April 2, 2013

Little Big Burger

Portland Oregon

122 NW 10th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209

Hello everyone! The Little Big Burger is a cozy fast food joint found in Portland Oregon near Powell Books. I would like to say it has the feel of an In n Out minus the doucheyness of some LA people and their insistence on getting extra spread. Like In n Out, the price of the burgers and fries were hands down right on the money. I say this based on the known fact that Portland has no sales tax, which is always a plus! Enough of the blabbing, on to the BURGER!!!

The Burger I tried was the Cheeseburger. The burger was not gigantic like some but the size of my fist.  Although it may have been small, it was mighty tasty. I was surprised the meat was well prepared because the Little Big Burger is a fast food restaurant. The patty was very small but the medium well preparedness was what gave this burger a thumbs up. The bun was your typical fast food bun; buttered and lightly toasted. The sides were average and consisted of some lettuce, onions, and american cheddar cheese. The only condiment present was ketchup, which I found a bit minimal. In addition to the burger, the truffle fries made this small meal a worthwhile treat. The fries were fried golden brown in truffle oil, giving each bite a unique taste. Overall if you're in Portland on vacation and want to grab a good snack that will last you for a couple of hours, go to Little Big Burger and order a cheeseburger with truffle fries. It isn't going to fill you up but why settle on chips as a snack when you can get a mini meal.

March 4, 2013

Slaters 50/50 

61 N Raymond Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91103

Hello everyone! I'm back at it again, trying the 50/50 burger at Slaters 50/50 in Pasadena. While preparing for my half marathon, I figured why not have a burger with my friends from SF. From the outset, Slaters is a busy dining experience. It's not a fancy gastropub but a typical eatery with an assortment of beers.

  The 50/50 burger, I must say is truly one of a kind. Although it is a really great idea for a bacon enthusiast, it was not amazing for this customer. Overall the burger did not come together like I thought it would. Although bacon is practically great with anything, on this outing, it was just mere filler. The texture of the burger was truly inventive but the taste was not. The burger consists of the slater patty which is 50 percent ground patty and 50 percent bacon with a sunny side up egg, avocado mash, pepper jack cheese and chipotle adobo mayo on a white brioche bun. 1) The bun was excellent! A real highlight of the burger. The brioche was sweet and fluffy with just enough butter. 2) The patty was not to my liking because the taste as well as the consistency felt more like a breakfast morning patty rather than a typical burger patty. The chunks of bacon was a pleasant surprise but the more I ate it, the more it overpowered the burger. 3.) The avocado tasted well and was very creamy but there was just so much of it that I could not enjoy the whole experience 4.) Although the burger comes with no fries, my friend Andrew and I were able to order the "Beer Cheese Fries", which consisted of thick fries smothered with chili, cheese, and jalapeño. The fries were good but did not tickle my flavor palette. The fries were average and nothing else, the beer chili did not stick out and the jalapeño did nothing to mix the flavors. 

In conclusion, the burger 50/50 burger is good on paper but did not meet the expectations I had for it. The patty is a good concept but when it comes to eating a quality burger, I don't need half of my patty consisting of bacon! I applaud the concept but from the burgers I have reviewed so far, I would have to say this is the worst. My friends and I gave it a 6 out of 10! I would recommend it for the bacon lovers because at the end of the day the burger is suited for you ppl! 

January 24, 2013

Stout

1544 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hollywood

Hey everybody! Happy 2013! Well after a month of hectic holiday events and helping my brother move to Philly, I am back at it again. This time I am reviewing the brick restaurant, Stout, off North Cahuenga. (if you are reading this and live in the Los Angeles Area, its close to Lure Nightclub aka the Do Over and Amoeba Music) Well..after a failed attempt to watch a movie at the Arc Light, my friends and I finally decided to try this place.

Stout is a gastropub with a little flare sprinkled with the formula of most gourmet burger places; the tavern like feel to it. The lights are dim, the wooden tables seem ancient, and the ambiance is more of a friendly environment. Nothing really stood out from this place other than the location, which is great because its in a perfect spot close to the heart of Hollywood.

Now to the burger! The burger I chose was called "The Morning After". The burger is named to illustrate the breakfast ingredients inside the burger such as Rose Mary Bacon, an Over Easy Egg, and Chipotle Ketchup. I would like to say the burger was a tad better than the other two burgers I reviewed. It's not considered ELITE but it is on the cusp! 1) The bun was a nice compliment to the burger patty because it was smaller than the patty itself. The bun was lightly buttered and had a crunch that was delightful 2) The meat on the burger was above average! I got Medium Rare, which should be everyones preference (not really) and found the meat just melted in my mouth every time I took a bite. The contrast between the meat from Stout compared to the other two was basically "how it was cooked". The meat from Stout was the perfect medium rare, meaning it melted in your mouth when you ate it but was not under cooked to the point were you wanted to gag. 4. The chipotle ketchup was not over powering and was a great compliment to the rest of the burger. The over easy egg wasn't really needed but an over easy egg should never be denied. 5. The shoestring fries were decent and average but just needed more seasoning. Other than that the Morning After was better than your average gourmet burger. The restaurant's exclusive location coupled with its burgers made just right makes Stout a fine establishment.

December 18, 2012

Westside Tavern

10850 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90064

West Los Angeles

Hola everyone! Feliz Navidad!! I'm back at it again! This week's post focuses on the juicy Cheeseburger from The Westside Tavern in the Westside Pavilion Mall. First, I would like to applaud the Westside Pavilion Mall and the Westside Tavern for having an upscale establishment. Although my friends and I waited a little longer than expected, the ambiance in the gastropub was delightful. People drinking wine, dim lighting, obscure wooden booths, and the smell of great food were the perks that made this fine establishment. With that said, the ambiance from the Westside Tavern transports you from a normal restaurant in the mall to a grandiose tavern found in Boston.

Now onto the Burger! 1) the Burger bun was a brioche, the same type as the Six Burger from my previous post. This brioche was not as light as the Six but had just about the same qualities. It was a good addition to the burger because it wasn't dominant. 2) Although it's the holidays and I've been in such a great mood, I can't lie to you guys about the Meat on the Cheeseburger. The meat was juicy but was quite average. Each bite was pleasant but it did not have enough to make me get out of my seat and dance, which I would do once I find the perfect burger. The meat was tender and juicy but a little too greasy for my liking. You might say I sound a bit harsh, but when you go and pay a good amount for a burger, you want that punch! 3) The sauce in the burger was basically a garlic aioli spread that was barely smeared on the brioche and as a result I couldn't really taste it . I was hoping I could have more but I don't like asking to add things to the burger once it is presented to me already. 4) The side I ordered were shoestring fries. They were lightly seasoned and tasted like typical fries you might get at Yardhouse or your typical neighborhood Mom and Pop stop. The good thing was, they were cooked it to perfection and was not soggy or too crispy!

Overall the Cheeseburger at the Westside Tavern is ok tasting but a bit average. It is another gourmet burger found on the westside of Los Angeles that is dressed up to seem very upscale but in the end it is very average. (theres nothing wrong with this by the way) My opinion is, if you are trying to get more for your buck, try to order something other than the burger when you go there. Merry Christmas everyone!

November 30, 2012

The Six Burger 

10668 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA, 90064

Hello everyone! My very first review of this blog belongs to the magnificent Six Burger, from The Six restaurant in Santa Monica. For the burger enthusiasts out there, the Six Burger is a great combination of ingredients that will make your mouth SCREAM! I place this burger on the Cusp of being part of the  Elite. You may be asking why??? Well here is what I observed.

 1) the bread was GREAT! The brioche was light, fluffy, and very tasty. It was not overpowering and was a perfect compliment to the burger. 2) the meat on the other hand was so so and not ELITE. I ordered the burger medium rare like i always do, and was pleasantly surprised on how good the meat was. After a couple of bites of the patty, I knew I was in for a treat. The problem was,  the meat did not have punch a Mike Tyson would have but rather stability of a Floyd Mayweather. The patty nonetheless was good and still made my mouth water and ask for more. With that said, it was more on the cusp and not a loser. 3) The maytag blue cheese and the thousand island was a great combination because it did not overpower the meat one bit. If anything, it enhanced the meat as well as the bread. 4. The fries were in the words of Tony the Tiger, "Grreeeeaaaaatttt". I ordered the sweet potato fries, while my friend ordered the garlic fries. The sweet potato fries were done well and with the assistance of some ranch were phenomenal. The garlic fries on the other hand, were a bit soggy and had way to much garlic in there. I would stay away from these if you're on a date and intend to get some action at the end of the night.

Overall this burger was very close to joining the ELITE but could not make the leap. I do recommend the place and the burger as well!!!!!!

November 30, 2012

In order to understand how I rate and review these burgers, you need to get to know me just a tad bit. For starters I am a health nut, who tries to eat healthy everyday from eating nonfat yogurts to mixed salads, but the one thing I thoroughly enjoy enough to break all my health rules is God's gift to mankind called the HAMburger. Since I enjoy various sports activities such as basketball and hiking, I tend to get hungry OFTEN and that means plowing down on many mouthwatering burgers I can sink my teeth into. So, as a result of the many and I mean MANY Burgers I've eaten during my young and probably not as healthy as I thought, life, I am starting this blog, so I can share my opinions on where and what are the Elite Burgers out there for the tasting.

In order to have an ELITE Burger in my eyes and become part of the Burg-oisie, the burger must have a high rating in 5 categories

1. Bread: the bread must be light and firm. The whole point of the bread is to make sure the Patty is the main stage. The bread is basically the background singers like the other Jacksons, while the Patty is like Michael.

2. Patty: the Burger patty and how it is cooked is by far the most important. Personally I like my beef patties prepared "Medium Rare", but it doesn't mean that if it is not prepared in that manner it won't taste good. Everyone has their own preferences, so I get it. But, good quality meat is not based on how it is cooked but more importantly on the balance of fat and meat the patty has. It is difficult to decipher what the ratio is when eating at a restaurant but through experience you can definitely taste how one burger patty can be less lean and more fatty.

3. Sauce/Condiments: A Sauce or Condiment in a burger is very critical to building an ELITE Burger. Some places have the usual ketchup and mayo in their burger but other places put their "secret" sauce that ranges from tangy, spicy, flavorful, or flavorless. With that said, a sauce can be the conduit that holds the bread and meat together. If the sauce packs a punch and impacts the burger in any way possible, the Burger has the possibility of becoming ELITE.

4. The Fixins (vegetables and side dishes): This category is not as important as the other three but plays a role in making the Burger a great experience. The focus squares mostly on the burger, but when the sides are great or bad the burger can either look like a bombshell or just another plain Jane. So what makes a good side dish? For starters I only order fries and if sweet potato is on the menu and I am bold that day, I try that. In order for the fries to be the perfect complimentary playdate to the ELITE Burger, the fries must be fried golden with a crispy bite to it. I do not tolerate soggy fries or extra crispy fries. Soggy fries are sometimes drenched in oil and extra crispy fries don't taste like potato at the end.  In addition, the seasoning on the fries must be light, so it doesn't over power any of the flavor I get from the Burger.

5. Presentation: Since the ability to See something is one of our senses, Presentation is another factor I rely on in determining if the burger is ELITE. Most restaurants present their burgers typically on one side and fries on the other, but since more Gourmet burger restaurants are springing up, high class presentation has given the burger and fries a new look. Some places just present the burger on the plate and fries in a container, while other places place the burger on top of a bed of fries. Overall if the presentation makes your eyes eat the burger before your mouth does, then it should be considered ELITE