Recon: 25 DEGREES @ THE ROOSEVELT

Hollywood, CA


One of my best friends from high school, Laura, came up to LA last weekend for a quick last hurrah before she ducks off to grad school in DC.  A dedicated burger fan, she’s kept up with Burger Recon and wanted to hit up a joint with me.  We settled on 25 Degrees at the Roosevelt Hotel- which I never tire of visiting- and made the trek from the Westside to this LA hot spot.

The décor is all red/maroon from the painted tin ceiling to the bouncy booths and brocade wallpaper. They have a full bar, and then booths and tables surrounding it, looking out on to Hollywood Boulevard. I opted for the ‘Number One,’ which consists of caramelized onion, prelibato gorgonzola, crescenza, bacon, arugula, and thousand island.  Laura opted for the ‘Number Two,’ with burrata, roasted tomato, crisp prosciutto, and pesto.  The burgs come with your choice of a side so she went with fries, while I got rings, and we chose a garlic aioli and a parmesan aioli to dip them in. 

Fries and rings came out first, on long platters, with more food than could ever be necessary.  The rings were sliced thin, with a non-greasy breading that had a powerful kick.  There is honest to god SPICE in that breading- you’ll want a creamy aioli to dip them in.  Laura is not a huge fan of onion rings, but she was digging these.  The fries were extra crispy- almost burnt, the way I like them- lightly salted and tossed in a tiny bit of chopped dill.  We loved them.  As we marveled at the size of the sides, our burgers came out, and there was barely enough room on the table.

These burgers are 5-6 inches in diameter, with huge, fluffy, sweet brioche buns. I was afraid to pick it up.  They come loosely tucked in paper, with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle on the side.  We didn’t even try to stuff these toppings into our already jam-packed burgers.  We picked them up to take our first bites and it took a few bites before I finally tasted everything at once.  It was fantastic- the arugula balanced out the cheeses and the caramelized onions, while delicious, were not overpowering.  Laura’s burger had a great combo in the pesto and cheese but it was very rich.  Decadent even.  The gorgonzola on mine was strong, but if you like gorgonzola, then you’re all set.  I pretty much deconstructed mine and ended up eating it with a fork- which is something I normally would not approve of- but it was so enormous and rich that it felt like a refined meal, and honestly I just couldn’t keep it together.

Having already consumed a bottle of wine before heading out, we opted for diet coke with our burgs. Our generous waiter- who clearly recognized the signs of caffeine addiction- brought out a milk jug full of diet coke for us.  We were debating ordering a ‘spiked’ milkshake.  Yes, they have alcoholic milkshakes for the booze hound in all of us, but we already had to box up half our meal in doggy bags so there was just no way.

Service was great the whole time: attentive, honest and helpful.  I’m embarrassed to say I think we went a little too early in the evening for my taste.  We were hungry for sure, but the crowd felt touristy and the place wasn’t packed.  It’s open 24 hours a day and I got the impression that if we had come at 10pm or after 2am we would have met a distinctly more raucous and local crowd.  The quality of food to price ratio is phenomenal.  We paid less than $25 each for perfectly prepared, enormous portions of food.  If anything I would say the most ‘expensive’ thing we ordered was the diet coke- at $4 each. 

Come starving or share everything, because as Laura summed it up, “This is like an event, it takes time and you’ll be stuffed after.”  And by stuffed she means we were in food comas for hours.  I want to go back and try other things on the menu- and by try other things I mean move into the Roosevelt indefinitely until I’ve sampled the whole menu. They have a grilled cheese and an extensive breakfast menu that can’t be anything but delicious…

Recon: HAMBURGER HAMLET

Los Angeles, CA


The original Hamburger Hamlet opened in 1950 and quickly became a casual hot spot for the Hollywood elite.  The exemplary service and burgers that made it famous are still relevant sixty years later.

My dad, an ardent supporter of this little burger blog, came up to LA last weekend and after much discussion, failed missions, and enduring an obscene amount of potholes on Sunset Boulevard, we ended up at Hamburger Hamlet, arguably the birth place of "The Restaurant Burger" that fast food joints love to compare their burgs to. The menu’s more diverse than most of the other burger joints, but I scanned my burger options and chose the Gourmet Sliders which would enable me to try almost all of the burgers on their menu in one little (big) meal.  Let me list them for you now: the Caliente, the Classic, the Steakhouse Bleu and the Hickory burger.  Also, let’s not forget the Mesquite fries, extra crispy, and a nice side of ranch to dip ‘em in.

They came out, all in a row, book ended by two dishes of ketchup.  Presentation was charming, shredded lettuce tumbling out onto the plate in every direction.  I moved left to right sampling each one:

Caliente: Pepperjack cheese and caramelized onions balance each other out well.  The Serrano chili spread (looked like pesto) oozed out a little on the sides.  It tasted like a taco- but it was a burger.  But it tasted like a taco!  It was all very confusing.

Hickory: Excellent smoked flavor with crisp bacon. Not quite as strongly flavored as Apple Pan, but still an excellent choice.

Classic: Played right into my love of American cheese on a burger.  It was the definition of its name with great flavor and texture.

Steakhouse Bleu: I like bleu cheese, but not quite this much.  If you are a bleu cheese fan, this is YOUR burger, you’ll be in heaven.  I just brushed a little off and ate some more!

Each burger had a dense, doughy bun, grilled to add texture.  Loved the shredded lettuce, and a few of the burgs had red onions, which were just too strong to keep on the burgers.  My dad pointed out that the tomatoes were the perfect size and cut in such a way that they seemed to cap whatever sauce or cheese they rested on. Fries were absolutely delicious. You can have regular or mesquite, and I love a nicely seasoned fry, so mesquite it was. They come with ketchup but you can ask for whatever you prefer, and the ranch was excellent.  They have a few specialty sodas and shakes on the menu, but I was headed to the spa and didn’t want to consume too much. 

Service was superb. The maitre d’ was kind and gracious; waiters and busboys were polite and efficient.  We ate on the patio, but the inside is all leather booths and has a separate dining room where a pianist plays at night.  It was about $15 for each of us, but if we’d been looking to get shakes and appetizers, it would have been a little higher.  The restaurant was pretty empty to be honest, but I’m sure it’s packed during the week days since it’s surrounded by office buildings, right across from BOA.  I’d recommend making it a lunch spot or coming at night for the piano. Given the choice, I always want the option with the full effect, and sometimes the crowd can make or break a place.

Recon: UMAMI @ FRED SEGAL

Santa Monica, CA


It was a slow work day and when lunch finally rolled around Florence said she felt like a turkey burger.  Immediately my ears perked up.  “You know I write a burger blog, right?” Within minutes we were in the car on our way to Umami Santa Monica- the one connected to Fred Segal.  Florence called her sister Storm (named after the youngest Misfit in Jem and the Holograms) to meet us there.  We sat outside on the family style benches enjoying the palm trees and California sunshine. 

Florence opted for the special: a turkey burger BLT with avocado.  I went for the Manly Burger: red meat with cheddar cheese, salt onion strings and bacon lardons.  Storm, who’s off meat at the moment, had the shrimp salad.  Her salad came out first, piled high with taro strips and four large grilled shrimp, one in each corner of the plate. It was a lovely presentation, however the shrimp weren’t peeled, which was more of an annoyance than anything and when the couple sitting next to us asked about her dressing she said, it’s like there’s “wet cream on my salad.”  She wasn’t in love with it, but the taro strips were a nice touch.  

Florence felt like the burger itself didn’t have much flavor, but everything around it did, which kind of balanced it out.  The bacon on both our burgers was ‘bacon lardon’ which means its cut into small, thick pieces.  My burger came out oozing juice.  The flavor was excellent, and the salty onion strings stood out and added to the texture.  The mustard was a little strong for my taste, but the sweetness of the bun helped tone it down.  Umami doesn’t stack its burgers with sog-prevention in mind, so towards the end, the bun had absorbed a lot of the juice.  We were nicely satisfied after, but not overly stuffed- and thank god because these are tight jeans!

The hand cut fries on the menu were apparently no longer an option, but they offered up cheesy tater tots as a replacement, which we definitely went for.  I don’t think the waitress finished describing them before we said, ‘Yes, please!’ It was a Liz Lemon, “I want to go to there,” moment. They were crisp, salty and cheesy with an element of creaminess.  The perfect little size, served with a small pot of umami ketchup- which, I swear to god, is just ketchup with the word umami in front of it.  Florence described the tater tots as “fried mashed potato goodness” and I am inclined to agree!  The couple with us offered to let us try their sweet potato fries and we eagerly reached over to steal a nibble.  They were nicely salted with a crisp exterior and our lunch mates absolutely loved them.

I ordered a ‘Mexican coke’ as bottled cokes have come to be called in America.  The real difference, as my father insisted I point out, is that Mexican coke is made from real sugar cane, while American coke has high fructose corn syrup, but I'd be surprised if restaurants were actually using this information as a guideline. I haven’t had regular coke in ages, so it was extra sweet and delicious.  Florence had a sparkling English water called Hildon and Storm ordered plain water that came out in this flexible glass, with an indention specifically for your thumb, and while they were charming to look at, not so charming to drink out of.  Our sociable friends across the table loved their iced teas and definitely needed refills.  Umami also has a few Japanese beers and rootbeer floats, which you probably saw in the review of Umami Urban. 

   

Clientele was a mixed bag: friends, family, and young professionals off on their lunch breaks.  The Santa Monica location had greater menu variety with more burger options, and while the staff was helpful, they weren’t the best.  Our waitress was covering the entire outside area, so I suspect she was a little ‘in the weeds’ as they say.  They were accommodating of requests though, and always pleasant.  Cost is what you’d expect: around $10-12 for burgers and sides range from $3-5, so just under $20 per person with tax and tip.  Latching on to Fred Segal was a great idea for the boutique burger joint and I would highly recommend a day of shopping punctuated by a delicious meal with the fifth taste, Umami. 

Recon: THE BURGER LOUNGE

San Diego

The minute I saw the salad menu, I became concerned.

Burger Lounge sits on the corner of India and Cedar, a prime location in San Diego’s Little Italy.  Surrounded by Italian food and specialty shops it stands out with its mod décor and strictly American fare.  Burger Lounge is certified green, offers only tall grass beef from the Red Buffalo Ranch, and markets itself as the sustainable, healthy, burger alternative.  You can choose between beef, turkey and veggie patties; white cheddar or yellow American cheese, and grilled or fresh onions.  The menu also incudes two salads and chicken tenders for kids. Burger Lounge touted their original Thousand Island dressing all over the menu, so I was excited to try it, and while it was clearly made from fresh ingredients and had a unique, course texture, it tasted exactly like all the other thousand islands I’ve ever had. 

We ordered the half and half for the table, which consists of parsley fries and onion rings, fried in 100% peanut oil. Burgers and fries came out together and fast. The simple menu made ordering a breeze: My dad, brother, stepmom and I all chose the Grilled Lounge Burger. My dad and I went for the grilled onions, which were good, but In N Out’s are better.  My brother went sans onions and my stepmom had the fresh sliced.  I opted for American cheese; Dad went for white cheddar- neither particularly stood out. The neatly stacked, misshapen burg is served with a slice of tomato and iceberg on a half wheat flour/half white flour bun, baked in-house.  The bun was delicious, but the bottom half of mine was soggy before it met my mouth. 

The only real draw here was the “roll-your-sleeves-up” good meat: juicy, cooked on a super hot grill to get a nice crisp exterior with a ‘medium’ interior.  My stepmom asked for medium rare and it came out just right. This was a messy burger, there was definitely ketchup and burger juice smeared across my face for the better half of the meal. Being a bacon and avocado family, we were disappointed in the lack of ‘add-ons’ or topping options. I thought the whole burger was lacking flavor, even though the high quality meat stood out, I got the impression it hadn’t been seasoned.



The half and half came out in a cute Chinese food to-go box; onion rings on the bottom, then fries, then rings stacked on the top. I generally prefer fries first, but they were delicious twice-cooked Kennebec fries, so I’ll let that go. Onion rings had a great texture and weren’t too greasy but didn’t have any unique or interesting flavor to speak of. I appreciate the healthy peanut oil factor, but I’m wondering if in going “healthier” they lost flavor. Maybe the batch of onions they were using that day just weren’t that tear-causing powerful? I asked for ranch and mayo - the ranch was awful and tasted store bought, but the mayo was standard.

As far as drinks go, they have three beers on tap including one called Purple Haze made with raspberries.  I opted for a root beer, but they have several specialty sodas behind the counter.  A few shakes graced the menu as well, but nothing grabbed me. The whole joint is trendy and modern, and I loved orange as their splash of color. The place was filled with families and tourists, and had indoor and outdoor seating which kept the place open and bright.  You order and sit down with your number at any table you can grab.  Our food came out quick, and we were politely “checked on” multiple times.  We weren’t overly full after and it definitely felt like we’d eaten something on the healthier side of life.  Cost came out to about $10 per person, which is reasonable. 


Bottom line: I just don’t know if they can get away with such a plain, health-conscious menu in an industry that’s innovating and experimenting with flavor and topping combinations daily.

Recon: FATHER'S OFFICE

Culver City, CA

A bite without caramelized onions was a bite devoid of flavor.

I have been to both Father’s Office locations several times over the past few years, but I hadn’t had their burger in quite a while and a lot of people asked me about Father’s Office when they heard about my Burger Recon Mission.  So when my cousin Lala (nickname, don’t judge) called me to meet her there for a post work de-stress session, I said absolutely.

We snagged a table after waiting (like hungry sharks) a few minutes for someone to leave and began pouring over the beer list.  She settled on the Saint Bernardus Triple and I went with the Alagash White. The setup of Father’s Office Culver City is a little odd.  You basically stand in line at either of the two computer registers along the bar and place your order there (for both food and drink.) The Bartender pours your drink immediately, and you get a number for the food.  I ordered the Father’s Office Burger (the only one there is) and Lala ordered the garlic parsley fries and a cheese plate.

The fries are delicious! They’re served with a garlic lemon aioli and they’re skinny, golden and crisp.  I would order them anytime I’m there- perfect for eating with beer.  They come out in a mini frying basket and aren’t greasy.  The aioli- I would smear it on anything- is well seasoned and matches the fries nicely.  Lala’s cheese plate came out fast and she really enjoyed the spread with her Saint Bernardus.  I wasn’t thrilled with the Alagash White by itself, but with the fries the flavors were better.

When my burger came out it was served on a French roll with arugula, caramelized onion, bacon, gruyere, and blue cheese.  It was already soggy on the bottom with juice from the burger, which made me wonder if my burger was just that juicy, or if it may have been sitting a wee bit too long.  When you bite into it you taste the onions- and they are delicious- but they overpowered everything else. It definitely got messy and slipped apart a bit.

If you took a bite that didn’t happen to have caramelized onions, there wasn’t much flavor there.  It’s almost as if the meat hadn’t been seasoned and the bacon didn’t exist- which by the way, I never actually saw the bacon.  Maybe it was buried under the cheese, but I couldn’t find its texture either.  I’m confused about why they’re serving a round burger on an oblong French roll.  Gruyere and Blue cheese are usually pretty strongly flavored cheeses, but they seemed to get lost in there. Maybe they just weren’t on their game that night, or maybe the quality of their ingredients is slipping- either way, the beer and fries easily outshined the burger. The aioli outshined the burger. (Maybe the aioli should go on the burger… just sayin’)  We went back for more drinks, and I opted for the Alaskan White, which I liked much more than the Alagash; it was more refreshing.  Lala went for the Dolcetta wine by Palmina. 

The bar was crowded and a nice buzz of friendly conversation and music filled the background.  Everyone there was young, with groups of coworkers, friends and awkward first dates.  Prices for beer and wine are consistent with similar venues.  Ironically, the beer I liked best –Alaskan White- was the cheapest drink we had all night at only $6.  The burger is $12.50, no substitutions/additions or anything of the sort, which is overpriced for what I received.  It’s also hard to judge what to tip because the bus boys were polite, attentive and fast, but the bar isn’t since you really just stand in line and wait your turn.  I realize that on a Friday or Saturday night, when it’s more drinks and less food, the service is probably better, but I wasn’t impressed.  

Bottom line:  I would order the burger again if I was there and hungry, BUT if someone said to me, “Let’s go get a burger tonight!” Father’s Office wouldn’t make my short list.

Recon: THE COUNTER

Los Angeles Location

Because the menus are similar and we did the joints back to back, there was a strong comparison between 8 OZ and The Counter, making this write-up unique the others, which were, for the most part, too different to compare.

I arrived a few minutes early and sat down at the bar to enjoy a lovely Blue Moon while I waited for my good friends, Samantha and Kunu.  While perusing the menu, I noticed it was slightly different from their Santa Monica menu, offering fried pickles and chili cheese fries among other things. I knew Samantha would want those fried pickles immediately, and the minute she sat down, she ordered them. I was skeptical, since I dislike pickles and 8 OZ hadn’t changed my mind, but I have to say I actually liked these! I even ate a second one! They come with an Apricot Sauce, but Samantha asked for ranch dressing with them, and that was definitely a better combination. Samantha still prefers the 8 OZ pickles, she likes the batter better. We also ordered onion strings, fries and sweet potato fries- but I’ll get to those in a second. We didn’t order off the Market Selection, but they made a point of having a market burger concocted with local ingredients.

Samantha built her own burger, with beef, tomato, bacon, mixed greens and a fried egg served on an English muffin with mayo. (Whatever sauce you order comes on the side.) She liked it, but felt it was messy because the yolk soaked into the muffin the minute she cut into it. Flavors were good for her, but she preferred 8 OZ.  

Kunu built his own burger with beef, grilled onions, mixed greens, jalapeno jack cheese, and a generous serving of avocado on a wheat bun. His plate was definitely clean at the end of the meal. Kunu hasn't been to 8 OZ, so he can't pass any judgment just yet. 


I built my own burger, but with fairly classic ingredients: beef, yellow American cheese, tomato, mixed greens, bacon and mayo on a traditional bun. You can add onion strings as one of your toppings, but since I ordered them as a side I stacked them on myself! The flavors were perfect, bacon was thick cut, texture was on the softer side, but I absolutely loved it. It came out colorful, messy, buttery and pink- all their burgs are pink unless you say otherwise. I picked it up, but it definitely got soggy and messy.  I didn’t care, I couldn’t cut it up; that would have been sacrilegious.

Now for the sides: I loved the fries! They were skinny and crisp and seasoned.  Samantha and Kunu preferred the sweet potato fries, which were good, and crisper than most sweet potato fries, but I like the saltier taste of the skinny fries. The Counter’s onion strings are light and crisp. They cut the onions super thin, and the batter is on the lighter side, making 'strings' an appropriate name. They came with ranch and barbecue sauce- excellent choices- and the sweet potato fries came with a chipotle aioli we all enjoyed.

The atmosphere is exactly what you’d want out with friends: Cheerful, fun and sociable, with attention to detail at every turn. They played classic rock and the art on the walls was all rock n roll. (The Santa Monica location has painted skateboards on the walls!)  Of all the joints we’ve been so far, I would say their service was the best. They were friendly and attentive, and the manager checked in on us twice. Samantha actually bonded with our waitress over their North Carolina roots. I think good service can make or break a dining experience and The Counter made me feel valued. That location has only been open for less than a month, so it’s definitely a good sign.  You can park in the back lot, and its two hours free with validation.

The other patrons ranged in age from kids to seniors, but leveled out to mostly groups of friends aged 15-40. Even though we staggered in at all different times there wasn’t a wait until around 7:30 when it started to get pretty crowded. We ended up sitting at the counter (ha!) and enjoyed our views of everyone else’s burgs. Since we were sitting at the bar and came straight from work, it was only logical to order some delicious Blue Moons served with a thick orange wedge. They also have wine, fountain soda, floats, shakes and malts, so basically everything that goes with burgers. (The Santa Monica location does a shake of the month!) 

Cost is reasonable, most burgers are around $10, depending on how many fancy toppings you get, beers were $5-8 and the sides are all around $5. I have to say, I also really like the way The Counter’s menu is organized. You literally fill out your own burger paperwork, and can include special instructions if you like. I think this limits burger errors and saves time and money. The menu has a few sandwiches and more appetizers I’d like to try the next time around.

I’d like to go to 8 OZ again and order one of their burgs (as opposed to building my own) but at the moment, for my money and my taste buds, I like The Counter better.

Recon: 8 OZ BURGER BAR

Govind Armstrong was so opinionated and critical on the premiere of Top Chef Masters last week that I had high expectations for his burger bar.

     We had a few starters that I want to address first.  Chicken Pot Pie Croquettes: they come out looking like enlarged tater tots, but when you bite into them they taste exactly like chicken pot pie.  The best thing about them though is that they’re served with a delicious paprika aioli.  Mini Kobe Corn Dogs: Surprisingly spicy for a corndog.  Served with a spicy mustard as well.  Deviled Eggs: Very traditional, like eating one of your grandmother’s hors d’oeuvres. Basically with the appetizers we felt like everything was good, but it wasn’t anything we hadn’t tasted before.

     Then it was burger time! What I most enjoyed about the burgers was the quality of the meat.  According to their menu they use a “blend of sirloin, tri-tip, short rib and chuck cured in our Himalayan salt-tiled locker.”  It had excellent flavor was tender, but not bloody/greasy so it didn’t get too messy; it definitely made me pause and savor. Samantha ordered the 8 OZ Burger, which has the “classic” toppings and flavors to match.  I opted to build my own and chose to use cave aged gruyere, bacon, a fried egg and garlic aioli.  While I liked my flavor blend, I should have added something with more crunch instead of the egg.  Samantha’s 8OZ had a much better mix of textures than mine and she thought it was a perfect sized burger.  

     Helena chose the Turkey burger with sautéed mustard greens, pickles, onion, and horseradish dijonaise.  Let's just say her plate was clean by the end of the meal! My good friend Dean has to eat gluten free and - lucky coincidence- so does Chef Armstrong’s wife- so all the sauces are gluten free! Dean ordered a burg without the bun, and her plate came out looking like a deconstructed burger that you self-assemble.  Our friend Gertie is a frequent customer and she went with her favorite- the grilled cheese with short ribs. 

     You get to pick whatever sides you want, so we opted for Fried Pickles, Stout Battered Onion Rings and Truffled Potato Skins.  If you like pickles, you’ll love the Fried Pickles, if you don’t like pickles, skip them.  The onion rings were hard to describe! The batter was salty and doughy like a donut, and I think I expected more crunch, but I really loved the flavor.  They’re served with ketchup unless you say otherwise.  Now, for the Truffled Potato Skins: most of us felt they were the best thing we ate all night!  Salty, with good texture, they were definitely something unique and tasty, standing out from the other sides and appetizers.

     When I first saw the drink menu, the Smoky Bacon Bloody Mary (served with a bacon strip stirrer!) caught my eye immediately, and after Gertie tasted mine she ordered one too.  As far as Bloody Mary’s go, its excellent- not too spicy, with a good amount of booze and salt.  It’s made with bacon infused vodka, which I felt you could taste initially, but then the tomato juice took over.  Samantha and I also ordered beers, which were ok on their own, but much better when our food came out.  Dean ordered a Blackberry Collins made with vodka (gin’s also an option), muddled blackberries, lemon juice and soda.  She really liked it and she said you could taste the fresh fruit. Their drink menu is extensively filled with artisan beers, wine, milkshakes and specialty cocktails.  There are definitely a few more I’d like to try, like the lavender mojito!

     The atmosphere was mellow, relaxed and friendly.  Our waiter was attentive and patient (we staggered in one by one, thanks to the LA traffic) and he was able to accommodate our every request and answer our questions.  We loved the tin ceiling and leather chairs combined with the concrete floor; it definitely had a local neighborhood feel with a hearty and indestructible tone.  The clientele started out ranging anywhere from 3 to 70, but as it got later it evened out into a late 20’s early 30’s range.  Everyone seemed to be eating with close friends or family which definitely cozied up the joint and the classic rock music gave it a feel-good vibe.  On our way out we saw Chef Armstrong chilling at the bar, no doubt keeping an eye on the place.

     We paid $34 each including a generous tip and I felt with the cocktails, sides and starters this was reasonable, and my darling friends felt it was worth it.  Having sampled so much this time, I think going back I would have a better idea of what to order (Truffled Potato Skins!) and how to put a better burger together (add crunch!)

More whiffs of Burger Kitchen

My dear friend Samantha just sent me Urban Daddy's Burger Kitchen article, and I have to say I cannot wait to go there!  It'll take me some time to do all the recon for this joint, but I have a feeling it'll be worth it.  I'm especially interested in the Eggs Benedict burger... 

Recon: APPLE PAN

        It was like eating the first hamburger ever invented. 

        It felt like the beginning.

        Walking through the double doors at Apple Pan is like stepping back in time. The street noise from Pico Boulevard gives way to the sound of sizzling meat and the excited chatter of local patrons. With wood paneling reminiscent of a lake house, and a U-shaped counter/bar with red twisting seats I felt like I’d been whisked from Los Angeles to a quaint diner overlooking Lake Tahoe during the days of John Muir and Roosevelt.

        I ordered the Hickory burger, with Tillamook cheese, fries and a rootbeer. (Rootbeer!) Samantha chose the Steakburger with Tillamook cheese and fries. Fries came out instantly; the missing evolutionary link between wedge cut and skinny fries. They were on the softer side, but looking around the diner I could tell other patrons’ were more well done. We loaded on the salt and our friendly server poured us mini-plates of ketchup to dip them in. Eating them, I felt like I was revisiting an old, familiar friend.

        Rootbeer came next, an ice-cold bottle of IBC, served next to a tin cup (kind of a cross between those little cups for hard boiled eggs that look like hour glasses and a bigger version of a bartender’s measuring cup) with a snow cone paper inside, filled with ice. Obviously, it was fantastically refreshing, and I think the tin kept it cold longer. It was the perfect compliment to the food, but even more so, to the vibe of the joint.

        After gorging on fries, our burgs came out. They were wrapped in little paper sacks with ketchup and cheese oozing out. I could taste the smoky hickory flavor with the first bite. They piled iceberg lettuce high inside of a soft white bun with a ketchup/hickory sauce and the textures contrasted well. Samantha’s Steakburger came with a special relish on it, that was good, but a little overpowering. Now pay attention: You’ve got to keep your burg in its little paper home, and just try to peel back enough paper for each bite, otherwise it will definitely slide to pieces. I ate the whole thing, quite happily, like a kid with ketchup smeared on the sides of her face.

         Aside from the burgs and fries the main thing on the menu (prices are higher than shown) is PIE: Apple, Pecan and the occasional Cream. Samantha and I chose to share a slice of Apple (our waiter cut it in half for us) and it was served so piping hot, the Thrifty ice cream was practically soup on the dish. A delectable treat.

        Service was fast and friendly. Each server had on a classic white uniform that you might see in pictures from the first carhops, and their pockets were neatly lined with Ticonderoga pencils. We arrived just before seven and only waited a minute or so for seats to open up. I spoke with one patron who had ordered take out, and he said he’d been coming to Apple Pan since he was three- basically, for forty years. It was definitely a locals-only joint, filled with friends, grandparents with grandkids and so forth. There were a few couples too and I have to say, it would be an excellent place for a date.

        They have two old fashioned cash registers at each corner of the bar, and they’re cash only. Not the cheapest old school burger, Samantha and I clocked in at $18 each, but learn from our mistake and share an order of fries. 

I felt like I wasn’t just paying for the food though; I was also paying for an hour of time travel.

UPDATE: UMAMI

Dear Westsiders, 
Looks like Umami is just about ready to open their Santa Monica location at Fred Segal!  Get excited...

Recon: HODAD'S

No shirt?

No shoes?

No problem.

        That 'No problem' sign hangs over the bar at Hodad's and declares the joint's vibe exactly. The driving force behind Hodad’s delicious burgs is definitely its attitude and technique: Simple and efficient.  You can get a mini, single or double size burger- the mini is an In N Out size patty, the single is a bit larger, and the double is two patties.  Comes with everything (tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard, ketchup) unless you say otherwise, and you can ask for grilled onions if you like.  One of their techniques is putting all the hot ingredients together and all the cool ingredients together, keeping each bite in perfect thermal balance.  My dad, brother and I all ordered the Single Bacon Cheeseburger.  (We subscribe to the theory that almost anything can be improved with the addition of bacon.)  Burgers come wrapped in paper- DO NOT UNDO.  You’ll need it so you can pick it up and take proper bites. 

        Now, this is where some serious technique comes into play: Because putting strips of bacon on a burger is inefficient and leads to uneven flavor in each bite, Hodad’s designed a ‘bacon patty’ to rectify this serious flavor-gap issue.  The bacon is chopped and boiled, then loosely chopped again and formed into a thick patty. They cook both sides of it, so it’s nice and crunchy, and then they put it on your burger- on f the cheese that’s already melting over the meat patty. To top it off they throw another slice of cheese over the bacon. Genius.

        We ordered a stack of ‘Frings’ for the table, a 50/50 combo of fries and onion rings. Fries are wedge cut with seasoning and as my brother referred to them: they’re “legitimate potatoes.”  Onion rings are thick cut with a crisp bread-batter shell.  They come out positively steaming and are served with ranch dressing.  I like them because they have a distinct flavor- not that generic restaurant “fried” flavor.  Ketchup is on every table and mustard/mayo are available by request.

        Hodad’s has an amazing selection of drinks.  They serve shakes/malts (chocolate, vanilla & strawberry) and each comes in a huge malt cup, with two scoops of matching ice cream inside, and they bring out an extra cup and spoons to help you get through it.  We ordered chocolate, and it definitely took all three of us to consume. Hodad’s also serves regular fountain sodas, rootbeer floats and a wide range of beers. Draft beers like Fat Tire and Sierra Nevada come in mason jars with handles and bottled beers range from PBR, Bud, and Sam, to Pacifico and Miller.

        It’s almost always crowded with a line out the door, especially now that summer’s coming.  Used to be locals only, but the tourism traffic is growing since Guy Fieri named it one of the top ten burgers in America, and chose it for Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate: With Bacon.”  The décor is eclectic: license plates from all different states and countries cover most of the walls, as well as surfboards, maps, stolen street signs, psychedelic stuff and a spattering of awards.  Just half a block from the beach, it’s a lively, casual atmosphere filled with hungry anticipation.  The Ramones were blaring through the speakers while families and friends tried to get out a few words between bites.  Depending on what and how much you like to drink, you’re probably looking at about $10-$15 per person for burger, fries/rings and a drink.

My brother got it right when he said, “It’s a necessary accident that you eat too much.”  

http://www.hodadies.com/index.html  Please note: Hodad's is located in SAN DIEGO, CA.