burgercrewLA

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. 

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.

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.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, July 8 at 11am (6th location – Burger Crew Does Chicago)

Members in attendance: Angela d., Trevor Y., Sumana S., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider members in attendance: Marty, Lucy
Guests: Chris Y., Marissa G.

I. Ordering
The menu at The Region is in desperate need of a Trader Joe’s chalkboard artist. You’d never guess that this small, arguably-hole-in-the-wall type establishment would serve some of the best burgers in Chicago, and perhaps one of the better smash burgers in the country… side. Almost got carried away there.

Here’s what we ate:
– Trev and Angela ordered the Single Cheese ($10.50) with bacon (+$2.50) and grilled onions (+$0.50) with a side of fried pickles ($8.50)
– Sumana ordered the Diggity Dos ($15.75) with bacon (+$2.50) and insanity (+$1.00)
– Wayne ordered the Diggity Dos ($15.75)
– Innie ordered the Single Cheese ($10.50) with a side of fries ($6.95)
– I ordered the Single Cheese ($10.50) with jalapenos (+$1.00)

II. The Burgers
These burgers stole our hearts. Cooked to order, just like back in our homeland. The patties were stretched to their limits and the resulting meat skirt, lace, whatever you want to call it, was crispy, caramelized, beef candy.

We asked our dear friend Ron Swason (not ChatGPT!) to write a review of their burgers and here’s what he said on the voicemail that we, in our shortsightedness, have since deleted:

"Son, I recently tackled a burger that was nothing short of a meaty rebellion. The patty, wide as a barn door, threatened to overshadow the buns entirely. It was so crispy you could hear the crunch echo through the wilderness, and hotter than a campfire on a chilly night. But here's where the burger gods failed us – the cheese. It was scarcer than a vegetarian at a butcher shop. If you want a burger with a side of adventure and don't mind taking matters into your own cheese-loving hands, give it a shot. Just remember, real men bring their own cheese to the party."

It’s true. The burger does need more cheese.

III. The Sides
Innie ordered the fries and said they were just okay. Obviously, in Chicago we were nowhere close to France, so expectations were low going in.

As for the fried pickles, well we asked a pickle expert:

Eh, what's up, doc? So, I tried these fried pickle spears, and, you know, they're a real hoot! Crispy on the outside, like a carrot after a workout, and inside, it's pickle pandemonium! But here's the trick, folks, you gotta be as patient as a tortoise racing a hare, or else you'll end up with a mouthful of pickle juice hotter than Yosemite Sam's temper. So, be vewy, vewy careful, and enjoy your pickle adventure, pal!

IV. Miscellaneous
There are like maybe ten seats inside. There’s a patio too which I’ve heard is great when the AQI is 100 or above. The higher the number, the better… always. The staff was very patient with us; the guy taking our orders answered the same questions over and over because we didn’t game plan enough amongst ourselves. And there are a couple of cold spots inside — look for the vents if you want to avoid the arctic winds.

V. Value
I asked the members how much they would pay for their burgers. The responses ranged anywhere from $9.00 to $16, slightly below their prices. Gotta love inflation and corporate greed. Oh wait, we’re supposed to leave on a positive note!

VI. The Verdict
If you’re looking for a pretty little thing wearing an oversized meat skirt, look no further. The ratings: 3.8, 4.1, 4.4, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8

Next stop: The Loyalist

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Friday, July 7th at 5:30pm (5th location – Burger Crew Does Chicago)

Members in attendance: Angela d. (that’s me!), Sumana, S., Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and Innie C.
Slider member in attendance: Lucy Y.
Guests: Will G., Chris Y., and Marissa G.

I. Ordering
They only have 1 burger on the menu: Mott Burger (until 7pm) $18 – sweet potato shoestrings, hoisin aioli, pickled jalapenos, dill pickles, miso butter onions, american cheese. + $2 to add egg

Collectively we ordered 5 burgers. They also have a ton of great looking food there, so we also got 2 orders of the crispy chili cauliflower $19 (sweet & tangy sauce, Szechuan peppercorn, coriander, bean sprout salad), brussels sprouts $15 (lamb pancetta, maple brown butter, peanuts), char siu pork belly $26 (braised & sauteed in chinese style bbq, sweet soy, five spice, kohlrabi greens), and drinks (lychee paloma freeze, beer, listen to your elders, and a salted lime soda + gin).

II. The Burgers
The burgers were a great mix of sweet, salty, and savory. This is truly an umami burger. There were a lot of interesting ingredients, but nothing too overwhelming where it no longer had that burger essence.

The default burger comes with two patties (my kind of burger), and had a good meat-to-bun ratio. The patties had a good sear, but there was a little variance in terms of doneness (Wayne’s was more medium whereas ours was more medium rare).

The burger held together well and had a nice texture to it. The bun was crunchy in a good way. The cheese was properly gooey. The onions were yummy. The hoisin added an interesting note without being too overpowering. The yams added a nice crunch. And the jalapenos added a nice heat while the pickles brought the acid. I love the one-two punch of the pickles AND pickled jalapenos!

III. The Sides
All the other food was also amazing, but not if you’re watching your wallet. Trev thought the brussels sprouts were the winner, but the cauliflower was also excellent! The peanuts on top of the brussels sprouts were kid approved 👍🏽The pork belly was also legit, but hard to split among friends.

IV. Miscellaneous
So this place is fancy (read: expensive). When making reservations, parties of 5+ require a $10 deposit per person. Eek! So with such a large group, we divvyed up the reservations among 3 people. Thankfully, they were gracious and allowed us all to sit together. They give you a 90 minute limit for your reservation and there is a 20% large party gratuity automatically added. Parties of 8 or more usually need to do a prix fixe menu with a deposit so that the kitchen can handle to volume (or so we’ve been told).

They have indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor had a great patio vibe to it. The burger is only available until 7pm so make sure to come early if you want to enjoy this burger.

They are kid friendly (had a high chair for Lucy and gave her a kiddie cup). And on a separate note, they are also parent friendly with stiff drinks 🥂

*Side note: Trev and I stayed in Chicago a while longer with the family and so we all went back to Mott Street for the Chef Menu ($188) and it was incredible.

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $15 to $17. So we thought they were a smidge overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Inventive burger. Well balanced. Good meat. Great toppings. The ratings: 3.6, 3.9, 4.1, 4.3, 4.3, and 4.5

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Saturday, July 8th at The Region at 11am for some smash burgers!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on July 7, 2023.

Members in attendance: Angela, DK, Innie, Sumana, Trevor, Wayne, and special guests Chris, Lucy, and Will

I. Ordering

Gretel only has one burger on their menu, the Gretel Griddle Burger (two patties, white and yellow American cheese, red onion, garlic aioli, pickles), which comes with a side of fries or you can substitute a side for $2.

Angela/Trevor: Burger and fries (asked for burger cooked medium rare)
Innie: Burger and fries
Sumana/Will: Burger and fries along with an additional side of mac & cheese (bacon, scallions, bread crumbs) and a Phil’s Last Dog (charred Vienna beef, mustard, onion, relish, tomato, pickle, sport pepper, and celery salt)
DK: Burger and grilled carrots (harissa and sorghum)
Wayne: Burger and blistered shishito peppers (kewpie mayo, togarashi, fried garlic)
Chris: Prime Rib French Dip (baguette, horseradish aioli, au jus) with fries
Lucy: Pork gyoza (garlic, scallion, soy)

II. Burgers

Trevor’s immediate impression of the burger was that it was very “neat,” as in clean to eat; Sumana said that it held together very well. The burger’s two patties stayed distinctly separate while biting into it, as opposed to other multi-patty burgers where texturally they might as well be one larger patty. Innie likened the burger to an upscale Big Mac and everybody agreed on the similarities to a Big Mac, like the double patties, sesame seed bun, the spread, the pickles, and the overall taste. The patties were very meaty and well-seasoned, with a good amount of chew to them.

As far as how the burgers were dressed, DK appreciated the fact that the burger had both white cheddar and American cheese slices. Innie mentioned that her burger had a lot of mayo; when she cut hers in half, a bunch of it oozed out. Our working theory is that because the pickles were so thick, they created extra voids in the burger construction for mayo to fill. Aside from working as mayo importers, the pickles were a hit with everyone, both because of their thickness and their flavor, and the red onions provided another welcome contrast. The buns held up well and the fact that they had sesame seeds was also appreciated.

III. Sides

Mac and cheese: Sumana said the mac and cheese was amazing. It didn’t use traditional elbow macaroni for the pasta and instead used corkscrew/fusilli pasta, which provided a lot of areas for the cheese to go in. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the bacon in it was perfect.

Shishito peppers: These were also very good, and as is always the case with shishito peppers, most were sweet while some were randomly spicy, but not in an overwhelming way. They had a good char on the outside from the blistering, and the kewpie mayo dip was a great accompaniment.

Fries: Most of us felt that the fries were largely average, not bad but not great. They were shoestring and single-fried. There wasn’t much else to say about them.

Carrots: DK said that the carrots must have been grilled for a long time because you could just fork right through them. He didn’t care for the sorghum on top of the carrots, which were similar to popcorn. The harissa sauce that came with them was a good mix of being spiced without being overwhelmingly spicy.

IV. Misc

Everybody who ordered alcohol loved their drinks, and if you love your soda, they offer free refills on sodas. The atmosphere/lighting of the restaurant is a little dark but it gives it a cool vibe. As we had previously encountered in Chicago, the restrooms were seemingly unlabeled, as in you would never know which rooms were the restrooms without either being told or just trying to open doors. The burgers didn’t come out as quickly as we had previously experienced at the earlier Chicago restaurants, which isn’t to say that they were slow, but just not as typically fast as we had come to expect in Chicago. Our waitress was very friendly and she even offered to split the check for us because she had been keeping track of who ordered what.

V. Rating/Value/Verdict

Angela: $14, 4.0
DK: $18, 4.4
Innie: $17, 4.0
Sumana: 4.7
Trevor: $13, 4.3
Wayne: $13, 4.1

Next Burger Crew meeting is at Mott St for dinner!

Members in attendance: Angela, Wayne, DK, Sumana, and Trev
Special guest: Marissa and Will

I.  Ordering

Little Bad Wolf was our third stop for burgers in Chicago. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was a late night burger after an amazing night of drinks/snacks and Magic at the Chicago Magic lounge less than a mile south. I (Trevor) was about 5 cocktails deep by time we left the lounge so my memory can be hazy. Little Bad Wolf was dark inside and had the vibe of a bar/nightclub where the floors felt like they’re still sticky from the night before from all the spilled drinks. Even though we didn’t have reservations, they were able accommodate our large-ish group quickly in a spacious oversized corner booth where we proceeded to order.

Wayne, Sumana and Will split the Bad Burger and the Wolf Burger with fries

Angela and Trevor split the Wolf Burger with the house side salad with house dressing

DK and Marissa split the Bad Burger with fried onions, fries and side salad

II. Burgers

The crew noticed that it’s common for burgers in Chicago to have some sort of horseradish based sauce on the burger. We were pretty split if this is a good or not. So depending on your tastebuds, I’m happy/sad to report that this burger does NOT have horseradish. However I’m very happy to report that the burger was very rich (similar to Au Cheval) which usually leads to a very messy burger. I felt the burger was too salty but the crew had agreed that the beefy patty was nicely seasoned and seared. As can be seen in the picture above the fried onions were a huge hit. The mountain of fried onion smashed down nicely and gave a very satisfying crunch to each burger bite. Lastly and sadly the bacon in the Wolf Burger was too chewy even to our resident “chewy bacon” lover Wayne.

III. Sides

The fries were hot hot hot and fresh! Again I felt it was too heavy handed with the salt.

The side salad was just fine… if you’re there get the fries over the salad.

IV. Miscellaneous

As mentioned in the intro, the restaurant had night club feel which means it was dark and very loud but also open late. The servers were very friendly and the food came out quickly.

No labels on the bathroom doors! This is not the only establishment in Chicago that did this. We’re sensing a trend.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $13 to $21 so the burgers were priced on the higher side.

VI. Verdict

Our scores were 3.9, 4.3, 3.6, 3.9, and 3.8.  Very respectable rating with an average rating of 3.9. Surprisingly, this is the second lowest ranked burger of our trip. If visiting Chicago and you have less than 7 meals, we can recommend 7 burgers that is better than this place. However, if there’s room for an 8th meal or more and that burger itch just needs to itched one more time, perhaps come to Little Bad Wolf… or repeat something else.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Friday, July 7 at Gretel which is a restaurant that shares the same owners as Little Bad Wolf.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 3pm Central (2nd stop in Burger Crew Does Chicago Trip).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)
Special Guests: Will, Marissa

2. The Burgers

• Patty: thicker than the usual smashed patty that are generally very thin and crispy; texture of the meat was a rougher ground, was chewy, and had a good sear
• Buns: good and soft
• Toppings: nice cheesy, saucy spread; some people got a lot more horseradish in their burgers and some did not get much at all; pickles were excellent- thin, crispy, and flavorful
• Kansas City Burger: This was the July Thursday Regional Burger that was available every Thursday in July 2023. BBQ sauce took over the taste of the meat of the patty. Would recommend getting this if you enjoy BBQ sauce but don’t get this if you want to taste the meat of the patty.

TIP: Since the pickles came on the side, you can decide to put them in your burger, use it as a palate cleanser between burger bites, or eat them a la carte.

3. The Sides

• Pickled buffalo cauliflower: had a light tempura-like batter; everyone enjoyed these
• Drinks: large selection of craft beer; the various drinks re got were refreshing and delicious all around!

4. Miscellaneous

• Street parking
• Very close to the L/CTA station
• Ambiance: large open seating areas with great décor; a type of place where you can bring a laptop and work during the day and then hang out with friends or have a casual date night in the evening
• They have a shelf of board games that groups can borrow and play
• Order at the food counter (not the bar)
• They will send a text to you when your food is ready to pick up at the counter
• Super fast service at 3pm on a Thursday
• Online ordering is available for delivery, curbside pick-up or pick-up inside

5. Value

$9, $12, $13, $13.50, $14, and I abstained
Average value = $12.30

6. Verdict

3.2, 3.6, 4.0, 4.1, 4.1, 4.4
Average rating = 3.9

A solid burger at a fun location! Definitely a place to check out if you’re in the area!

Next stop, Little Bad Wolf.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Thursday, July 6, 2023, at 11a.

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Sumana, Wayne, DK, and me (Innie).

Special guests: Chris, Marissa, and Will

Burgermeisters-in-training: Marty and Lucy

It was three long years in the making, but Burger Crew finally made it to Chicago!  From the time we initially planned on making Chicago our annual burger destination trip back in 2020, the crew collectively went through a global pandemic, the births of 2 burger crew babies, the addition of a burger crew pup, a lots and lots of (local) burgers.

Au Cheval was the inaugural burger of the 2023 Chicago Burger Crew trip, and it came with high expectations. Of all the hyped burgers in the city, Au Cheval likely has the longest history of rave reviews.  It was on our radar back when we initially planned out our 2020 trip, and we were relieved that it survived the restaurant industry’s rough waters amidst the pandemic.  We all arrived eager to eat and ready to share our war stories of flying into Midway. (Let’s just say that some of the crew were blessed to fly with the Han Solo of Southwest pilots, and some of us were not.  A detour to Minneapolis and 3 extra hours on a plane later, the rest of us arrived; tired, hungry, and ready to eat some burgers!)

I. Ordering

Au Cheval keeps a pretty tight list of burgers on their menu: single cheeseburger and double cheeseburger.  For reasons I still don’t quite understand, the “single” is 2 patties, and the “double” has 3.  Apparently, this is a “diner style” of patty mathematics, but I hadn’t heard of it before.  Perhaps the Midwest is just more generous with their meat products than us Californians are.

A single cheeseburger sets you back $14.99, while a double is $16.99.  Optional add-ons are bacon ($6.99) and egg ($2.99).

Trev ordered a single cheeseburger with both egg and bacon. Angela ordered a gluten free single cheeseburger with bacon, which substitutes the buns with hash browns.  Wayne ordered a double cheeseburger, DK ordered a single with bacon, Sumana ordered a single with bacon and a double, and I ordered a single with bacon.

II. Burgers

It’s easy to assume that the star of a burger is always the meat/patties, but I think the beauty of Au Cheval’s burger was how every component balanced and worked with each other.  Each element was delicious in their own subtle way, but the sum tasted even greater than its parts.

The patties were juicy, rich, and nicely seasoned.  Each patty delivered a great sear, with little crunchy bits of browned beef between the patties. (Credit to Sumana for that revelatory way of interpreting a good sear!) There was a slice of melty cheese for each patty, which really amped up the richness and indulgence of the burger.  The buns were slightly sweet and toasted on both the tops and bottoms, which stood up really well to the juiciness of the patties.  No soggy bottoms here!

Angela’s GF version of the burger came with an impressively thick slab of hashbrowns instead of the buns.  The potatoes were finely grated, fried golden brown, and had a texture similar to crispy rice. Angela thought they were a great option for those who needed to avoid gluten, but much preferred the buns.  She also noted that the gluten-free version seemed to have much less burger sauce than the gluten-full counterpart.

Moving on to add-ons, the candied bacon was thickly sliced and caramelized with a sweet glaze.  The sunny side up egg had the perfect level of yolk doneness, where it added creaminess without running all over.  Trev noted that the egg’s whites were the exact diameter of the burger.  Nice attention to detail by Au Cheval!

DK’s burger had too much mayo/dijonnaise.  Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for DK, the rest of us didn’t notice the same issue. 

III. Sides

The fries were crispy, light golden and seasoned well.  They were served with a side of mayo, which prompted some of the crew to compare them to Belgian frites.  All in all, solid fries to accompany a solid burger.

IV. Miscellaneous

Au Cheval does not offer reservations, and all members of the party must be present before they seat a group.  We didn’t have much of a wait since we went on a Thursday morning, but long lines are common for this A-lister of a burger.  Bathrooms were clean, and the beer list was good.  What more could anyone ask for?

V, Value

Here are the value and ratings given by the crew:

Me: $16/4.2

Trev: $18/4.8

Angela: $16/4.0

Wayne: $17/4.7

DK: $18/3.8

Sumana: 4.8

VI. Verdict

On the last day of our Burger Crew Chicago trip, Trevor asked all of us what our favorite burgers were. I didn’t have a definitive answer then, but thinking back on it, I think Au Cheval was my top pick of the Chicago burgers.  It was a great location to start off our long awaited Chicago tour, and (spoiler alert) was the first of many great burgers on the trip!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on June 4, 2023.

Members in attendance: Angela, Innie, Trevor, and Wayne

I. Ordering

Angela/Innie: Chori Dream (chorizo smash burger, sous vide 60 min egg, dream spread,
pickled jalapeño, butter toasted martin’s potato roll)

Trevor/Wayne: Supreme Dream (Thicc bacon, smash chorizo burger, sous vide 60 min egg, dream spread, American cheese, pickled jalapeño, sliced avocado, butter toasted martin’s potato roll)

Trevor also added a potato smash patty to his Supreme Dream.

II. Burgers

The reason that everyone got burgers with chorizo patties was because they had run out of beef patties by the time we got there even though we were there by noon. This was an ominous sign of how Breakfast Dreams runs their operations…

Regarding the burgers we did get, the first thing that everyone excitedly agreed on was that the sous vide eggs in the burgers were amazing. The yolk was runny but was thicker than other traditionally runny egg yolks (like sunny side up), so it didn’t make a mess in your hands while eating the burger. The chorizo patties were smashed, which gave them a nice crisp on the outside, and they held up surprisingly well because when I watched them being smashed, some of them seemed to be splitting apart, but in the assembled burgers they were fairly intact. We suspect that they were made entirely out of chorizo because it was very flavorful the way that you would expect chorizo to be, but it also wasn’t overly salty like you might expect a purely chorizo patty to be. We couldn’t imagine what the burgers would taste like with regular beef patties because the combination of flavors worked so well together with the chorizo patties.

Everybody also liked the pickled jalapenos and dream spread that was in all the burgers. There was also a hot sauce on the side that was spiced but not overly spicy with a short, mild burn. The buns were also a hit with nice soft texture and sweet taste. The burgers were also deceptively small, meaning that we ended up becoming more full off of them than we thought we would be based on how they looked.

For the Supreme Dream burgers, the avocado added a nice creaminess, and the thicc bacon was cooked perfectly with a nice chew to it. Trevor thought that the potato patty (which was like a crispy hash brown) that he added to his burger was a must, but Angela wasn’t a fan of it, thinking that it diluted the otherwise perfect construction of the burger.

III. Sides

There were no real sides to be had. Breakfast Dreams only really offers additional toppings for the burgers, like avocado, double bacon/chorizo, or the potato smash patty.

IV. Misc

It took FOREVER for us to get our food. If you come to a pop-up for Breakfast Dreams, don’t plan to eat for an hour after you place your order.

Everybody put in their orders around noon, and despite what seemed like no significant crowds, we didn’t get our last order until 12:50, so it took nearly an hour for them to complete all of our orders. While I was standing by their booth waiting for our orders to be called, it seemed like they were only sending out one assembled burger every five minutes (I wish this was an exaggeration), and when I was watching them put the patties on the griddle, they were only using half of the griddle space. The only time that I saw them use the entire griddle space was when they needed to cook more bacon, in which case they filled the other half of the griddle with bacon. Apparently that half of the griddle is only for cooking bacon…

While the patties were cooking, they would only lay out the ingredients for one burger at a time (like the buns with everything else but the patty). The logical thing to do would be to lay out multiple orders with everything but the patties so that they could just put the patties on and serve the order, but instead they would put a patty on one burger and then wait to assemble the ingredients for the next burger sequentially. It was actually pretty infuriating to watch considering how long we had to wait. Also, besides running out of beef patties, they were also close to running out of buns. I don’t understand how either of those two things could happen considering how slowly they serve their food.

Other miscellaneous for this particular event (which was some kind of off-roading swap meet) was that parking was a little hard to find, and there was also nowhere to eat so we ended up eating in the back of Trevor and Angela’s car, but these were unique to this event so who knows what other Breakfast Dreams pop-ups are like.

V. Rating/Value/Verdict

Wayne: 4.1/$13
Trevor: 4.8/$15.50
Innie: 4.6/$10
Angela: 4.2/$14

Everyone really enjoyed their burgers and if we were to judge Breakfast Dreams strictly on the burgers we got, they get very high marks. However, their questionably slow business operations annoyed everyone immensely. Hopefully they can get their sh*t together and churn out burgers at a respectable rate.

Next Burger Crew meeting, we’ll finally get to go to Chicago in July after many false starts and delays!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 12pm (Innie’s Pick).

Members in attendance: Angela, Innie, Wayne, DK, and Trev
D-League Members: Marty, Ellis
Special guest: Marissa

I.  Ordering

Trophies is an unassuming burger shop off of Fairfax sandwiched between an Israeli Market and a Ice Cream Shop that happens to sell sneakers. It’s the kind of shop where you walk in and the person taking your order is also likely the same person that’s making your burgers. Speaking of burgers, they have a very simple menu. Angela and Innie ordered the single Trophies burger and Wayne opted for the double meat version of the same. Dennis ordered the Spicy BBQ and I got the classic burger. And lastly, Marty got the hot dog.

II. Burgers

My classic burger was a spot on clone of the McDouble from the golden arches with better (and probably fresher) ingredients. Although the classic burger had regular onions (which were excellent) instead of dehyrdated onions. This is both a blessing and curse since the burger was delicious, I can also get something that’s 80% same for a fraction of the price.

On theme with cloning, the Trophies burger was described as a In’N’Out double double clone. It has a nicely toasted bun, two finished patties, shreddice, and a dijonnaise sauce.

The pickles on the burger were house made and very good. Our Korean contingent self proclaimed experts of anything pickled said Trophies Burger Club “nailed it” with the pickles as Angela exclaimed “Just PICKLE IT!” *for more than 15minutes.

Lastly the Spicy BBQ burger was the only burger that comes with bacon. The bacon was pressed and thick. It was cooked to not be chewy but also not shatter on bites. The chopped chillis are reminiscent of the ones In’N’Out serves when asked. Overall, the spicy bbq was great! In the past most bbq burgers are slathered with so much sauce that all other flavors are lost. Trophies burger club seemed to have found the right balance of bbq sauce to enhance the burger instead of hide. Well done!

III. Sides

Fries and Shakes.

Fries are excellent, well seasoned and both crunchy and fluffy. Served pipping hot and stay crunchy through to the end of the meal.

I ordered a strawberry shake and this one hit the spot! There are giants chunks of strawberry at the bottom of the cup that was the perfect end to the drink.

If hungry, I highly recommend both sides.

IV. Miscellaneous

The shop is fairly small and narrow. An entire wall has cushioned seats with a few tables that accommodate larger groups and the opposite walls has a few high tables for people eating solo or with one other person. They seem to cater to both folks that dine in and take out. The food is ready shockingly quick which is great especially if you don’t have 15m to wait around for a burger. Beware if you need to use a restroom. They don’t have one and will direct you across the street to the Dave’s Hot Chicken. Your conscious will let you decide if you need to buy anything from Dave’s for using the restroom (i.e. a bottle of water). And per usual, this part of Los Angeles has difficult parking. There are limited spots on Fairfax and good luck hunting for a parking spot in the neighborhoods without requiring a parking permit.

After binging on salty goodness, I highly recommend walking a block north on Fairfax and grabbing a coffee at Brain Dead Studios. It’s a single movie theater with a coffee shop in the back. There’s a great outdoor patio to just relax and unwind.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $5.50 to $12 so the burgers were priced fairly especially being in LA.

VI. Verdict

Our scores were 4.1, 3.8, 4.4, 3.6, and 4.1.  Very high ratings with an average rating of 4.0. In the sea of participation trophies this one stands a bit taller than most.

Trophies Burger Club serves up very thoughtful burgers. They’re cooked with a great sear and just walking into the club the smell is perfect and unforgettable. Ratios are great opting for either single or double versions of each burger. If I’m ever in the area, I’m definitely stopping in and grabbing a burger.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Sunday, June 4 at the pop up Breakfast Dreams.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12pm (DK’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trev, Wayne, DK, and me, Innie
Next gen Burger Crew: Marty, Ellis
Special guest: Marissa

I.  Ordering

Moo’s Craft Barbeque offers 2 different burgers on their BBQ-centric menu: Thicc Smoked Burger and Rampart Thicc Chili Burger.  The Thicc Smoked Burger (house made dill pickles, signature aioli, smoked patty , American cheese, thinly sliced onions on a potato bun) is offered daily for $16.  The Rampart Thicc Chili Burger (Smoked Prime Brisket Chili Cheese Burger: yellow mustard, scratch made dill pickles, smoked patty, american cheese, diced onions, topped with Texas Chili on a potato bun) is available only on Friday – Sunday for $17.  The lines at this restaurant can get pretty long, so we all ordered in advance on their website to pick up right when they opened on Saturday (more on that later…)

All of us ordered the Thicc Smoked Burger with “sides” various BBQ accouterments.  

II. Burgers

These patties indeed live up to their Thicc moniker. These were hefty beef patties, possibly sous-vided from how tender they were.  The seasoning was very peppery and reminded us of the kind of flavor you’d get from a pastrami.   

There wasn’t much of a sear on the burger, and although the tenderness of the meat was impressive, we missed the texture and flavor from the maillard reaction we get with a good char.  There were thinly sliced onions and some pickles but the overall texture was a bit too soft and uniform for our preferences. The richness of the burger would have benefited from more acid, and the softness of the patty and bun could have been nicely offset with more onion, pickle, or anything that added a crunch factor.  

III. Sides

There were fries on the menu, but this place was all about the BBQ.  When in Rome, forget the fries and go for the smoked meats.  I’m pretty sure that’s how the saying goes.

Between the group, we sampled their pulled pork, Korean sticky glazed pork belly, and the brisket.  Their pulled pork was pretty standard, but the brisket was our favorite.  The Korean sticky glazed pork belly was fatty and juicy in all the best ways, and the glaze was super flavorful; sweet, tangy and slightly spicy.  In true Asian fashion, Angela said it would be pretty incredible with some rice.  And if that’s not Asian enough, I suggest adding some kimchi to that mix.

Besides the BBQ, the group also ordered the Fritos pie, esquites (Mexican street corn), and the mac and cheese.  The Fritos pie was as salty and rich as expected and delivered on its promise to be a satisfying vehicle for cheese, chili, and sour cream.  Trev thought there was some spice in the esquites (possibly jalapenos?), but Angela disagreed.  The mac and cheese was deemed fantastic, and was super cheesy with a nice crust.

IV. Miscellaneous

There is both indoor and outdoor seating available.  The line for ordering can get pretty long depending on the time of day/week.

We did collectively order in advance for pickup to avoid the long wait times, but incorrectly assumed that there wouldn’t be a problem eating our orders onsite.  Our intrepid leader, DK, was approached two different times by individuals working there and was told that it was highly discouraged, since they were generally too busy to accommodate takeout orders onsite.  In short, not a recommended hack to save time (unless you actually do take it to go!)

Parking wasn’t too difficult, and we all managed to find neighborhood parking around the corner from the restaurant.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $13 to $17, with an average of $14.80, a little less than their actual prices.

VI. Verdict

Our scores were 3.3, 3.6, 3.8, 4.2, and 4.5.  A few of us liked the Thicc burger more than others, but we all agree that you can’t lose with the BBQ (particularly the brisket!)  Super fun and interesting find by DK!

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Sunday, May 21, at Trophies Burger Club.