Monday, January 31, 2011

Recon: R & D

Santa Monica, CA


The Canuck and I popped into R&D for a quick bite to eat, and while I opted for breakfast, the Canuck went for broke with the R&D burger and a large glass of Stella.  He was nice enough to cut me a little wedge so I could get in on the action.  What I love about the R&D burger is that its all classic ingredients- nothing out of the ordinary- but the quality of ingredients is so high that it elevates the burg, giving it a clean, refreshing flavor.  I also appreciate that they shred the lettuce. The one thing both the Canuck and I didn't love was the sog factor.  The burg was cooked medium, but there wasn't any char to hold in the juice, and no topping layers between meat and bun to prevent the bun from soaking up all the juice.  



Comes with a side of fries, and by side they mean giant serving.  I was ok with their fries- a little soft for my taste, but I like that they left the peel on the potato, kept them salty and cut them skinny. Could have been crispier, and if we order them again I will ask for them to be well done.  The Canuck prefers thick cut fries, and in addition to being a Canuck he is also Dutch, and considers himself something of a fry expert, so he was a little disappointed. (But this didn't stop him from eating them...)


R&D has a great menu and bar.  The cocktail and wine lists are fantastic.  I recommend the 13th Street cocktail which has basil and crushed grapes with vodka.  They also have amazing guacamole, which I will once again attribute to the high quality ingredients.  Its usually very crowded starting around 4 on the weekends so go early, or plan on drinking at the bar while you wait for a table.  R&D is on the more expensive side for drinks and a burger so check the menu, or go for a special occasion.  Delish... 

1 comment:

  1. Would you happen to know what else is included in the 13th St. cocktail? I visited R&Ds last month on business and I'd really like to recreate it -- it was delicious!!

    Any help would be great! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete