Author: Innie Chung

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 11:30am (DK’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela, Trev, Wayne, DK, and me, Innie
Special guests: Marissa and Chris
Burger Crew progeny: Marty and Lucy
Burger Crew, Canine contingent: Molly

Preface: Season 2 of The White Lotus has taken over all available real estate in my head. I’d like to give a fair warning that there will be a number of absolutely unnecessary references to this show throughout this review, and while I have the self awareness to know that this show has no relevance to a burger review, non me ne fotte!

That said, on with the review!

I . Ordering

The menu at Spoke has a smorgasbord of breakfast and lunch options, ranging from fancy toasts, to breakfast sandwiches/burritos/tacos, to salads and sandwiches and burgers. There are vegan and non vegan versions for several of their dishes, and they offer gluten free bread upon request. We all ordered the one non-veggie burger option on the menu (Spoke Burger, $15: grass fed California beef, vintage cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, green lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, picked onions, special sauce, soft griddled bun), medium rare. Angela made some allergen-related modifications, opting for their gluten free bread, and no cheese or spread.

II. Burgers

The beef patties here are hefty, definitely not the popular smash patty that seems ubiquitous for most of LA’s burger places (not that we’re complaining). For most of us, the patties were cooked perfectly medium rare and were very juicy. While the sear could have been better, the beef was tender, almost crumbling. DK suspected that the patties may have been grilled in butter. Unfortunately, Angela had the sole overcooked patty among our orders, even though she also ordered it medium rare.
The choice of cheese was a bit disappointing. They opted to go with an aged cheddar, which tasted too funky and distracted from the burger. DK commented that they “got too cute with the cheese” and would have been better off with American.

The buns were very thick, and were sliced so lop-sidedly that we thought that they may have been hand cut by a small child. They were grilled, and aside from their mysterious asymmetry, served their purpose to hold together the burger just fine. Angela’s gluten-free option in place of the buns were toasted slices of GF bread. She rated them as okay; not an ideal swap since they weren’t burger buns, but were a passable substitution that held up surprisingly well.
The “special sauce” was not particularly notable, but wasn’t lacking either. It was a good, standard, tangy sauce that complemented the richness of the burger patty. DK, Trev, and I really enjoyed the thinly sliced pickled red onions, which weren’t too sour and added a nice crunch. The applewood smoked bacon was thick and crispy (but not brittle), and impressively satisfied both sides of the “chewy vs crunchy” bacon factions of the crew (i.e., Wayne vs everyone else). The heirloom tomatoes were very fresh.

III. Sides

The waffle fries were nice and thickly cut, with a perfect crispy exterior and fluffy insides. We all thought they were the ideal waffle fries: seasoned well, crispy, potato-y, and satisfying. Angela’s side salad was very much like a steakhouse salad, and had onions, tomatoes, and a vinegar-based dressing. Angela thought the dressing was very tart, but added that the tomatoes were really good.

IV. Miscellaneous

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, this cafe was very busy. The parking situation was a bit of a pain, and since this cafe is located right along the LA river bike trail, it may be better to just bike. The line to order was very long, but there is always an option to order via their website (which most of us opted to do once we saw the wait). There’s a large, covered outdoor space with several long picnic-style tables, and they filled up pretty quickly on such a busy day. Their beer selection was limited, but seemed well curated and had various styles of craft beer. The coffee connoisseurs of the crew collectively ordered a cappuccino, an espresso, and a mushroom “coffee”, and gave them solid approvals (with the sole exception of their decaf). The one downside we experienced was that there were a lot of flies, but that’s probably just a unfortunate factor stemming from being located right next to the LA river.

The cafe is also a bike shop that also rents out bikes. The vibe here is very fun, relaxed, and overall really enjoyable. The cafe was also very accommodating for Angela’s allergen-related requests, which included the need for gluten, soy, and dairy-free modifications.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $10 to $13.50, so we would have expected to pay less than the actual price of $15.

VI. Verdict

Very cool find by DK! Spoke Bicycle Cafe seems to be a very LA spot in the best of ways, and seems to be well appreciated by the local crowd. The ratings from the crew ranged from 2.8 to 3.6, with most of the ratings skewing on the higher end.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held at Stand-Up Burgers on December 10, 2022.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to bopping to the bass drop from the White Lotus opening credits.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 11am.

Members in attendance: Trev, Angela, Wayne, DK, and me, Innie.

Special guests: Marty, and the newest member of the Burger Crew Junior League, Ellis!

I. Ordering

The menu at Bixby has all the classics, with hamburgers, cheeseburgers, double cheeseburgers (dubbed the Bixby Double), a variety of hot dogs, and french fries.  They also offer chili cheese fries and dogs.  A nice surprise was an additional seasonal menu of Texas style barbeque, with a special menu item for every Saturday of the summer.

Angela and Trev shared a Bixby Double for $5, a Long Beach hot dog (chili, mustard, onion) for $4.25, and a smoked sausage sandwich.  Marty, DK, and I all ordered a cheeseburger for $3.75, and Wayne ordered a Bixby Double and a smoked sausage sandwich.  DK also had an order of chili cheese fries.

II. Ordering

The burgers had a very classic backyard-burger vibe.  The patties tasted fresh, but were fairly thin, and looked to be the standard pre-formed patty seen in most fast food joints.  Also, even though they were cooked on a griddle, none of us really noticed the kind of good sear we love from flat top-cooked burgers.  The cheese was the quintessential gooey American, and tasted great with the spread and raw onions.  The buns held together well, although the group all agreed they were on the dry side.  Resident tomato aficionado, Trev, approved of the tomatoes, and said that they reminded him of In-n-out.  In fact, Trev thought the whole burger made a good In-n-out clone, but he was the solo member with that opinion.  

As for the non-burger items ordered by the crew, the hot dogs were a huge hit.  The sausage had an impressive snap and flavor, if just a bit too salty.  Angela and Trev noted that the hot dogs were split and grilled on the flat top, and thought the chili, onion, and mustard were great additions.  The buns for the hot dogs also shared the same dryness as the burger buns.

On the other end of the moistness spectrum was the BBQ sausage sandwich, which was the specialty BBQ item of that weekend.  The sausage itself was delicious, but was unfortunately drowned in a volume of BBQ sauce that turned the sandwich into a pretty wet mess.   (To be fair, our order had to survive a 15 minute drive to our final destination, so that probably did not help with the sogginess.)  The BBQ sauce was good, so our suggestion would be to just order it on the side to add a little more control over the moistness (wetness?) of your sandwich.

III. Sides

The fries in the chili cheese fries were a little on the thick cut side.  While they were nice and fluffy on the inside, the outside could have benefited from being crispier.  DK even tried some fresh after he received his order and noticed they weren’t particularly crispy.  The cheese was nicely melty and the chili had pieces of very tender beef that reminded DK of Chipotle’s steak.

IV. Misc

Bixby Classic Burgers is a little stand in the corner of a lot shared with a 99 cent store.  Apparently, the area is called Bixby Knolls, hence its name.  The exterior is very charming and inviting, and has a great old school retro vibe.  There are a couple of outdoor tables and benches available if you’d like to eat your burgers fresh.  We think we may have had our orders taken by the owner and/or manager, and he was super friendly.  I also noticed that he really took care while packing our orders and he seemed to take a lot of pride in the food.

The parking was plentiful, at least around the time we went (11a on a Saturday).  According to their signage, they are open Monday through Saturday, from 10a to 6p, and are closed Sundays.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers.  Our answers ranged from $3 to $10, with an average of $6.20.

VI. The Verdict

Overall, a cool neighborhood burger place for our members who live in the area!  Our ratings for Bixby were 2.8, 2.1, 4.0, 3.2, and 3.3.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held at Hangry Belly in Long Beach on July 16th.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, December 12th, 2021 at 12p.

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

Special guest appearance by Marty, burger scion.

Burger Crew has a few ongoing burger hot topics.  Dill versus bread and butter pickles. The optimal bacon doneness. Tomatoes… friend or foe?  However, there are other subjects that have historically been hive-mind gospel.  American cheese is best cheese. Griddle > grill.  And of course, plant-based patties do not compute as acceptable burger material. 

But… times are changing, and the crew is game for the ride!  Burger Crew is officially reviewing its first vegan establishment!

I. Ordering

Nomoo’s entirely vegan menu includes 2 burger options: the nomoo and the BBQ ‘Facon’.  Both have the choice of being ordered as a single or a double patty.  The nomoo consists of a brioche bun, ‘nomoo x Beyond’ patty, American Cheeze, pickles, onion, tomato, and lettuce (single: $7.95, double: $9.95).  The BBQ ‘Facon’ has a brioche bun, housemade bacon, secret BBQ sauce, fried onion strings, ‘nomoo x Beyond’ patty, and American Cheeze (single: $8.45, double: $10.75).  The menu also includes a hot chicken burger, “wings” (fried mushrooms), handspun shakes, and sides of fries ($4.25) or salad.

Wayne, Trev, and Angela all ordered a double BBQ ‘Facon’ with fries.  Trev also ordered an Oreo milkshake.

DK and I both ordered the double nomoo, with DK adding bacon to his burger for an extra $3.

II. The Burgers

Let’s get right to the meat of the matter and talk turkey about the Beyond patty.  For the members of the crew who have tried Impossible patties, the consensus was strong that the Beyond patty didn’t quite measure up.  Angela commented that the Beyond patty has a distinct “pea protein” taste that the Impossible burger doesn’t have.  The texture for the Beyond meat was softer and was comparatively more mushy as well, but no one had any real beef with that.  The sear was pretty impressive, with Wayne comparing his to a smash patty, and with mine having some distinctly crispy bits.  Angela, Trev, and Wayne all thought the BBQ Facon was too salty, perhaps due to the barbeque sauce.  DK and I thought the nomoo burgers were seasoned the right amount.

The American Cheeze was unexpectedly close to the flavor and gooeyness of the real stuff.  Vegan cheese has a pretty bad rap, but the texture of this cheeze was melty and melded nicely into the burger patty.  The taste was not quite as savory as real American cheese, but it was overall a surprisingly good substitute.

The ‘facon’ was far less impressive. It was somehow neither crispy nor chewy, and while it didn’t detract from the burgers, it didn’t add anything either.  It was basically a non-ingredient.  Save the $3 add-on if your burger doesn’t already come with it, and spend it elsewhere. (Spoiler alert: don’t spend your savings on a milkshake.)

The real MVP of the burgers was the nomoo sauce.  At first glance, it seemed like a standard thousand-island-style sauce, but the nomoo sauce was just better. I don’t know what they put in it, but it was flavorful and tangy, and easily my favorite part of the burger.

The veggie accouterments were all very fresh. The tomatoes were thinly sliced, sweet, and not at all mealy.  The chopped red onions provided a nice crunch, as did the pickles. The butter lettuce made for a pretty picture, but didn’t bring much else to the game.

The buns were toasted and held up to the job. Not quite the gooey buns we tend to love, but still soft and blended well with the rest of the burger.

III. Sides

I always respect a burger establishment that can deliver a good fry, and this place did not disappoint.  The fries here were delicious; double fried and well seasoned.  They stayed crispy throughout the whole meal, and were still tasty when cold.  The cute copper baskets they were served in didn’t hurt either.

On the other end of the spectrum, Trev’s handspun Oreo cookie milkshake was all sizzle and no steak.  Trev thought that it tasted as if the person who made it didn’t know what an Oreo shake was, and then made that concoction into a Diet version.  Between the alternative milk, and the freeze-dried texture of the oreo cookie bits, Trev rated his experience a negative 2 out of 5.

IV. Miscellaneous

There was both outdoor and indoor counter seating available, and space heaters were set up in the outdoor patio area.  The crew met up at the start of their business hours and noticed that it was fairly busy the whole time we were there.  Bathrooms are for customers only and were pretty clean.  The fountain drinks are of the fancy sort (“Tractor Organic” brand), and according to their menu, can have CBD added for a $2 upcharge.  Free parking wasn’t too hard to find in the neighborhood, with a 2 hr limit on the weekend.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. The answers ranged from $8.50 to $12.50, with an average of $11.

VI. The Verdict

The ratings from the crew were 3.4, 2.3, 3.0, and 3.3.  

Next Burger Crew meeting scheduled for Sunday, January 30th at For the Win.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 9:30am (3rd stop in Burger Crew Does the Best of LA).

Members in attendance: Angela, Sumana, Trev, Wayne, me (Innie), and the first appearance of DK’s alter ego, Decay.

I. Ordering

Ah, The Window (The Win-Dow? The Win~Dow?), our first breakfast burgers of the Best of LA weekend!  The morning offerings at The Window consist of their regular burger menu (cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, and their impossible “burger” – the Beauty burger), as well as additional breakfast burger options (their single or double cheeseburger topped with an egg).

DK, Trev/Angela, and I went with the breakfast burger options, with DK and Trangela going for doubles ($7.25), and me getting a single ($4.95).  Wayne and Sumana opted to keep their double cheeseburgers undiluted with anything non-bovine, and ordered theirs sans huevos ($6.25).  Sumana decided to round out her balanced breakfast with a side of steak and egg breakfast burrito ($9.50).

II. The Burgers

As seems to be a developing theme on this Best of LA tour, opinions were split amongst the group, this time on the topic of the egg in the breakfast burgers.  Angela and DK were not fans, while Trev and I really enjoyed the addition of the egg to our cheeseburgers.  DK initially had high hopes, because he normally loves a fried egg on a burger, but thought this one took away from the star of the show, the beef patty.  While both Angela and DK appreciated the crispy laciness of the edges of the egg, they felt it was a cardinal burger sin to not serve the egg with a runny yolk.  Although a nicely runny yolk is always appreciated, Trev and I didn’t mind the doneness of the egg, and thought the flavor was a complement to the beef patty rather than a detriment.  One thing we did agree on, however, was that using the additional ketchup packet that came provided on the side really upped the enjoyment factor of our breakfast burgers.

The cheese on everyone’s burgers was nice and gooey and melty.  As Wayne so succinctly put it, American cheese is the safe choice and the best choice.  The beef patties were just as good as we remembered them, flavorful and meaty, seasoned well with a great char.  Wayne’s patties were a perfect medium rare, while the rest of us ended up with more of a medium, but none of us seemed to mind too much.  The umaminess of the burger was the biggest impression of our first visit, and they’ve definitely still got it!  The buns were soft and slightly sweet.  The bottom bun had a bit of a structure problem with the double pattied breakfast burger, but everyone else fared fine.

Some of the crew’s onions were in an odd no-man’s land of doneness, neither caramelized nor crunchy, with some onion pieces pulling out with each bite. Sumana’s chief critique was in regard to the construction of the burger; the pickles were on top of the patty, and the onions were below.  The agreed-upon burger crew consensus is that for optimal mouthfeel, those ingredients should be in opposite positions.

II. The Sides

Since stomach real estate is at a premium during the annual burger crew weekend, the crew did not opt for sides of fries. However, Sumana powered through and ordered a steak and egg breakfast burrito to split with Wayne, and they both thoroughly enjoyed it.  The description provided by the menu was nice and succinct: House brisket, fries inside.

The steak pieces were large and had a braised quality, pulling apart like a slow cooked brisket.  Wayne compared it to barbacoa, since he thought the steak tasted as if it were marinated.  The tortilla was satisfyingly chewy, and the whole burrito was grilled on top of the flattop, resulting in nicely charred bits.

III. Miscellaneous

The area in front of the ordering window (win-dow? win~dow?) had changed quite a bit since our last visit in 2019!  Gone is the parking lot with scattered plastic stools.  The lot is now beautifully landscaped, complete with plenty of tables, umbrellas, and heatlamps.  If you’re looking for an instagrammable spot, you’ll be very happy here! There was plenty of seating and parking available when we came in at 9:30a on a Saturday.

There were quite a number of flies on the morning we decided to dine there, but hopefully that isn’t a regular occurrence.

The breakfast menu is available from 8a to 11a, and they do not offer the “classics” part of their menu (fried chicken sandwich, grain bowl, shaved kale salad) until afterwards.  Hot coffee is also available, only during breakfast hours ($2).

DK’s order came with the best interpretation of his name ever.  Starbucks baristas, eat your heart out.

IV. Value

The members were asked how much they’d pay for the burger they ate.  The prices ranged from $7.50 to $14 for the doubles, and $6 for the single.  The majority of us were willing to pay quite a bit more than the advertised price for our respective burgers!  Even after a couple of years since our last burger crew visit, we still think it’s an amazing deal for a solid burger in LA!

V. The Verdict

The scores for our burgers were 4.0, 4.3, 4.6, 4.5, 4.4, and 4.3.  Winning scores all around.

Next stop, Standing Room in Redondo Beach!

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, June 26^th, 2021.

Members in attendance:  Angela, Trev, Marty, DK, Wayne, and me (Innie)

Burger Crew’s second in-person meeting in a post-mask-mandatory world.  Also, my first in-person meeting that I’ve been able to join post-baby!  The adrenaline of being outside without mask and without baby was even further amplified by the thrill of seeing the crew up close and in person again!  Add a burger and a beer to the mix, and we’ve basically described my current equivalent of a kid’s trip to Disneyland.

I.  Ordering

DK ordered The BLVD (house-ground Angus beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, fancy sauce, and cheddar; $15), and side of sea salt fries. 

After a glowing recommendation from the person taking our order, Wayne and I ordered The Marquis (lamb merguez patty, roasted bell pepper, arugula and red onion salata, and harissa aioli; $14).  Wayne also ordered garlic parmesan fries. 

Trev, Angela, and Marty ordered The BLVD, The Melrose (pollo asado sausage patty, elote salsa, pickled onion, arugula, and jack cheese; $12), and a side of Za’atar fries.  All fries were $4 for a half order, and $7 for a full order.

As a note, both The Marquis and The Melrose burgers are listed on a physical menu at their counter, but not currently listed in the online version of the menu on their website.  In fact, there are also some burgers that are online, but not on the counter menu.  My suggestion is to do your homework if you want to know all your options!

II.  The Burgers

The BLVD is a classic, but upscaled, burger.  The crew summed it up as “a nice weekend burger” – everything you expect a burger to be, but with a little something extra special.  The patty had a great meaty flavor, and was juicy and tender.  The only criticism seemed to be that it could have used a little more sear. The tomato was delicious.  That may probably be an odd detail to highlight, but as regular burger eaters know, the mealy, flavorless tomato slice is sadly prolific.  High praise without words was DK and Angela eating and enjoying their tomato slices instead of donating them to our resident tomato enthusiast, Trev.   (For those interested in doing a good deed, Trev accepts tomatoes in all forms: sliced, cherry, liquified into ketchup, etc.)

As good as The BLVD was, the Marquis was the shining winner that day.  It got a slew of glowing descriptions from Wayne and I:  lots of flavorful spices, a little bit of heat on the backend, and super juicy.  As a self-reported spice fiend, the touch of heat at the end of each bite was unexpected but really appreciated.  The lamb flavor was present, but not overtly game-y (something that I was initially worried about).  Each component of the burger seemed to be well thought out, and they all played together in a satisfying and balanced way.  The texture of the patty was very much like a breakfast sausage with a nice “al dente” chew.  The arugula and red onion salata was fresh and peppery, and the salt on top of the burger bun was a nice touch.  As a side note, I had to google what merguez was during the writing of this review, and it’s a lamb or beef sausage flavored with cumin, chili, and/or harissa with origins in North Africa.  For what it’s worth, my unqualified opinion is that The WeHo Sausage Co. makes some good merguez.

Going to a location called the WeHo Sausage Company predictably triggered the classic Burger Crew conversation of “burger versus sandwich”:  Besides beef, does lamb meet the criteria of acceptable patty material to call it a “burger”? (Answer: Yes)  What about chicken?  (Answer: No)  Veggie/plant based?  (Answer: C’mon).  Pork? (Answer: Probably not?)  Anyway, as such, for the sake of being pedantic, the following review for The Melrose comes with an asterisk of “not a burger”.

Trev, Angela, and Marty really enjoyed The Melrose.  The elote salsa and jack cheese created a cheesy corn mixture that was amazing and made for a “feel good” chicken sandwich.  It was a little on the salty side, but still a delicious flavor bomb.  The buns for all the burgers held up well and we had no complaints.

III. Fries

Between the group, we managed to order the gamut of fry flavors without coordinating (yay for subconscious burger hive mind!), and we ended up enjoying all of them to varying degrees.  The fries had a nice bite to them, with a golden double fried exterior and a fluffy inside.  They stayed tasty even as the meal ended and they got cold.  Between the sea salt, garlic parmesan, and za’atar, the za’atar had the best flavor and stood out the most.  The regular sea salt fries were still solid though, and were well seasoned.  The garlic parmesan fries had the pretty standard flavor that you come to expect from garlic parm fries.  The fries are prepared skin-on, and come served with ketchup and their house ranch sauce.

IV.  Miscellaneous

The food did take a while to finish after we placed our orders.  I think we were originally quoted a 10-15 minute wait, but we waited closer to 25.  The food was well worth the wait, but it might be something to consider if you’re running on a tight schedule.    

Their beer selection was limited to only canned beer, but was still impressive!  Their website states that they have 100+ varietals of local, craft, domestic, and imported beer.  Another plus was that the staff seemed really knowledgeable about the offerings, and gave some nice recommendations when asked.

The WeHo Sausage Co. is located inside Citizen Public Market, a food hall with six other stalls and a combination of shared indoor and outdoor seating (including a rooftop bar, a patio located adjacent to WeHo Sausage Company, and at least for now, tables with pop up tents on Culver Blvd before you enter the building.)  The hall was a beautiful space, and had a cool old-school, historic downtown Culver City vibe that was a great backdrop to our food.

I had a true mind trip entering this place; after walking in, it just kept going and going…  It was the real life embodiment of the “bigger on the inside” TV trope! 

Their hours are 11am – 9pm on Tuesday – Thursday, and Sunday, and 11a – 11p on Fridays and Saturdays.  Parking is either street parking, which seems to have a limit of 1-2 hours, or public parking structures.  The public parking structure that is connected to the Trader Joes seems to be the closest one available to the food hall.

V.  Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger, and it ranged between $8.50 and $16, with an average of $12.70.  Our burgers cost $14-15, so it was priced slightly above what we valued it at.  However, for a place in a pretty trendy downtown Culver City food space, their prices seem fair for a really enjoyable burger.

VI.  The Verdict

The ratings: 4.5, 3.7, 3.0, 3.9, and 4.5.  We highly recommend The Marquis, and also recommend checking out this food hall for what looked like some amazing food and drinks!

Next burger crew meeting is set for Saturday, July 24^th at For the Win in Hollywood.

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, August 15^th, 2020.

Members in attendance:  Angela, Trev, DK, Wayne, me (Innie)
Special guest appearance: Trophy husband, Christian

The second socially-distanced, in-person burger crew meeting of our post COVID-19 world.  It was amazing to see everyone’s faces again!  Or at least the parts not covered by masks.  We all met up to order take out at Uncool Burgers then drove to a nearby grassy area to eat outside in camping chairs (while simultaneously being eaten by mosquitos…  The circle of life!)  

Shower thought tangent: If Rafiki holds up a burger at Pride Rock, does that make it a Burger King?

I.  Ordering

Uncool Burgers offers 6 burgers on the menu, all of which can be ordered as a single or double patty burger, a salad, or a rice bowl.  They also offer a couple of vegan-specific options, as well as quite a few variations of crispy chicken sandwiches.  There were a couple of ways to order: either in person at the restaurant, or through their website online.  We all ordered at around the same time, with a few of us using each option, and the food came out within a few minutes of each other.  The food came out way earlier than the quoted time when ordering online, however, so keep that in mind if ordering ahead!

Wayne ordered the double Breakfast Burger (uncool sauce, onion jam, fried egg, hashbrown, and gruyere), $10, with a side of onion rings, $4.

Angela and Trev ordered the double Rolls Royce Burger (raclette cheese, kewpie truffle mayo, wild arugula, fennel salad, onion jam), $15.  They also ordered funions (half fries, half onion rings), $4.50.

DK ordered the double Classic Burger (burger sauce, caramelized onions, tomato, house pickles, lettuce, American cheese), $7. I ordered the single Uncool Burger (uncool sauce, onion jam, cheese crisp, American cheese, house pickles), $6.  Chris also ordered the Uncool Burger, but as a double, $8.  We ordered onion rings, $4

Side note: By the time we sat down to eat, it was already dark, so our pictures turned out to be terrible potato representations of what I’m sure were actually very appetizing looking burgers.  To avoid doing Uncool Burgers a disservice, I’m omitting the pictures for this round of review.

II.  The Burgers

We had a hard time choosing just one burger, since a lot of them sounded intriguing.  The house patties were a blend of grass-fed beef chuck and short rib, and from what we could tell, were of the smash type (though not markedly thin or lacey).    We didn’t discuss the sear of the burgers, but that may have been mostly because we couldn’t see anything besides the general burger shape vehicle of meat and bun.

One of the winners of the bunch was the cheese crisp on the Uncool Burger.  That element was the shining umami MVP; salty and rich, with a nice thickness and chew.  Chris and I wondered for a few minutes if we had somehow gotten bacon in our burgers.  (Surprise bacon is best bacon.)  Along with the house pickles and sauce, the Uncool Burger had a really satisfying bite of textures and flavors. 

Wayne’s Breakfast Burger was pretty messy, since his fried egg ended up bursting in transit.  Despite the congealed egg getting stuck to the wrapper, Wayne said that he enjoyed his burger.  The hashbrown was crispy, and was slightly thinner than a McDonald’s one. 

DK thought that his Classic Burger had a bit of a horseradish/mustard hint, although neither ingredient is listed in the description.  DK called his “an all around good burger.” 

The Rolls Royce Burger, split between Angela and Trevor, was very cheesy and gooey, likely a product of the melted raclette cheese.  They mostly tasted a lot of cheese and arugula, and thought the burger could have used more balance and flavor. 

All the burgers were messy and saucy (not in a bad way), and the buns for all burgers held up well, even for Wayne’s eggy mess.  We all thought that the burgers were still solidly enjoyable for being slightly cold and would be even better fresh.  The flavors all melded well together, where we didn’t really know where one ingredient ended and another started. 

Those that ordered the double patties thought it was a nice ratio of meat to toppings.  I was the loner who ordered a single, but I definitely didn’t feel like I was missing the second patty.

III. Fries

The fries were good, even after a few minutes of moving locations.  They were thin and crispy, with the thinness of McDonalds fries but not the texture.  The onion rings were very crunchy, with a rough textured batter.  The onions stayed mostly inside when biting through them.  They didn’t taste seasoned or salted, and needed sauce.   There’s a selection of 8 different sauces to choose from, with a couple options having an extra surcharge (chimchurri ranch +$0.50, and vegan truffle island (+$1).  Chris and I had the Uncool sauce, which reminded us of Chick-fil-A sauce, so it may have similarly been a mix of honey mustard and barbeque.  Wayne also ordered the yuzu chipotle aioli that he really enjoyed.

IV.  Miscellaneous

Uncool Burgers opened mid-pandemic, in June.  Admirably ballsy, and we’re glad they decided to open!  DK mentioned that the owner also owns a couple of other businesses in the Larchmont area.  There were plenty of metered spots available, but that may have been because we came pretty late in the day when most of the businesses were closed.  Uncool burgers is open late!  Until 11p on Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.  They also offer a couple of all-day breakfast options (breakfast burrito and a vegan sausage sandwich), a kids menu (grilled cheeses and a plain burger), and a few dessert options (hand pies and a vegan milkshake).  Their crispy chicken sandwiches sounded tempting enough to consider having a second dinner after the meeting.

V.  Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger and it ranged from $10 – $12.  Since our burgers’ actual costs ranged from $6 – $15, most of us got a pretty good deal.  We generally thought that their menu prices were very reasonable, especially for a pretty trendy area in LA.

VI.  The Verdict

The ratings were 4.2, 4.1, 4.1, 3.0, and 3.4.  With the exception of a particular burger, this place got high marks and praise from the crew!  We’re happy to see that the burger landscape is still churning out great places amidst the shutdown.  I can’t wait to come back when I’m able to see the burger and/or chicken sandwich I’m eating.

Next burger crew meeting is set for Saturday, September 12th at Tripp Burgers at the corner of Sepulveda and Palms.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, November 9, 2019 @ 12:30pm.

Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, and Innie
Mini member: Marty

I. Ordering

True to their pop-up origins, the menu items at Goldburger are short and sweet. They offer 3 types of double cheeseburgers (Goldburger, California Classic, and LA Special), a Kids Cheeseburger, and classic fries.  Chopped chilis are available on request.

Angela, Trev, Wayne and I opted for the flagship burger of the trio, the Goldburger (grilled onions, dill pickles, house-made garlic-mustard aioli) for $11.  DK went rogue and ordered the LA Special (topped with pastrami, dijonaise slaw) for $12.  DK and I requested chopped chilis added to our burgers.  Unfortunately, the California Classic (shredded lettuce, diced onions, dill pickles, house made classic sauce – $9) went unrepresented during this trip.  (Shredduce does not seem to be a selling point amongst the Burgr Crew collective.)  Marty the Kid had herself a Kids Cheeseburger (single patty) at $6.  Everyone had an order of classic fries.

Goldburger’s offerings also included bottled drinks: Various flavors of fancy bottled soda (Swell Soda) or Jarritos Mineral water for $2.50.  Wayne ordered a Pomegranate soda, and DK went with Lemon-Lime. 

II. The burgers

Smash burgers done properly are a beautiful thing.  These patties were very good, very seasoned, and beefy.  When compared to Burgers Never Say Die, these patties were not as caramelized, but still had a great sear.  Wayne said that Goldburger’s patty was not as paper thin as BNSD, and while Goldburger could probably get away with one patty, 2 was much better.  Trev and Angela thought the one patty in the Kids Cheeseburger still gave a good ratio of meat to bun, and felt that it might have been thicker than the ones served in the Doubles.

The grilled onions in the Goldburgers were super thinly sliced, caramelized, but not overcooked to be mushy.  They still had some nice bite and was a nice addition to the flavor and texture of the overall burger.  The pickles were also a hit with everyone.  Angela liked the cut of them; sometimes pickles are cut so thin that they don’t give a satisfying crunch.  Wasted pickle potential is a real problem in the burger community.  With the melty cheese and soft buns, everyone liked the texture of each bite.  To quote Wayne, “There was a nice amount of goo everywhere.”   

The pastrami in DK’s LA Special was very thinly sliced and chewy, and not crispy around the edges.  DK likened them to Tommy’s or The Hat’s pastramis.  He noted that there was an “appropriate” portion of pastrami topping that didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the burger.  Past burger ventures have yielded a lot of pastrami mountains, which are great for wow factor, but not great for a lot of other reasons. (How the heck do you bite into a literal sphere of food?)  The slaw in his burger didn’t really stand out, but blended well with the chopped chilis and had a nice crunch.

DK thought he detected a bit of a metallic note in his burger, which he theorized may have come from the pastrami.  The jury is still out on this one, since he also thought his Lemon Lime soda was weirdly bitter and off-putting.  The rest of burger crew offered a couple theories: perhaps his palate was having an off day, or his schmancy soda royally screwed him over and tinged everything with a bitter taste.

III. The fries/sides

The fries were very good- salted well, and crispy when hot and fresh.  The crispy quality did drop off significantly as the meal finished (unlike the Win-dow’s fries, which I can vouch survives a 10 minute car ride impressively well).    

IV. Miscellaneous

Holy ground beef, it was a HOT day.  The lineup to order didn’t have much relief from the sun, so we made some semi-pathetic attempts to shield ourselves by lining up in the shadow of a utility pole. 

The situation wasn’t made much more comfortable by the slow-moving line.  We estimated that it took about 15 minutes to reach the front of the line with about 4 people ahead of us.

The seating is in a covered, but open area (so no A/C).  Goldburgers does seem to be pretty popular, so seating was tight and in high demand.  Same goes for the parking area adjacent to the restaurant – if you want to grab a spot, you’re going to need either luck or patience. 

A bathroom is available on site, but is not the cleanest.

Goldburger is temporarily residing in the patio section of the former Hache burger restaurant, which is going through some redevelopment.  Interestingly, Hache was a previous Burger Crew destination, and was another of DK’s picks almost exactly 5 years ago in November of 2014.  Coincidence or conspiracy?

Also, if you happen to go to this establishment on another of LA’s beautiful 90+ degree days, a Baskin Robbins is 0.2 miles away and is a pretty decent place to eat ice cream and discuss your burgers.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.  They ranged from $7 to $10.50, so they were priced higher than what we would have expected.

VI. The verdict

The scores for Goldburger from the members were 4.5, 3.8, 3.3, 4.2, and 4.2.  Great pick, DK!

Next burger crew meeting will be held December 15^th at Burgerdaddy (Innie’s pick)

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, May 25, 2019

Members in attendance: Angela, Trev, Innie, Wayne, DK

Guests: Christian Y., Marty

I. Ordering 

We all ordered a Double Cheeseburger ($5.95) with French fries ($3.75).  Trevor and Angela also opted to order another single Cheeseburger ($3.95) after they finished sharing their Double. (Spoiler alert: These burgers were that good.)  The burgers are advertised on the menu as hand formed and flat top grilled with onions, served with American cheese, pickles, and house sauce.

II. The burgers

This one was a winner!  The burgers were simple, but well-executed, and they were thoroughly enjoyed all around by the whole group.

The patties were made in the smashburger style, with a great sear and lots of browning, but still very juicy.  DK even saw bits of pink in his burger.  When eaten by itself, the patties had lots of umami and meaty flavor.  All our burgers came out perfectly seared and juicy, so A+ for the Window’s consistency game.

The American cheese was melty and congealed into the crevices of the patties, and didn’t overpower the flavor of the meat.  The crew agreed that the standard American cheese was a great choice, for both flavor and gooey texture.

The onions were very thinly sliced and caramelized, but still had enough bite to not be mushy.  Wayne said that it reminded him of an Oklahoma style cheeseburger, but without the onions smashed into the patty.  The pickles were not the standard bread and butter pickle.  When eaten solo, they tasted homemade, and just lightly pickled.  The house sauce seemed like a chunkier thousand island.  The bun was sweet and soft like a Hawaiian bread, and maybe steamed with a cover on the grill.  At first glance, we suspected that there was too much bread, but because the bun was so soft, it gave easily and mushed together with the other ingredients very nicely with each bite.

Trev and Angela actually preferred the single over the double cheeseburger, citing that the bun to meat ratio with the single was better.

III. The Fries/Sides

The fries at the Window were amazing! Definitely one of the best fries I’ve had since joining the crew. One of my personal pet peeves at burger-centric joints is when the fries taste like an afterthought, or even worse, when they don’t offer fries at all.  When I walk into a burger place and see only bags of chips offered as a side, my disappointment is immeasurable.  

These fries had a nice crispy rind on the outside and were soft and airy on the inside.  Double fried to golden brown and well seasoned with flake salt.  Trev thought that they were Yukon gold potatoes from the texture and taste. 

IV. Miscellaneous 

True to it’s name, this establishment is just an order and pickup window.  Only outdoor seating is available in the form of stackable plastic stools.  A few of the crew members said that the seating reminded them of their experiences with street vendors in Southeast Asia.  There was limited shade, so come early if you want to grab a comfortable spot to munch on your meal.  They also offer their meals to go.

The neighborhood is very typically Venice, which may be charming to some, but verging on a bit too granola for others.  Let’s just say that you shouldn’t be surprised when the pickup window calls out orders for people named Starchild, Moon, and (my personal favorite) Matrix.  Also keeping true to the neighborhood demographic, they offer a beyond burger option, a grain bowl, and kale salad on their menu.

Parking is limited, and the small lot is shared with the scattered outdoor seating.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.  They ranged from $7.50 to $8, which made this a great value (especially when considering the usual price range of food options in the Venice area).

VI. The verdict

This place earned some high scores all around.  The crew rated it 4.2, 4.9, 4.6, 4.3, and 4.3.  Excellent choice by DK!

Next burger crew meeting will be held July 28^th, 2019 at Burgers Never Say Die.

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 11am.

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

Guests: Isabel G., Christian Y., and Marty d. (Apprentice member)

I. Ordering

Wayne, Angela/Trev, and Chris/I all ordered the Double Savory burger (mushroom, truffle cheese, caramelized onion, lettuce, aioli – $11.20).  Wayne added bacon to his, and Chris and I added jalapenos to ours.  Sumana and DK/Isa ordered the special item not on the regular menu, the La Hambuguesa (queso fresco, guacamole, roasted jalapenos, caramelized onions, and Yucateco mayo – $12.20), with double patties.

There are 5 regular burger offerings on the menu, plus a veggie option.  All (excluding the veggie option) are given the option of single or double patty. 

II. The burgers

Those who ordered the Savory burger were none too impressed.  The patties were intended to be smashburgers, but the necessary sear for a good smash-style just wasn’t there.  Wayne’s patties had a moderate sear on just one side.  Angela speculated that since we were the first guests of the day, the grill didn’t have a chance to heat up properly before some of the patties were placed.   The most common complaint of the Savory crowd was that there was no truffle flavor.  We all agreed that if truffle was not advertised in the ingredient list, we would have thought this was just a mushroom burger.  The cheese didn’t have a stand-out flavor, but nicely settled into the crevices of the patty, and added to the savoriness and gooey-ness of the burger.  Wayne thought his added bacon was just okay.  It was neither a thick cut nor a thin slice, and it was neither chewy nor crispy.  A true purgatory state of bacon.  The jalapenos that Chris and I added were of the pickled variety, and would have been a nice acidic addition to the cheesiness if there were more of them. 

The La Hambuguesa was a much bigger hit.  DK said the patties themselves didn’t have too much seasoning, but the queso fresco and guacamole really made up for it.  The queso fresco was thick cut and on point. Isa compared the taste to a torta (she clarified that this was high praise).  The ingredients all together made the burger very flavorful and enjoyable.  The patties for these burgers had a much better sear.

The beef seemed to be of good quality, and all members thought they had a nice meaty flavor.  The patties were very loosely packed.  So much so that the burgers tended to fall apart toward the end.  Most of the crew noted that while the burgers were tender, they would have appreciated more juiciness.

Buns were buttery and held up well for the most part (except when the patties fell apart at the end).  The double patties seemed to be the best choice in terms of satisfying ratio of meat to bread.

III. The Fries/Sides

Between the group, we ordered the garlic fries, the chili cheese fries, and the spicy garlic fries.  The chili cheese fries is one of the offerings on the regular menu, but the garlic fries (garlic butter, grama padano, parsley – $4) and the spicy garlic fries (sambal garlic, butter, grama Padano – $4.50) were specials advertised by the register.  The fries were thin cut, crispy, and seemed to be double fried.  Wayne commented that they were “airy” on the inside.  The chili cheese fries were solid – cheesy and satisfying.  Trev compared the chili style to be of the Weinerschnitzel kind (not in a bad way).  Between the garlic and the spicy garlic fries, everyone preferred the spicy garlic.  The garlic fries were flavorful, but the spicy garlic fries had an extra kick that everyone enjoyed.

IV. Miscellaneous 

Service was very friendly, and the eating area was clean.  The fountain drinks were self-fill and consisted of Coke products.  Ketchup and mustard were “Sir Kensington” brand.  Trevor, the reigning ketchup expert on crew, declared them to be “the most okay” of the non-Heinz/Hunt brands. 

Cups/straws look and feel very much like plastic, but are made of compostable plant material.  Definite win in terms of satisfying both environmental friendliness and straw usability (wimpy paper straws are the Edmure Tully of the straw world – well-meaning but incompetent).

If you want to use the bathroom at this establishment, be prepared for a bit of a walk.  To use them, you’ll have to go over to a nearby building, take the elevator to the basement, and access them via key cards.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.  The range was between $9 and $12 for the double burgers, so most of us considered the burgers to be more expensive than what we would have liked to pay.

VI. The verdict

The Savory burger had ratings of 3.3, 2.7, 2.7, and 3.0. The La Hambuguesa had ratings of 4.0 and 4.4.

Next Burger Crew stop: Burger Shack, San Francisco, CA.

Burger crew meeting called to order on Saturday, December 8^th, 2018 at 12pm.

Members in attendance: Angela, Trev, Wayne, Dennis, and me (Innie)

Guests: Marty, mini Burger Crew member-in-training

I.  Ordering

Ordering was done at the counter, with burgers brought out tableside.  The menu highlights their 100% angus beef burger choices, but they also offer turkey and chicken sandwiches, vegetarian options, and salads.

Trev and Angela split the white truffle burger with no cheese ($9.50) – grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted red bell peppers, white truffle oil, garlic aioli.

Dennis ordered the guacamole burger, which was one of the daily special burgers advertised only at the counter – guacamole, tortilla chip strips, pico de gallo, bacon, jack cheese.

Wayne ordered the white truffle burger with bacon added ($9.50 + $2.50)- grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted red bell peppers, asiago cheese, white truffle oil, garlic aioli, + 2 slices applewood smoked bacon.

I ordered the G Fire burger ($9.50) – pepperjack cheese, red & green chili, habanero, grilled onion, roasted bell peppers, house spicy aioli on the side.

II.  The burgers

The truffle burger was a hit!  Creamy and full-flavored, with a good mouthfeel.  Trevor and Angela noted that most truffle burgers tend to be a bit boring and one-note in taste, but this one was interesting the whole way through.  They thought that it tasted rich even without the cheese.  Mushroom pieces were big, cooked throughout, and soft.  Wayne, who also got the truffle burger, thought that the patty was a little dry and not very juicy.  The rest of the crew disagreed, and then proceeded to shame him for accidentally ordering the doneness of his burger medium instead of medium-rare.

Wayne added bacon as an extra topping to his truffle burger.  These were described as “thick cut” but upon receiving them, weren’t really that thick.  However, Wayne thought they were tasty and were worth adding.

Dennis thought that the guacamole burger generally suffered from a lack of texture.  The guacamole, tortilla chips, pico de gallo, bacon, and jack cheese all melded into a similar texture.  Larger chunks of onion may have helped to provide a necessary crunchy element.  There was a generous amount of guacamole on the burger, but this ended up overpowering the beef flavor of the patty.

The fire burger (which advertised a promising icon of two chili peppers on the menu) wasn’t as spicy as I was hoping for.  It did taste of chilis, but didn’t have much heat.  The house spicy aioli on the side had the color of sriracha mayo and also did not deliver on the heat scale.  The pepperjack cheese may have added some creamy texture, but didn’t contribute much flavor-wise.

The patties when tasted alone did not seem to be fully salted, but the added ingredients of each burger provided the seasoning and flavor.   Everyone enjoyed the portion size of the burgers- not too small to be unsatisfying but not too large to be unwieldy and difficult to eat.  We all received the correct doneness that was ordered.

Everyone’s burger used the same “high-rise buns”, which were soft, eggy, and spongey.  Trev mentioned that the buns contributed to a richer tasting burger overall.  The buns all seemed to hold up well to the toppings.

III. The Fries/Sides

The sides were a consistent winner with everyone.

The garlic parmesan fries ($5.00) smelled amazing when they came out!  They were nice and garlic-y and full-flavored.  The cheese didn’t really stick to the fries, but most fries with parmesan seem to have this issue.

The G-tornado fries ($5) had melted cheese, grilled onion, bacon pieces, and lots of thousand island-style dressing.  We described it as a better version of in-n-out animal style fries.  These fries and the garlic parmesan fries were of the battered kind and very nicely cooked.

The regular fries ($2.50) were still solid without any fancy toppings.  They had a great potato flavor and crispy texture.

The beer battered zucchini fries ($5.50) consisted of 6 large zucchini spears and was served with a side of ranch. These were a different style of battered than the aforementioned fries- these looked like a dry/wet/dry type of fry.  Very nicely seasoned, with visible salt grains.  Definitely one of the better zucchini fries that we’ve had.  Warning: Beware of molten lava status when they first come out.

IV.  Miscellaneous

La Habra felt like a farther drive than expected.  I think it might be because it’s so far from all freeways and required a good amount of side streets to get there.

There is a small parking lot available which filled up pretty quickly by the end of our meal.  Outdoor seating is also available.

The ketchup is off brand but was still tasty.  Our resident ketchup connoisseur, Trevor, gave it the high praise of saying that he wouldn’t have noticed that it wasn’t Heinz.

The fountain drinks are refillable and had a pretty standard selection of Coke products.

We originally sat at a table adjacent to the bathroom, but moved after we found that there was a strong bathroom cleaner smell.  The bathrooms themselves were pretty tidy.

Very nice staff.  We received our food in a timely manner, and our food runner was oddly generous with napkins.  (By our fifth unprompted delivery of napkins, we were beginning to question if we just looked like a messy group.)  However, our bounty of accumulated napkins came to the rescue when one of our crew spilled his coke over our table.  The only logical conclusion here: Precog.

Marty had boiled, pureed carrots.  She seemed to like it.

V.  Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for the burger they ordered.  We would pay anywhere from 10 to 12 dollars for our burgers, so the prices were generally on par with what we received.

VI.  The verdict

The white truffle burger was the clear winner during this meal.  The ratings ranged from 3 to 4.7, with the truffle burger earning all 4s and above.  The other burgers fell short of expectations and were solidly average burgers.

Next burger crew meeting: January 19^th at Oh My Burger in Gardena (Innie’s choice)