Archive for burger

I’m back!

January 23, 2008 at 9:02 pm · Filed under asian, bbq, burger, hawaiian, smoothie

So it seems whenever I change jobs I end up forgetting about my blog for a bit of time. I’m sorry. 😦

But I’m back! The new job is settling down (at least I hope it is by now), so here’s a new post for your enjoyment. The first second of the new year. 🙂

Eva’s Hawaiian Cafe
731 Clement Ave. (x. 8th Ave.)

Photo: none. Still trying to get into the groove of things here.

Red A Bakery closed? No matter! Walk a couple blocks down Clement and you’ll find Eva’s Hawaiian Cafe. If you’ve ever been to L&L Hawaiian BBQ, then there are no surprises here. It seems that Eva’s is just another name for L&L as there’s L&L stuff throughout the place. I don’t really get why they call themselves Eva’s, maybe it’s a fancier version of L&L? Identity crisis? A franchise exercising independence? Mysteries abound, that didn’t stop us from trying.

Enter the place and you are immediately faced with a choice: take out or dine in? Cash register’s up front, so you could easily do either. In fact, whilst we ate many customers picked up food. The interior is brightly painted and pretty clean. There’s Hawaiian music blasting constantly, ranging from traditional sounding stuff to aloha-ized versions of pop songs. How could one not feel the aloha spirit here? The place tugs at your heart strings the entire time.

The menu is filled with Hawaiian favorites: loco moco, mix plate, pulled BBQ pork, etc. On this particular venture, bbg ordered the mix plate – rice only! And I had the teriyaki burger with fries and salad. All plates come with rice and the option of salad or macaroni salad. For myself, I picked the salad only because I thought burgers and fries AND macaroni salad would be overdoing it. My heart can only take so much! The menu also features tons of tropical drinks – smoothies and juices. I was loading up on fats, sugars would have to wait until next time. On a previous visit, bbg ordered the same thing (it’s his favorite) and I got the chicken katsu (the chicken version of my all time favorite Japanese dish).

The food! I thought the teriyaki burger would come with a slice of pineapple, but surprisingly it doesn’t. It did come with a single piece of tiny lettuce, a slice of tomato and onion, and the biggest glob of mayonnaise you’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I like mayo, but seriously, this was ridiculous. The burger was tasty, but I didn’t really get how it was Hawaiian since I didn’t really taste the teriyaki. I was disappointed with the lack of lettuce, but the other veggies (all two of them) were fresh and added to the flavor. I ended up scrapping off some of the mayo, but other than that, it was great. The fries reminded me of Ahn’s burger fries. They were crispy and plentiful, but not very flavorful. They needed more salt. The salad was average. It consisted of your general mixed greens, some shredded red cabbage, and some shredded carrots. The veggies, again, were fresh, which is great. The salad was tossed in a light dressing, so light that I couldn’t really taste it. I think it was ranch, but I’m not sure.

The mix plate, I’m told, was excellent. The beauty of a mix plate is that you get every type of meat: pork, chicken, and beef! All BBQ’d in the same sauce and grilled to perfection. Higher quality of meat than the Red A, but probably just as tasty since it’s cooked in the same sauce. My small bite of meat (chicken, I believe) was drowning in the BBQ sauce flavor and a bit chewy, but mostly tender.

I remember the chicken katsu being a big sub-par the time I went there. I think Hawaiian places don’t really get how to make the katsu without drying out the meat.  It’s either really dry or really greasy, never in between unless you go to a high end Japanese place.  The chicken katsu here was on the greasy side, unfortunately.  The chicken came with a layer of fat under the breaded/fried layer of goodness.  It came with the standard dipping sauce and sides of macaroni salad, rice, and salad.  Salad was the same: forgettable.  The macaroni salad was more or less noodles smothered in mayo.  Not very tasty, just squishy and bland.  There were bits of (probably) carrots in it, but that didn’t do much.  I wasn’t impressed.

The service is incredibly fast and friendly.  Both times we went we had the same waitress.  She seems to be the person usually in charge.  On our last trip, I overheard her talking on her cell phone, saying she had worked all week and long hours.  She had a migraine that night, but you couldn’t tell it by talking to her.  Very sweet and polite and attentive.   Nice, but if you don’t like leaving tips, you’ll hate this place!  I couldn’t help but leave a little more than usual since she was so nice and basically running the sitting area and register by herself (looked like one other person was there, just working the kitchen).

I’ve never been there earlier than 9pm, so it’s never crowded.  I think it’s a spot used by locals to pick up a quick and late bite.  Some drunk-ish people came in, but didn’t stay long.

Overall:  Ok food, nothing really special.  Tasty and reliably fattening.  Nice service, probably better items on the menu I haven’t tried yet. Open late, fast, and consistent, so I’ll be back.  Definitely nicer than the Red A. Mixed plate is supposed to be really good.

Rating: 7/10

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the restaurant at ahn’s burger park

September 18, 2007 at 12:28 am · Filed under american, breakfast, burger

Ahn’s 1/4 lb. Burger
439 Grand Ave., Oakland

photo: M. Sawicki, c. 2002. Courtesy BBG

In high school, BBG and his friends would play wiffle ball at Lake Merritt (who remembers angelfire?). They played on a little grassy patch near Grand Ave. After an afternoon of beaning each other in the head, hitting balls at sunbathers, and generally having some good clean fun, they’d pack up their lawn chairs, score sheets, wiffle bat, and a half a dozen wiffle balls and cross the street to Ahn’s burger.

So as you can see, there’s a bit of personal history here for BBG, and he was particularly excited to take me to the joint. This next bit contains a few inside jokes, sorry.

Ahn’s is 3/4ths of a strip mall front next to Lake Merritt on Grand Ave. The other fourth, if you’re wondering, is a 1-hour photo place that’s never ever open. Ever. I doubt it even exists. I hear it’s a front for cock fighting. Ahn’s exterior probably hasn’t changed since the 70s, along with its menu. You can order off of their small menu from the sidewalk through their small order window, or you can venture inside. There’s a counter and a couple small booths. In general, it’s small and kind of dirty inside, so basically something to avoid. Since you’re literally across the street from the lake, it’s better to walk over there with your grub anyway.

The menu is basic, at best. You can get your usual burger/diner fare: burger, cheeseburger, fries. You can get sandwiches which are probably equally greasy: BLT, chicken, BBQ, or an Ahn-wich (pastrami). Surprise! They have hot dogs, chili dogs, and corn dogs on the menu. There’s also a variety of milkshakes from your basic chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry to your more interesting – boysenberry and pineapple (which some would argue is the third most popular milkshake flavor – I swear!). Apparently you can get breakfast there. Based on what I could see, you can get your standard diner/brunch fare: eggs and breakfast meats, black coffee, and maybe pancakes. That’s admirable.

The burgers are good. Like I’ve said before, when you grind up beef and form it into patties, it’s hard to find fault in it unless it’s really really terrible. Ahn’s is pretty quality and has a nice meaty flavor. Burgers are topped with good ol’ orange American cheese, melted on the patty but not so much that it’s runny or sweaty, which is nice. Condiments include: lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickles, onion, and mustard. Everything comes together nicely, like any quality burger. A bit heavy on the mayo, but not in an overly disgusting way. The veggies are fresh, which is surprising for a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. And I love it when you automatically get mustard on burgers.

The fries are good in terms of texture, but lack a little in flavor. They’re crinkle cut and fried to perfection: very crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. They come piping hot and with a bit of salt. Sadly, they don’t really taste like much of anything, a sign that they were once frozen fries. I like that they go easy on the salt and then realize they skimp on the salt (they give you extra salt packets) – but maybe going McDonald’s on those babies would make them a bit tastier. Ketchup solved that problem pretty quickly, though.

Although I didn’t try it, I hear the pineapple milkshake wasn’t very pineapple-y. It was like a vanilla milkshake with very few, minute chunks of pineapple at the bottom. At the end of it, the top of the shake was a bit foamy, which tells me it wasn’t a real milkshake. That’s disappointing. Next you’re going to tell me the lemonade is by Minute Maid.

The best thing about Ahn’s is its location. Lake Merritt (despite all the goose poop) is really truly beautiful and a fun place to hang out at. Summer evenings there are the best – as it cools off, people from all walks of life come out and wander around the lake. It’s a great spot to people watch while eating some fries. The geese like the fries, too. Plus walking around the lake a couple times after a meal from Ahn’s would probably do you some good.

The cost ain’t so bad either. Dinner Sunday night for three people was just under $20 (three cheeseburgers, two fries, and a pineapple milkshake). And their turnaround is great. We probably waited 15 minutes for our order, and it looked like there were two orders ahead of us.

The place wasn’t exactly hoppin’, but it was still good times on a nice evening.

Overall: A nice, tasty burger joint if things like your cholesterol and blood pressure don’t matter to you. Sophisticated palates need not apply, just people looking for a good ol’ fashioned fast food meal.

Rating: 6/10

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too cool for school

June 2, 2007 at 3:28 pm · Filed under american, burger

Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
1 Ferry Building (on the Embarcadero)
taylorsrefresher.com

photos: yelp.com

I’m such a huge fan of burgers and fries. If I could have my way, I’d eat a nice big ol’ burger with tons of greasy fries all day, everyday. When in doubt, you can never go wrong with a burger. It’s safe, it’s tasty, it’s so incredibly bad for you. But, we should indulge every once and awhile.

I went to Taylor’s with bbg and his family as a bon voyage dinner for his uncle. We met up after work for some good food since it’s not too far from where I work, it’s a short walk from BART and bbg’s dad’s office. What better way to start off a summer long bike ride across the country at 60 years old than a nice, heavy, fattening burger with a root beer float? Exactly what I thought.

Taylor’s represents the City well: it’s a hip, stylish, probably healthier version of something that’s probably not good for you. They take an ordinary hamburger and put a city spin on it while the restaurant itself is a modern, cooler version of old burger joints and malt shops you see in movies. It’s hipster. Taking what’s old and not-so-great and making it the thing everyone else wants. Such is the City, in so many ways. But I don’t mind it, especially when the food is good.

The interior of the place is much like a diner. There are stools to sit at high tables and counters. There’s a lot of metal to make everything sleek and diner-esque. There’s even a giant neon sign reminding you what you came to the restaurant to do, in case you forgot. Very smooth. There are large windows to let in tons of light, or maybe they’re there to let everyone walking on the Embarcadero see you eat at such a happenin’ place. Outside is where it’s at, though. There are tons of wooden picnic tables fenced off from the sidewalk where you’ll see dozens of twenty or thirty-somethings with stunna shades gather for a beer after work while the sun is still out. Very cool, like I said.

What’s great is that this isn’t a sit-down place. You order at a counter with some cool-talking cats, and wait for your number to be called (or buzzer to buzz). You pick up your food at the pick-up station and condiments at the condiment counter – no tip required! I’m a fan.

The food itself is great, but not so cheap. While most burger places have some kind of combo meal, Taylor’s ain’t no McDonalds. Everything is bought separately, which makes your meal deceptively pricey. It’s true that burgers are only $6 – $8, but when you had $2 fries and a $4 beer, your bill adds up pretty quickly. $15 for a meal? For burgers and fries? What?

so amazingly beautifulWhile you wouldn’t want to make this place a nightly affair, it’s more than worth splurging on every once and awhile (once a week, perhaps?). I opted for the Texas burger, which comes with jack cheese, guacamole, salsa fresca, and jalapeños on an egg bun. Man, that was tasty. The burgers are on the small side, but you’re paying for the guilt-free meat (natural, hormone free, that is). My burger was amazing. There was plenty of guac, which I think is the draw of that burger, so it makes sense. The guacamole was thick and a little spicy, but like most guacamoles, wasn’t much more than glorified mashed avocados. The salsa fresca was bland and watery, so basically little pieces of tomato. There were plenty of jalapeños which made my meal very spicy and therefore delicious. Overall, very nice.

There are lots of other burger choices like burgers on sourdough with bbq sauce, burgers with bleu cheese, burgers with bacon, and on and on and on. While there are about 10 different fancy burgers you could get, Taylor’s stays true to its Americana roots (or is it just inspiration?) and features plain burgers and cheeseburgers as well.

We also got side orders of regular fries and sweet potato fries (which are SO in right now). This being San Francisco and all, you can also order garlic fries. Other favorite sides include chili cheese fries and onion rings. I’m a fan of the sweet potato fries, which are sliced very thin so the fries are really crispy. They’re a dark, burnt orange color and very flavorful. The menu describes them as “dusted in chili spice”, but I didn’t notice. Maybe because of all the jalapeños. Regular french fries are of shoestring descent, so they’re pretty crispy too.

Besides burgers there are soups, sandwiches, salads, and of course, being on the Embarcadero, seafood. No one in my group got them, so I don’t know much about those. I’m going to be bold and say that if you don’t get a burger here, you’re an idiot. I mean, burgers are the whole point here, duh.

I appreciate that Taylor’s goes all out with the burger/diner theme and sells soda fountain drinks like shakes and root beer floats. The shakes can be simple (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry), but being SF, we gotta throw in flavors like espresso bean and white pistachio, too. I also like that Taylor’s has hot dogs and CORN DOGS!! I had a hankering for corn dogs a while back, but alas could not find any place that sold them (where’s a wiener schnitzel when you need one?). Sadly, I didn’t have a chance to try one, so I have good reason to go back.

Last best part of this place: local beers! If you’re eating red meat, real ice cream shakes, and deep fried potatoes, might as well go all out and drink some non-light beer too. They feature Anchor’s Steam and Fat Tire, plus other beers I can’t remember. If you’re feeling adventurous, try a beer called “Moose’s Drool” and let me know how that worked out for you.

Overall: A hip, stylish place to grab some amazingly delicious, American-style grub. A bit pricey, and possibly too cool for school, but worth the effort with all it’s great choices. Beautiful place to sit for a beer while the sun sets. Bring shades!

Rating: 9/10

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