burgercrewLA

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at noon.

Members in attendance: Angela d. (hey! that’s me!), Trevor Y., Dennis, K., Wayne T., and Innie C.

Guest: Christian Y.

I. Ordering
Trev and I split the BKB Burger ($13) – Brioche, millionaires bacon, cheddar, tomato red onion, arugula, house aioli . Wayne got that burger as well. However, Trev and I got ours without cheese and substituted the brioche for sour dough since I’m on a bit of a dairy hiatus right now.

Innie and DK both ordered the The Firehouse Burger ($13) – Brioche, blistered chile relish, swiss, caramelized onions, baby greens, horseradish aioli.  You know these Koreans like their spicy burgers! They ask how spicy you want it (spicy, medium, or not spicy), which is basically determined by how much jalapenos they put on the burger.

All burgers come with either fries or a salad. We all opted for the fries.

II. The burgers
When we ordered, they asked us how we wanted our burgers cooked and we all said medium or medium rare. Unfortunately, all the burgers came out well done. However, the meat had a wonderful meaty flavor that’s been lacking in the last many meetings and they actually seasoned the patty! Huzzah! Despite being over cooked, the patties were still pretty juicy. They also had a nice heft to them. So we were thoroughly impressed with Brew Kitchen Bar’s meat (minus the over doneness).

The toppings were all pretty good. Wayne said his cheese was nice and melty. We all liked the bacon. Wayne’s was limp and undercooked (as he likes it), and Trev and mine was nice and crunchy (the way we like it). The bacon also had a nice sweetness to it! Perfect! The BKB burger had raw red onions in it that added a nice crunch and sweetness. There wasn’t any acid in the burger, but we surprisingly didn’t miss it. The burger was nicely balanced.

The Firehouse burger, on the other hand, was not as spicy as Innie and DK would have liked. The relish was cooked jalapeno relish, which mellows out the heat. The greens were a bit wilty and the jalapenos were too soft. There needed to be more texture in this burger.

The brioche buns were sweet and fluffy. I was really happy they were able to accommodate my no dairy request. The sour dough was really good! It was nice and toasty and actually went well with the burger.

III. The Fries/Sides
The fries are thick cut and likely double fried. The came with a “nori” seasoning, which was pretty sad green dust. It definitely could have used more salt! I am not a fries + ketchup eater (I prefer my fries untainted), but when there isn’t enough seasoning I douse those bad boys with ketchup (which is what I had to do here).

IV. Miscellaneous
This place is pretty cool. They have a fun vibe with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor patio is really nice, dog friendly, with a giant tv that you can watch sports on. They have a decent beer selection. They have open seating, so you order at the counter and they give you a number. The staff is great and were really accommodating with my dairy thing. This place is Asian-ish. They had soju drinks, Korean wings, and other subtle nods to an Asian background. They are located off of a busy street so it’s a bit noisy, but they have their own parking lot! When you park, and you walk up, you can smell the beef! Yum!

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for the burger they ate. We would pay anywhere between $10 to $11 for these burgers (sans fries), which means at $13 (including fries) there pretty accurately priced.

VI. The verdict
Definitely the best meat we’ve had in a long time. They would have been amaze-balls if the meat was cooked medium rare. The ratings: 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 3.8, 4.0.

Next burger crew meeting: November 10th at noon (Angela’s choice). Location: Eureka! in Cerritos, CA.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, Sept 16, 2018 at 12pm (Trevor’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d., Trevor Y., Wayne T., and Innie C.
Members not in attendance: You know the one.

I. Ordering

Trangela: Double bacon burger with chili fries
Innie: Lava burger with zucchini fries
Wayne: Colossal burger with onion rings

II. The burgers

The burgers were very meh. The patties were very thin, so thin that Innie’s tomato slice was twice as thick as the patty. The patties were also dry with not much beefy flavor. It reminded Angela of burgers that you would get at a backyard party. The lack of pickles in the burgers was also noticeable. Everyone liked the buns, which were gooey and sweet, and the thousand island sauce was good. The bacon was crispy, and the pastrami in Wayne’s burger was not bad for pastrami in a burger. Innie’s burger had pickled jalapenos, which she enjoyed but they weren’t distributed evenly around the burger.

III. The sides

Ranch was necessary for the onion rings and fried zucchini because they were unseasoned. The zucchinis were too thin to retain enough zucchini flavor. The onion rings were nice and crispy but also very thin. The chili fries were ok; the chili itself was of the pasty variety and not too salty.

IV. Miscellaneous

The stand has no indoor seating, only covered seating outside, and we were constantly harassed by flies. There were many cars taking advantage of the drive thru so it seems like a popular place for picking up food. Restrooms were also only outdoors. The menu didn’t have descriptions of the burgers, only their names, so it’s not immediately apparent what’s inside of each burger.

V. Value

As far as how much everyone would pay for the burgers that they ordered, it ranged from $2.50 to $4.50, so as far as value goes, the burgers were slightly overpriced in our opinion.

VI. The verdict

The ratings out of 5 ranged from 2.2 to 2.3, so everyone was pretty consistent in their disappointment. Thicker and beefier patties would’ve helped immensely.

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday August 12, 2018 (Innie’s Pick).

Members in attendance: Trevor Y., Innie, C., Dennis K., Angela D., Wayne is in Europe galavanting.

I. Ordering

Beggar Burger $13

6 oz grass fed fed patty, apple wood bacon, fried egg, cheddar, fried onion & jalapeno, garlic aioli, brioche

Burrata Burger $12.50

Grass fed Angus, burrata cheese, basil pesto, tomato, red onion, arugula, jalapeno aioli, toasted brioche

II. The Burgers

The meat tastes grass fed.  Typically corn fed beef tastes beefier.  The bacon was excellent.  The aioli was really flavorful.  The fried jalapeños were not spicy but it gave good flavor.  Overall the burger had great textures with great balance between creamy and crunchy.  The fried egg was slightly runny.

The Burrata Burger was described as “different.”  The flavor profile was good.  The cheese adds creaminess, the pesto was good, but the beef was a bit out of place.  This sandwich might be better with a different protein like chicken.

No love for the buns here.  Too thick and messed up the bun/meat ratio.

III.  The Fries/Sides

The lemonade is pulpy and tarty.  It will make you pucker up.

The dirty fries has flavorful/salty gravy.  Lots of gooey melted cheese on top.

We preferred the regular house chips over the bbq house chips.

IV.  Miscellaneous

The table next to us ordered the last elote.  We didn’t get to try it but it looked good.

Small dining area.  Seat yourself and order at the counter.  The service was friendly and there was a little station to the side to get yourself water and napkins.

Parking is only available on the street in the local neighborhood.

Nice selection of hot sauces

The baby slept the entire time.

We would like to come back and try The Cure off of the breakfast menu.  Fried chicken with pan gravy, fried egg, caramelized onion, served on biscuits.

V. Value/Rating

We value the burgers between $9.50 and $12.50 and gave the following ratings out of 5 – 3.3, 3.2, 3.0, 3.1

 

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, July 22, 2018 at 12pm.

Members in attendance: Angela d., Trevor Y., Wayne T., Dennis K., and myself (Innie C.)

Guest: Marty d. (princess of Burger Crew royalty)

I.  Ordering

There was only one burger on the menu, the M&G Burger (7-oz Angus ground chuck, caramelized onion, roasted garlic, relish, cheddar cheese, sambal aioli, acar pickles, French fries), which was $15.  We were able to cook our patties to order (medium rare or get out).  Angela and Trevor shared a burger and elected to get theirs with no cheese.  The acar pickles and French fries were served on the side.

II.  The Burgers

We all agreed that the burgers were very juicy, with a good sear and texture.  The patties were rough grind, thick, and hand-formed**.  The crew speculated that because of the juiciness, the fat ratio was probably around 70/30.  However, the high fat content didn’t really contribute to a meaty-tasting flavor.  We all felt the patties could have benefited from more seasoning as well.  Angela/Trevor and Wayne’s burgers were cooked closer to medium rare, as ordered, but Dennis’ and my burger were a solid medium.  Wayne felt that his patty was too seared, approaching burnt in some spots.

**Insert inappropriate and indulgent “That’s what she said”

The cheddar cheese was wonderfully melty and gooey, and didn’t distract from the patty.  The onions were caramelized and nicely seasoned.  The bun, which our server informed us was brioche, was toasted and held together well while we ate.  The sambal aioli looked and tasted a lot like thousand island.  (As a self-proclaimed spice hound, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of kick that is implied by the mention of sambal.)

Although there were acar pickles included in the menu description, they were not in the actual burger (they were all served as a side).  The pickles consisted of cucumber, shallots, radish, and julienned carrots lightly pickled in a slightly sweet and mild vinegar, and were tasty when eaten by themselves.  However, eating them with the burger didn’t add the necessary acid, tang, nor flavor that was needed to contrast the fattiness of the meat.  A more traditional pickle in the burger construction would have also helped by adding a crunch to an overall uniform texture.

III.  The Fries/Sides

The fries were delicious!  The thick cut fries were double fried to nice golden color and well-seasoned with course salt.  One of the best parts of our meal.

IV.  Miscellaneous

The restaurant is a part of a corner strip mall, shared with a Kogi taco place, a pizzeria, and a yoga studio, and the small parking lot gets packed.  However, there is another row of additional parking in a lot directly behind the restaurant.  The beer selection was limited, but had some good choices available.  The staff was attentive, and our waters were refilled regularly.  All the burgers took a pretty long time to come out, with Angela/Trevor’s coming out quite some time after the rest of the crew received their burgers.  Music selection was good, although the general atmosphere of the place was a little loud.  They have a happy hour menu (Monday – Friday 4-7p), that includes the burger ($12 instead of $15) and $2 off drinks.

V.  Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.  We would pay anywhere between $9 to $12, which makes the price for the meal a bit on the high side since it’s regularly priced at $15 (including fries).  The happy hour price, however, could make it good deal!

VI.  The verdict

Overall, the burger had potential, but some key elements were lacking.  The ratings were 4.0, 3.6, 3.3, 3.7, 3.6

 

Next burger crew meeting: August 12, 2018 at 12p.

Location: Trencher, Echo Park (Innie’s choice)

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sat. June 30, 2018 at 11am.

Members in attendance:

• Angela d.
• Trevor Y.
• Wayne T.
• Dennis K. (authored this review)
• Innie C.
• Marty d.

Guests:

• Christian Y.
• Jeannie K.
• Kyle C.

I. Ordering
Glee offers a nice spread of 17 burgers of which 12 are beef-based. Orders are taken at the counter and they accept cash and credit.

• Angela and Trev ordered the Bacon Double Cheeseburger ($6.00).
• Wayne and I ordered the Soft Shell Crab Burger ($11.00).
• Innie ordered the Aloha Burger ($9.25).
  
• We all got our burgers Stinkin’ Burger Style ($1.25).

Our newest member, Marty, chose not to eat for her first meeting. It’s okay (even Wayne kept his cool) because she comes from strong burger bloodlines and will have red meat flowing through her veins in no time. Please join us in welcoming her as she starts her burger journey! (As Jeb Bush said that one time, “please clap” 👏👏👏.)

II. The Burgers
These are classic mom-and-pop style burgers in a family-friendly setting. The patties are on the thin side, cooked well done over a flat top and could have used more seasoning and a better sear. For those of us who went single patty, the beef got lost in the mix (cue: world’s smallest violin). Double patty sure seems like the way to go; Trev and Angela thought theirs had great flavor.

Most of the burgers are served on brioche buns from La Jolla Bakery. The crew appreciates solid buns and these were great. Buttery and chewy (“al dente”, if you will) with the insides lightly grilled. On point!

It seems like some of their specialty burgers were more about being bold than adding interesting ingredients that complement the stuff that’s already in the burger. The bacon in the Soft Shell Crab burger, for example, during post-meal both Wayne and I forgot it was even in our burgers, and that’s the only time the two of us have ever agreed on the bacon situation (a Burger Crew first). It was either lacking in flavor or there wasn’t enough to compete with the crab and Stinkin’ sauce (which to their credit was a kickbutt combo).

Also, I don’t have a place for this, but the egg on the Aloha Burger was well done. That’s a cardinal sin!

Overall, the burgers were a good size but lacked the fundamental qualities of an amazing burger. It’s a good spot for getting your weekly burger fix but not somewhere you’d take friends for an A+ burger experience. We recommend getting Stinkin’ Burger Style for extra flavor and in hindsight, one of us should’ve taken one for the team to taste what their burgers are like without it. If there’s a next time, perhaps.

III. The Fries/Sides
Most everyone ordered Cajun fries because coordinating is hard. Wayne went rogue and ordered regular fries. The batter added a nice crunch that’s always appreciated. The fries were served with a “secret” sauce and while it didn’t stand out, it wasn’t bad either.

IV. Miscellaneous

• Good sized parking lot in a strip mall (free).
• First-timers get a free donut. Their generosity is off the charts.
• The Breakfast Burger should be cross-listed under Burgers. Angela found this disturbing and she’s still waiting for an apology.
• Plenty of of seating. Mix of booths and free standing tall tables.
• Sad to say, the Coke fountain drink tasted off. Not bad, just off.
• Ketchup and other sauces are in a self-serve mini fridge. Get the ketchup out early if you don’t like chilled sauce.
• One of the employees looked like our co-founder Sumana.

V. Value
The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.

Bacon Double Cheeseburger + Stinkin’ Burger Style
Trev: $9.50
Angela: $10.00

Soft Shell Crab Burger + Stinkin’ Burger Style
Wayne: $14.00
DK: $15.00

Aloha Burger + Stinkin’ Burger Style
Innie: $10.50

VI. The Verdict

• Trev: 3.6
• Angela: 3.8
• Wayne: 3.8
• DK: 3.5
• Innie: 3.4

Next burger crew meeting July 22nd at noon (DK’s choice). Location: SECRET

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 11am (Trevor’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d., Trevor Y., Wayne T., and Innie C.

Members that picked work over burgers: Dennis K.

I. Ordering

Angela and Trevor ordered the Tavern burger ($14.50; medium well due to the parasite growing inside of Angela) with a side salad, plus an additional order of garlic fries ($7). The Tavern burger comes with St Andre triple cream brie, Dr. Pepper caramelized onions, arugula, ketchup, and garlic aioli.

Innie ordered the Brutal Burger 2.0 ($15; medium rare) with a side of chips. The Brutal Burger 2.0 comes with pepper jack, romaine, red onion, grilled jalapeno, avocado, brutal sauce, and mojo verde.

Wayne ordered the Black & Bleu burger ($14.50; medium rare) with a side of chips. The Black & Bleu burger comes with Shaft’s bleu cheese, black pepper bacon, arugula, and horseradish mayo.

II. The burgers

Angela and Trevor said that their burger was very sweet due to the Dr. Pepper. They felt that the pickle included with the burgers was crucial to balancing out the sweetness of their burger, which also lacked saltiness. Innie felt that the burger was monochromatic in flavor; it was a good level of spicy for a Korean person, but it might be too spicy for non-Koreans, and she felt that the spiciness was mostly just added heat rather than added flavor. The arugula and red onions also pushed the spiciness of the burger over the edge. Wayne enjoyed his burger but said that the bleu cheese was the standout flavor of the burger rather than the burger itself. He did enjoy the bacon in his burger, which was chewy (his preferred bacon texture), thick, and peppery. Everyone generally enjoyed the patties, although Angela said that their patty was only seared around the edge. The buns were gooey with a good chew and they held up to the juices of the burger.

III. The fries

The garlic fries were AMAZING. Huge garlic flavor, even on the fries without garlic chunks. The Dodgers need to copy these fries and sell them in the stadium. The fries were quite crispy and seemed to be double fried. They came with two sauces: one jalapeno sauce and one horseradish sauce that were both good.

IV. Miscellaneous

Service was great and attentive; our waitress even warned Innie that the Brutal Burger 2.0 might be on the spicy side depending on your tolerance. The chips that came with our burgers were made in-house, which is a nice fresh touch. The restaurant is on 2nd Street in Long Beach, so parking can be hard to find. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, and seating was easy at 11am on a Saturday. They have a good beer selection, and the restaurant was featured on Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives if you want to take a trip to Flavortown.

V. Value

Everyone was pretty much in agreement as far as what we would pay for our burgers, which was between $9-$10.

VI. The verdict

We thought that the burgers were pretty good for the most part, with the following ratings: 2.5, 3.0, 3.2, 3.7.

Next Burger Crew meeting: May 12, 2018 at noon (Wayne’s choice). Location: fundamental DTLA, Los Angeles.