Ehhh....

3 March 2007-
Cafe Pirawan: 3238 Grand Avenue in Oakland
Cost: $7.50 (angus bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I was walking along Grand Avenue one day, and noticed the menu for Pirawan and their angus burgers. I was surprised by their menu selection which offered a range of burger options, and decided to duck in and give it a try.

As one knows, by mere mention of "Angus" implies a certain level of quality among burger enthusiasts. Therefore my expectations may have been a little higher. However, as I waited for the burger, I couldn't help but notice a corral of unrefrigerated condiments on top of the garbage can. Among them, were about four bottles of half-empty / half-full squeezable mayonnaise bottles. I didn't want to think about how long they were left out there.

Although the bun for the burger was very similar to Mo's in San Francisco, the burger itself was bland, and kind of uneventful. If you were to ask my opinion of their burger, I would probably give you my best Larry David impression; gesture a teetering hand and squirm an unenthusiastic: "ehhh" and be done with it.

Knife Infomercial

24 February 2007-
Adam's Burgers: 3401 Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland
Cost: $5.99 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

I don't really understand why I always think of Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew when I frequent Adam's Burgers on Lakeshore by Lake Merritt. I used to enjoy going to Adam's when I lived closer on the other side of the lake. They offer a wide range of burger combinations and they definitely load on the fixings. Adam's is also the only place that I recall that deliberately slices your burger in half to illustrate the cross-section as shown. It may be a way to visually differentiate the burger from other orders; or perhaps its a way to facilitate burger grappling due to an over-excess of condiments and fixings. Whatever the reason, I'm always pretty impressed with the type of knife that can achieve such precision and accuracy. In fact, I always mean to ask what kind of knife they use for my own personal kitchen repertoire.

Staple Diet for Students

10 February 2007-
Smokehouse: 3115 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley
Cost: $4.20 (double cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

I recall the days, when I used to live within walking distance of Smokehouse on the North Oakland and Berkeley border. Smokehouse became the staple of my starving-student diet. Burgers were about two dollars and change, and fries were about a dollar and change. Buns were always toasted perfectly, and the fries were consistently always battered perfectly and served piping hot. The patties seemed like your plain-jane quarter pound patties, but they were charbroiled on an open flame, with melted cheese and a very efficient way that document customizable condiments on your order. But you had to put up with a lot of factors that I've seem to outgrown.

Among them are the drunks, the crackheads, and the slimy/sticky seating decor. The experience of eating at Smokehouse is kind of like eating inside one of those "self-cleaning" toilets they have in San Francisco where they hose down the room after you leave and make a mess. When I go, I prefer the sunny days when there's an option to sit outside and bask in their lawn eating a burger like it was a summer BBQ.

Where's the Beef?

6 February 2007-
Flipper's: 2060 Mountain Boulevard in Montclair
Cost: $8.75 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I recently noticed this "Flipper's" in Montclair Village and thought I'd survey it. I had the suspicion that the name and logo of the sign was the same as the location in Hayes Valley (see 11 July 2006 survey), but I just dismissed it as a coincidence. It wasn't until I was seated and noticed a distinct similarity in the menu descriptions, when I connected the two chains. Consequently, I had a conversation with the Montclair Flipper's owner and discovered that the two locations used to be owned by the same person, until recently. The new owner kept the name and the menu, except he claims, his meat is better quality now.

As I mentioned before, a plain old bacon cheeseburger was not an option on the menu, so I ordered the bacon cheeseburger with avocado, but told them to hold the avocado. I chose "medium-rare" as the grilling preference.

Verdict: In contrast to the previous "Big Flipper" (at the Hayes Valley location) which was a 1/2 lb. patty, the standard patty is only 1/3 lb. It was late, and I thought that I'd be okay with the smaller patty. The patty that was served seemed disproportionate to the bun. Also, the bun was hardly toasted and soft. There was way too much bun relative to burger patty, and it was soft and squishy to hold. The experience was like eating a McDonald's cheeseburger where the patty taste gets overwhelmed by the bun. The fries were limp too.

Crowded Lunch

2 February 2007-
Burger Gourmet: 351 19th Street in Oakland
Cost: $5.99 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Burger Gourmet in the Lake Merritt section of downtown Oakland is only open during the weekdays for breakfast and lunch. Although I've lived in the neighborhood for a couple of years, I've only eaten here once before. On my last Friday off from work, I decided to check it out again. It was lunch time, and the streets in downtown Oakland were bustling with the downtown Oakland work crowd that I rarely have the opportunity to see. Burger Gourmet was brimming with your typical nine to fivers, but they all seemed dressed down in their casual Friday uniforms eager for some burger action. I moseyed up to the counter and ordered their bacon cheeseburger with brie and specified "medium-rare" as the grilling preference. The place was packed, but I managed to grab an empty table at the back.

Verdict: Burger Gourmet serves a variety of different burger variations on their menu. It's one of those no-frills diners where your food is served fast and fresh at a reasonable price. I definitely enjoy brie on the burger; the bacon was crispy and the fixing fresh and wholesome. I also enjoyed the fries which were hot and crispy. It's a shame it's only open during the weekdays - specially serving the downtown Oakland lunch crowd.

Kid Friendly

26 January 2007-
Mo's Grill: 772 Folsom Street overlooking Yerba Buena Playground in San Francisco
http://www.mosgrill.com/
Cost: $7.75 (angus bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

On this cold, rainy, Friday afternoon, four coworkers, evidently all serious burger or just fries-and-shake enthusiasts walked over to the southwestern edge of Yerba Buena Gardens to survey Mo's Grill for some lunch time burger action. My expectations were a little low, tainted by my last visit a while back. I witnessed my server floss and pick her teeth with her nails for a few minutes before delivering my food to me. Nevertheless, I was determined to give Mo's another try.

There were a heck of a lot of kids in this section of Yerba Buena Gardens, outside of the Zeum Complex. Even on the cold, rainy, January afternoon, there were tons of them outside playing in the rain. Inside at Mo's, there were also tons of children seated with adults. I think it's probably the most kids I've seen at a restaurant at one time. I've deduced that Mo's seems like a kid-friendly restaurant offering a wide range of burger entrees for the adults and a generous menu kids probably really enjoy. Plus, it's practically the only restaurant with indoor seating at Zeum.

We all ordered burgers with different combinations. I, the requisite bacon cheeseburger, this time with their imported swiss cheese, grilled "medium-rare" and a side of fries. The Angus patties are flame-broiled, and pickles are available upon request.

Verdict: At first, I was a little distraught by the bun to patty ratio (see picture above). There were a good seven bites of strictly bun before I eventually bit into the patty. The bun, seemingly untoasted, was hardened on the outside but incredibly chewy and tasty on the inside. I also noticed a considerable amount of burger juices when eating the burger. I would definitely rate Mo's an enjoyable, and delectable experience.

Burger Professionalism

20 January 2007-
George's Giant Hamburger~: 1491 Newell Avenue in Walnut Creek
Cost: $6.10 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

George's Giant Burgers in Walnut Creek is a solid and consistent burger joint in the Bay Area Burger Community, in my opinion. The open kitchen and the highly professional cook staff really know what they're doing when it comes to burgers. The place always seems teeming and overflowing with locals, families and burger enthusiasts. Needless to say, the open kitchen and cozy diner aesthetic contribute to a great smelling room with great burger aroma.

A great commodity at George's is their condiment bar. It's constantly maintained, the chilled items seem properly chilled; the stocks of fixings continuously fixed, and restocked. If you're a pickle enthusiast, you'll likely enjoy the stacked-high tray of chilled pickles at the end of the bar.

Verdict: George's offers an unpretentious, no-frills, cozy burger diner appeal that caters great for families and burger enthusiasts alike. The burgers are very professionally prepared, the patties are extremely juicy and tasty, and the condiment bar is high quality over quantity. Even the buns were toasted to my liking. As I mentioned, George's also appeals well to pickle enthusiasts. I was also very impressed with the crispiness of the bacon.

Bun Petting

17 January 2007-
Burger Gourmet: 101 Spear Street #A13 in San Francisco
Cost: $8.45 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries and soda included)

Image Source: blogger's own

There's a Burger Gourmet in Oakland that I've been meaning to review, but there's also this Burger Gourmet in San Francisco's Rincon Center. Rincon Center food court has a wide selection of lunch eateries in the South of Market / Embarcadero business district. I doubt the two are related.

Burger Gourmet has a wide selection of burger combinations, offers a variety of cheeses and combo meals. It's efficiently quick service for lunches on the go. The open kitchen allows one to keep tabs on the cooks in the preparation process. This time, I was ogling the bun toasting process, waiting for my order to complete.

From what I had observed, Burger Gourmet utilizes a two-grill system; one grill for the burger patties (grilled to request), and the other for toasting the buns. The staff handling the buns, literally had a handle on my buns. While the separate bun toasting grill is clearly operating at a lower temperature, one member of the cook staff was petting my buns repetitively, as if to monitor the toasting process every five seconds or so.

Verdict: The first thing I checked was the bun toastiness, or the lack there-of. It was clear that the cook had some weird bun petting fetish, rather than monitoring the task at hand. Also, even though the burger patty was quite juicy and the fixings fresh, the burger was pretty average. However, the bun really let the burger down, in my opinion. And I'll never forget that guy and the way he handled my buns.

Interesting Palette

15 January 2007-
Cafe Rouge~: 1782 Fourth Street in Berkeley
http://www.caferouge.net/
Cost: $13.00 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

Cafe Rouge is located in Berkeley's Fourth Street shopping district. I often spend time perusing the book stores and design stores in the area, and always noticed that Cafe Rouge gets quite crowded on the weekends. This year, I had Martin Luther King Day off from work, and thought it would be an opportune time to survey the Rouge Burger.

To my surprise, the restaurant was still bustling when I arrived toward the latter portion of their lunch service, but I did manage to find a seat on the sunny patio, though it was a brisk January afternoon. Service was a bit slow, and the crowdedness further prevented me from tracking down my server for certain requests. I ordered their 1/2 lb. Niman Ranch Rouge Burger with bacon and aged cheddar with "medium-rare" as the grilling preference. About forty minutes later (no exaggeration) my order arrived.

My order was completely cold when it arrived. It was actually pretty ridiculous, did they forget about me? I wondered. Don't they know who I am? I opened my burger up and inspected the cold, untoasted 'bun' which highly resembled a potato-rosemary sourdough roll; there wasn't any mayonnaise. I requested mayo from two different servers but had no response from either of them. It wasn't until I actually tracked down my original server that I got a side of mayo. I could finally commence.

Verdict: Well, I certainly didn't want Cafe Rouge's inherently poor service to dampen the actual burger review. Despite the "cold" burger and similarly "cold" service, the burger patty was surprisingly tasty. The Rouge Burger has a very unique, seasoned patty with an interesting palette for the taste buds. The combination of flavors was sensational. The bun though cold and untoasted, held up to the extremely juicy patty - and also held it's own in combination with the other tastes I experienced. I would definitely try this burger again to indulge in these exquisite flavors. Despite the serving temperature of the entree and the lack of service I would still recommend the Rouge Burger for other burger enthusiasts.

For the Record

19 December 2006-
Nation's Giant Hamburgers: 317 Broadway in Oakland
http://www.nationsrestaurants.com/
Cost: $5.30 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

In all my qualified years of burger surveying and burger research, I've definitely noticed some strong, loyal fans of Nation's Giant Burgers in the Bay Area. Nation's has been around for a while, and although I never experienced first-hand the early years, I do recognize that they were possibly once great (with limited competition), but expansion has led their TQM to suffer. The same comparison can be drawn from In-N-Out's success. Although I'm a huge fan, I can't expect every burger flipper in uniform to carry the same dedication as someone who's devoted their whole life, flipping burgers and managing the quality standards for positive reviews, good ratings and consequently good business.

Verdict: First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the packaged burger upon presentation. Even though I specified to dine-in, I still get a completely wrapped burger on a tray. Although I don't stage my burgers, you'll just have to trust me that I didn't snatch a few fries between receiving my order and unwrapping the burger for photo-documentation.

The proportions and assemblage of the burger just weren't to my liking. 96% percent of the time, the lettuce is on the outside next to the bun, in order to properly sheath the bun from burger juices. The Nation's burger instead had an onion slice, seven tomato slices and a chunky lettuce bunch, and ghetto-crappy mayonnaise that overwhelms the proportions. I could go on, but for the record - I've eaten at a few different Nation's in the Bay Area and they all suck, they all suck big time.

Enthusiastic Burger Discussion

18 December 2006-
Louie's Bar and Grill: 55 Stevenson Street in San Francisco
Cost: $8.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Often I'll go out with some coworkers, fellow burger enthusiasts, on a lunch outing to survey burgers. But since I recently started a new job, it's been somewhat difficult to discern the burger interest level among my peers. With that said, six other coworkers go out to lunch intending to grab some Yank Sing Dim Sum. The place is crowded and we don't have a reservation. We head over two storefronts down to Louie's Bar and Grill. We all order burgers. What are the chances?

I've noticed a direct correlation between burger enthusiasts and enthusiastic burger discussion. Often the two go hand in hand, one hand on the burger, of course. Actually there's little else that can please my heart other than some candid, enthusiastic burger discussion.

Louie's is a hole in the wall on Stevenson Street, an alley South of Market (SOMA). It's actually a bar, but they serve food during lunch time. Louie's is also within the two block radius from work, so I was anxious to have the opportunity to sample the burger.

Verdict: The burger discussion awaiting the burger order was certainly enthusiastic, in my opinion. I wish we could have carried the momentum, but the review goes downhill after the first bite. It was certainly delicious at first. One could really taste the charbroiled patty and a nicely toasted bun. However, I thought that my patty was on the dry side, maybe a medium. My coworker, fellow burger enthusiast friend, who also ordered a bacon cheeseburger had a different review. In happenstance, he ordered a bacon cheeseburger with "medium" as the grilling preference, while I too ordered the bacon cheeseburger with the requisite "medium-rare" as the grilling preference. Coincidentally, he thought it was cooked a perfect medium-rare.

Seven coworkers walk into a bar and all order burgers with different combinations and grilling preference requests. What are the chances that the wait staff might mix up an order or two? I'm going to have to give Louie's another survey at a later date, next time with a more controlled surveying environment.

Soggy but Good

17 December 2006-
Burgermeister: 86 Carl Street in San Francisco
http://www.burgermeistersf.com/
Cost: $8.75 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Those who know me, know that a burger bun's "structural integrity" is an important criterion of a "good" burger, in my opinion. First, there's the issue of etiquette; and then there's the sloppiness factor to consider; plus there's also taste. Ideally, there's a perfect balance of these considerations and more to take into account. I'm not going to go into specifics to detail the evaluation process, but I'll just summarize by saying that there's a nebulous "subjective" factor that also comes into play which may appear to contradict the aforementioned "objective" analysis.

If "burgers" are my "comfort-food", then Burgermeister's interior decor definitely emulates what I consider to be "comfortable". The locations I've visited all seem to have warm, wood interiors, with the cozy feeling of an English tavern. In addition to serving up Niman Ranch meat, they also have Dreyer's shakes and a handful of quality beers on tap.

Verdict: Consistency, is what I've grown to expect at Burgermeister. Expect to loosen a notch on your belt as you engulf a hearty and soggy burger with a Dreyer's shake. Although the bun isn't toasted to my exacting specifications, the burger maintains integrity. As the title suggests, the Burgermeister burger is soggy but good - just don't put it down when you're eating it.

Crispy and Crunchy

16 December 2006-
Pollo's: 100 Berkeley Square in downtown Berkeley
Cost: $4.19 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Pollo's is in between the downtown Berkeley BART Station, and the Cutaway: 1985 Shattuck Avenue, my regular spot for cutting hair over the past few years. As far as I'm concerned, the Cutaway has a couple of the most talented hair stylists on this side of the Bay, and charges very reasonable prices. Anyway, back to the survey...

Pollo's sign reads: "Burritos, Burgers, BBQ Chicken and More". I don't frequent Pollo's often, but on this particular Saturday afternoon, I decided to revisit the diner. There's a substantial varied menu mounted on the wall at the entry that doesn't appear to have changed over the past few decades, and reflects pre-inflated prices.

I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, fries unfortunately are not included. If I recall correctly, a single patty burger is around the three dollar range, which stacks up to be one of the most reasonably priced burgers in my survey. Because of the range of cuisine, everything is made to order, and for better or worse, the order took a little longer than I expected.

Verdict: When it was time, the cook personally brought out the order, and I was pretty impressed by the wholesome presentation, especially the piping hot and crispy fries. The burger was stacked with fixings, but as one can presume from the picture, the patty was meager and of the thin variety.

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes on a burger, but the tomatoes on the Pollo's burger were fresh and crisp. The slices were also cut in half, and were plentiful and quite delicious. The other fixings were fresh, and the bun also nicely toasted. Despite the thin over cooked patty, the burger was wholesome, and fresh.

Smells like Elephant

8 December 2006-
Quinn's Lighthouse: 1951 Embarcadero in Oakland
http://www.quinnslighthouse.com/
Cost: $12.00 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own (sorry a little blurry, still learning how to use my new camera)

Admittedly, I may have been a little under dressed for the "dining room" at Quinn's Lighthouse. I was told it was reserved for a private party. I was redirected upstairs to the "pub" where I was assured, the menu was exactly the same. The upstairs was a stark contrast to the frilly, upscale decor of the "dining room" downstairs. It literally "smelled like elephant", with at least a full days of peanut shells, thrown on the ground. Plus, there were drunks hanging off the wall. Well, I wasn't completely drunk yet, so these were my first impressions.

The place was pretty packed, and I ended up scoring a table that they brought inside from the rain. My plastic patio chair was still wet, however. Despite all this, I was trying to stay focused on the Niman Ranch burger I was here to survey.

Quinn's Lighthouse boasts a very significant menu which includes a variety of steaks and seafood options to pasta and salads. Also, they've got the largest selection of beer that I am aware of in the East Bay. There's eight on tap on nitro and some fifty-plus others in bottles. I was tempted to order a steak or some seafood, but I ordered Quinn's "Big Niman Ranch burger - smothered with sauteed onions"; a sizable 10 ounce patty with bacon and swiss; I chose "medium-rare" as the grilling preference.

Verdict: The burger smelled a delicious flame broiled aroma. The mayonnaise I requested, however came in packets. The first bite was pretty tasty, but the patty was a little too dry for my liking. The bun crust was also quite flaky, and due to the lack of toastiness, contributed to the eventual disassemblage of the burger midway through the meal. Don't know if I recommend the burger, but it might be a nice bar to check out at the Oakland Marina when the weather's nice.

It's About Time

3 December 2006-
Mel's Diner: 2240 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley
Cost: $9.99 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Actually, I don't have anything real positive to report about my dining experience at Mel's in Berkeley. However, I noticed that the establishment disconnected the mini-juke boxes mounted at each booth. Come on people, I'll let the whole '50's diner aesthetic slide (even though we're in the 21st century) - but it's about time those juke boxes were decommissioned. I stopped listening to '50's music way back - before I was born. Instead, Mel's was bumping some lively hip-hop.

So I noticed after I got seated that I didn't have a place setting. But I heard the cling and clang of silverware behind me, so I figured I'd get some with my meal. I ordered their bacon cheeseburger "medium-rare" with a side of fries and a strawberry shake. Regrettably, I should have asked for a place setting when I had the chance.

Verdict: My order arrived without any mayo, and it took me a while to chase down my server and request it. By the time I was served the mayo, I realized again that I didn't have a place setting; and I wasn't about to hunt down my server again. So I just plopped the mayo on my burger and commenced.

My fries were a mixture of half golden-crispy, half uncooked-cold. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell the difference from the outside, so it was sort of gamble eating them. I ended up eating all of my fries, and using the principles of deductive reasoning - concluded that I was served about half golden-crispy, half uncooked-cold.

After the fries consumption, I picked up my burger. Whoa (I thought), this burger is huge! - when I lifted it up. I had to use two hands to get a good handle on it. I took my first bite, and saw just a little juice drip out the end, and that was it. The juice wasn't a bloody stream, instead it was more the color and density of cooking oil - yellowish and translucent.

I analyzed the cross section of the patty and realized a haunting similarity between this patty and an earlier burger experience at Beale Street Bar and Grill (23 June 2006 review). It looked cooked on the outside, but it was raw and dry on the inside. I continued eating the burger out of disbelief - again I was hoping the taste would improve by the time I finished. Unfortunately, it was just poorly cooked all around.

"Burger Nirvana"

1 December 2006-
B Restaurant and Bar*: 720 Howard Street overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco
http://www.boxedfoodscompany.com/boxed/main.html
Cost: $12.00 (angus bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
* Denotes gmeow76's current top reviewed burger

Image Source: blogger's own

"Burger Nirvana" - the feeling or state of being one experiences after eating this burger.

I didn't make this phrase up; (I wish I did) - but someone a lot wiser and more experienced than me used it to describe the burger at B Restaurant and Bar. It just so happens, he's also a coworker, fellow burger enthusiast, and a fellow college colleague.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, and four of us at work decide to grab some burgers. I had another place in mind to try, but I saw B Restaurant and Bar, the aluminum metal clad building, perched upon Yerba Buena terrace, with a wide expansive view of downtown, high-rises, the Metreon, and thought: this is heaven. The architectural detailing, and selection of furniture beckons sophistication, the ambiance exudes style. Or maybe vice-versa. In anycase, I'm not an expert when it comes to this high-brow culture, but I do know a "good" burger when I see and taste one.

Due to my delay in leaving the office, and in order to hopefully expedite things, we placed our orders (4 bacon cheeseburgers with Tillmanook Cheddar) as soon as we got our seats. About a half hour into the meal - and still no entrees, we each began to suspect something was odd about the service. I mean, if we all ordered medium-well or well-done burgers I can understand the delay, but we all order medium or medium-rare, this shouldn't take so darn long!

Patience is a virtue and perfection can't be rushed***.

Verdict: Admittedly, I was pretty darn hungry by the time the orders came through. But I was immediately impressed by the presentation. It looked as if each french fry was individually placed and assembled with exacting precision (using serving tongs). It also looked as if each salt rock was individually placed and assembled on each fry with exacting precision (using surgical tweezers). The unique roll was toasted to perfection, definitely over-toasted than your usual average-joe bun, but by no means burnt. The onions were diced and carefully balanced on a plump heirloom tomato. The patty was served on a bed of special sauce (could possibly be honey dijon of the finest quality). The applewood bacon was packed high and dry. The baby gem lettuce looked very happy and fresh.

In other words, the burgers took time to prepare. And in my book, presentation counts. Of course, the burger at B Restaurant and Bar has everything going for it.

Here's where I'm really going to lose it, trying to describe the burger. I honestly don't think there are words in the English language that can adequately describe the experience. It is definitely something that needs to be experienced first hand, preferrably in silence. Here's four guys yapping away, and then for five whole minutes - complete silence while we're each individually savoring each burger morsel; every tender, fresh, burger morsel like it was heaven.

"Burger Nirvana" indeed. And, the place is within a two-block radius of work.

*** That's about as good as my quotes get.

::SPECIAL LOS ANGELES SURVEY::

24 November 2006-
Real Food Daily: 514 Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica
http://www.realfood.com/
Cost: $12.95 (vegan bacon cheeseburger, side salad included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I've been getting a few requests to start reviewing other types of burgers, other than the standard 'bacon cheeseburger'. I just wanted to take the time to assure the burger purists out there, by no means am I 'selling-out'. It's just once in a while, I might throw in a random review here and there just to quell and satisfy my 'other' supporters' cravings for "healthier" burgers.

I happened to be in the Los Angeles area for Thanksgiving holiday, and had an opportunity to review a vegan bacon cheeseburger at Real Food Daily, "New World Vegan Cuisine" in Santa Monica. Based solely on the multitude and quality of reviews on the restaurant's website, I was expecting a very high caliber meal. I arrived during lunch time on the day after Thanksgiving, and the place was bustling.

Verdict: As mentioned, my expectations were certainly high (just read the reviews on the website). I ordered the RFD burger with "the works" which added tempeh bacon and avocado. I was imagining my best veggie burger to date. Instead I was served something completely different from what I imagined.

I guess I wasn't expecting a hard, untoasted bun with a red play-doh shaped patty with this cheesy imitation vegan-cheese sauce sloppily squirted on the burger - so sloppily it flopped onto the edge of the plate. As many of my readers will know, I don't "stage" my photo-documentation, and I try to capture how the burger was served before me as accurately as possible.

Although the bun definitely did not lack structural integrity, I wonder if the establishment realized actually how stale the bread was. The patty, more of a puree (which resembled play-doh in color and consistency) immediately squished out of the sides upon handling. I ended up scooping the patty with a fork and eating the bun completely separate. Needless to say, the burger was not even dressed with any condiments, except for the tomato and avocado (no lettuce) unless you count the salad with tahini sauce. The ketchup, which I presume to be organic (read 13 August 2006: Too Healthy review) was served on the side, despite the lack of fries.

The burger was definitely not a favorable, nor flavorable experience. Maybe healthy food isn't really supposed to taste "good". I had the opportunity to sample a couple of other dishes that afternoon as well, and I will conclude that RFD does not meet my expectations.

Asian Flare

12 November 2006-
Sparky's Giant Burgers: 4120 Redwood Road in Oakland
Cost: $6.00 (double bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Sparky's is tucked in a quaint shopping center in the Oakland Hills, and would have gone unnoticed had it not been a recommendation from a fellow burger enthusiast recently. The diner is sort of a dive, but there's a walk-up window and an abundance of outdoor seating. I would have chose the outdoor seating had it not been for the November chill and the burger smoke emanating from the grill and diminishing any chance of capturing the natural light for a quick photo op.

In addition to a variety of burger combinations, Sparky's also prepares tempura battered onion rings and zucchini. The specialized menu which is distinctly Asian-American also includes a fish burger and teriyaki chicken. Today, I settled on ordering a "Giant" cheeseburger which includes 2 thin patties with Virginia bacon. I also ordered a side of fries, after debating whether or not to try the tempura batter. I suppose there's next time.

Verdict: The burger was surprisingly juicy and tasty. The patties have a distinct charbroiled, smoky flavor. The fries are fresh-cut and chewy. Sparky's is sort of a dive, but it's nicer than most. I can just imagine how nice it would be to sit in their outdoor seating and enjoy their burgers on a warm day. I'm definitely looking forward to trying other items off their menu in the future.

Quality Bread

27 October 2006-
Downtown Restaurant~: 2102 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley
http://www.downtownrestaurant.com/
Cost: $11.50 (niman ranch cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

I've had the burger at Downtown Restaurant in Berkeley a couple of years ago, and was anticipating a review for ages. The quality of food is up there with "Chez Panisse and Bay Wolf" according to the restaurant's website, but of course, I've only sampled their burgers. They've also got an impressive bar and a stage for live music. Today, I ordered just a cheeseburger, "medium-rare"; if I recall correctly the cheese was: "yech" (but I could be mistaken by the spelling).

Verdict: The experience of dining at Downtown is impeccable (for what it's worth, according to my own standards). The bread is truly sensational. I don't even believe it was toasted, but it was at a perfect consistency and chewiness. The quality of meat was great too. I think it was the best "niman-ranch" burger surveyed thus far. Everything about the meal was quality; highly recommended.

Fully Stocked (Condiment) Bar

13 October 2006-
Slider's Diner: 1204 Sutter Street in San Francisco
Cost: $6.25 (bacon cheeseburger, onion rings extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

The condiment bar at Slider's is comparable to many salad bars in the financial district. It's really got everything you could imagine dressing a burger with, such as olives, sprouts, eggs, carrots, radishes and beets. Maybe it is a salad bar, and the ingredients aren't meant to be added to the burger. Regardless, you can literally get your money's worth by coming here and loading up on the condiments.

The burger is not meager by any means. I ordered their bacon cheeseburger with provolone and chose "rare" as the grilling preference and a side of onion rings. The burger (as photographed above) did not have the pile of fixings I loaded on afterwards. The mound of bacon was also tremendous, and I had a little difficulty at first, grappling the burger and attempting to fit it in my mouth.

Verdict: The burger was definitely "rare" and oozed plenty of burger juices. I noticed that the bun wasn't really properly toasted, but I presumed that a lot of water inherent in the vegetables contributed as much to the overly soggy bun as the burger juices. It's times like this, that I wish I had properly assembled the burger (given the fact that there was a condiment bar and I chose the toppings and their placement).

For future reference, I would highly recommend that burgers highly susceptible to overflowing burger juices are properly sheathed with two layers of a semi-impermeable vapor barrier. I would suggest that one sheaths the immediate inside layers of the bun with a continuous lettuce leaf. In theory, any moisture from the patty will be redirected outside without ever penetrating the lettuce membrane to the bun. Another suggestion would be to cook the patty drier or to actually properly toast the bun. I can't stress this enough guys, bun toasting not only makes the burger taste better, it also decreases the susceptibility of soggy burger buns.

Anyway, the condiment bar at Slider's is definitely an added incentive to the burger experience. However a decent burger, I wish the patty itself had a little more flavor.