Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at noon (Angela’s pick).
Members in attendance: Trev, Angela, Wayne, Innie, and this month’s reviewer, DK Special Guests: Chris, Marissa, Molly
I. Ordering The options at THICC are as varied as their neighbor stalls in the Original Farmer’s Market. This self-proclaimed “old-fashioned LA burger joint” is subterfuge; the offerings are anything but conservative.
An optometrist on reddit told me it helps to squint.
Here’s what we ordered: – Trev ordered the B.A.E. (beef patty, American cheese, bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato, pickles, THICC sauce) – Angela ordered the Screwburger (chopped cheeseburger, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, THICC sauce) and fried pickles – Wayne ordered the Hollapeno (beef patty, pepper jack, charred jalapenos, caramelized onions, Kaylin & Kaylin jalapeno pickles, THICC sauce) and garlic fries – Innie ordered the Hollapeno and garlic fries… – DK order the… Hollapeno… and garlic fries…
II. The Burgers Surprising quality in the heart of a touristy location! The buttery buns were good and hearty but not too bready. The patties had good sear and felt loosely packed, especially the Screwburger which Angela said felt looser than a sandcastle during high tide… but in an appetizing way.
The THICCness of the patties reminded us of how patties USED to be before the smash burger revival and it’s always appreciated when they ask how well you want the patty cooked and deliver on it! As for the toppings, notably the bacon was more chewy than crunchy and the jalapenos weren’t spicy but still flavorful.
III. The Sides The garlic fries weren’t too garlicky (they use garlic paste) and had great crisp. They somehow stayed crunchy long after they should have expired, so whoever was frying back there did a bang up job. The fried pickles were also a hit, way better than expected, and a solid choice to stick in the burger if that’s how you roll.
IV. Miscellaneous They are located in stall #126. They cook everything to order and they’re upfront about it – don’t come here expecting fast food! That said, their time estimate was spot on. They have indoor and outdoor seating (dogs not allowed indoors) which was such a shame because the decor was very cute.
V. Value I asked the members how much they would pay for their burgers. The responses ranged anywhere from $10 to $15, on par with the menu’s prices.
VI. The Verdict A great local spot to take your friends while showing them around! The ratings: 4.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.2, and 4.3 #groupthink
Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at noon (Wayne’s Pick). Despite the meeting being at noon, Trev and I didn’t arrive until closer to 1pm due to a lot of street closures because of some event in Chinatown.
Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C. Slider member in attendance: Lucy Y. Special Guests: Chris Y. and Marissa G.
I. Ordering There are 3 types of burgers + 1 for the vegans.
Trevor ordered a BBQ Bacon Lowburger, double ($14) – beef patty, bacon, house made bourbon BBQ sauce, american cheese, griddled onions, garlic mayo, toasted potato bun.
The BBQ Bacon Lowburger It looks so tiny in his giant hands!
I ordered a Fresh burger ($10) – beef chuck patty, american cheese, crisp iceberg, sliced tomato, shaved onion, house-made pickles & garlic mayo on a toasted potato bun. Trev and I also bummed some fries off of everyone else 🤗
Chris and Innie also got a Fresh burger and a BBQ Bacon Lowburger and handcut fries ($8) that come with ketchup and garlic aioli.
The Fresh Burger That’s a lot of lettuce
Wayne also got stuck in traffic, but not nearly as bad as us. He ordered ahead of UberEats and got a Lowburger, double ($13) – beef chuck patty, 2000 island dressing, american cheese, red pepper jam, griddled onions, served on a toasted potato bun. He turned that into a combo to get fries + a diet coke (+$6).
Lastly, DK and Marissa got a fresh burger ($10) and a lowburger ($9) + fries ($8).
II. The Burgers This place is known for their smash patties since LA is all about smashburgers. The meat wasn’t all that beefy nor was it seasoned all that well. The patties did have a lot of lace, but that didn’t make up for the lack of umami flavor we all crave in our burgers.
These burgers were well balanced because despite the lack of meatiness and seasoning, the burgers were pretty good. All the ingredients contributed to a good experience. Though I will say that they are heavy handed on the lettuce. I know it’s called a “Fresh burger”, but damn, I didn’t order a salad!
There was some debate over whether the pickles were good. DK didn’t like them, but others did. For the record, I didn’t notice them. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I’ll leave up to your interpretation.
The bacon was cooked inconsistently between burgers. Some had bacon that was easy to bite through and others had the experience of having the entire slice of bacon come out when you try to take a bite. The buns were squishy, toasty, and yummy.
The burgers are definitely on the smaller side so you should definitely get AT LEAST a double. We discussed that the burgers should come as a double by default. A single is just sad.
III. The Sides The french fries were alright. They had good flavor, but were totally soggy. So if you like your fries a little on the soggier side, you’ll love these! They have a very generous serving size when you order it as a side. The combo serving is noticeably smaller.
IV. Miscellaneous Service was fast. And the burgers were actually made next door! They have lots of good beer choices. The place was clean (bathroom, too) and they had both indoor and outdoor seating.
Since it’s in Echo Park, parking is nonexistent. And watch out for Chinatown road closures 🤨
V. Value I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $11.75. So we thought the prices were slightly higher than we’d like to pay for these burgers (especially given the size of a single).
VI. The Verdict The burgers have a nice lace and good balance (but don’t get the Fresh burger, unless you really love lettuce). The ratings: 2.8, 3.0, 3.1, 3.4, and 3.7.
Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, March 16th at noon – THICC Burger L.A. – Fairfax
Burger Crew meeting called to order on Jan 20, 2024.
Members in attendance: Angela, DK, Innie, Trevor, and Wayne
I. Ordering
Angela/Trevor: Double Western Combo (80/20 brisket blend, American cheese, tangy BBQ sauce, onion straws, buttermilk ranch, and pickles, with waffle fries), extra side of mac and cheese, hazy double IPA
Innie: Single Baldwin Combo (80/20 brisket and tri tip blend, American cheese, Smash sauce, sauteed onions, and pepperoncinis, with waffle fries), beer
DK: Double Baldwin Combo, beer
Wayne: Double Western Combo
II. Burgers
Our experience with the burgers was pretty mixed. Many of us found the patties to be dry, overcooked, and just burnt in general while others thought that theirs were fine. I also found my burger to be cold, as if it had been sitting and waiting to be ordered, but Angela and Trevor really liked theirs, saying that it was a really good western-style burger with the way everything was balanced. Trevor particularly liked the onion straws.
Innie and DK thought that their burgers tasted mostly like their condiments, which was the only thing keeping the burgers from being too dry. DK said that he wished his burger had more pepperoncinis; Innie said she didn’t even notice any in hers, and after some deliberation, we think that it’s possible that they accidentally gave her a classic smash burger instead of a Baldwin.
III. Sides
Everyone thought that the waffle fries were just ok, and just like with my burger, I thought that mine were really cold while others described theirs as “not hot.” Several of us thought they lacking seasoning; I usually eat fries without using ketchup or other dipping sauces, but I felt like I couldn’t eat these without ketchup because of lack of flavor.
On the bright side, the mac and cheese was praiseworthy according to Angela. It was was super cheesy and the morsels of Cheez-Its on top added a nice crunch.
IV. Misc
Everyone liked their beers; Trevor said his was the best double IPA he’s ever had. The outdoor seating isn’t a great experience when it rains, with tables that are too close to the edges of roofs and parts of the ground that get flooded with puddles that you need to walk through. They have their own small parking lot but it doesn’t hold that many cars. The women’s restroom was pretty much out of soap while we were there.
Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, Dec 9, 2023 at noon (Innie’s Pick)
Members in attendance: Trev, Angela, Innie, Wayne Member(s) not in attendance: DK
DK
Special Guest: Chris Y.
I. Ordering Trev and Angela PS Burger – Double patty with cheese, griddle onions, pickles, special sauce The Founder – Double patty with cheese, raw onions, pickles, YELLOW MUSTARD, ketchup
The PS BurgerThe Founder Burger
Innie and Chris The Founder + Jalapenos Pastrami Burger – Double patty with swiss cheese, pickles, special sauce and smoked brisket pastrami Chilli Cheese Fries
Chili Cheese Fries
Wayne PS Burger + Jalapenos Plain Fries
II. The Burgers The burgers were very beefy/meaty with a good sear and good smash. For each smashed patty there was a super melty slice of cheese. Personally I felt it was too much cheese but I’m generally in the minority when it comes to any matter that involves “processed milk products”
The PS Burger has direct comparisons to Pier Burger, Shake Shack, and Win-dow in that it has an ooey gooey bun in a good way. It was also connected to one side similar to Easy Street Burger. And if you’re lucky enough to get the half of the burgers with the pickles it’s an excellent burger. What I’m saying is the distribution of the condiments could have been better. Construction may be suspect, everything was cooked perfectly including the grilled/carmelized onions. Overall it’s very filling and hefty and punches above it’s weight by looking at it.
The Founder burger was also very good. It reminded me of a really great version of the classic McDonald’s cheeseburger. Maybe it was named after the movie The Founder?
Pastrami burger was forgettable. It was good-ish and definitely not great. The pastrami was slice a-la Johnny’s Pastrami style
III. The Sides Tots were very crunchy! As we sat down at our bench, the previous people had left us an entire boat of tater tots. Score! Waiting tots are almost as good as bag fries. They were super crunchy.
Fries were also excellent, they were thicker than shoestring but still had a very satisfying crunch and seasoned nicely.
IV. Miscellaneous We ate in this little cozy patio towards the back. The space was pretty small and had 3 picnic style benches. You can also opt to eat on the side walk on tiny tables. It’s located in the quiet part of a beachy town and feels like a locals favorite spot. It didn’t feel TOO busy when we were there.
Water is self service with cups and water tank dispenser. There’s also a small but nice selection of wine and beer.
The bathroom is very small, you can’t even open the door all the way.
Like most beach towns, parking is mostly metered.
V. Value I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $13. So we thought the pricing was pretty spot on.
VI. The Verdict Everyone loved their burgers except me. I didn’t find the “IT” factor but on paper there really wasn’t anything wrong.
Trev – 3.0 Angela – 4.1 Wayne – 4.2 Innie – 4.2
Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, Jan 20 – Villains Brewery in Anaheim
Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, October 14th at 12p.
Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, and me (Innie).
Special guest: Marissa
Special canine: Molly
I. Ordering
Bun and Blanket has a pretty extensive menu that includes a variety of smash burgers, stuffed burgers, and vegetarian/vegan options. The smash burger is offered as a single, double, or triple patty, and comes with American cheese, pickles, grilled and raw onions, and ketchup and mustard. The stuffed burger offerings consists of the Gogi-Gooey (bulgogi-stuffed), Quesabirria (braised beef), BBQ pulled pork, and Cali Juicy Lucy.
Trev and Angela ordered a double smash burger ($10.50) with lemon pepper fries (+$3.50 as a combo), and a Quesabirria stuffed burger ($15).
Quesabirria stuffed burger
Wayne ordered a triple smash burger ($13.50) with plain fries (+$3).
Triple smash patty burger
DK and Marissa ordered a single smash burger ($7.50) with an add on of spicy jalapeno relish (+$.50), and Birria fries ($15).
Birria fries
I also ordered a single smash burger with spicy jalapeno relish and a side of lemon pepper fries.
Molly barked out an order of a single puppy patty ($5).
II. Burgers
The burger patties, at least on this day, didn’t have the lace skirt that we love to see on smash patties. DK had scouted this location a few times before the meeting and mentioned that they usually have a great sear and smash. In fact, it was one of the things that caught his attention during his previous trips, and had inspired fond memories of the legendary lace on the Region burger in Chicago. Maybe they were rushed on the day of our meeting, or (our preferred theory) the person manning the grill was feeling too zen and couldn’t muster the anger to smash the patties to lacy perfection.
The inclusion of mustard in the smash burgers was something that we all noticed and really enjoyed. We discussed how most mustard-forward burgers that we’ve tried tended to remind us of McDonald’s burgers in composition, and this one was no exception. The B&B smash burger tasted like a superior smash-pattied version of a McDonald’s double cheeseburger. We particularly enjoyed the abundance of pickles in this burger versus it’s McDonald’s counterpart. The generously dispersed pickles in the Bun and Blanket burgers were far more enjoyable than McDonald’s 2 miserly slices of, in DK’s poetic words, “late stage geriatric pickles”.
DK and I both added jalapeno relish to our single smash burgers, and we agreed that it had a great balance of spiciness and flavor. It was hard to discern what exactly the relish was made of (besides jalapenos of course), but DK thought it was akin to a salsa verde without the cilantro.
We all ordered some variant of the smash burger (single/double/triple), but we all were satisfied with our personal choices of meat to burger ratio.
The Quesabirria burger was a whole different animal than the smash burgers. It was a thick burger patty that was stuffed with braised beef that had been marinated with with ancho and guarillo chilis, and topped with pepperjack cheese, cilantro, onions, radish, salsa, and Mexican crema, and served with a side of consomme. Angela said that the birria was good, just underseasoned. The burger really needed to be dipped in the consomme/au jus to give it flavor, but that also made the burger soggy. The pepperjack cheese also tasted underwhelming and nondescript. What was impressive, however, was that the patty still managed to have some medium rare parts, and both Trev and Angela thought that stuffing the meat inside made the whole burger much less messy to eat.
Meat encased in meat would be Ron Swanson approved
Molly, who has been watching her cholesterol, brought some oatmeal to eat, and supplemented it with a puppy patty (5 oz of unseasoned ground beef). She was so happy with her patty that she had no words.
III. Sides
The texture of the fries generally held up well, and stayed crispy throughout our meal, although Wayne’s fries were a bit too well done, and were crunchy rather than crispy. We really liked the flavor and novelty of the lemon pepper fries, which bordered on the cusp of being overly salty, but were addicting in a potato chip kind of way.
The Quesabirria fries had some of the same issues as the burger. The birria was again underseasoned, and needed the consomme to be flavorful. In addition, the fries couldn’t really hold up to the heft of the toppings and became soggy very quickly. The cheese that accompanied the Birria fries was an improvement from the pepperjack cheese in the Quesabirria burger, and was a lot gooier and more savory.
IV. Miscellaneous
Bun and Blanket is a permanent food truck at the Paperback Brewing Co. The brewery had some tasty beers, although their offerings are heavily skewed towards IPAs (in case that is or isn’t your preference). The tasting room is a large hangar, with an insulated roof and large open doors. There was a decent amount of seating, but they filled up fairly quickly as our meeting progressed. As we left, our seats were quickly snapped up by waiting patrons. Because of the open doors and possibly the heat of the day, we noticed some flies hanging around. It also did start getting pretty warm towards the end of our meeting, despite the insulated ceiling.
The truck was scheduled to be open at 12p that day, but ended up opening closer to 12:30p. We didn’t mind much since we were in good company, but it may be something to keep in mind if you’re on a tight schedule. After ordering, the food came out in a very reasonable time. Parking is available on the street.
V. Value
Here are the value and ratings that were given by the crew:
Innie: 3.5, $10
Trev: 4.1, $8.99
Wayne: 3.8, $13
Angela: 3.1, $10
DK: 4.0, $11
VI. Verdict
We had a great time at Bun and Blanket! Your experience may vary depending on the company you keep, but the burgers were well-priced and satisfying, the beer was tasty, and the ambiance was chill. Great choice by DK!
Next Burger Crew meeting is scheduled for Saturday, 11/11 at Easy Street Burgers, with a special appearance by Sumana and Will!
Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at noon (Wayne’s Pick)
Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C. Slider members in attendance: Ellis d.-Y. and Lucy Y. Special Guests: Chris Y. and Marissa G.
I. Ordering Their standard burgers are just that: standard. They come with fresh angus beef, American cheese, district sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, seasoning on a sesame gourmet bun. You have the option to do a ground turkey, veggie, or vegan patty as well, and you can do a letuce wrap. Not sure what that is? Maybe a small amount of lettuce (thus the single t)? 🤷🏽♀️
They also have some pretty intense looking specialty burgers.
Trevor and I ordered a Double ($10) + bacon (+$2) Combo (+$5 – comes with fries and a drink). And we got a single burger for Ellis that we asked for plain.
Look at that bacon!!
Chris and Innie got a Double ($10) with jalapeno spread (+$1) with fries ($5 – fresh cut Kennebec potatoes).
Wayne was Wayne and got a specialty burger called the threefle ($13) – 3 beef patties, American cheese, truffle mushroom, caramelized onion & garlic truffle aioli (not pictured because Wayne is sheisty with his pictures).
Lastly, DK and Marissa got a Double ($10) with jalapeno spread (+$1) and egg (+$1) and cheese fries!
Cheeeeeeeeez
II. The Burgers In true Wayne fashion, the burgers were unhinge-your-jaw big. I typically like doubles because of the good meat-to-bun ratio, but these were huge! I had originally been eyeing the threefle because of the delicious sounding toppings, but was worried about the triple patty. I’m glad I didn’t go that route because I already had trouble eating the double!
The meat was oooookay. It was a rough grind and cooked more medium well. It was still juicy, but chewy. Seemed like perhaps there were frozen patties being used. It wasn’t overwhelmingly beefy despite the volume of meat.
Perfectly medium well 🤨
The burgers came out hot and fresh. The toppings were good! The cheese was cheesy and gooey. The sauce was saucy. I didn’t hate the tomato in my burger (which is saying a lot since I usually think tomatoes completely water down most burgers); even DK forgot to give his tomato to Trev! 😯 The jalapeno spread was jalapeno-y and gave the burger that hit of acid and kick of spice (for those of you who like a little pain with your burger).
I love me a sesame seed bun and these buns held up well to the copious amounts of beef and juice and toppings.
III. The Sides The french fries were excellent. We had a spirited debate over whether these fries should be considered shoe string. We have submitted a request to the Council of Potato Cutters to review our case. I’ll post an update once I get a reply.
DK said the cheese fries were really good. It tasted more like mac-and-cheese cheese instead of American cheese or nacho cheese.
IV. Miscellaneous Burger District LA is located in the fashion district so it’s a bit of a cluster F to get there and find parking. The location itself was cozy (read: small) with limited seating and didn’t have air conditioning, which does not bode well for us moving forward in the age of climate change and record-setting heat.
They had very interesting art and loud music. So it was kind of like eating burgers at a rave gallery with no AC.
Service was very friendly. They gave us plenty of napkins for these juicy burgers. And they were pretty quick (despite signs reminding patrons to be patient since good food takes time).
V. Value I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $11.50 to $15. So we thought there was a good value with these big mouth burgers!
VI. The Verdict Burgers are good for those looking for a value and for those who appreciate a fine sesame seed bun The ratings: 3.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 4.3
Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, September 9th at noon – Plaid Sheep Grilled Cheese Bar – Long Beach.
Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 11am Central (8th stop in our Burger Crew Does Chicago trip).
Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)
Special Guests: Marissa, Chris, Will, and kiddos
Ordering
Slagel Farms Beef Burger ($24) with caramelized onions on a house potato bap (aka bun) with chips and a dill pickle [ordered by Angela/Trevor, Innie/Chris, Marissa/DK, Wayne, Will/Sumana]
Pancakes with maple syrup and house bacon ($16) [ordered by Innie/Chris]
Seasonal Quiche with a side salad ($16) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]
House Pork Bangers and Mash with cider onion gravy and roasted garlic ($21) [ordered by Will/Sumana]
Burgers
Patty: thick/tall patty; all ordered medium-rare; the patty was not consistent- it would be partially seared, sometimes dry ; most of the crew did not like the beef and thought it was more like a meatloaf
Bun: the top bun was toasted, but the bottom bun got very soggy
Toppings: generally people liked the caramelized onions, which were very flavorful; a pickle spear came on the side so it wasn’t something we could easily add to the burger
Most of the crew thought this burger was a letdown, especially with all the amazing burgers we had on the trip.
Sides/Non-Burger Foods
Chips: the fries were good, crispy, hot, and came with an aioli that people liked
Pancakes: soft and sweet; the side of bacon was thin and crispy
Quiche: good, but the side salad was a weird mix of ingredients
Bangers and Mash: hearty and delicious
Drinks: coke came in a can; drip coffee was good
TIP: Since this place specialized in British pub food, I would recommend ordering those specialties and checking out their beer selection!
Miscellaneous
They were able to accommodate our large party at one table/area even though we originally made three separate reservations through their online reservation system that had party size limits.
High chairs are available.
There are two restrooms.
We were one of the few groups in the restaurant, but it took a long time to get the food.
Since we had some kiddos, we had asked for their food (the pancakes) to come out first, but even though we followed up to ask for the food, it ended up taking a long time and came out with the rest of the food for the whole table.
Value
$12, $12, $13, $16, $18, and I abstained Average value = $14.20
The Verdict
2.2, 3.0, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6, 3.6 Average rating = 3.17
Although the burger was the lowest rated burger of our whole trip, it’s sad to hear that Owen & Engine closed down permanently on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. This marks the end of a 14-year run for their restaurant.
This was our last stop in our Chicago trip! Til’ next time, crew!
Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 8:30p.
Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Sumana, and me (Innie).
Special guests: Chris, Marissa, and Will
Petit hamburger au fromage: Lucy
I. Ordering
The Loyalist has 2 burger options: The Classic Cheeseburger (smash patty, onion gastrique, special sauce, potato bun with side of frites) for $25, and The Loyalist OG Cheeseburger (pickled and charred onion, sesame bun with a side of frites) also for $25.
The Classic burger. Photo credit: AngelaThe Loyalist OG burger. Photo credit: Wayne
Trevor and Angela shared the Loyalist OG burger for their main course, finishing with a dessert course of the Classic burger. Sumana ordered both the Classic and Loyalist (for science). DK, Wayne, and I all ordered the Loyalist. Wayne also supplemented his meal by appropriating a bite of Sumana’s Classic burger.
II. Burgers
Both burgers were amazing in their own rights.
The Classic was smash patty style burger that really lived up to its name and delivered on its description. The members reported a great smash, with crispy sear and edges, and a good balance of savory richness and acid. Wayne declared it to be the peak McDonalds cheeseburger experience, and Sumana agreed that it was thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable. The potato buns had a good chew. The sauce was thousand island style, and it balanced well with the pickled onions.
The Loyalist OG burger came with a thicker patty, still with an impressive sear, and great beefy flavor. The Loyalist (the establishment, not the burger) really delivered on the meat quality, because we all agreed that the patties here were top notch. The Loyalist (the burger, not the establishment) was very rich, but in a satisfying way, much like the famous Au Cheval burger. The Loyalist burger may have even had a step up on Au Cheval, having more pickle and acid to balance the richness of the meat. The sesame buns had multiple rounds of compliments, having a nice, chewy texture and lots of sesame seeds. The chive onion aioli was delicious and added a great depth of flavor. Angela and DK really liked the pickles, which was surprising since they were sweeter than their usual preference.
Neither burger had any lettuce or tomatoes, but no one seemed to miss their absence.
As for which burger was better, that discussion may rank as one of our S-tier disagreements in Burger Crew history (alongside our other long standing Pickle Preferences and Bacon Doneness disputes):
Trev chimed that the Classic was being overhyped.
Sumana thought the Loyalist was a bit too mushy in texture and preferred the crispiness of the Classic, but DK thought the mayo, cheese, and thickness of the Loyalist’s patty combined to be mushy in a satisfying way.
Wayne had a bite of Sumana’s Classic before eating his Loyalist and wished he had gotten the Classic instead.
Angela thought the Loyalist was meatier in flavor than the Classic.
As the documentarian of this review, and having enjoyed only the Loyalist burger without point of comparison to the Classic, I ate some proverbial popcorn and watched the brawl unfold.
Actor portrayal of the Classic vs Loyalist discussion
Angela posited that there could be an order effect in place that was causing the division amongst our ranks. Trevor and Angela both had the Loyalist first before having their Classic, and much preferred the Loyalist. Wayne and Sumana, who preferred the Classic, tasted that burger first. It really gives credit to the establishment that they created two completely different burgers that magically made everyone fall for the first bite they had.
III. Sides
The fries (“frites”) that came with each burger were of the double-fried Yukon Gold variety, and were very good. They stayed crispy long into the meal, which is always appreciated. They came served with the same onion aioli that is spread on the Loyalist OG burger.
IV. Miscellaneous
The Loyalist served us some well crafted cocktails, and we loved the cool vibe of the restaurant and bar. It seems like a great chill counterpart to its fancier Michelin starred sister restaurant upstairs. They even have a dart room, as observed by Sumana during a quick stroll.
The service was awesome, both by our server, Judy, and who(m)ever was working the reservations. We originally had 2 smaller, separate reservations held by Angela and Sumana due to the limited offerings on Open Table. However, Angela received a pre-reservation questionnaire from the restaurant, which included a question asking if any special event was being celebrated. Angela commented that we were a group of friends travelling from Los Angeles to eat burgers, and that her party was with the Sumana group. They were able to combine the two and sat us all together in a large booth. It’s nice to see that they listen to all those questionnaire responses and try to accommodate based on the responses!
Small Cheval, the secondary location of Au Cheval, is the next block over, making it an opportune place to have a dessert burger!
V. Value/Ratings
The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers and what their ratings were.
Me: 4.2/ $15
DK: 4.0/ $17
Wayne: 4.5/ $13
Sumana: 4.3
Trev: 4.9/ $17
Angela: 5.0/ $20
Chicago is serving up a great batting average of amazing burgers! Next stop, Owen & Engine.
