This is a streamlined review of Softies Burger in Los Angeles.
Angela and Trevor got the Crispy Shroom burger with tots, Innie got an Aji double, DK got both an Aji single and Lil Softie with loaded fries, and I got an Aji double with fries.
Crispy Shroom burger: Angela and Trevor were divided, with Angela liking the burger itself and Trevor not liking the burger but liking the fried enoki mushrooms as a standalone food item because the stringiness of the mushrooms doesn’t lend itself well to being a faux burger patty. Angela thought it had good flavor with great battered crunch and didn’t think it was too stringy, but as a single “patty” burger, the patty to everything else ratio was off. Trevor wished the pickled red onions were more pickled to give the burger more acid. Angela said the burger was a good idea for a vegetarian burger but she wouldn’t get it again.
Aji burgers: Everyone thought the aji sauce was really good and that there was a good amount of pickled jalapenos that provided a nice kick and crunch for the burgers. The patties on their own weren’t the most amazing patties but the burger as a whole was greater than the sum of its parts and everyone really liked the aji burgers, including Angela and Trevor after finishing the rest of Innie’s burger.
Lil Softie: Just meat, cheese, and buns. Less of a flavor bomb than the aji burgers but more burger-y on a basic level. The patty was thicker than the aji’s and the meat/cheese/bun ratio was good even for a single.
Tots: Hot and crispy. Great tots.
Fries: Also hot and crispy with good potato flavor. They had a lot of seasoning but could’ve used more salt.
Loaded fries: Basically the fries form of the aji burger, with patty, cheese, aji sauce, and jalapenos. A little heavy on the seasoning and DK wouldn’t get them again if he was also getting an aji burger, but it was otherwise good.
Misc: No fountain drinks, self-serve water, parking at USC Village, plenty of indoor/outdoor seating.
Scores/Value:
Angela: 3.7, $14
DK: 4.1, $13
Innie: 4.6, $16
Trevor: 3.2, $8.50
Wayne: 4.2, $12