Burnt is Bueno

I was driving to a meeting and stumbled upon another Food Truck lunch gathering in an office park in Irvine. Being that it was noon and I was hungry, I decided to venture into the parking lot to see which trucks were cooking that day.

I first spied the ubiquitous Lime Truck in the pole position. I guess winning the Food Network Great Food Trcuk Race Season 2 qualifies you for prime real estate. Next to LT was another truck I see in Irvine all of the time, Barcelona to Go. Next to these two trucks were three trucks I have never seen before, but which all intrigued me, Dogzilla, Baconmania, and The Burnt Truck.

I decided on the Burnt Truck because I just didn't feel like a hot dog that day (and from the look of the lines, many people shared my feelings) and while the Baconmania truck looked incredible, I just wasn't feeling that either. That is not to say that I was not throughly intrigued by the cool looking truck, the unique menu, and the longish line.

As I made my way through the line, I noticed the cool computer monitor menus in the side of the truck which featured the daily menu. Two items grabbed my attention immediately, the fried chicken slider and the special of the day. I ordered those two with a side of tater tots and a canned soft drink for $9.

How were they? They were both very good. The fried chicken slider consisted of buttermilk fried chicken, garlic potato spread, and country gravy. It was good, but for my taste could have used some more intense flavors to make the sandwich a bit better. I should have made use of the sriracha that the truck had on the condiment counter, but did not do so.

The chef's special was a unique slider, a spam sandwich with a quail egg on top. Very interesting, very different, and very good. I wouldn't want to be the guy in the truck individually frying up tiny little eggs all day, but the gooey yolk proved to be a perfect foil for the salty spam.

The tater tots were awesome...way better than when you bake them at home.

Will I return? Absolutley. I have heard good things about a PB&J slider.

The Burnt Truck

Other trucks mentioned:
The Lime Truck
Barcelona on the Go
Baconmania
Dogzilla

Flip Your Lid

On November 3, I was running to Costco in the Irvine Spectrum to exchange an HP wireless printer (like you needed to know that, but do yourself a favor and go get one) when I literally stumbled upon a food truck lunch gathering across the street. Foregoing a Costco Hot Dog, I lucked into a parking spot right next to the trucks and began perusing the menus.

The first truck I found was the Lime Truck (website), a long-time OC staple, but now very well-known from the Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race Season 2 (which I watched), however, I decided to keep looking. The next truck down was Panfiniti (website), which had a long line and an interesting menu. Also from TGFTR Season 2, was the Seabirds Truck (website). There was also a cupcake truck (I missed the name since I wasn't going to be having cupcakes with my lunch) and a truck that I had not seen before called The Flip Truck (website), with the tagline REALLY, REALLY GOOD SLIDERS.

I decided to get in line for the Flip Truck and spent the next few minutes trying to decide what to order. I opted for a mixed special (since all sliders come in pairs) and tried the Kobe-Guacamole slider, a Hawaiian themed burger with hoisin, pineapple, and jalapeno and Lou-wow Fries (described as Pink Hawaiian Sea Salt & Pink Peppercorn ground over Shoestring Fries, served with Truffled Ketchup). All of that plus a Diet Coke was $11.

Interestingly, the truck was "manned" by three very cute girls, all with very different looks. Taking orders was an extremely friendly young blonde girl with a nose piercing, working the grill was an older (not old, just older than the order taker) blonde with pigtails (who, it turns out is the truck owner, Heidi), and working the fry station and handing out completed orders was a younger brunette. NOTE: When you are standing in a hot parking lot waiting a few minutes for your order, you notice things like this...

So how were the Burger Sliders? Both were very good and packed a lot of flavor into a small package. The Kobe-Gaucamole was my favorite, however, the pineapple addition to the Hawaiian burger was a great addition. The buns were nicely toasted, all of the sauces were unique and the amount of food was just about right for a lunch special of two sliders and fries. The fries were very good, but the truffled ketchup was REALLY good.

Would I return to the Flip Truck? Absolutely! If you want to find them, there are several sites that track food trucks in OC such as:

Roaming Hunger
TruxMap

The Shwack...

The whole family was down at the Dana Point Marine Institute for a Saturday morning outing. Wanting to sample something from Dana Point, consulting Yelp, and recalling a review in the OC Register recently, the choice was simple...The Shwack Beach Grill. Located in a former Starbucks location on Del Prado (the one way Southbound street which parallels PCH), the laid back place looks like a smaller version of any wahoos or TK Burger you have ever been to. The Staff was really attentive, happy to be there, and a pleasure to be served by.

The place is counter service (although they do deliver the food once cooked) and seems like it gets pretty crowded. We were lucky enough to be seated by 11:30 (the only upside to having two kids that wake you up at 6:00 on weekends), but as we left, the place started to get crowded.

We ordered the following:

Big Al's Bacon Burger
$5.95
Crispy onions, hickory BBQ sauce, american cheese and deep smoked bacon.

Shwack Spuds
$2.50
Fresh baked idahos finished in zero tras fat canola oil and served with homemade jalapeno bacon ranch.

Good Vibes Veggie Burger
$5.95
Zucchini, mushrooms, onions, potato, and quinoa with Shwack sauce, tomato, fresh arugula, and swiss cheese.

And a Kid's Chicken Sandwich.

So how was it? Very good. I realized as I enjoyed it that most men should probably order a double (which is still reasonably priced), but the single burger was actually enough to satisfy. The bun is in the top of the buns I have had and tasted like a Hawaiian bread or challah or brioche. The burger was cooked pretty well (I was not asked, nor did I specify a temperature). The crispy onions, BBQ sauce, and bacon provided great flavor.

The Veggie Burger tasted like a salad, or something like that, and had a wheat bun instead of the awesome bun the burger had.

The Kid's Chicken Sandwich was very small (slider sized) but had very good flavor and both of my kids enjoyed it.

They could use some additional sides to mix it up.

Would I drive all the way to Dana Point for the Shwack? Likely not, but if I am in Dana Point and hungry, I would definitely go back. It was very good.

The Shwack Beach Grill
24502 Del Prado
Dana Point, CA 92629
Website
Facebook Page

Register Review

Location:Dana Point

The spread of pimento cheese

The spread of pimento cheese | CharlotteObserver.com & The Charlotte Observer Newspaper

Pimento Cheese is not just a great dip or snack, it is a hot new Burger topping trend. See review of Fremont Diner.

More Gourmet Burgers

The OC Register highlights 17 new Orange County restaurant openings, two of which are gourmet burger bars...article here.

Science!

The New York Times writes about a technique to produce a stellar burger.

Who has Liquid Nitrogen at their home?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/science/07tier.html

Dean-o!

Dean Martin's Burger Recipe...awesome!

Link to Esquire

Pairing Wine with Burgers

Chow.com posts about wines which pair with Burgers.

Link

Muncha Muncha Tapatio Fritos go with Everything

Warning: Off topic, non Burger-related post.

I love Fritos. I love Tapatio. Put them both together and you have one of the great food combinations like Peanut Butter and Jelly or Bacon and Eggs. I won't pretend that I purchased these delectable goodies without alcohol in my system, but for research purposes, I did taste them late at night and then the next morning. Both times, I was simultaneously greeted with a wonderful taste sensation and a burning tingling of spicy hotness.

I love spicy food and try to eat something caliente everyday. I tell you this to establish some spice cred. Regardless, I found these to be of a spiciness level beyond what is comfortable for normal eating. You need to be in the mood to "feel the burn" and should probably have a beverage nearby.

Crunchy Frito curly-cues with a zesty Tapatio kick! Que Sabor!

MAY IS NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH!!!!

My Fox LA link.

Red Robin is celebrating by seeking a Chief Burger Officer here.

A Hamburger Today celebrates here. (From 2006)

Timber.....

The Lumberyard

One of my co-burger reviewers said that he and his "boss" (his perjorative use of air quotes, not mine) would pick me up for lunch today. When I got in the car, one of them said that we should go into Laguna Beach (I will spare you the reason why) and the other said that we should eat outside. I immediately thought of the Lumberyard and its patio right smack dab in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach.

We were seated right out on the patio on a beautiful day and perused the Lunch menu as well as the many forms of body ink on display in the warm sun.

I have been to the Lumberyard for dinner several times and thoroughly enjoy the dinner offerings, but today, felt compelled to sample the Lumberyard Signature Burger.

Described on the menu as a half-pound, just-ground, Angus Chuck patty on a toasted egg bun with bleu cheese, carmalized onions, swiss cheese, bacon, and "mushroom chips," the burger looked incredible. Incidentally, my co-reviewer ordered the plain cheeseburger which is the same setup, but only with cheese (obviously). The Signature was $14 and came with a choice of fries, sweet potato fries, buttered green beans, or sauteed spinach. The plain burger was a lunch special for $10 and had the same side offerings.

We basked in the warm glow of the sun and enjoyed the people watching on the Laguna Beach streets as we waited the short wait for our meals.

When the burgers came out, they looked incredible. Pardon the cellphone camera picture and bad lighting, but see here:

The burger itself had a very crunchy bun, which I enjoyed, but I am guessing that you will hear otherwise from my co-reviewer. Also key to my burger were the incredible bacon and bleu cheese flavors which really stood out. The burger itself had good size, flavor, and composition. Overall, a very good burger.

The fries were passable, nothing special, not bad.

Our lunch mate, the "boss" man, ordered the french dip sandwich and reported that it was also very good. He also thoroughly enjoyed the tattoos of our waitress.

Incidentally, there was a cuban panini special that someone at the table next to us ordered which looked awesome.

Owned by the people who used to own Oysters in Corona del Mar, the Lumberyard is a great American restaurant in an incredible setting.

The Lumberyard
384 Forest Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-3900
Website

Burger Battle coming in Tustin!

The Orange County Register reports that Five Guys is coming to the District in Tustin, a retail center that also houses an In N' Out. The Burger Wars are upon us! An embarrassment of riches.

Fast Food Turkey Burgers

The Orange County Register reports that Carl's Jr will be adding a turkey burger to the menu starting Wednesday, March 23, 2011. They menu item was created in a colloboration between Men's Health Magazine and Carl's Jr. There are three options, standard, guacamole, and teriyaki. Check back here for a review.


Article Here

Islands in the Stream

I was stuck working late and my wife and our kids wanted to go out to meet some friends for dinner. They decided on Islands due to its location and kid-friendly atmosphere and menu. I have been to Islands many times and have always enjoyed the food.

Tonight, my wife selected the Kilauea Burger to bring home to me. It is described on the menu as a Jalapeno & black pepper crusted burger with pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli, lettuce, tomato & Island Reds (crispy onion strings).

The burger itself was good. Not too big, but great flavor (especially with the jalapeno and black pepper crust) and a solid foundation for the toppings. The chipolte aioli provided a smoky and spicy kick, and the Island Reds (which were placed in a very generous fashion) were oustanding.

It was a great burger and I enjoyed it tremendously, HOWEVER, as you may have starting noticing, chain restaurants in California have started adding nutritional information on the menus. When you look at the specifics of this burger, it is simply astounding how bad it is for you. Consider the following:

SERVING SIZE (oz) 18
CALORIES 1560
CALORIES FROM FAT 1030
TOTAL FAT (g) 115

Uggggghh...I didn't even get fries with that. Great burger, but you should probably run to and from the store to get one...

Islands Restaurants
Numerous Locations
Website

Deemers = Delish

The names of the burgers alone got me excited: "Caliente", "Napa" and "Californian". And the menu is just the start. Before I dive into the food, first a bit on Deemers. During our recent lunchtime visit we spoke to the manager, who was friendly and eager to share the restaurant's story. Recently opened by Kevin Deemers, a Newport Beach chef and restauranteur, Deemers American Grill offers a straightforward menu of burgers (beef, turkey or chicken), salads and sandwiches. Kevin was the man behind the former Yankee Tavern in Newport Beach and also spent time in the kitchen of the Ritz Carlton. Deemer's, his latest venture, is focused on gourmet burgers in a non-white table cloth environment. The competitive advantage: Deemer's is one of the only burger joints to grind their own meat. According to the manager, most of the competition buys their patties pre-made.

The friendly staff, comfortable and clean interior and enticing menu forshadowed a tasty Sunday afternoon lunch. I ordered the Caliente burger while my wife sampled the Classic with Cheese. The Caliente was a no-brainer order for me:queso fresco cheese, sauteed jalepenos, beefsteak tomato, iceberg lettuce, with Deemer's fire sauce. We also ordered a basket of fries and a side of peanut coleslaw.

The Caliente was fantastic and the freshness was obvious. The patty itself was slightly crumbled (in a good way) and to me indicated that it was not a pre-formed patty. You know those hand-formed homemade burgers that sort of crumble when you sink into them? Not sure how these guys form the patties, but I got the feeling of homemade while I was eating. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the Classic with cheese...so much that I wasn't able to steal a bit for research purposes!

The fries might have been the dark horse of the whole matter. Thick-sliced potatoes lead to crispy and lightly seasoned goodness. The peanut coleslaw was a bit of a let down. I love peanut coleslaw, but this one left much to be desired. I think the peanuts were on strike--I couldn't find them in my bowl.

Bottom line: Deemer's delivered a fresh, tasty burger and an overall great experience. So far my favorite burger of the year and I can't wait to go back to test the "Buffalo": blue cheese, red hot sauce with two cabbage peanut coleslaw.

Deemer's American Grill

27221 La Paz Road

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

(949) 425-8770

-B

The Luck of the Irish...

“Best Burger in the O.C.” Award
-Orange Coast Magazine

“The Best Hamburgers in O.C., At This Celtic Bar that has Something For Everyone”
-ZAGAT Guide

Newport Beach, California, Thursday, 11:30 am. Three friends in business suits sit down next to a crackling fireplace in the dark back room of an irish pub across the street from Fashion Island. In researching the state of burgers in OC, all signs had pointed this direction as an example of the best.

We perused the menu, but had no time this day for bangars and mash or corned beef, all three of us zeroed immediately in on the burger choices. We decided to go in three different directions and to split potions with one another. All burgers are hand-formed 100% certified Angus half-pounders. All burgers came with an inordinate amount of lettuce, tomato, choice of raw or grilled onions, and a REALLY good brioche-esque grilled bun. They asked for our temperature prefences and actually did a perfect job meeting the requests of two mediums and one medium-well. The burger quality and flavor was very high and all ingredients were high-quality and fresh (two characteristics not usually associated with Irish food. There were several sides to choose from, but we all chose pub fries which were good, although a tad bit undercooked.

Burger Choice #1: The Bleu's Burger




Our waitress recommended the Bleu's Burger as a "must have." Listed as having crumbled blue cheese and onions, it actually was more of a blue cheese dressing-type spread with crumbles in it, this is a good thing, not a bad thing! The flavor of the blue cheese dressing was very good, however, against the overall size and number of ingredients, it was not overly forward. It contributed to the overall flavor rather than overshadowing it. If you wanted more flavor, you could always get a side of blue cheese dressing and add even more (which we may or may not have done).

Burger Choice #2: The St. Patty's




Although our waitress steered us in a different direction than the St. Patty's we all wanted to order it. Listed as having tillamook vintage cheddar, oak-smoked bacon, and homemade guacamole, it was an interesting option at an Irish pub. One would assume a burger named the St. Patty's would be a patty melt (which, if Muldoon's wanted to be really creative, they could do with soda bread, irish cheddar, and corned beef or something suitably irish like a Guiness reduction sauce or something). BUT, this St. Patty's Burger must be named in honor of the green guacamole. We all agreed that this was the best of the three burgers because the guacamole really added a lot of interesting flavor to the overall taste.


Burger Choice #3: The Macho




The choice of the Macho Burger was really just to try something totally different since we figured it would be academically lazy to order more than one of the same burgers. Listed with jack cheese, sliced avocado, and grilled ortega chili, it was another unusal option for an Irish-themed place. It was very good and the sliced avocado was very generously added.

Overall Impressions:


I don't know what it is about Irish pubs, but I have never left one without feeling happy. Beyond that, Muldoon's is a "best of breed" Irish pub that has something literally for everyone. Were the burgers as good as all of the hype? The jury is still out according to us since there are many other burgers to try before labeling them the best in OC, but there really isn't much that Muldoon's could improve on. The highest quality ingredients, handled properly (we could hear and smell our burgers being cooked on the char-grill ten feet away from us), and served in a friendly and happy environment (our sassy waitress Amanda was a good combination of engaging when she was there, mocking when we mocked her, and not overly present when we didn't want her there) probably add a few points to the overall review. A burger eaten in this environment, with good friends, will always taste better than the alternative. Imagine the review if we had been drinking pints!

Note: We cut a piece of burger for our missing wingman, reviewer B who couldn't make this particluar outing. We didn't let it sit for too long though...all pieces were consumed by the end of the meal.

Muldoons
202 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 640-4110
http://www.muldoonspub.com/

Classic Burger Cafe is Just OK

Sunday afternoon, President's Day weekend, out at the Park running after a three year old all morning, it's Burger Time. I headed towards Peter's Gourmade in Tustin without really knowing why, but as I pulled up, I noticed that they are closed on Sundays. Realizing that Classic Burger Cafe is literally just around the corner, we made a right hand turn and entered the CBC (#7 apparently).





Upon entering the restaurant, the menu made my head spin with offering ranging from Breakfast served all day to pork chops to burritos to burgers. If it can be grilled, fried, or served with salsa, CBC has it.

I had high hope for the burgers given the name of the place, so I ordered a Cheeseburger for my wife ($3.25), a Western Bacon Cheeseburger (at their recommendation and with trademark infringement belonging to them, not me) for me ($4.85), and my son inexplicably wanted a Carne Asada Taco (inexplicably because he has never ordered a carne asada taco AND because he passed up things like corn dogs and chicken nuggets)($2.25). My wife asked me to get mushrooms on her burger (despite me explaining that it wasn't really a Counter-type "build your own" kind of place).

Due to the language gap, we received her cheeseburger with the standard fixings, lettuce, tomato, diced onions, and thousand island with a SIDE of FRIED MUSHROOMS. Good, but not what we expected.



Here is her burger pictured (white plate is ours, not theirs). For research purposes, I tried a quarter of it. As you can see, the burger patty is very thin and is totally overwhelmed by the condiments. It tasted pretty smoky and charred which I liked, but she didn't like the thousand island dressing.



So how was the Western Bacon Cheeseburger? As you can see, the same small burger was now dressed up with onion rings above and below it, cheese, and a drenching of tangy barbecue sauce. Did it taste good? Yes, but that is because there was a serious amount of non-burger tasty items on the bun. The burger was secondary. Was it worth $4.85? Absolutely, but I would prefer the option to pay more for a hand-formed burger patty made from fresh ground beef.

So, I know what you are wondering...how was the carne asada? Again, for research purposes, I tasted some of the taco (which was accompanied by a really good salsa verde). It was great tasting asada.

Based on all of this, would I go back to Classic Burger Cafe? Yes I would, I wouldn't go out of my way to do so, but if I was hungry and in the area, it would be worth a stop. Would I order a burger again? Probably not since the burger itself was underwhelming and the mexican food seemed to be the better option.


Classic Burger Cafe #7
15712 Tustin Village Way
Tustin, CA
(714) 667-3884

The Slopper

A blogger writes here about a Pueblo burger invention called a Slopper where a hamburger is submerged in green chili. This would be wonderful to try, but also got me thinking about trying to find the best chili size in the OC. The chili size is a unique concoction that merges two of the best comfort foods; chili and burgers. Stay tuned to see if an OC chili size can be located.

image from A Hamburger Today blog

These are a few of my favorite things...

Slashfood points out here that a Philadelphia chef is trying to draw attention to the plight of the company that makes tastykakes by serving sliders made with peanut butter tastykakes as the bun. Despite the fact that I love sliders and LOVE chocolate enrobed peanut butter tastykakes, I am not sure that this would be a good combination. I would try it though...

More Burger News

The OC Register reports that 3,170 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef and burgers have been recalled. Hopefully, this is the end of this story.

Burger News

The Fast Food Maven at the OC Register writes that Bravo Burgers will be adding a location in Mission Viejo in March. We are looking forward to sampling their Burgers.

And how could we not take this opportunity to share what looks like the best snack on tap at the party: bacon-wrapped, cream cheese-filled jalapenos. I know what you're thinking, how do I get invited to that party?!

B

Super Sunday!

In this year of the burger, how could we pass up the chance to serve burgers! And what better type of burger to serve at a Super Bowl party than sliders? This is a picture of 48, 2 oz. slider patties waiting their turn to be grilled and eaten with various number of dips, chips, crackers, etc.

B

Peter's Gourmade My Day

Outside view



Inside View



I had been hearing big things about the food coming out of a gas station in Tustin. Given the buzz of food trucks everywhere and an increased general awareness (it seems) of non-chain food options, it took me a few times hearing about it before I ventured over to Tustin to try Peter's Gourmade. Now I wish that I had tried it sooner!

The Burger

I selected the "ABC Burger" from the menu. It is described as:

ABC Burger 5.75
All-Beef Angus patty served on a toasted potato bun with lettuce, onion, tomato, Famous Dave’s Pickle Chips, ketchup, mustard & Mayo with Bacon, Fresh Avocado & Melted Cheddar Cheese.

It was INCREDIBLE! The burger texture was the single best burger I have ever had. It was the softest and most tender (not an adjective usually used with Burgers) patty I have tried.

The mayo, ketchup, mustard, avocado, and melted cheddar created a silky smooth sauce flavor and the thick and crisp bacon created a smoky and crisp counter point.

I also sampled the french fries which were simply very good. Crisp, skinny, well-cooked, and salty, they were awesome. AND, with a drink and fries added to the burger for $2 extra, it was a very good deal.

I can't wait to go back to try the Greek Fries, french fries with feta and gyro meat on top!

Peter's Gourmade Grill
15851 McFadden Blvd.
Tustin, CA
(In the Valero gas station)
Website

Break the Habit

*****Readers, please be advised that this review will be short and sweet. This is by no means a reflection of the quality of the Habit or its burger. Rather, the short review reflects the simple and direct nature of the Habit's Charburger*****

If your tagline is "Burger Grill" you better bring the hammer. Trae la maleta! The good thing for me and anyone else that has eaten a Habit burger, they do indeed bring the hammer. I ordered the Original Charburger: mayo, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, camelized onions on a toasted bun. Sounds basic and maybe even boring, right? WRONG! The burgers simplicity is its greatest attribute. It is a compact burger wrapped in a nice little package making the eating of it clean and orderly. To top it all off, they offer a small "pepper bar" loaded with jalepenos and sport peppers. There is nothing better than a few neon yellow sport peppers to warm-up the taste buds before a meal.

All in all, I give the Habit a firm thumbs up!

-B

23632 El Toro Road, #A

Lake Forest, CA 92630

949.206.9110

True to Form

I know what you're thinking...True Food Kitchen is not a restaurant you would read about during the year of the burger, right? Surprise! That is the great thing about this blog. We can do whatever the heck we want!

I have experienced True Food just once before, but for drinks only. I enjoyed the company of a co-worker and, of course a few ginger margaritas. Not on the menu, these margaritas ,pack a punch that gave me some temporary relief from my chest cold. But on my most recent visit, no ginger margaritas. It was lunch and I was hungry, which concerned me at a place like True Food. For those that don't know let me describe True Food. Sustainable, simple, fresh, healthy, locally-grown, organic. Rather than venture too deep into the menu I decided to have the waitress order for me. The first item she recommended was, coincidentally, the turkey burger. Perfect! She warned me that the burger is served with raw kale, seasoned with lemon, Parmesan and bread crumbs. I bought it.

After sucking back a Green Arnie, made of Matcha Green Tee and Honey Lemonade (don't say that I didn't warn you) our food arrived. The burger was served on a flax seed bun with a large slice of avocado, lettuce, tomato and provolone. Just so you have a visual, the turkey patty was not shaped into a perfect circular patty. It was rough around the edges. I thoroughly enjoyed this burger, despite it falling apart 1/2 way through me eating it. I resorted to eating the second 1/2 with a fork and knife, which took nothing away from it. The kale was the biggest surprise. Crunchy, citrus-y and overall a nice healthy side dish.

My thesis on True Food's turkey burger (and True Food in general)...true to form. The burger was solid. Not too "earthy" or overly "crunchy" as you might suspect. It was different and simple, yet solid.

What I like about this Year of the... assignment is our ability to go beyond the conventional. To try things that do not fit the mold. We know that In' N Out is going to be great. We know Fuddruckers and Knowlwood will deliver. But it's the burgers at places like True Food that make this fun.

B

True Food Kitchen

Fashion Island

451 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

949.544.2400

Just Let Your Soul Glo!

Memphis Cafe is an OC cult favorite. Simple with kitchy decor, people swear by their gumbo. I have had it on a previous visit and it is, admittedly, a tasty treat. But this is not the Year of the Gumbo, although that is intriguing. This is the Year of the Burger and on my most recent visit to Memphis, it was all business.

Burgers. The Soul Burger to be exact. Beef patty, pepper jack cheese and chipotle aioli on a fresh bun. I sub'd the shoestring fries for a side salad (yes those are a sampling of shoestring fries from my co-worker's plate) and enjoyed it all with a draft Franziskaner Weissbier. Which by the way (please permit me a small sidenote), is it just me or can you order a Franziskaner everywhere these days? Don't get me wrong, I love it. Currently, you can find it in my garage beer fridge. But seriously it happened overnight. Last year you could only find it at BevMo and now you can order it at Applebees. I guess the brewer hired the right distributor because the beer is everywhere.

...so back to the Soul Burger. The chipotle aioli really made the burger. It was tangy, mild in spicyness and added just the right moisture to the bun. The burger was plated with a pickle, tomato and onion, but I will attest they were not needed. At first I missed the conventional set-up, but I actually enjoyed this stripped down version. It was just the right lunch size and it was a 4 on the messy scale (10 being so messy it requires a fork and knife). Overall a solid burger made even better with a good beer.

This was a great start to the Year of the Burger!

B

Memphis Cafe
2920 Bristol St.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 432-SOUL (7685)