburger is one of the great inventions of western civilization, and should in some cases be treated as such. They treat it as such.
Like with pizza, right? You sometimes want a $10.00 pie; and other times you want an over the top wood fired masterpiece.
Anyway, here in Phoenix they're at the Biltmore. |
Phoenix area alert...
You're going to want to try the burger (and everything else for that matter) at Amuse Bouche in Surprise.
This place is very impressive. |
I haven't had a real White Castle burger in thirty plus years! I'm thinking of going to the Chicago show just so I can do a dedicated feeding.
I'm in Phoenix; but went to Big Bear in Ca to ski and Superbowl. As I did last year, I went out of my way on the way home to stop at the Original Tommy's Burgers in Mission Grove (Riverside). They have a 1/4 pound patty available now, and I reluctantly tried it (a double). Boy, am I glad I did! It has the same character and essence as the (obviously still available) original. It's increased size is horizontal, not vertical. As I always do, I ordered it with grilled onions, and ordered it with extra chilli (bowl-style!), and a side of chilli to ensure every bite was slathered with the swill!
Another positive is it is a true double double. The original double cheeseburger came with only one slice of cheese. Locals knew to order the extra slice; but novices could easily think they were getting cheese on both patties, and in truth be suffering an indignity.
Bottom line, for this chow-hound? This was the perfect size. Many times in the past forty years (Exactly. Ate my first in 1974!), I've been stuck in the slug zone of still being hungry after one; but not hungry enough for a second. On many occasions I've ordered a second anyway. The single and triples don't do it for me. The double double with grilled onions and extra chilli is the one for me.
I'm not sure if all the locations have availability yet; but big thumbs up, and here's hoping it stays. |
