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Burger Week: The Oinkster’s Northeast (Western) Bacon Cheeseburger
Jun 06 2012
When I was a little kid, I perceived Carl’s Jr. to be fancy. It’s because my mom used to say Carl’s Jr. was too expensive, opting for cheaper fast food chains, like say, Naugles or, more likely, hamburgers cooked at home. So when I finally got to try it, as a guest of one of my more spoiled friends, I was pretty amazed at what I’d been missing.
At my friend’s urging, I ordered the Western Bacon Cheeseburger (her mom made us order juniors) and couldn’t believe there were actually onion rings inside a burger. That blew my mind while barbecue sauce danced on and dazzled my 8-year-old palate.
Now, I can eat a Western Bacon Cheeseburger any time I want, but I never ever do. For one, it probably wouldn’t be as good as I remember, and two, I generally shy away from fast food meat. That’s why I squealed when I heard The Oinkster was doing a tribute to this burger for Burger Week—if anyone could do this concept justice it’s The Oinkster.
I was not disappointed. Their rendition, the Northeast Bacon Cheeseburger, was outrageously good. The best part was the panko-encrusted onion rings, which were crispy and flavorful. The applewood bacon and tangy house-made barbecue sauce added a smokiness that the original could only dream of. All this was anchored by that thick Oinkster patty and the American cheese that clung to it.
Childhood validated.
-Valentina
P.S. There’s still more Burger Week to enjoy—check out the schedule on my previous post. I’ll definitely be lining up for the Big Max on Sunday.
Eagle Rock: Oinkster’s Burger Week Starts Today!
Jun 04 2012
UPDATE: Check out Burgergasm’s review of the Red Castle.
It’s finally here! Burger Week, “A Tribute to Classic American Burgers,” is on at The Oinkster. This year they’re parodying White Castle sliders, Big Mac, Sourdough Jack, the Double Double and more. I can’t wait!
Last year, I only got to try the Umami Burger, but this year, I won’t be held back. I think I’ll start Wednesday with the Western Bacon Cheeseburger.
Pictures to come. Here’s the schedule-oh, and if you eat them all you get a Joy Division-esque Burger Week t-shirt. If you can’t make that commitment, you can at least get a super cute button.
-Valentina
Taste of the Eastside: Sights and Bites
May 08 2012
I was invited to attend Taste of the Eastside, which I sadly had to miss last year. The whole shebang took place last Sunday at Barnsdall Park in Los Feliz. I got there right on time, so I was able to try everything relatively unmolested. Here are some of the things I tried. Those up there? Pavlovas with blackberry and lemon meyer preserves from Atwater Village’s Proof Bakery.
Here’s the rest:
Conchinita pibil taco from Yuca’s in Los Feliz. Very tender.
Buffalo-style cauliflower with vegan blue cheese from Mohawk Bend in Echo Park. I hardly missed the chicken.
Cinnamon rolls and red velvet cupcakes from Auntie Em’s in Eagle Rock.They were nice enough to turn over two rolls for me.
Eagle Rock: A Cream Puff Confession à la Ruby Bakery
Apr 04 2012
Uh, what just happened?
All I know is that my friend Mari came over with a pink box from Ruby Bakery in Eagle Rock. Inside, were two plump and precious cream puffs.
When I laid eyes on them, I told myself I’d just take a bite and save the rest for after dinner. No big deal.
Eagle Rock: Subs from Eagle Rock Italian Bakery
Mar 02 2012
Pregnant women are warned not to eat cold cuts. It seems that there’s a bacteria called listeria, which lurks in lunch meats, just waiting to wreak havoc on the compromised immune system of every gestating woman. Okay, it’s actually kind of rare, but in America, it’s treated like the plague.
And I’ll admit, I headed the warning. I ate maybe two turkey sandwiches the whole 9 months and promptly freaked out both times. So you can imagine how pumped I was to chow down on my first anxiety-free post-natal sub.
I gave the honor to the Italian sub from Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli. The sandwiches at this Colorado Boulevard mainstay (it’s been around for over 40 years) is one of the best you’ll find east of Bay Cities. Baked fresh in-house daily, the bread has that crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside quality that can really make a sandwich worthwhile while the balance of freshly cut salami, ham, mortadella and provolone cheese takes it home.
Accursed Fruitcake: A Holiday Drink Recipe from Allston Yacht Club
Dec 24 2011
Being pregnant at Christmas is a little harrowing. I really want to drink….many drinks! But, even if I can’t, I thought I’d be unselfish and share a great drink recipe from Allston Yacht Club in Echo Park with you. This Christmas/ Chanukah-ready concoction is called the Accursed Fruitcake, and it got the seal of approval from my husband, who is allowed to drink. Sigh. He says it embodies everything he loves about winter—it will make your friends and family all warm and festive.
Here’s the easy recipe:
2 oz Applejack
1 Tbs inebriated fruit*
Top with apple cider, and add a Splash of Ginger Beer.
Stir and serve in iced highball glass.
* For the inebriated fruit, you can use dried versions of any or all of following: cranberries, cherries, apricots, blueberries, peaches, candied ginger, white and dark raisins. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain and pour the fruit into a container. Add ¼ cup of sugar for every pound—a pound will make a ton of drinks. Now just add a few cinnamon sticks, a couple of cloves, and allspice. Cover with brandy and let sit until needed.
And, if your not up for making your own drinks, Allston is serving up 6 holiday cocktails until December 30th.
-Valentina
Eagle Rock: Wet Burritos Happen at Taco Spot
Nov 08 2011
There comes a time in every life when only a wet burrito will do. Sometimes you just have to give in to the cheesy-saucy meltiness. It’s useless to resist.
My most recent wet burrito surrender happened at the hands of Taco Spot in Eagle Rock. Their Vegetarian Burrito, mojado style, satisfied because it met my most crucial requirement: the cheese and sauce were plentiful but didn’t overwhelm, and the sauce was thick enough that it didn’t create a watery, soggy mess. Other pluses included a whole wheat tortilla, black beans and plenty of guacamole. Of course, I ordered it without rice, which I cannot tolerate in any burrito of mine.
That’s all.
UPDATE: The owner of Taco Spot, Bret Schoenhals, wrote to me and told me that the sauces are made from scratch! Very nice.
-Valentina
Taco Spot
2006 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles,CA 90041
Eagle Rock: A Chilaquiles Revelation at CaCao Mexicatessan
Aug 29 2011
Whenever I go to Mexico, I have a habit of eating chilaquiles every day for breakfast. They’re on every menu, whether you’re in Mexico City or the Mexican Riviera. I just can’t pass them up.
The best part about it is that they’re always different—sometimes they’re green, sometimes red, super saucy or on the drier side. Chips can be used, or maybe you even get broken up tostadas. Eggs scrambled or fried, maybe with some chicken mixed in or chorizo even, if you’re lucky.
Ah, chilaquiles…let me count the ways.
Eagle Rock: Kitsch and Spaghetti at Colombo’s
Jul 07 2011
When it comes to Italian, I’m pretty flexible. Sure, I love a beautifully crafted plate of handmade pasta that conveys old world sensibilities or modern restraint, but there’s also something to be said for an over-the-top, heaping bowl of spaghetti that’s been sauced with a heavy hand. Add a dimly lit dining room, red vinyl booths, tchotchke décor, snazzy chandeliers and a house band playing Van Morrison covers, and I’m sold.
Eagle Rock’s Colombo’s is that kind of place exactly. Loved by locals since 1954, this Italian Steakhouse is total throwback, complete with a long, narrow bar that serves up stiff martinis and $7 carafes of house Chianti or Lambrusco. It’s also a rather raucous place to be on a Friday night, when the volume is high, almost every seat is occupied by a devotee, and the wait for a table is about 30 minutes without a reservation.
The menu is what you’d expect—there’s a wedge salad, plenty of steaks, Chicken Cacciatore, mix-and-match pasta and sauces, baked cheese-laden specialties and Spumoni Cake.They even offer something called a “meatball steak,” pizza and 7 ravioli variations.
Being the standard by which I judge all “red sauce” Italian restaurants, Spaghetti Bolognese was my entrée choice. Colombo’s rendition is rich and meat heavy with sweet-bold flavor and a touch of cream. The bottom of the bowl is filled with sauce, first, then topped with more spaghetti than you would ever want to eat in one sitting. A sprinkling of fresh basil makes it pretty. Kind of perfect.
The rest of the food was fine. The corn chowder soup was no big deal, the Caprice Salad—fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes and cucumbers—was a nice start, and the linguini and clams was good enough. Averaged out with the entire experience, I’d say Colombo’s is a great place to slurp some spaghetti and take in a heavy dose of mid-century kitsch.
-Valentina
1833 Colorado Boulevard (Map It)
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
The Oinkster’s Burger Week: An Umami Burger Isn’t a Tommy Burger
Jun 15 2011
I don’t even really like Umami Burger, if you want to know the truth. I’ve been twice and, while the first time was alright, the second was a soggy mess that left me seriously questioning Umami-mania. I’d been expecting fireworks, but all I got the beefy equivalent to a bum sparkler.
Nonetheless, I still found myself in Eagle Rock last Friday night, queueing up for The Oinkster’s take on the signature Umami Burger. It was a misguided attempt to make up for having missed the pretend Tommy Burger they’d served earlier in their Burger Week. You see, I’ve loved Tommy Burgers since I was a kid, when my dad would take us to the original location on Beverly. But that’s when I was brave-these days, the drippy chili-cheese burgers scare me, which is why I was clamoring for the safer-seeming Oinkster version.
Sadly, it was not to be.
