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

Take the Matter into Your Own Hands

Fish Fridays are the law of the land (for Catholics, at least) during Lent. And what better way to advance this blog, than to enjoy a lovely FT on a Friday. I did just that today with my wife and daughter at Avila's El Ranchito in Laguna Niguel.

With my ususal order "off the table, " I snuggled up to a 2 order combo of fish tacos and rice and beans. After having helped myself to a strong serving of chips and salsa, I was looking forward to a new FT adventure. The FTs are delivered in simple form with mahi mahi covered in shredded green cabbage, loosely wrapped with 2 flour tortillas. No cheese, no sour cream, no sauce (truthfully, I typically order FTs with the sauce on the side and I remained true to this here).

The fish was very lightly battered and fried, but light and fresh. However, the fish tasted very plain and, in my mind, needed a little somethin' somethin'. Furthermore, without the sauce (basic tarter sauce) the tacos were on the dry side. Fortunately for me, I love Avila's salsa (chalk full of white and green onions) and proceeded to add a heap to each taco. This made the meal. The salsa added flavor and moistness (is this a word?) and drove my lunch over the finish line. I gobbled them up with the same passion and determination that Larry H. Parker has for delivering settlements to his clients.

Overall, Avila's FTs are simple and slightly plain unless, that is, you take matters into your own hands.

B

27941 La Paz Road, Suite E

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

949.349.9100

http://www.avilaelranchito.com/