2009 Burger Journey: North America Edition

Introduction

Living in Beijing has its privileges, but not quite when one talks about easy access to good old-fashioned burgers. I have complained to folks time and again that there isn't a single place where I can get a decent burger in China's capital city. Places such as Durty Nellie's, Blue Frog, and Tim's Texas offer a decent ensemble that is good, adequate, but not great. Maison Boulud serves up a db burger of whose texture I am not an avid fan -- it resembles too much like a pulled-pork sandwich or a sloppy Joes. Plus, I prefer bacon over foie gras with my burgers, any day. I have previously raved about 25 Degrees, but mainly as an exercise of nostalgia (multiple visits subsequent to my initial review indicate that their quality has somewhat diminished).

Hence, when I made a trip to the U.S. last month I tried to visit as many burger joints as humanly (and beastly!) possible. My task was Herculean: 8 burger joints in 4 days -- a rare feat considering that those visits were squeezed between multiple work lunches/dinners, two meals with relatives and another dinner with friends. Health be damned, and here are my tasting notes for my 2009 Burger Journey, North America Edition:

0. Eat at Ed Debevic's
640 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60654

Day 0. Originally I was to begin my burger journey in Southern California, but thought it would be awesome if I could start my burger journey on my way to SoCal...i.e. on the plane! Therefore, between my lunch-time and my mandatory boarding time at O'Hare, I managed to drop by Ed Debevic's and pick up an order of bacon cheeseburger for the road.

The burger and the fries were carried away in a nice takeaway box, which drew plenty of eyeballs and votes of culinary approval as I journeyed from downtown Chicago to my departure gate. Because the point was to eat on the plane, I didn't open the box until midway between Chicago and Los Angeles, but by that time the burger became cold and stale. Even though jealous eyes scanned me and my food object as I unpacked and started eating, I couldn't help but think how much lovelier the burger would have tasted had I killed the romantic but impractical idea of eating on the plane. While I was nursing my burger, a flight attendant came by to give my takeaway choice her two-thumbs-up -- an ironic twist since I was just thinking about how I would rather dine in and be verbally abused by those silly hosts at Ed's than to eat a burger that was dead on arrival.

Burger: Bacon cheeseburger
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: bun-cheese-patty-lettuce leaves-bacon-bun
Dressing: none

1. Pie ‘N Burger
913 E. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91106

Day 1. On my way to Santa Monica, I dropped by Pie 'N Burger on California. The place was a throw-back to a bygone era, as evidenced by its faux-wood counter top, faux-brick linoleum in smudged burgundy, and a griddle so puffed up in smokes that if this weren't a burger joint you'd think the place was on fire. The cheeseburger was ordered medium with a slice of tomato on the side. The 1/4-lb. patty was nicely cooked, with a slightly, crisply char along the rim. The Russian dressing was sweet, delicate, but not overwhelming. The ingredients were fresh and were stacked in a harmonious chorus. It was difficult to pick the star, but every bit players did a marvellous job as part of the whole. Because I had a lunch appointment only an hour thereafter, I hesitated to order more food but, upon repeated urging of the lovely hostess, my wisdom gave way to gluttony. I asked her if her pies were any good, and she said that if I liked their burgers I really had to try their pies; after all, she proclaimed: "pies come before burgers, in name and in spirit". I ordered their banana merange pie, which did not disappoint: a decadent custard with plenty of banana and buttery flavors was sandwiched between a freshly-baked pie crust and a thick merange top. Flavors of tropical bananas and fresh eggs danced merrily, as if in a duet in a pristine floral garden. The tartness of the merange, right on cue, helped to cut through the residual grease in my mouth. While I had more than my share of food (especially considering that I downed an entire triple-decker club sandwich an hour later), I thought I couldn't have scripted a better way to begin my burger journey.

Burger: Cheeseburger
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: bun-lettuce leaves-cheese-patty-red onions-Russian dressing-bun
Dressing: Russian

2. In-N-Out
throughout southern California

Day 1. After an excellent start at Pie 'N Burger, I was psyched. I was so psyched that, a mere 4 hours later (with a club sandwich in between), I stopped at an In-N-Out to order my usual item: a double-double. In-N-Out, in my opinion, offers the best bang for the buck in the entire universe, with two patties, two pieces of American cheddar, and flavorful grilled onions at merely $3. The overall stack was just a pinch oversalted but otherwise very well executed.

Burger: Double-double
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: bun-cheese-patty-grilled onions-cheese-patty-bun
Dressing: none

3. 25 Degrees
at The Hollywood Roosevelt
7000 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028

Day 1. I have previously blogged about why I thought Hotel G offers the best burger in Beijing. Thus, revisiting the original was on top of my agenda. Tucked inside the Hollywood Roosevelt, 25 Degrees sports turn-of-the-last-century early modernism with pressed aluminum ceiling, velvet wallpaper with Depression Scherenschnitte patterns, and plush leather couches. I ordered a BYO burger, and to wash it down, a Guinness shake. The BYO burger was made with ground sirloin (ordered medium), crescenza cheese, bacon and caramelized onions. Onions, tomatoes and lettuce were served on the side. The meat was just a bit over medium but effused an aromatic, yet intense, charcoal-grilled flavor. The cheese, soft, mild and with a subtle reference to the corresponding fresh cow milk, provided a nice, almost un contrepoint féminin to the meat's robust masculinity. The caramelized onions provided just enough sweetness to round out the stack. Any BYO burger could be a blessing or a curse, but this stack was packed with flavors that complemented each other. The Guiness milkshake was made with vanilla bean, chocolate ice cream and a shot of Guinness. It was too sweet as a dining companion but worked wonderfully as an opulent dessert to finish off the evening. Seated with a direct view of the passing cars on Hollywood Boulevard, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic again: could Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart have sat at the same spot, looking at the same view, some years back? Life is good.

Burger: BYO
Bun: well toasted, with a charred rim
Architecture: bun-caramelized onions-bacon-crescenza cheese-patty-bun (pickles, tomatoes, onions, lettuce on the side)
Dressing: none

4. The Counter
2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Day 2. This was my second visit to The Counter. It was considered to be the standard for the build-your-own style, with efficient service, fresh ingredients, and a laid-back but professional service staff. I hope this concept goes far and (world-)wide...a Beijing outpost, anyone? The burger I ordered included a sharp Tillamook cheddar with a generous helping of baby greens, grilled onions, and roasted chiles. Architecturally, the hamburger bun was a little too small for the gigantic, 1/3 lb. meat package; the alternative would have been a honey wheat bun, which had a slightly larger footprint, although I was always skeptical of deviating away from the standard bun triumvirate of regular flour, brioche, and sour dough. The chiles slightly overwhelmed the rest of the veggies, but provided a playful touch to the hefty beef that was packed with juices and beefy flavors. The beef was also brought to table medium as requested, with an off-charcoal exterior -- draped with melted Tillamook -- that slowly graduated into a pink interior. The bun was lightly toasted and came out crisp at the rim and soft in the interior.

Burger: BYO
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: buttered bun-onion-cheese-patty-chiles-baby greens-bun
Dressing: Russian, on the side

5. Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Day 2. As Apple Pan is located a stone's throw away from where I used to live, I am well familiar with this place. In fact, one of the servers, Pedro, still remembered me as I walked in, even though I wasn't wearing my trademark surfer shorts and yellow T-shirt that read "surf instructor" and at which Pedro and his kitchen comrades often gleefully mocked at my fragile ego's expense. No words can better describe Apple Pan's burger than the word: classic. Opened in 1947 and a west side institution ever since, Apple Pan offers a classic steak burger with a ketchup relish and mayonnaise. Burger elites be damned, but relish + ketchup + mayo + pickles work wonders as a group and, if executed properly, can be heaven on the palate. The AP staff simply knew how to cook a patty, bringing out plenty of beefy flavors by rendering away just enough fat to keep the patty flavorful while keeping the interior moist and juicy. The relish sauce was sharp at the initial bite but harmonious on the finish. As I sat at the U-shaped counter, looking at Pedro and his comrades working the griddle area, my mind slowly drifted away into a time-collapsed eternity where there was nothing but beefy grease, smokes and heavenly burgers. Yeah, Apple Pan was this good.

Burger: Cheeseburger
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: bun-relish ketchup sauce-cheese-patty-lettuce shreds-pickles-mayo-bun
Dressing: relish ketchup + mayo

6. Mom's Burgers
336 W Alondra Blvd.
Compton, CA 90220

Day 3. The highlight of my burger tour was Mom's Burgers, simply because I have heard a lot about it and it was one of the two places (the other being Pie 'N Burger) that I have not visited before. Mom's Burgers is located at the heart of Compton, about 15 minutes drive from Santa Monica. Judging from the outside, you'd never imagine that a shack the size of a standard 40-feet container could serve up some of the finest burgers in Compton, if not Southern California. My order was the DCMB, or Double Cheese Mom's Burger -- a concoction of beef, cheeses, mayo, ketchup, relish and veggies stacked up to the sky. All orders were paper-wrapped to go, but I chose to consume at the counter. As I unwrapped, a swarm of heavenly aromatics bursted into the open: the smell of beef, cheese, onions -- as if they have been stashed away for too long and yearned for freedom. The beef was presented with an nutty, chewy texture and a forceful punch to the nose. The cheese that looked manufactured and uninspiring on the griddle not only caressed the beef in a tight, longing embrace but sang merrily with the rest of the stack. The tricky marriage of mayo and ketchup was executed harmoniously -- probably the best I have ever had -- they simultaneously brought layers of sharpness and buttery smoothness to the burger. My palate and my olfactory senses weren't the only being amply rewarded: the whole scene was filled with Bow Wow's music (after all, we were in Compton) while I basked under the California sun, watching sup-ed up cars of the yesteryear zoom past.

Before I left Compton I thought I needed to check out at least one fried chicken joint. About 5 minutes down the road was Honey’s Kettle, a non-descript fried chicken joint on the edge of Compton on Alondra. I ordered two pieces of chicken and an order of butter biscuit -- a courageous affair after just having downed a DCMB. In any case, I thought I would just give them a taste, but they were so good that I felt disrespectful if I didn't finish them all. The biscuit was soft and airy, with so much butter that I wondered if some day they had to legally call it baked butter with biscuit flour lest they be accused of misleading marketing. The chicken was lightly seasoned, leaving much of the responsibility in the flavor department to the chicken's natural juices. The chicken did not disappoint: it was juicy, flavorful, and just greasy enough to put a tremendous satisfactory grin on my face.

Burger: Double Cheese Mom’s Burger (the DCMB)
Bun: toasted, charred rim
Architecture: bun-mayo-cheese-meat-cheese-meat-onions-relish-tomato-lettuce shreds-mustard-bun
Dressing: none

Un petit dessert: two pieces of freshly fried Honey's Kettle fried chicken and buttery biscuit

7. Original Tommy’s World Famous
5873 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Day 3. Aside from In-N-Out OTWF would be the other fast food burger joint on my hit list. I thought I'd end the journey with a distinctly California style burger, which is, to slather chili all over the burger. OTWF certainly was neither the proprietor nor the top-of-the-class purveyor in this space, but at $3 a pop it was a deal not to be sniffed at. After all, we were sitting in the middle of the worst global recession in more than a generation, and it was only appropriate to include a regular fare that didn't have to break the bank account even if one were to pay a visit daily. The buns were soft and freshly toasted; the rest of the stack was comfortably covered by a warm blanket of chili, which was mild and, to my surprise, quite meaty. The beef was a little disappointing, though exactly what it was supposed to be: a flavorless fast food burger patty, albeit with enough coarseness and texture to counterpoint the chili and the cheese.

Burger: Cheeseburger
Bun: lightly toasted
Architecture: bun-mustard-tomato-pickles and onions-patty-cheese-chili-bun
Dressing: none

Conclusion

The burger journey was not meant to identify the best burger in Southern California. (On my to-go or to-revisit list are: Ammo, Beacon, BoHo, Five Guys, Golden State, Laurel Tavern, Lucky Devils, Rush Street, Rustic Canyon, Umami, and Yard House.) It was meant for me to revisit some of the places I used to visit and to hand pick one or two places for an experience I wouldn't soon forget: Pie 'N Burger provides a feel-good, nostalgic setting while Mom's gives an exotic, in-your-face experience --the analogy in the music world being, if I may, Perry Como vs. Dr Dre. In my opinion, the burger as a dish has inherited so much stigma from mass production houses like the big M and the burger royal that, around the world, it has lost due respect as both a legitimate entrée item and a serious cuisine. Daniel Boulud's $40 db burger, with braised short ribs and foie gras, even though not up to my burger standard, aims to reverse exactly that. America remains the ultimate destination for burgers, if only because it is a land so well endowed that finding good quality ingredients is painlessly easy. It is also because the culture is so infused with a burger psyche (thanks in part to big M, but also to cultural infusions; see here and here) that it is both fast and comfort food for the masses, rich or poor. Beijing needs a good ol' burger joint not merely because there has got to be plenty of burger-loving souls seeking one, but because the city that embraces all and touts the slogan "One World, One Dream" should take this dish, and cuisine, seriously. I look forward to more burgers. Bring on the stack, the dripping juices and the grease!