Cuisine: Japanese.
Specialty: Sushi.
Address: 8000 W Sunset Blvd Ste A2020, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Price: About $6-$10 for a roll. About $10 for curry.

As with most siblings, my brother and I don’t always get along. Nowhere is our sibling rivalry more pronounced, though, than in the weekly family meal, where we just can’t seem to decide on any restaurant that both of us like. So one week, we just got fed up with the fighting and decided to go to the nearest restaurant we could find in the area.

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Hence, how we ended up at Sushi Dan, one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in a while. In a city full of great Japanese cuisine, especially sushi, you’d expect most Japanese restaurants to taste at least good. Sushi Dan is by no means meant to be a gourmet experience, but even at the relatively low price range, it simply fails to impress in any way.

First is the cramped ambience. The entrance is a very narrow hallway that leads out onto a relatively small dining room. The tables, however, are spacious enough, and the restaurant tends to seat people at larger-than-needed tables (e.g. four seaters for a party of two). As for decoration, the restaurant goes minimalist, as with most Japanese restaurants. It feels somewhat awkward, though, as Sushi Dan strikes somewhat of a discordant note between modern and traditional. For example, odd red lights shine out from the walls to illuminate an otherwise rather dim restaurant. I personally found the lighting scheme more distracting than relaxing or intimate.

The service was nothing to note, either. My waiter got everything right, but was not very amiable or helpful. Moreover, she was not very prompt. Food came out sporadically, as is typical of sushi restaurants. However, there is no reason to bring a large curry dish, meant to be eaten individually, out near the end of the meal (i.e. after all the sushi). The dishes, moreover, took very long to prepare for what they were.

And the food was even worse. Three of the five dishes were simply underwhelming, and I can find nothing out of the five to recommend. Worst of all was the spicy curry, a stewy, rich take on yellow curry, loaded with chunky, hearty vegetables and chicken. As a kid, I used to love eating this dish for its richness, crunch, and refreshing sweetness. Either my taste has changed or the quality of the dish has simply gone down, though, because this time around it was muddy. The rice became too soggy with the thick curry, and the dish lacked any noticeable spice.

Similar flaws were prevalent in the other dishes. The shrimp heads were fried to the point of becoming cloyingly oily. The Hot Night Roll (shrimp tempura, cucumber, masago, spicy tuna) felt muddled, with an overabundance of clashing ingredients. The Popeye & Olive, a mix of seared tuna sashimi with spinach, had no coherence, as the tuna and spinach didn’t really contribute much to each other.

That’s not to say the meal came at a bad price. I don’t think anything cost over $10. Most of the dishes tasted at least decent (but not good), too—It is, after all, very difficult to ruin a simple sushi roll. Still, for the quality, I’d rather have gone somewhere else.

Sushi Dan, then, is certainly a place to avoid. In a cosmopolitan city like LA with a large Japanese population, it should be easy to find better sushi at a similar price.

What I Tasted

1. Spicy Curry Rice with Chicken (with carrot, onion, mushroom, and green onion): This curry has a lot going for it, and yet the restaurant somehow manages to ruin it. The curry comes very thick and rich, making it very easy to mix into a bowl of rice, like a stew. The vegetables add in some needed variety, both with their crunchy texture and their fresh flavor. The onions are especially nice, adding a touch of sweetness that plays off the spice and richness well. The curry, though, ultimately fails. It comes so thick that it feels muddy, simply giving the rice a soggy coating. Moreover, calling this a “spicy” curry is a misnomer, as the spice is underwhelming. Finally, except for the vegetables, the curry tastes bland. 1.0/5.0
2. Fried Shrimp Heads: Shrimp heads tend to be very flavorful (in fact, they’re the juiciest part of the whole shrimp). The restaurant, however, coats them in such a thick, oily batter that it is almost impossible to actually taste the shrimp. Instead, I was left feeling greasy. Nor did the shrimp themselves seem all that fresh. 1.2+/5.0
3. Hot Night Roll (shrimp tempura, cucumber, and masago, with spicy tuna on top and eel sauce): This roll feels far too muddled, combining crunchy, oily tempura, with muddy tuna that isn’t very fresh and topping it all with a slightly sweet eel sauce. The tempura tends to dominate but does not provide the savory flavor I would expect from shrimp. The underwhelming, gritty spicy tuna also seems to clash with the crunchy, bolder tempura. I did not really notice the cucumber or the masago very much, but the eel sauce does at least help to cover up some of the flaws and integrate the separate components. Still, this roll just doesn’t feel fresh. 1.5/5.0
4. Popeye & Olive (seared tuna sashimi with a bed of spinach, pine nuts, and sweet soy sauce): Surprisingly, much better than I expected. The sweet soy sauce really infuses the whole dish with a ton of flavor. It gives the slightly smoky tuna a nice light glaze, but doesn’t overpower the fish. The spinach, on the other hand, completely soaks up the sauce and bursts with juice as you bite into it. It thus doesn’t taste very bitter, although it can get very sweet. The pine nuts are nice for some extra texture, too. My big complaint? While the dish tastes good enough, it seems somewhat confused. The spinach and tuna don’t mesh very well, and I found myself eating each component alone. 2.8/5.0
5. Spicy Tuna Roll on Crispy Fried Rice (custom order): Perhaps the best roll of the night. Again, the spicy tuna does not taste all that fresh, and the consistency is even muddier than I’d expect from ground tuna (perhaps it isn’t finely ground). The roll, however, comes with a very generous portion of spicy tuna, so that the flavor really comes through this time around. Moreover, the crispy fried rice on the bottom does not distract from the taste, contributing little more than a very nice crunch and some neutrality to balance out the savory tuna. 3.5/5.0

Scores

Ambience: 2.0/5.0
Service: 2.0/5.0
Taste: 1.8/5.0
Value: 2.5/5.0
Verdict: 2.0/5.0

LA’s typically known as a fast-paced city, completely wrapped up in the new, the modern, and the trendy, with little respect for the past. Nothing could be more wrong, though, at least when it comes to food. While LA is definitely the spot to find the newest culinary trends in full force, the residents never forget the classics, from hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop restaurants (such as El Tepeyac) to classic, old-school diners (like Apple Pan) to the omnipresent LA-style Jewish deli (e.g. Langer’s).

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However, no restaurant really encapsulates the history of LA better than Philippe the Original. Not only is this gigantic deli the birthplace of the French dip sandwich, it’s been open since 1908! That’s over a century of service! In the LA culinary scene, you’re lucky if your restaurant can even survive five years, especially in this economy. Philippe’s, though, is virtually a fossil in an otherwise constantly shifting town, holding its ground as I’ve seen no other restaurant in LA do.

It’s even more impressive, though, after you step inside and realize just what you’re getting. Philippe’s is what most would consider a dump, plain and simple. In fact, it reminds me more of a cafeteria than anything else. You go up to the counters, order your food, and then take it to a whole series of long benches. The seating is, moreover, cramped and uncomfortable, mostly made of simple wood. The deli has very little color, and the little decoration it does have tends to verge on the ostentatiously touristy: old photos on the walls, awards, pictures of celebrities who’ve eaten there, etc. Perhaps worst of all is the mere cleanliness, as the dining area looks naturally dingy, coming from a century of wear and tear, even though I’m sure it’s cleaned quite often.

But that’s the charm of it. Philippe’s seems as though it hasn’t changed at all since its founding, left to fight against the throes of time. It may be uncomfortable, and it certainly feels outdated, but you don’t come to Philippe’s for the comfort or the trendiness. It’s just a simple deli, and it stays true to its roots as few restaurants in LA can. The fact that it’s packed to the brim every single day simply attests to just how much the food is respected.

For good reason, too. Like I said, Philippe’s created the phenomenon that has become the French Dip Sandwich. Before all the Hollywood glitz and glamor, and before all the media attention, Philippe’s was innovating, giving LA its signature sandwich. The sandwich was so good, in fact, that its fame spread by simple word of mouth.

It seems like the recipe hasn’t changed even a drop, either. Philippe’s takes a simple French roll, dips it into the au jus (the meat’s juice), tosses on a large stack of one of five different types of meat, and serves it up alongside some of its famous horseradish mustard, which packs so much heat that even the biggest lover of spice will feel it. I only tried the roast beef variety, but the meat was right on, packing a fantastically savory saltiness, though it was a bit tough. The sandwich is perfect for a quick, cheap, filling meal, costing just $5.75 a piece.

Philippe’s, then, is a refreshing find. In a town full of ultra-modern, ever-shifting restaurants and trends, Philippe’s stands out for not only holding onto its history, but also glorifying it. The food may not be fancy or complex, but that’s not what Philippe’s does best. Instead, it serves up simple, straightforward sandwiches just as it used to nearly 100 years ago (the French Dip was created in 1918). That type of history is something you just can’t argue against. The sandwich may not be for everyone, but it’s about as classic as it gets.

What I Tasted

1. Cole Slaw: As good as they say! It’s very fresh-tasting, as though the lettuce was chopped that same day. As a result of that freshness, the lettuce is extremely crunchy, and you can even hear it cracking in every bite. The mayo mix is, moreover, just right. It’s very light, almost like water, but with an intense flavor. I like that it’s not too rich or cloying. Finally, there’s a subtle citrus-like taste to the slaw, which I find very refreshing. 4.5/5.0
2. Roast Beef Dip: The sandwich is fantastic if all you want is a very simple, bare-bones roast beef sandwich. The meat is almost right. It’s just a little tough, and it’s not served at the ideal temperature (it’s lukewarm and feels like it’s confused between whether it should be cold or hot). The combo with the meat juice and the bread is, however, delicious. On first impression, the bread doesn’t seem too impressive, as it’s bland, and it has a rough crust on top which I find to be a bit weak. Once you eat the bread dipped in the meat juice, though, you just can’t go back. It’s nearly perfect—not overly soggy but smooth as can be, with a deliciously savory saltiness that more than eliminates all that blandness. It’s understandable, then, why the restaurant would choose such a dull, rough bread, since it helps to both hold up under the weight of the meat juice and to absorb the flavor of the savory meat. Still, the sandwich is overall too salty, and the meat can get bland at times, all the worse since it’s just stacked in a decently large mound onto the sandwich. 4.0/5.0

As an aside, beware the horseradish mustard: It’s so spicy I can’t bear it, and it completely overpowers the taste of the beef. Still, I’ve heard some people come specifically to Philippe’s for the mustard.

Scores

Ambience: 1.0/5.0 (not factored into verdict). Regardless of the score, this restaurant is a landmark, and the environment suits its simple, old-fashioned cuisine.
Service: N/A
Taste: 4.1+/5.0
Value: 4.0/5.0
Verdict: 4.1/5.0. One of the most historic experiences in LA, and well worth a trip, even if the sandwich isn’t quite as legendary as it’s been made out to be.

One thing I love about LA is the classic vibe you get as you drive around some of the older parts of town. While LA is known for its trendiness, its ever-changing fads, and its over-the-top Hollywood glitz, at its heart it’s still a traditional city where you can find a treasure trove of hidden gems from the past.

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And when you talk about food, history, and LA, there’s nothing quite so traditional as the burger, the all-American symbol of the fast-paced LA lifestyle. I know that lately the burger’s become a hot-button issue in LA’s culinary scene, as the new wave of gourmet burger restaurants has subjected the LA classic to innumerable epicurean refinements and mutations that threaten to dismantle its very simplicity. Yet all those flashy, high-end burger bars and gastropubs have failed to displace LA’s old-school diners, which have upheld the integrity of the simple, traditional LA burger for decades.

Among those diners, none has done as good as a job of defending that old tradition as Pie n’Burger, one of the originals. You can tell just how authentic it is, too, even as you walk in, for Pie n’Burger wears its history on its sleeve, looking like it did when it opened back in 1963. It has literally just one huge, long counter running the length of the restaurant, and just about all the machinery and decoration is as it was in the old days. Expect old-school milkshake machines, cash registers that still resemble typewriters, furniture made of cheap wood, and tacky wallpaper. I do like, though, that it’s still very clean, as the wood even shines. The place, then, doesn’t look too shabby, just old.

The service is, similarly, that of an old-fashioned diner. It’s friendly, but very slow. My waitress came by infrequently, even though the place is very small, and it took my burger at least fifteen minutes to come out, even though the place was relatively uncrowded at the time. Nor is the service very professional. The cook, for example, does everything without gloves, even scooping up fries onto your plate with his bare hands.

Still, it’s exactly that type of traditional, no-frills experience you’re here to get, and even without all the bells and whistles Pie n’Burger still manages to pop out easily my favorite traditional burger in the whole city. The burger may not actually seem like much on first sight. It’s just meat, cheese, vegetables, and some thousand island, and it’s so small that it’s easily dwarfed by the vast majority of burgers in town. Still, everything blends so nicely and so easily that when I took my first bite, all my fears, all my hesitations, and all my doubts dissipated immediately.

Everything about this burger just screams fresh and bold. I could even hear the loud crunch of the crisp lettuce in every bite. The buns are big and doughy, holding up really well under all the ingredients. Even more importantly, they seem like they’ve been put on the grill very quickly just to give them a light toastiness that I find phenomenal. They are also lightly buttered/oiled, so they melt in the mouth. As for the meat, it’s small, but even so it’s very nicely cooked, very succulent, and very savory. It doesn’t give off any of the typical, cloying greasiness at all. Finally, the sauce is a bit tangy, which I think adds some complexity to the otherwise simple taste.

Those descriptions, though, don’t quite capture the true synergy of the ingredients. While the burger is so flavorful, it comes off as very light, leaving you feeling refreshed rather than bloated. You actually feel good once you’re done, and you want just one more bite of that fresh, big flavor. The burger thus easily deserves a 4.6/5.0.

Of course, you can’t eat a burger without French fries. Unfortunately, while the burger is a killer, the old-school French fry just doesn’t do much for me, though I do still like the freshness. Normally, I hate thick fries, especially when they’re unseasoned, as is the case at Pie n’Burger. But the fries here work to an extent, largely because the oil is just right, so they don’t feel too greasy. The crunch is also good, and the batter is light enough that you don’t get loaded down. On the negative side, though, the fries are a bit mushy, as well as extremely bland. Score: 2.0/5.0

Ironically, though, my favorite part of the whole meal may not even be the burger, as Pie n’Burger spices up the traditional burger and fry experience with also some of the best dessert I’ve ever seen at a burger joint. Forget the brownies, cookies, and ice cream you might find at other burger restaurants (if you even find any dessert!). Those aren’t real desserts, nor are they a fitting end to Pie n’Burger’s legendary meal. Instead, you can get your old-school burger with fresh, homemade pies that have been made with secret recipes passed down for generations. That, my friends, is how you take a burger joint and truly distinguish it apart from its competition—not by adding foie gras, truffle oil, or exotic cheese on top of the burger.

And, believe me, once you take one bite of the banana cream pie you’ll be convinced. I’m not a big fan of banana cream pie, but it is the house special here, so I ordered it regardless, and I was immediately surprised by just how much I ended up enjoying it. It’s admittedly too sweet, but I like the texture and flavor. It has a great, viscous, custard-like layer on the bottom that is just chock full of banana pieces, which add a huge burst of light, fresh fruitiness to the otherwise sweet, creamy, heavier flavors. The foam on top is also very nice. It’s airy and gooey, but at the same time it has a slight firmness to it that makes it chewy. I also like that it’s lightly burnt on the top for a slight toastiness, like that of a toasted marshmallow. The crust is the one part that really doesn’t stand out in any way. It’s very thin, adding almost nothing, though not hurting the pie either. Finally, even though the pie is loaded with custard, it’s surprisingly not too heavy or rich, making it a very balanced pie with very bold flavors. Score: 4.3/5.0

My one real gripe with the whole experience—and I’m sure many will feel this way—is with the price. $6.50 for a burger in LA isn’t bad, but this particular burger will almost surely not fill you up. Moreover, it has the exact same ingredients you’d find on a normal fast food burger, yet it’s half the size and twice as expensive. Still, the quality is unsurpassed, and the large, cheap slice of delicious pie more than makes up for the extra cost.

Regardless, Pie n’Burger is by far my favorite classic burger diner in LA. While it may not astound with its ambience or service, you just can’t get a better classic burger with such a great dessert anywhere else in town. Don’t let the nominal score (a 3.5/5.0) fool you. Pie n’Burger is one of the true gems of LA.

Scores

For the Burger

Taste: 4.6/5.0
Value: 3.0/5.0.
Verdict: 4.0/5.0

For the Whole Experience

Ambience: 2.0/5.0
Service: 1.7/5.0.
Taste: 3.8/5.0. 4.5/5.0 if excluding the fries.
Value: 3.5/5.0. Great value on the pie, but not as much on the other options.
Overall Score: 3.5/5.0. 4.2/5.0 if you’re just here to eat the burger and pie, regardless of ambience and service.

In the mad, hectic rush of Los Angeles, there is no meal more perfect than a cheeseburger. Fast, cheap, and tasty, the burger can easily satisfy the non-stop crowds like no other food can. Unsurprisingly, the city has developed a love affair with the burger, and a number of burger joints have arisen in recent years.

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Everything in LA, though, has to be just a little bit different. Forget the simple, low-key burger diners, as LA residents are more and more moving away from those relics of the past. Instead, it’s all about the glam and the gourmet, both necessary to capture the attention of the ever-capricious LA crowds. To compete in LA’s culinary scene, then, the newest wave of burger bars has begun to emphasize not just a “different,” even trendy burger, but just as importantly a trendy place in which to eat it.

No restaurant encapsulates that LA mentality better than 25 Degrees, conveniently located in the Hollywood Roosevelt, a hotel surrounded by the clubs and bars of the hottest part of Hollywood Blvd. Though it features the typical burger, fry, and shake combo, it kicks it up a notch, providing an endless list of gourmet toppings for your burger, including 13 types of cheeses, 13 sauces, and 15 toppings, in addition to a full list of draft beers, salads, and sandwiches. Even better, it stays open 24 hours a day, making it the only 24-hour gourmet burger bar in Los Angeles—a definite bonus in a city that never sleeps.

It’s not really the burger that captures your attention, though. As you step in, the restaurant immediately welcomes you with a bright red, warm, lively atmosphere, constantly popping with the sounds of the shifting crowds of Hollywood night owls and hotel residents. It’s rather small, and it tends to be packed, yet it doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all because it has just so much energy to it. It only helps that the tables are humungous, comfortable booths where you can lounge around. I also like that there is a ton of light and color, even though the color scheme is a very simple, intense red—and I mean literally everything in the restaurant, from the chairs to the walls, is red. The scene is trendy and nice enough to bring a date, but comfortable enough to chill with a group of friends. It definitely impresses for a simple burger joint, though it can at times get rowdy with all the hungry drunken crowds walking in from the local Hollywood club scene.

The service is also pretty solid, especially for a burger joint. Remember, this is a hotel restaurant, so you do have professional restaurant-quality service, even though you’re paying a relatively low price. Though the service wasn’t mind-blowing, it’s nice that, unlike other burger joints, 25 Degrees actually cares about the customer a bit and gives constant attention.

I wasn’t quite as impressed with the burgers, though. While they are very nicely cooked, with gigantic toasted buns that hold up incredibly well under the titanic bevy of toppings and cheeses, the house special Number One is a mass of confused flavors. I do appreciate the complexity, as it includes everything from sweet caramelized onions, to smoky bacon and gorgonzola, to tart crescenza and zesty arugula. Still, the synergy just doesn’t work, as the bitterness of the cheese wins out in the end, nor is the beef all that succulent. The sweet potato fries and milkshake don’t astound, either, with both coming off as bland, though the crunchy, oily onion rings help to compensate a bit.

As a final note, this place is an amazing value, especially for a gourmet burger joint in Los Angeles. $12 might seem like a lot for a burger, but this sucker is huge. Moreover, while there are only 3 burgers on the list, you can make your own customized burger with just about any type of cheese, sauce, veggies, and other toppings that you could want. The fries are an even better deal—$4 for a pile that is so big that you almost surely will not be able to finish it with your burger. You’re also paying partially for the fantastic atmosphere, which is a huge step up from most burger joints, even the nicest ones. Finally, and just as importantly, the gourmet burgers here are the only ones in the whole town that you can get at literally any time of the day.

25 Degrees, then, may not serve up the best food, but it is easily the nicest, tastiest 24-hour burger spot in Los Angeles. That may not be enough to recommend it on a daily basis, but it’s perfect for the wee hours of the night after partying in the local Hollywood scene.

What I Tasted

1. Number One (Caramelized onion, prelilbato gorgonzola, crescenza, bacon, arugula, and thousand island): This is a very complex burger, with many different, bold flavors. Unfortunately, the flavors can be misguided at times, with little synergy among them. The main problem comes from the contrast among the sweet, salty, bitter, smoky, and creamy flavors. The onions are meant to give some sweetness to the burger, but that sweetness is largely overshadowed by the cheeses. Combined with the bacon, the cheese gives a really nice smokiness to the dish, but that flavor can very easily turn into an overpowering bitterness, nor does the crescenza’s tartness really complement the other flavors too well. It might sound like a small complaint, but the burger has so much cheese (two different cheeses, both practically gushing over the burger) that the cheese can very easily become the dominant taste, even more so than the meat. That brings me to the second central complaint—the beef, while decent, isn’t anything special. I like that it’s cooked all the way through, even though it’s a huge, thick chunk. Unfortunately, it’s not seasoned very much at all, nor is it succulent or very savory, so it really needs to rely on the other flavors to compensate. Like I’ve said, though, those flavors don’t always come through in a balanced way. On the more positive side, this burger has a fantastic bun that reminds me of a focaccia roll. It’s enormous and extremely doughy, but it’s crisped/toasted on the outside, in addition to being oiled/buttered a bit for extra softness. It, moreover, holds up perfectly under the weight of all the ingredients, especially the gigantic meat. Finally, I like the crunch and smokiness of the bacon, especially with the arugula, which adds a great freshness to the whole dish. 3.5/5.0. The flavor’s all there. It just needs to be balanced.
2. Sweet Potato Fries: These fries are cooked well, but the seasoning is just so horrible that it’s difficult to enjoy them. The fries are literally crusted with salt and pepper, both of which come through so intensely that they completely overshadow the sweetness of the sweet potato. It’s nice that they are not mushy at all, and they do have a good crisp on the outside, but again the natural taste of the sweet potato is very downplayed. 2.0/5.0
3. Onion Rings: These are fantastic—that is, until the oil hits you. In fact, these onion rings are covered with gratuitous batter, and you can even see gigantic globs that practically have no onion in them. The batter comes off easily, too, often crumbling apart so much that a lot of the onion remains separate from the batter. The distribution is definitely off, then. But the batter is so generously provided and is so flavorful that it’s almost not a problem at all. It has a consistency that I’ve never actually tasted in an onion ring—it’s so crunchy that you can hear it cracking in every bite, yet it’s almost as chewy as calamari. It sounds odd, but it’s incredibly delicious, and because it’s so chewy, you can just savor it. The onions too are good, coming in large strands that are so oily that they practically slide down your mouth. The one problem, however, is that it’s just too much, both in being too heavy and too oily. It can get cloying very quickly. 4.3+/5.0
4. Vanilla Shake: I am not impressed by this shake at all, largely because it lacks a heavy vanilla flavor and because it’s so milky. In fact, it is so milky that it feels watered down, as though too little vanilla has been used. It is definitely easy to drink, and there is actually a layer of thick ice cream at the bottom of the refill cup (they bring you half an extra serving in the mixing cup), but it doesn’t really remind me of a milkshake because the vanilla and sugar are so downplayed. 2.0/5.0

As a side note, there are a variety of sauces to order as sides. The ketchup is a bit underwhelming, while the garlic aioli is excellently creamy and flavorful.

Scores

Ambience: 4.4/5.0
Service: 3.5/5.0
Taste: 3.1+/5.0
Value: 4.2+/5.0
Overall Score, for the burger: 3.5/5.0
Overall Score, for the whole experience: 3.7+/5.0

2 locations in Los Angeles

I’ve been to both locations, and both are the same experience, more or less, though the one in downtown LA is much larger.

The addresses are:

1018 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403

3229 Helms Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034

The other day, I was out with a good friend of mine, Brett, who had just returned from London. Brett is, what I would call, a “pub rat,” just obsessed with bars in general, and and he just kept harping on about the pub scene in London—about how much better it was, both in terms of drinks and food. Pubs actually served real food in London, he kept on affirming (as though he had just stumbled on some novel concept). You couldn’t find anything like that in LA, or so he thought.

LA isn’t traditionally known for being a “pub town,” but underneath the glamorous exterior lies a thriving bar scene, and I thought I’d show Brett by taking him to the granddaddy of bars in Los Angeles, Father’s Office. Father’s Office is the premier gastropub in Los Angeles, mixing simplicity with the gourmet to come up with both some of the best pub food in town and an outstanding beer selection. Of particular interest is the legendary “Office Burger,” perhaps the finest example of a gourmet burger in Los Angeles.

Anyway, so Brett and I arrived at Father’s Office at around 9 pm, when it’s actually pretty packed. Luckily, we were able to get in without much of a wait, though it was so packed that it still took us about 10 minutes just to get a table. The interior isn’t anything impressive. It’s dimly lit, a bit cramped, and always packed. The service isn’t exactly prompt, and you might have to fight at times to get the attention of the bartenders.

As soon as you get the menu, though, you realize what all the fuss is about. The beer selection is one of the best I’ve seen in LA. Not only do you have an endless variety of beers, you have a selection from across the nation and the world. It’s not too confusing because each beer has a small description. Moreover, there is something for every price range and palate, ranging from the cheapest domestic beers to bottles that cost 20, 30, 50, or even 70 dollars. And for good reason!—Where else can you find a microbrew champaigne beer?

As for the food, there’s not quite as much variety, but everything is prepared with somewhat of a gourmet touch. There’s only one burger, the Office Burger, filled with gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula and served on a French roll—quite the odd selection, and I can imagine quite a few people who don’t enjoy any one of those ingredients. However, Father’s Office is so sure of its food, it has a strict “No Substitution” policy. Ask for anything to be removed and you’ll just get sneered at! Ask for some ketchup, and you might not even get served (and that’s really not an exaggeration). And yet, people keep on coming back for it time and time again—that just attests to how good the burger is.

So Brett and I went with a classic combo—an Office Burger, with some beer, and a basket of sweet potato fries. And it only took one bite for Brett to admit that he may have been a bit too hasty about the pub scene in LA. The Office Burger was, in fact, delicious. Perfectly cooked, with a sweetness that jumps out at you because of the caramelized onions, which are piled in a layer so thick that it’s more like an onion jelly. The cheese melds perfectly, serving as a great counterpoint to the sweetness with its gooey, strong taste. I can’t say I’m crazy about the arugula, but it does add a bit of freshness to the sandwich. Overall, it’s a greasy, cheesy, sweet sandwich that is extremely satisfying.

Would I say it’s the best in town? Probably not. But it is a fine example of a true gourmet burger—only a few ingredients and rather simple, but great nonetheless.

As for the fries and beer, they were both top notch, too. The sweet potato fries were very crispy and well-seasoned and came with garlic aioli sauce, which does work better than ketchup with the flavor of the potatoes. Still, they weren’t fantastic, and you can find better at tons of places. The beer, too, was quite interesting. I got a Belgian malt that had about 10% alcohol, while Brett picked up a Belgian blond. Both were delicious. Mine was very heavy, kind of rich, a bit on the sweet side, whereas his was refreshingly fruit and light.

All in all, Father’s Office really delivered, and Brett was forced to admit that it was quite impressive. While I do think Father’s Office may be overhyped (largely because of its history of being the premier gastropub in Los Angeles), its burger is extremely satisfying and unique, and the beer selection is phenomenal. The servers can be rude, the wait can be a bit long, and the place can be hectic—but that’s why you go to Father’s Office. And it really is worth it, especially if you just want a night out with some good friends.

Ambience: 4.0/5.0. Very cramped and small, but really hot, in a good way.
Taste: 3.5/5.0. Gains points for the massive beer selection.
-          Score for the burger: 3.3-3.5/5.0
-          Score for the fries: 3.2/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0. One of the priciest burgers in town, with no variety and no substitutions.
Overall Score for the pub: 3.7/5.0. This is just a really cool place to hang out with some friends, especially if you want some decent food and phenomenal beer.

Rarely do I go out for breakfast when I’m at home in LA, which is a shame, because LA has its fair share of fantastic breakfast and brunch places. Among all the breakfast joints in town, though, there are very few with the reputation of The Griddle, especially when it comes to flapjacks/pancakes. So I decided to head over with my family over a weekend to check it out.

The Griddle is a nice, little breakfast joint. It’s very simple and somewhat minimalist. The inside is very nice, with a great bar area in a large circle right in the center. The only problem with the place is that it’s crowded all the time. You’re going to wait for a while if you go on the weekends—30 mins or so isn’t unexpected. All in all, the ambience isn’t the greatest, and the place is cramped like no tomorrow, even with the tables. The area, though is awesome—you just can’t beat brunching on Sunset on a nice sunny day.

[All photos taken with permission from Griddle Cafe's Facebook site, located at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Hollywood-CA/The-Griddle-Cafe-OFFICIAL-SITE/88072894732?ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=14].

The food, though, is worth the wait. In terms of breakfast, you just can’t beat this classic in LA–and that’s why it’s such a historic landmark. Flapjacks may not sound so great, but these are out-of-this-world. Don’t get me wrong: Everything served in the place is really solid, but if you go all the way to Sunset for breakfast, you really owe it to yourself to try the flapjacks, without exception—best I’ve had, EVER.

Oh, and as far as value goes, I can’t think of a better breakfast deal. Pay less than $10 for 3 flapjacks that are so big that supposedly only one person manages to finish them every couple months. The edges of the flapjacks are even falling off the plate. Really, you won’t need to eat for a whole day.

If you want breakfast, then, look no further than the Griddle Café. You won’t be disappointed!

What I had (recommendations in bold):

1. The Golden Ticket (browned sugar bananas, walnuts, caramel, streusel)—Tastes just like a banana nut muffin or pancake, just better. Extremely huge, to the point that I couldn’t even finish it. 3 Flapjacks that overflow the plate. The flavors are right on, with a great synergy. Nutty, fruity, and caramel-y all in one. It’s phenomenal, especially the crusted part on the side—just like eating the top of a muffin, with a slightly firm crunch to it. 4.6/5.0
2. Egg white omelette with chilis and steak—Really solid flavors all around. Great omelette. Chili gives it a nice, spiced flavor. 4.0/5.0
3. Crispy bacon—The Bacon’s also awesome. It won’t disappoint you if you like bacon. Huge, greasy strips, crisped to perfection. A bit on the smokier, burnt side, but still very well cooked. I’m just not a bacon lover. Stick to their Canadian bacon, which was just as delicious and perfectly cooked, but which had a much nicer, less greasy flavor to it. 3.5/5.0

Ambience: 4.0/5.0
Service: 3.5/5.0. Not really the type of place where it matters, though.
Food: 4.2/5.0. Add a few tenths for the flapjacks.
Value: 4.9/5.0. You won’t need to eat for a whole day after a stack of $8 flapjacks.
Verdict: 4.4/5.0

In-n-Out

Fast Food Burger
$3 for the classic Double Double. $6 for the whole combo.

Various locations throughout the West

I went to the one at:
119 S. BRAND BLVD.
GLENDALE, CA 91204

All right, so if you live anywhere in California, you know about Inn n’ Out. We grow up on it, and we swear by it. It is, without a doubt, the West Coast’s claim to fame as far as burgers are concerned. I can’t even remember how many people I know who have visited California only once and still to this day talk to me about how good Inn n’ Out was. And that’s why, as a Californian, I’ve got to review this place. And you Californians out there probably aren’t going to like what I have to say.

First off, I’m not going to deny that this is a solid burger joint. Inn n’ Out restaurants tend to be very clean, with the white, polished, old-school diner feel. The food is, likewise, cooked the all-natural way. You can see how fresh everything is. The fries, for example, are actually made fresh—what a novel concept, right? Inn n’ out actually takes whole potatoes and shreds them right in front of you, then fries them and gives them to you fresh. The veggies are all crisp and fresh, and even the beef tastes like it wasn’t preserved artificially like in other fast food joints. Still, the burger’s just a plain burger. The fact that Inn n’ Out only has one real option for burgers is also a double-edged sword—on the one hand, they’re confident in their guns, but on the other, they can do a lot less with the burger, since they’re just going for a solid, clean burger that everyone’s going to like.

When I went, I ordered the Double Double, as usual. Two meat patties, with two slices of cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato, and thousand island sauce. Like I said, the vegetables are all fresh and taste cold and crisp. The cheese on the burger is also great—two slices melted perfectly so that it’s gooey and oozing all over the burger. The meat also tastes natural, and the sauce goes very well. It actually tastes less fatty/cloying than mayo and is more enjoyable. Still, the burger has a greasy feel to it that I find all too reminiscent of most fast food places. In that sense, it still tastes like a normal fast food burger, and the toppings on it don’t make it anything special to set it apart from other fast food places, in my opinion. To be fair, though, the burger has MASSIVE value—$3 for a Double Double. You’re really not going to find a cheaper burger with that much quality.

As for the fries and the milkshake—what I consider the two other essential components of any good burger meal—they’re also just solid, old-school style good but with no frills and nothing too fantastic. The fries are honestly a bit of a disappointment. Though they are fresh beyond belief, they really just taste like fresh potatoes and salt. Very little is added so that the thin crispness, while okay, is just plain. If you want real fries from a fast food joint, I’d check out Oinkster’s Belgian fries.

The milkshake I can’t complain much about in all honesty. It was milky, rich, and actually tasted like chocolate ice cream. Burger joints always have really good milkshakes, and Inn n’ Out’s would be classed as one of the better ones, with good flavor and creaminess.

Overall, Inn n’ Out is a solid burger joint, just not the Holy Grail of Burgers as so many have hailed it. Not only that, but it’s just about the best value for a true fast food joint you’re going to find—$6 for a double double, fries, and a medium drink. For that fact, and the fact that Inn n’ Out is practically a state landmark, I have no problems recommending it.

Taste: 2.5/5.0
Value: 4.5/5.0. Way cheaper than what you’d pay even at most fast food places.
Verdict, for the burger and for the food in general: 3.0/5.0

Middle Eastern Fast Food (Doner Kebab).
About $10 for a doner kebab and a side.

I went to the location in Eagle Rock:
2506 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041.

When I was in Germany, I ate a lot of Doner Kebab, a really fatty type of kebab in which the meat is cooked in fat (its own I think) on a skewer. The meat is shaved off the skewer and placed in mounds in bread with a special garlic based sauce and some fresh veggies. So basically it’s a Mediterranean kebab sandwich. I’m not too crazy about Doner Kebab in general, because it tends to be very fatty, greasy, and even sickening at times, but it was all over in Germany, given the large Turkish population. That’s where the owners of Spitz took their cue. After traveling around Germany, they decided to bring the Doner tradition back to America, and  they started one of the only Doner Kebab fast food restaurants in LA.

The restaurant itself is very small, almost cramped, with very little parking. You really come here for the food, not for much else. And I have to say, the food delivers in a lot of regards but ultimately fails at what it’s supposed to be best at, the Doner Kebab. The food itself does have a good Middle Eastern feel to it, with options that include things like feta cheese and hummus. But ultimately, I would recommend Zankou Chicken over this place as a more authentic and a more wholesome style of Middle Eastern food. If you want good food at Spitz, I recommend sticking to the hummus, the sweet potato fries, and especially the gelato, which has, for good reason, been voted Best Gelato in the Universe by the LA Times.

What I had (recommendations in bold):

1. Chicken Doner—It has the taste of a typical Doner. I got it wrapped in lavash, street cart style, i.e. with some garlic aioli and fried pita strips. Really, the whole sandwich had some pretty good components. The veggies were fresh—you could really taste the crisp lettuce, for example. And the sauce was what it was supposed to be—a bit tart like yogurt, and pretty light and creamy. But the chicken just tasted like an awful gyro. It was spiced well, but felt greasy, to the point of making you feel like your arteries were clogged. It wasn’t atrocious, but it was definitely overhyped, and I would take any shawarma sandwich from Zankou over this one any day. 0.8/5.0
2. Gelato—I had some Café Mocca, Vanilla Bean, and Peanut Butter Cup. Every single flavor tasted just like what it was supposed to, and each had a different level of sweetness and a different texture. The vanilla bean was light, smooth, practically melting in your mouth, with a bit more sweetness. The peanut butter cup had actual, visible swirls of chocolate and peanut butter, and it was gooey, to the point of being difficult to cut through. It had a fabulously thick consistency. The mocca was similar to the chocolate, more on the gooey side, and it tasted like newly roasted coffee beans. All in all, this is real gelato, and one of the best in the city. At times, it seemed like it didn’t have enough sugar, but the focus is on flavor, not sweetness, and each flavor has a fabulous texture and taste. 4.0-4.5/5.0
3. Sweet Potato Fries—I didn’t have these at my most recent visit, but they’re awesome. Savory, good size, and just the right crispiness. It’s a keeper. I can’t remember quite enough to give too many specifics, but they were the best part of my meal last time.
4. Fried pita strips and hummus—Now this is Middle Eastern food. It’s one of the best hummuses I can find in a restaurant, and this is from a fast food place no less. Just an amazing texture, great, strong garbanzo flavor, with just enough spices. Doesn’t get boring at all. Remember too, this recommendation is coming from an Armenian—someone who has grown up with homemade hummus. Again, I didn’t have the hummus on my most recent trip, so I can’t give tons of detail. But I can say, on my Armenian hummus-tasting prowess, this hummus is a must!

Taste: 2.0/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0. Way overpriced for a fast food joint, especially for the quality. Gets points for the price of the gelato, though.
Overall  Score: 2.0/5.0. Scores high on everything but the headliner, the Doner.

8222 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Whenever I go back home to Los Angeles, one of the few things that I really crave is some good Indian food. It’s just one of those foods that’s very easy to like—gooey, rich, creamy, spicy, and zesty all at the same time, with lots of starches. As an Armenian, I’m kind of obligated  to like any cuisine that centers around rice and stew, after all. Unfortunately, you just can’t find quality Indian food in most places across the world and even within the nation. That’s why I really made a push to find a good go-to Indian place upon coming home from my time abroad in Argentina, where there is virtually no Indian food and no Indian population (In fact, the only Indian person I saw in the whole country was a friend who was studying abroad with me). One of the places I ended up at was Electric Karma, where I’ve had a couple pretty good experiences in the past and which typically gets great reviews, if for nothing else than the hip vibe.

Electric Karma is really an Indian restaurant done right, at least in terms of atmosphere. While it retains the traditional Indian vibe, it really expands upon it to make the experience friendly enough for a family and intimate enough for a date. Perhaps the most noticeable feature is the fact that there’s a full-on Bollywood movie playing the background, projected straight onto the wall for everyone in the main dining room to see. While I’m not the greatest fan of Indian movies, it really seems fitting to have something like this right in the middle of Los Angeles, right near Hollywood. So while it’s corny, it’s simultaneously kind of fun and nice. Moreover, the restaurant has some pretty nice seating arrangements. If you make a reservation in advance, you can even sit in the lounge on the floor with carpets and small sofas/pillows, if you’re interested in something new. The dining room itself is much more mainstream, but there’s still a nice glow about it from the dim candlelight, really working well with the heavy presence of reds throughout the room. There’s also enough space to feel quite comfortable. The ambience, then, might be overdone to some, but I find it a refreshing take on the traditional Indian setting.

Everything else is a little bit less impressive, though not that bad. The service is normal, but very slow. It’s not the biggest place, but you can still have problem getting the waiter’s attention, etc. As for the food, it’s not extraordinary, but most of it is just normal, decently priced, good-tasting Indian food. The stews are all creamy, rich, and flavorful, the meat is always very well-cooked. I honestly didn’t get to try too much of a range of the foods, since a couple of the dishes we ordered were very similar, but I do know that I’ve had much better in other parts of town, especially in terms of the chicken tikka masala, which is my favorite Indian dish.

And that’s the main reason I can’t recommend Electric Karma even more highly. It is an all-around great experience, especially with the setting, and the food isn’t bad, but there is nothing in terms of dishes that actually stands out as something I have to come to Electric Karma to get. In a town full of fantastic Indian restaurants, Electric Karma meets the standard but doesn’t really surpass it.

What I had (no recommendations):

1. Complementary bread and sauces: The bread is in the form of what looks like a thin taco shell and is very crispy, without dough. While good for a crunch, it’s so salty that it’s very difficult to enjoy on its own. The sauces mix okay, especially the tomato salsa-type sauce, which has a nice sweetness and freshness to it.
2. Chicken Tikka Masala (Boneless chicken prepared with curry spices in clay oven): This chicken tikka masala was quite decent. It had a very good level of creamy thickness, allowing it to mix with the rice very easily and deliciously. The chicken was tender and cooked very well, too. The one complaint was that the tomato flavor stood out more than the chicken tikka masala at just about any other place I’ve had it, to the point that you lost the flavors of some of the other spices. Not bad, but I’ve had much better at an Indian restaurant. 2.6/5.0
3. Chicken Saag (Boneless chicken and spinach cooked in turmeric and cayenne pepper): For a dish with spinach, this is one of my favorites. It’s just loaded with spinach (green all over), but it doesn’t have the harshness of spinach, since it’s been pureed and cooked in spices. Moreover, the turmeric and cayenne adds a nice, slight bit of spiciness and a slight curry tang that makes this dish stand out from other spinach dishes, like the palak paneer that we also ordered. Finally, the chicken works well in adding a bit of substance, so that it doesn’t feel too “green,” but rather balanced by the protein. I’ve had better, but this is quite good for a saag. 3.2
4. Lamb Makhni (Marinated tandoor cooked lamb in tomato saffron sauce): Oddly enough, the tomato saffron sauce tastes just like the chicken tikka masala’s sauce, and the taste of this dish is almost the same except there’s lamb instead of chicken. That’s why I have the same complaint more or less. The one thing the lamb substitution does that I think adds to the dish, though, is that it gives the dish a certain chewy gamier meatiness that I think really gives it a nice contrast. It’s really a matter of personal preference, but I preferred this to the tikka masala slightly, though others at the table had the opposite impression. 2.8
5. Palak Paneer (Pureed spinach leaves and tofu sautéed with onion, ginger, and green chilis): The palak paneer, for the most part, tastes just like the chicken saag, except it doesn’t have the meat and has less of the curry spice flavor to it, which I think really detracts from the dish and makes it much blander than the saag. The spinach is still the same great pureed spinach, but without the kick, and because it’s made with tofu, it has lumps of more tasteless protein mixed in that don’t contribute much. It’s still good for what it’s supposed to be, but I’d recommend the saag. 2.5
6. Cheese naan (Stuffed with mozzarella): This was probably the biggest disappointment. The crispy pita bread had already been disappointing, and the cheese naan continued the bread problem. While the bread was perfectly baked and fluffy, as well as served hot and fresh, the cheese was far too salty for some reason, and so much cheese was put in the bread that you really couldn’t overcome that saltiness. Mozzarella isn’t known for the salt, so I’m not sure exactly what they did, but it was far worse than most of the cheese naan I’ve had. 0.5-1.0

Ambience: 4.0/5.0. Fantastic date spot.
Service: 2.0/5.0
Taste: 2.6/5.0
Value: 3.0/5.0
Overall Score: 3.0/5.0

Having studied abroad in Argentina, I really know my steaks. For two whole months, I ate about 6 kgs of meat a week (I kid you not!), on top of visiting most of the finest parrillas, or steakhouses, in Buenos Aires. And it was an absolute pleasure every step of the way—the Argentine steak, almost always a punto (or medium rare) and cooked simply with only some water and lemon, really emphasizes the flavor of the meat in a way that I feel is missing in traditional American barbecue. That’s why, whenever I hear of good Argentine food in America, I’m immediately thrilled and somewhat skeptical.

That’s where Carlitos Gardel comes in. My brother and father, knowing how much I love a good Argentine steak, decided to surprise me the other day by taking me there to celebrate my homecoming for the holidays. And, without a doubt, it was the most memorable culinary experience I’ve had since my days in Argentina.

This place is one of the finest restaurants in all of Los Angeles, without a doubt. It’s located in a pretty nice location, right on Melrose. It’s a really hot area, right in the center of everything, though by night it’s a little more quiet. And the interior itself is pretty nice, though it’s nothing special. It’s small, quiet, and intimate, with rather comfortable seating. It’s the type of place where you can have a nice, peaceful conversation with another person. A fantastic date spot, too.

As for the food, it’s indescribably good. It is one of the best steaks (if not the best) in LA, and  it is even as good as, if not better than, any place I ate at in Argentina. The meat is nearly perfect, the desserts actually aren’t bad (very surprising for an Argentine place, since Argentines have very few decent desserts other than overly sweet concoctions with dulce de leche), and all the sides are right on. Really, for the value, it can’t be beaten.

I only have two complaints. First, the dessert does still leave something to be desired. Second, the wine menu doesn’t really satisfy me, even though it has so many Argentine wines. The sommelier really does know his Argentine wines, but most of the wines are from large vineyards which produce pretty decent wines but are very mainstream. Still, you’re probably not going to find as much of a variety of Argentine wines anywhere other than at Carlitos (not even in a wine store, and I know because I’ve tried). Moreover, most people really do like the wine menu from what I hear, and the sommelier makes some great recommendations.

Overall, this is a fantastic restaurant all around. If you like meat at all, you owe it to yourself to go here immediately. Though a bit more expensive than most places, the food is so excellent and so filling (the portions are huge, as they are in Argentina), that this is a bargain in my book.

What I had (recommendations in bold):

1. Rib eye: fatty, huge, thick, and extremely well cooked. Even the fat is delicious–I could eat it, no problem. The steak is also covered in chimichurri, which gives it a nice oily, herby, garlic flavor. It’s extremely juicy, like the ribeye in the legendary La Cabrera in Buenos Aires, but w/ even more flavor perhaps. The steak is about as thick as it can get, and it’s extremely filling, especially with the oiliness, so get it only if you have a large appetite and only if you like fattier meats. If you want something leaner, go for the skirt steak.
2. Chimichurri: I don’t even like chimichurri, but it was amazing. Perfect oil, perfect balance. Not overpowering, but lots of garlic. Very flavorful, and a must have for Carlitos. Good thing it’s free. If you’re really craving it, though, they do sell it by the jar.
3. Garlic papas fritas (French fries): These are real fries! Fries are extremely thin and not too greasy, just very oily. Seems like they are cooked in olive oil, which gives them a very satisfying lightness. Extremely good, irrestistible. Just a little salty. Get them for sure. One of the best fries in the whole city, and in a completely different/unique style.
4. Chorizo: very well cooked. Not astounding, but not underwhelming either. Good spices, great taste, just a really solid sausage. Kind of nice and smoky, but just a tad too plain for me.
5. Entrana a la parrilla: The skirt steak tastes just like barg kabob (skewered beef kabob), except even better. Leaner than the rib eye, thinner, less fat. Much less grease. Extremely moist and juicy. Very tender, with a bit of satisfying chewiness. Perfectly cooked and spiced. Doesn’t get much better than this, though I do prefer the rib eye.
6. Carrot Cake: solid carrot cake, though nothing astounding. I’d prefer a cake from a cake shop to be honest, but it’s really not that bad.
7. Walnut chocolate cake: Avoid this. Only thing that wasn’t good on the menu. Tastes bland. Argentines never knew how to handle chocolate and it shows. Just tastes like a pound cake with nuts in it.
8. Specialty dulce de leche, white cake: Astounding. You can’t beat a dessert like this. For once, Argentines integrated the dulce de leche perfectly. Not overpowering, not too sweet. Cream is just right. Blends extremely well with dulce de leche, offsetting it. I can’t complain at all.

Ambience: 4.0/5.0-4.5/5.0
Service: 4.0/5.0
Food: 4.5+/5.0. Probably the best meat in the city.
Value: 4.8+/5.0. I can’t imagine getting this quality of meat anywhere else at this price.
Overall Score: 4.6/5.0