burgercrewLA

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.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 11:30am (Angela’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d., Trev Y., Wayne T., Innie C., and me, DK
Sliders in attendance: Marty, Ellis, Lucy
Special guest: Christian Y.

I. Ordering

The burger menu is limited so ordering is straightforward: double-doubles with raw onions, grilled onions, or onion rings.

Here’s what we ordered:
– Angela ordered the OG Burger combo
– Trev ordered the OG Burger combo with both grilled + raw onions
– Wayne ordered the OG Burger combo
– Innie ordered the Onion Burger combo
– I ordered the OG Burger combo

II. Burgers

These burgers had nice buns. They reminded us of Hawaiian bread with their squishiness and the slightly sweet taste they left on our flavor buds. The patties were nicely seared and seasoned well. Having two of them, each with their own slice of cheese, made for a well-ratioed cheeseburger. The pickles aren’t the classic Dill variety but tasted great nonetheless and the onions, for those of us who had the grilled ones, were nicely caramelized.

III. Sides

If you thought the burger menu was limited, check out their sides:
– Fries

Still, they were good. We weren’t able to identify the seasoning but I heard people speculating things like onion powder, garlic powder, eye of newt, etc. Whoever seasoned them was heavy-handed but the technique was great; the fries stayed crunchy throughout the meal.

IV. Miscellaneous

Get the combo, it’s only $2 more than the burger. Drink refills are $1 but don’t drink too much because there’s no bathroom. You’ll have to piss in their parking lot which is very convenient.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $11 to $15, slightly below the actual prices.

VI. Verdict

Pretty cool spot. More of a takeout place than a dine-in place, but a great option to have in the Long Beach area. The ratings ranged from 3.5 to 4.3.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held at Moo’s Craft BBQ on April 8, 2023.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 11am (Wayne’s Pick – thankful to my burger friends for keeping it close by)

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

I. Ordering
I ordered a Deluxe Double burger meal – $19.49 – 1000 Island, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Two Angus Beef, Cheddar Cheese, Beef Bacon, Avocado Fan – with onion rings and coke. I also asked for no cheese and a baguette (instead of a bun) since a have a little sensitive baby sucking the life force out of me. The baguette does not have soy, whereas the buns did.

Trev got a Black Angus Double meal – $16.99 – 1000 Island, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, two smashed beef patty, and cheddar cheese – with fries and an unsweetened iced tea.

Innie opted to build her own burger – $8.49 (Go her! I never trust myself to create a good burger 🤨) She went with brioche, single patty, white American, all the veggies (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, jalapeno), and sriracha mayo. She added fries and a drink + $4.99

Wayne got a deluxe double meal with onion rings and coke $19.49

DK got a single black angus meal with jalapeno and bacon (+$1.50) – $13.49. He had a side of fries and jalapeno poppers ($5.49).

II. The Burgers
The burgers were a little dry probably because the patties were well done. As true experts, we asked if we could specify the doneness and we were told that they were smash patties so we couldn’t. So, they aren’t really smash patties. A true smash patty would have the beautiful lace and nice maillard, but it didn’t. What we had were thin patties that were rubbery. We had an extensive conversation about how the patty was too rough for Trev’s mouth.

The brioche buns were good, pillowy, and stayed together nicely throughout the eating experience. The baguette was surprisingly good with the burger. It let me feel like I was actually eating a burger, which is a nice change of pace from my recent history of burger eating.

In terms of toppings, everything was nice and fresh. The cheese was nice and melty. The menu says it’s cheddar, but looked like American to us. I had bacon on mine, but didn’t really notice it. If I’m paying for bacon, I want to notice the bacon. The sauce was really good! I liked how peppery it was, but Trev thought it was too peppery. To each his own. The Koreans appreciated the amount of jalapenos they had on their burgers. Overall, we thought the burgers were well executed, but Trev thought it was a bit on the dry side. Maybe more sauce would have helped? Either way, the copious amounts of free ranch they gave us helped. Trev drizzled it on every bite of his burger.

III. The Sides
The french fries were great. Well fried, appropriate saltiness. Onion rings were solid with good crunch, good flavor, and they held together. The jalapeno poppers were delicious! As were their chicken nuggets. Clearly, they have a fry master in the back handling the fryers.

IV. Miscellaneous
YoYo is located at a strip mall so they had plentiful parking. There’s seating for about 16 folks in the dining area, which was sparsely decorated. They had a random fancy looking fireplace in the wall that was not on. They also had some club music while we ate. Definitely not coherent theming in terms of the dining experience.

What they lacked in ambiance, they made up for in service. The guy was really nice and service was fast. They accidentally made my burger with cheese and when I caught it, they remade it quickly. The guy also was very generous with the sauces. He brought out like 10 containers of the house sauce and when we asked for ranch, he brought out another 10 containers of that! An important note that the online menu does not match the menu at the restaurant. Aaaand, I should have taken a picture of the menu at the restaurant!

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for their burgers. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $11.50. So we thought they were a bit overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Decent burger. If you can’t have soy, you can still enjoy your burger with a baguette! They say it’s a smash patty, but it’s not. The ratings: 3.2, 3.2, 3.8, 3.8, and 4.0

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, March 25th at 11:30am – Bored & Hungry – Long Beach.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

Members in attendance: Angela, DK, Innie, Trevor, and Wayne, with special guest Marty.

I. Ordering

Ellie’s only has one burger, so that’s what everyone got.

Innie got the standard Ellie’s Burger, which comes with aged cheddar, special sauce, lettuce, pickles, and caramelized onion ($15). DK and Wayne added bacon ($2) to their burgers, while Trevor added both bacon and egg ($2 each).

Due to her current dietary restrictions, Angela had to special order her burger, and this is what came out.

Angela ordered her burger with bacon, which got left off of her burger, and she brought her own bun and cheese.

II. Burgers

Everybody ordered their patties medium rare but everybody’s came out at least medium well. DK and Trev both said the doneness didn’t really matter to them because it was still tender and juicy, and that the juiciness of the patties helped to balance out the ratio of bun to meat because the buns were on the larger side. Angela’s patty was beyond well done and she said that it was very dry. Angela and Innie both thought it was really salty, and DK and i both thought it was pretty salty, but in a good way, while Trev didn’t think it was salty at all.

Everyone who had pickles in their burger (Angela: “you had pickles?!”) really enjoyed them for the tanginess that they brought to the burger to help balance out the heaviness of the rest of the burger. It was especially nice because the pickles were positioned at the bottom of the burger so that they would hit your tongue first, which is where they needed to be. Trev was very happy with the egg in his burger, saying it was perfectly cooked so that the yolk was still gooey without being runny and that it was what every egg in a burger should be. The bacon was also a hit with everyone who got it on their burger.

As far as the aged cheddar in the burgers went, Innie thought it was too overpowering, while Trev didn’t notice it in a good way, meaning it didn’t overwhelm the burger. I didn’t think that it was too sharp for my own tastes. Texturally, it was melted over the burger but it was congealed and essentially plastic-like when it was served to us. The secret sauce added a nice sweetness.

Angela said that the fact that she brought her own bun and cheese was the only thing that made her burger edible. If she had to have it the way that it was served to her, she would have taken two bites of it and wouldn’t have been able to continue.

Marty really enjoyed her burger, only saying that it needed more ketchup. It was the most burger she had ever eaten at a meeting.

III. Sides

We ordered the burrata and everyone thought it was amazing, especially with how well the honey complimented it. The burgers all came standard with a side salad, and while I thought that the dressing was pretty standard for a vinaigrette, Trev and Innie both thought it was too strong and sour. Angela had fries with her lettuce and patty, and she said they were too salty just like the patty was; Trev described them texturally as being “ultra fried,” with a fried crispy outer shell while the potato inside had disintegrated. Angela did say that she could taste the truffle in the fries and rated them as being just ok.

IV. Misc

The restaurant wouldn’t let anyone order anything (not even an appetizer like the burrata) until the entire table was ready to put in their entire order, which was kind of odd. Service was kind of slow even though they didn’t seem to be very busy. They do take reservations for brunch, and the burger is only offered during brunch. There’s only one bathroom available and there’s no obvious signage that it’s a bathroom; there’s also a table only about four feet away from it, and both Trev and Innie said that they would not want to be seated at that table.

V. Rating/Value/Verdict

Wayne: 3.7/$9
Innie: 3.5/$14
DK: 4.0/$17
Angela: 1.8/$10
Trev: 3.9/$17

Other than Angela’s abomination, everyone else’s burger was pretty solid and enjoyable.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be on February 26 at YoYo Burgers and Chicken in Anaheim.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, Dec 10, 2022 at 11:30am (Innie pick).

Members in attendance: Trev, Innie, Wayne, and DK. Angela was unfortunately unable to make it
Special guests: Chris and Lucy

Stand-Up burger is a vegan burger shop in a little strip mall mall off of Sepulveda in Culver City. It’s next to the infamous Blaze Pizza that LeBron James famously never showed up to right before joining the lakers.

For the curious https://la.eater.com/2018/7/10/17556808/blaze-pizza-free-lebron-basketball-mob-crowd-line-news

If you’re a fan of Veggie Grill then this might be the place for you. Stand-Up burger is the sister restaurant of Veggie Grill.

I . Ordering

Trev – BBQ Bacon $13.75 and fries

Wayne – The Stand-Up $14 (if a place has a burger with it’s name in it, there’s a 99% I’m going to get it) and fries

DK – The O.G. w/ bacon $10.25 +$2.75 and loaded tots

Innie – The O.G. $10.25

Chris – Save-The-Animal-Style Fires $6.25

Lucy – edamame and blueberries hand prepared by her personal chef

II. Burgers

I realized getting a bbq burger is not the right choice when the patty is from impossible burger. A great bbq burger relies on the meat to be front and center and to be delicious. Although there’s been many strides in the meatless burger patties, I can say we’re not quite there yet with real beef. Thus, the bbq burger suffered and I mostly tasted the flaws of a vegan burger instead of the strengths

 For those that didn’t order the BBQ Bacon Burger (which is everyone else) the reviews were more mixed.

“Meatier than I was expecting”  -Wayne

“Texture is not the same, not meaty” – Innie

“Tastes like a chicken sandwich” – DK

Angela had her burger later in the day so it was cold and not fresh. She found it was really good especially since it was eaten so late.  The chick pea patty was excellent like a really good falafel in the best way.  But it didn’t taste like a burger but a really good sandwich.

Onions were caramelized but not soft enough.  It would come out in strands which is annoying. Pretty good sauces and the gluten free bun was amazing. 

DK said his burger tasted kind of different… then halfway through he realized it tasted like a chicken sandwich… then it was pretty good.

The bacon was described as crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside however reality was chewy all around.  If I were making fake chicharonnes then this would be it.  Definitely was not worth $2.75 extra.

We all agreed the buns were good, sweet, good chew.  It was the best part according to DK.

III. Sides

Fries – Yukon golds “golden fries” thick cut fluffy salty crispy.
Tots – fell short. They weren’t the crispy barrels that I like.  Cheese was good, bacon bits just  “okay” “chewy”. Crispy is preferred.

IV. Miscellaneous
They opened in June of 2022 and it felt pretty quiet and empty inside. Perhaps that was due to the fact that there’s a World Cup Semifinal game on TV at the time. Although I’m not sure how much overlap there is over vegan burger enthusiasts and futbol fans. There was plenty of seating inside and it was eerily quiet. Some background music would have gone a lone way.

Sticky sticky floors like a “cheap college bar.” I just realized why some bars put saw dust on the floors.

Madelyn did EVERYTHING. Huge kudos to Madelyn, it looked it was a one woman shop. She took our orders and was very patient about my food restrictions for Angela. She did all the cooking and packaging.

NO KIDS MEALS

V. Value
Trev – 2.9 – $10.50

Innie – 2.7 – $9

Wayne – 3.6 – $9

DK – 2.2 – $11.50

Angela – 4.1 – $16  *based on enjoyment not burgerness

VI. Verdict
The value is “OKAY.” Basically if you want a burger that either tastes like a really good something else (chicken sandwich or falafel sandwich) you can’t miss going here. They’re in the uncanny valley of vegan burgers. Everything is there in terms of quality ingredients but the execution is just a bit off enough to tickle our spidey senses that something’s not right. But I will give them credit for moving the needle on more meat alternative burger joints. It’s all in the name of progress.

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, October 14, 2022 at 12:30pm (Angela’s pick).

Members in attendance: Angela d. Trev Y., Wayne T., Innie C., and-a-me, DK
Sliders in attendance: Marty
Special guest: Marissa G.

I. Ordering

Nice Burger lives up to its name – 75% of its menu is served between buns! They’ve got a little something for everyone: a breakfast burger, a BBQ burger, one with a pineapple on it, even a Big Mac clone. All appetites are welcome.

Here’s what we ordered:
– Trev and Wayne got the Big Guy (cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles, thousand island)
– Innie got the Jalapeno Burger (lettuce, cheese, jalapeno)
– Angela got the Nice Burger (cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, ketchup) w/ a gluten-free bun and no mayo
– Marty got the Jr. Cheeseburger (cheese, onions, pickle, ketchup, mustard)
– And I got the Mexicali (Nice Burger w/ bacon, guacamole, jalapeno, chipotle sauce)

II. Burgers

The buns were excellent. If you’ll excuse the football analogy, they were like an offensive line. Something about not noticing them when they’re doing well, blah blah sports stuff. Angela in particular, with her temporary dietary restrictions, said this was one of the better gluten-free buns she’s had. Nice praise! The fellas that ordered the Big Guy (the Big Mac clone) both expressed their dissatisfaction that the middle bun was in fact a bottom bun! Their disappointment was immeasurable and their days ruined.

The Beyond patties received mostly great reviews. Again, the Big Guy dudes expressed their disdain for the mostly mushy texture, however the rest of us though the patties tasted great and had a nice sear, especially the crispy bits on the outer edges. The “cheese” was impressively good, much better than the vegan cheeses we’ve had in the past. God bless all of you cheese technologists out there!

The overall composition of each burger was great. Each appeared to be well designed and balanced, offering a different style in addition to their flavor profiles. The Big Guy was soft and tender, the Spicy Burger and Mexicali had pockets of crunchy bits (both with fantastic distribution of jalapenos), and I forgot to write down what Angela and Marty said about theirs. Guess I didn’t think it was important enough to capture in my notes! But Angela was overall impressed and Marty’s a child whose opinions don’t really matter.

III. Sides

The sides were fried in soy bean oil and they came out great. The tots were crunchy and remained crunchy throughout the meal. The fries were nice and crispy. Each side comes with a sauce and those were fantastic, the ranch and chipotle especially. Don’t skip the sides!

IV. Miscellaneous

Nice Burger has multiple locations. The Long Beach spot is the latest and it’s located conveniently by a Metro station, so you have no excuse not to go unless you’re homeless and don’t have the funds. The seating is limited (indoor only) and even though it’s not mentioned on their Yelp page, there was a doggy sitting next to us so they appear to be dog-friendly. There’s plenty of parking, just don’t mind the dude living next to the dumpster.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $9 to $12.50, a little less than their actual prices.

VI. Verdict

Pretty good for vegan burgers! This kind of food gets me pumped. I’m hopeful that in our lifetime, we’ll have great tasting and super affordable vegan burgers. The ratings ranged from 3.7 to 4.1.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held at TBD on November 12, 2022.

Burger Crew Meeting called to order on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 6pm (Wayne’s Pick – but really my pick 😎)

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

Slider members in attendance: Marty d.-Y. and Ellis d.-Y.

I. Ordering
So here’s the menu:

I am currently dealing with breastfeeding a babe with some sensitivities. Therefore, I had to get my burger sans cheese and supply my own gluten free bun. So I ordered a double hamburger (usually $12).

Trev ordered two doubles (one cheeseburger [usually $12] and one Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger [usually $14]).

Innie ordered an Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger single (usually $10).

DK ordered a single cheeseburger (usually $8) and a double cheeseburger (usually $12).

Sumana ordered a double Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger (usually $14) and a triple cheeseburger (usually $16).

Wayne in pure Wayne fashion ordered a single Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger (usually $10), a double cheeseburger (usually $12), a triple cheeseburger (usually $16), and a quad cheeseburger (usually $20).

II. The Burgers
The overwhelming consensus was that the regular cheeseburgers were WAY better than the Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburgers. The onions on the Oklahoma burgers were thin and not cooked particularly well. They were stringy and not caramelized. There was also an observation that the onion burgers were kept on the grill the same amount of time as the regular cheeseburgers, which doesn’t help it get charred enough.

The cheeseburgers were pretty good smash patties. The doubles had the best meat-to-bun ratio and also won’t kill you with an excess of meat (*cough cough* Wayne *cough cough*). Mark Tripp is a real burger purest and loves his meat blend. As such, you have to dress the burger yourself. He puts out pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard. I didn’t know that there were pickles!! I’m kicking myself for that mistake!

They used Martin’s potato buns. The burgers were great right off the grill. The cheese was gooey and had a nice sear. DK and I both thought the patties could have used a bit more seasoning, but the meaty flavor was there.

I will have to qualify my opinions by saying that I did not have a representative experience of the burger. Mine sat out for a while because I was preoccupied with my tiny human. I also didn’t know about the pickles. AND I had a gluten free bun, which we all know is NOT the same. In addition, I asked for a hamburger, but I guess I should have been more explicit and asked for no cheese. I failed to notice said cheese and ate it. Cue fussy baby and green 💩

III. The Sides
These were Lay’s potato chips. Nothing to write home about.

IV. Miscellaneous
So we have been trying to try Tripp Burgers for a long time, but because it’s a pop up, it’s hard to find them! So for Trev’s 40th birthday, I decided to throw a big party. And the obvious choice for food was burgers!

I contacted them about 6 months prior to our party date. Exchanged a few emails with Mark and then sent him the money! At that time, there was a $850 minimum and a 20% gratuity and sales tax. They serve for 2 hours. They keep track of how many burgers are ordered and then bill the balance if you go over the minimum.

The arrived with a cute little cart and griddle. Burgers took about 20 to 30 minutes to come out. It was a little confusing where to get your burger once your name was called. Mark is all about the meat and is definitely more a “back of house” guy rather than a “front of house” guy. He was a bit short with everyone and we all kind of felt like we were inconveniencing him with our presence. I didn’t take it personally. I figured that’s just how he is.

Chris and Innie have been to one of their pop ups and service was faster when they went. But as previously mentioned, they’re hard to track down!

V. Value
I ask the members how much they would pay for a double cheeseburger. We would pay anywhere from $8 to $10.50. So we thought they were a bit overpriced.

VI. The Verdict
Fun times at the party! Get the cheeseburger instead of the Oklahoma fried-onion cheeseburger. The ratings: 2.0, 2.9, 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, and 4.3.

Next burger crew meeting: Saturday, October 15th at 12:30pm – Nice Burger 100% Vegan – Long Beach.

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, August 20, 2022.

Members in attendance: Angela, DK, Innie, Trevor, and Wayne, with special guests Ellis and Marty.

I. Ordering

All of Monster Burger’s menu items are named after monsters and villains from fictional works. I guess the names are supposed to somehow correlate with what’s inside of the menu item, but I feel like they’re a loose fit at best. For example, if I were to make a Dracula burger, it would have garlic inside of it, but Monster Burger’s doesn’t. Anyways, I digress…

Innie: Dracula burger (pepper jack cheese, scratch made pickdled jalapenos, white onions, roasted jalapeno sauce, chipotle ketchup)

DK: Dracula burger (with cheddar cheese instead of pepper jack) and Reaper fries (bayou cajun saice, crispy bacon, parmesan, house made ranch, hot buffalo sauce)

Wayne: Dracula burger with Minion fries (cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, green onions, house made ranch)

Angela: Angela was on a dietary restriction, so they were able to make an off-menu burger for her with bun, meat, bacon, and barbecue sauce

Trevor: American Werewolf (American cheese, lettuce, tomato, white onions, wolf sauce)

II. Burgers

Trevor and Angela really enjoyed their burgers. Angela was very impressed with the sear and seasoning, saying her burger had a nice crunch with crispy bacon, and Trevor said it had a nice chew while still being tender. Being the tomato connoisseur that he is, Trevor also really liked the tomato in his burger.

The spiciness in the Dracula burgers was fairly mild, but the flavor combination was good, with the pickled jalapenos being notable. None of us that ordered Dracula burgers were that impressed with our patties. They were seasoned well but just didn’t have great sears. Maybe our burgers were taken off the grill earlier than Trevor and Angela’s burgers.

Buns were solid and they were the right size for the patties, not too big and not too small.

III. Sides

We all thought that the actual fries themselves were really good and crispy, but the additional toppings on the fries weren’t anything special. The recommendation is to just get plain fries instead of the specialty fries because it’s not worth the extra upcharge.

IV. Misc

Being in a Steelcraft location, which is an outdoor container park, you have to contend with the elements, and aside from the summer heat, there were a lot of flies. Parking is plentiful and there are play areas for small children (like Marty) to run around in. Angela really appreciated Burger Monster’s ability to accommodate her dietary restrictions, although they did tell her that there’s still a lot of cross contamination for anyone whose food allergies are very sensitive.

V. Value/Rating

The values and ratings were a mixed bag since some of us enjoyed the burgers more than others. Values ranged from $9-$13 and ratings ranged from 3.0-4.2.

Our next meeting will be for Trevor’s birthday, catered by Tripp Burgers!

Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

Members in attendance: Trev, Angela, Wayne, Innie with guests Ellis, Marty, and Chris

I. Ordering

The menu at Hangry Belly offered 6 different burgers that can be customized in a number of different ways and be paired with up to 6 sides. This creates many different possible combinations sure to satisfy anyone’s impending HANGRY-NESS

Trev, Angela, and Chris ordered the “We Be Jammin Burger” $11- 1/2lb Beef Patty, Arugula, Prosciutto, Tomato, Onion Jam, Roasted Garilc Aioli, Swiss Cheese, Potato Bun.

Marty had the “Plain-O-Cheeseburger” with Pickles $9- All Beef Patty, American, Potato Bun

Wayne and Innie ordered the “Fire Belly Burger” $11- 1/2lb Beef Patty, Arugula, Tomato, Thai Pickled Chilies, American Cheese, Spicy Aioli, Potato Bun

II. Burgers

The initial comment about the burgers was the patty consistency. It has a spongey texture to it that’s reminiscent more of a sausage patty than it does a typical burger patty. If you’ve ever had a burger from The WEHO Sausage Company in Culver City (inside the Citizen Public Market food hall) then you know what I’m talking about. (You can also see our review of the here: https://burgercrewla.com/the-weho-sausage-co-culver-city)

Beyond the texture, the burgers were ordered medium rare and unfortunately they were all overcooked. The patties were seasoned with pepper on the outside but overall the taste was described as bland.

Specific to the We Be Jammin Burger, the proscuitto came all out in one bite. It was a very “ham” like bite and was not balanced at all. Despite the super proscuitto bite, the balance in the other ingredients worked really well between the arugula and the sweet jam and the swiss cheese.

Kudos to the Fire Belly Burger ACTUALLY being spicy. Burger crew has been let down many times in the past for the lack of advertised spicy-ness but this one delivers! Again, the burger had a good balance of ingredients that didn’t skimp on the pickled jalapeños.

Unfortunately for Innie’s burger, it was TOO JUICY. Her bottom bun got sauce-logged and no body likes a bun that falls apart. For the rest of the crew, we found the buns to be dry and soft.

III. Sides

The only side ordered was the Trufflin Waffle Fries – $9 – Truffle Oil, Parmesan Cheese, Roasted Garlic Aioli, Parsley Garnish. We all unanimously agreed that the Hangry Belly’s Fry game was very strong. The fries came out hot and crispy and the aioli was spot on.

IV. Misc

Wayne was the only member to arrive to the meeting on time. It’s highly correlated that he’s also the only member in attendance without a child. He ordered himself a breakfast sandwich while he waited. It was described as a basic egg, sausage w/ cheese biscuit and that the biscuit was VERY good. So if you’re also there early in the morning or waiting for people to show up, we can recommend getting a breakfast sandwich.

Other noteworthy… notes

It’s located in SteelCraft Long Beach so be prepared to be subject to the weather. In our case, it was a hot hot day. There’s also a Smog City bar nearby for your beer needs. There’s plenty of seating however with the popularity of SteelCraft it’s possible to have to wait for a table to open up. Lastly, there’s a tiny parking lot attached. There’s also a couple of spill-over lots that can be found across the street.

V. Value

The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers.  Our answers ranged from $9.50 to $13 which is within the range of the actual burgers.

VI. The Verdict

Overall the burger saved itself with the thoughtful use of ingredients and we gave ratings ranging from 3.0 to 3.6. If the patty was fixed these burgers have the potential to have a rating 4+.

Next Burger Crew meeting will be held at Burger Monster in the Bellflower Steel Craft on August 20, 2022