RECON: FRICKLEBURGER

Cathedral City (Palm Springs)

At the tale end of our Palm Springs getaway the Canadian and I went to FrickleBurger, the ultimate in German burger fare. Let me start by saying, when you walk in you are jovially greeted by the owner/cashier/server, Mike, who's voice sounds just like Eric Stonestreet's on Modern Family (seriously close your eyes and listen to him while he speaks to the other customers!) Mike takes you through the menu, kindly learns your names, and makes sure you have all the burger accessories necessary -malt vinegar, ketchup, home made blue cheese dressing- for maximum FrickleBurger enjoyment.

The Canadian opted for the most popular item, The Big Kenny, which consists of Bratwurst, sautéed onions, sauerkraut, chopped bacon, and bleu cheese. It was beautiful. The bratwurst literally melts in your mouth. You remember pixie sticks? How they just dissolve on your tongue? That's how good this bratwurst is. Then consider the fact that this delicate bratwurst is on top of a perfectly cooked burger with all the toppings. Because the blue cheese dressing is the creamy element that cuts the savory flavor profile, ask for extra so you can pile it on! I can see why its a customer favorite.

I chose the Country Comfort which comes with melted cheddar, BBQ sauce, red onion, tomato, shredded iceberg, and an onion ring. Usually I steer clear of BBQ sauce on a burger because I find it overwhelming, but this was just the right amount and it didn't overtake the other ingredients. The red onions are clutch on this burger because they're the main crunchy element. Next time I might add chopped bacon to it!  The one complaint with both burgers is the bun; the burgers themselves are already heavy (you can see the awesome stack of goodies in those pictures!) and the buns are super dense, adding unnecessary weight.

Fries were delicious, thick-cut the way the Canadian prefers, with awesome tater tots mixed in! Tater Tots! Mike brings them out personally in a brown bag to absorb grease, evenly salt and retain heat, and then he pours them into the basket at the table.  Fries are of course served with the home made blue cheese dressing, which finds a nice balance between creamy-ness and pungent blue cheese flavor. Mike also offers up malt vinegar, which is delish on fries if you haven't experienced it yet!

Certain sodas on the fountain machine were on the fritz, so Mike offered up bottled soda to patrons.  He checked on us partway though the meal and even refilled my diet coke for me. FrickleBurger is an oasis in the desert with a great family heritage and hearty fare to satisfy your hunger. There is also a build-your-own option which might be borderline dangerous for foodies like me who's eyes are always bigger than their stomachs!

RECON: PLAN CHECK

West LA

Last weekend the Canadian and I went to Plan Check, and it was so awesome, that we went back this weekend with the 2 people who told us about it in the first place, Pete and Victoria. (Special shout-out!) As you can read on Plan Check's website, the name comes from their proximity to the Building and Safety Department in Little Osaka.  Head Chef Ernesto Uchimura, previously an executive chef at Umami, has outdone himself, so I'm going to dive straight in. 

For cocktails, I had the Ronin which I loved, the Canadian had the Bento Box and Victoria opted for an Old Fashion with their housemade moonshine.  I'd recommend sticking with their specialty cocktails. They also have a beer and wine menu, with several good options.

Appetizers are so-so; the goat cheese was delish, the duck breast ham was a disappointment. The best starter is actually a side dish: the Stuffed Mushroom. And, I hate mushrooms, so that's really saying something. The boys loved the spicy cucumber with sriracha.

Now lets talk about the stars of the show, all served on toasted buns, and nearly impossible to pick up. The Chef's Favorite has bacon two ways, cheese two ways and a fried egg. It's gooey, crunchy and full of flavor. I could not pick it up to save my life. This burger is for breakfast lovers. 

The Pastrami Nosh is amazing. A huge chunk of pastrami, tossed on a flat top and crisped up, then spiced with a kimchi mustard, served with the bun inside out and a fried egg on top, its a beautiful interpretation of the traditional deli sandwich. 

Then there's the Bleuprint, with a strong, but not overpowering, bleu cheese and salty "pig candy" aka thick cut bacon, and the flavors mix perfectly. Chef Uchimura uses a unique blend of slightly untraditional ingredients to develop the traditional flavor some patrons will be seeking.

The last burger we had was the PCB, or Plan Check Burger. This was a creamier burger, the americanized dashi cheese and schmaltz onions create a rich, smooth flavor, and it gives you a chance to try the much-talked-about ketchup leather.

We had both sweet potato fries and regular, equally delicious, but the kimchi ketchup didn't really do it for us, I recommend asking for the salt & pepper mayo when you order the fries.  

And their famous dessert, the cruller donuts, taste like they waved a magic wand and turned churros into donuts. Served with cream and fresh fruit, its worth eating, even though you're already stuffed! I apologize for the lack of photo, I may have had too many Ronins...

So fellow burger lovers, go to Plan Check and taste the latest stash of gourmet burgs LA has to offer.

RECON: HAMBURGER HABIT

West Los Angeles, CA

After two horrible missteps at Cafe 50's and Patrick's Roadhouse (never again!) the Canuck and I ventured over to Hamburger Habit, which claims to be the best hamburger in LA. Seriously, there are signs all over the mini mall its in, touting the radios station that crowned them. The cashier who handled our order was sassy and quick with the wit, but his accent threw me off to the point that he might have considered me retarded. The vibe of the place was kind of a run down old school diner. They had a lot of coke memorabilia, a bar height counter running around the edge of the restaurant, and shiny red bar stools cemented evenly into the floor. The other patrons were young dudes who looked like they belonged in Half Baked.

The Canuck ordered The Works, which has chili, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles.  I ordered The Big Scene which has dressing, lettuce, tomato and pickles. (The burger titles and their ingredients just didn't match.)  I ended up adding cheese - which the guy called cheddar, but it was American - and adding bacon and grilled onions. I would also like to say that paying more than a dollar for add-ons at a dive-y restaurant pisses me off. Bacon and avocados aren't that expensive. He wrote the orders on egg-crate plates and passed them over to the grill. Then we ordered chili cheese fries, a diet coke and a chocolate shake.  Spoiler Alert! The shake was the best part of the meal.

I couldn't find the bacon in my burger, stupidly, I thought oh, it must be in there somewhere, but no, so I got shafted right off the bat. And without texture, its not a great burger. The patty had a nice char, and grilled onions are always delicious, but it just got all gooey. I am going to admit something here and confess that I've had Del Taco chili cheese fries on more than one occasion, and the chili cheese fries at Habit had all the same flavors. And to top off all the (insert wah-wah sound effect here) elements of the meal, the diet coke was caffeine free. Where I come from, that just ain't right.

BUT the chocolate shake was absolutely delicious. It was thick, and had a dash of chocolate syrup on top and it made me happy on the inside.

Hunger pangs satisfied, but not wowed.  For $22, you might as well go wild at In N Out.

RECON: SLATER'S 50/50

San Diego, CA

   

     I popped down to San Diego over the Thanksgiving holiday and couldn’t wait to hit up a new burger joint that my dad had told me about: Slater’s 50/50. Located in the fast-developing Liberty Station, Slater’s has a nice outdoor patio, a healthy obsession with bacon and fantastic service.

     I went with the Canuck and my Dad, and since it was unseasonably warm, we sat on the patio. They ordered water, but I was in the mood for a beer and the manager suggested the Hofbrau Hefe Weizen, which turned out to be a nice contrast to the burger I ordered. We started with the Onion Strings that come with BBQ sauce, but as always I requested Ranch. They were solid, not out of this world, but solid and we ate every last one. 

     Then it came time to order our burgs. Slater’s is famous for their 50/50 patty, which is half ground beef and half ground bacon!  Obviously I was having that patty no matter what, even though they offer a variety of meats (and non-meats) to choose from. Both the Canuck and my dad ordered the 50/50 burger, which is the first burger in their ‘Burgers Designed’ category. It comes with an egg sunny side up, avocado, pepper jack cheese and a chipotle mayo:

My dad swapped out the chipotle for baconnaise on the side, the pepper jack for cheddar and added bacon, so he kind of designed his own in a round about way:

I chose to build a burger: 50/50 patty, (which must be cooked medium well to get the bacon right) baconnaise, brie, tomato, grilled onions and thick cut bacon. Like other places that have a build-your-own menu, they provide half-sheets for you to create your burg, only Slater’s takes it a step further and gives you a space to name it. I named mine The Heart Attack:

  

     The burgs come out stacked tall, with a knife stabbed through the center, and trust me you need the knife. {And Side Bar: If you name your burger, they say it when they bring it to you: "And who had the Heart Attack?" I raised my hand, "I did!" Now that I know that, I will have to abuse this privilege.}

     The Heart Attack was delicious! I built a winner. The brie and bacon were awesome, the patty was perfectly cooked and I could definitely taste the ground bacon. After a few bites, the onions were too slippery and the yummy baconnaise was oozing out, getting burg juice all over both my hands and my face. I looked like the fat kid that’s in every camp movie ever made stuffing his face with sloppy-joes. The point is, I ended up using a fork and knife. 

The egg escaped the Canuck’s burger; it slid out the back while he was taking a bite. Eggs and grilled onions are awesome on burgers, but sooo slippery. The Canuck also said the chipotle sauce overwhelmed the mild avocado, so maybe ask for it on the side if you go that route during your visit. Next time I want to design my own mac n cheese (yes, they let you do that!) and do a combination plate for the appetizer so I can try the fried artichoke hearts.  

Oh, and by the way, my dad managed to keep his burger together the whole time and never resorted to silverware; he says the trick is to never put it down.  

RECON: NOOK

West Los Angeles, CA


My best Canadian and I kept hearing about this new place called Nook.  We heard it was on the corner of Bundy and Santa Monica, so we set out on foot, but when we reached the intersection and saw nothing called Nook, we hit up the iphone for better directions and found we had several blocks to go. The IHOP was tempting due to laziness, however we continued on, and it was definitely worth the walk. Its buried in the corner of a mini mall, with nothing but a bright orange door indicating there's something back there. The inside had a crowded but pleasant ambiance, with a few small tables and a couple big, tall bar tables that were family style seating. We climbed into our high chairs and tried to wriggle them up to the table. The menu was small but everything seemed tantalizing.  

We both chose the Nook Burger, made with gruyere cheese, red wine-onion jam and baby arugula on grilled rustic bread. We opted for fries of course and then the waiter offered us something that I didn't quite hear, but I never say no to free food, so I responded 'yes, please!' He then placed a little dish of boiled peanuts in front of us. I had never heard of such a thing but according to the Canuck its very common in the south. I was absolutely fascinated by them and wanted to make my own version immediately by boiling them with garlic or some such thing.  

The burger had rich flavors that complimented the perfectly cooked meat well.  The lower bun definitely got a little soggy, but overall, tasty. During all this recon I've seen a  redefining of "the restaurant burger:" it always has caramelized onions and arugula, and the cheese is usually gruyere or stilton. Every up and coming restaurant puts this "gourmet" burger on their menu, regardless of cuisine. The Nook is a relatively new restaurant, and while the quality of ingredients upped the flavor, it seemed like it was on the menu simply because of this unspoken rule that you must offer a gourmet burg. 

The fries I enjoyed, though they were similar to the Library fries the Canuck is not so into, and they came with a lemon aioli that was quite original. Once the Canuck realized there was a wasabi aioli, that drowned out the disappointment he felt over the crispy fries.  I haven't been back to Nook yet, but I have a feeling the other items on the menu are going to be much more interesting- I want the shrimp and grits. The Canuck suggests making reservations if you want a private table, all conversations are open to eavesdropping at the family style seating!

RECON: LIBRARY ALEHOUSE (Again)

Santa Monica, CA


The Canuck and I were down on Main Street, and being creatures of habit, when faced with where to eat, we settled on Library Alehouse.  We continued being creatures of habit by ordering our usual beers, a Bitburger for the Canuck and a Lost Coast apricot for me.  I was in a healthy mood, so I ordered the Ahi burger with wasabi coleslaw, daikon sprouts and a side salad, but the Canuck chose the Blue & Bacon (again) which as you might guess has bacon, and stilton bleu cheese with fries of course.


Burgers came out looking good as always, and we took our first bites. The ahi burger tasted very plain, so I stole the mustard off the Canuck's plate and then suddenly the ahi burger was delicious.  I don't know why something that supposedly had wasabi in it was so bland, but the mustard made the burg. Side salad tasted way too healthy and boring, it was more like a little pile of rabbit food than a salad.

This time the Blue & Bacon burg was cooked properly - medium - and the flavor combination is delicious as you'd expect for Kobe beef. The sweetness of the onions balanced the salty-ness of the bacon and cheese.  

The Canuck complained about the fries, but I like them bite size and crisp, tossed with parsley.  I concede that they were well done, but what's not to love?  Overall, the food at Library Alehouse is consistently good, but the service not so much.  I don't know if its because we are usually on the back patio, or if its the same up at the bar, but the bus-ers have better game than the servers. Let's be real though, it won't stop me from returning... 

RECON: STOUT

Hollywood, CA


I made the trek out to Hollywood to catch up with my buddy Leo and we landed at Stout.  I had been to Stout before, but there were several burgs on the menu I still needed to try.  Leo opted for the Shu burger which has pepper jack cheese, bell spread and chipotle sauce.  I went for an equally rich - though less potent burger - the Six Weeker, which consists of brie, fig jam, arugula and caramelized onions.  We caught up on our writing and sipped a Lost Coast apricot wheat beer.  Side orders are large, so we split an order of fries.  

Leo drowned his fries in ketchup while I politely requested mayo, which Leo hates, so I made a point of dipping my fries in the mayo first then the ketchup, just to disgust him.  The fries are more than satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.

Then the burgs came out and conversation took a back seat to nom-ing.  My burger was perfectly cooked, had excellent flavor and the arugula was pleasantly placed under the meat to help prevent sog, although the meat was so juicy this might have been an impossible task.  I do feel like the brie was overshadowed by the caramelized onions, and might alter the ratio of cheese to onion to draw out the subtler flavors.  Leo enjoyed his spicy burg, but I am weak and can't handle that kind of heat. 

The place was busy for a week day lunch, which I suppose adds to the joint's legitimacy.  The staff was friendly and plentiful, and I found it reasonably priced, for the quality of food and location.  If I lived over there, I would really take advantage of the fact that Stout stays open until 4am!