tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71819272024-03-06T23:52:11.120-08:00DoranDoranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.comBlogger434125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-72073121620448396842014-02-08T06:54:00.001-08:002014-02-08T06:55:21.191-08:00Chego! Kimchi Spam Bowl<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/12385563503/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7404/12385563503_d8b8f4fede.jpg" height="300" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/12385563503/">Chego! Kimchi Spam Bowl</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
I have heard a <i>lot</i> about the Kimchi Spam Bowl at <a href="http://eatchego.com/" rel="nofollow">Chego!</a>. No less than Jonathan Gold <a href="http://www.laweekly.com/2010-12-23/eat-drink/the-10-best-dishes-of-2010/" rel="nofollow">suggested</a> it might be <a href="http://ridingshotgunla.com/" rel="nofollow">Roy Choi's</a> <i>"dish for the ages,"</i> with its unexpected combination of buttered-fried kimchi and rice, sesame, baby bok choy, egg. Oh, and Spam. Wonderful, glorious Spam. I had expected the little chunks of canned meat to be much more assertive, and was quite please to find its flavor to be subdued, and much more about the texture. A really excellent dish, and yea, terrific drunk food. Or so I would imagine. About $9.Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-8116568628655912012013-12-15T08:55:00.003-08:002013-12-15T08:55:34.240-08:00The Slater's 50/50<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11384108346/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/11384108346_054a34cc55.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11384108346/">The Slater's 50/50</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>I have heard a lot about <a href="https://slaters5050.com/" rel="nofollow">Slater's 50/50</a> over the last couple of years. And it's no surprise when you're signature product is a burger made of <i>50% bacon!</i> I mean, what burger lover <i>wouldn't</i> be interested? So it was that when I visited Pasadena yesterday and found myself near <a href="https://slaters5050.com/locations/pasadena/" rel="nofollow">the restaurant</a>, I was compelled to try it out.<br /><br />And it was good. Very good. Much better than I thought it would be. It addition to the beef/bacon patty, there's mashed avocado, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle adobo mayo, topped with a <i>"sunny side up"</i> egg, all set in a nice and soft white brioche bun. <br /><br />If I may digress for a moment. I put <i>"sunny side up"</i> egg description in quotes here because it wasn't <i>sunny side up</i> at all. The whites of the egg were completely solid, with the yolks almost fully set. In fact, the entire egg pretty much slid out as one piece when I took my first bite. This is almost always the case when I get an egg on a burger and completely defeats its purpose, which is to allow the yolk to break and drench the burger with its creamy unctuousness. It's unfortunate and usually results in my setting the egg puck off to the side.<br /><br />Now, back to the burger itself. When ordering, I was told they didn't offer it medium rare, because of the bacon. So I ordered it medium and this turned out to be the correct choice. It was juicy and (obviously) full of flavor. My two biggest concerns about a burger made of 50% bacon, that it would be too salty or that the bacon would overwhelm everything else, were thankfully unfounded. The creaminess of the avocado balanced the salt, the bit of heat from the cheese and mayo cut through the fat. And while much of the bun was left behind, it was soft and tasty and perfect for sopping up the juices. It's a messy meal, but not overly so. The pickle was fine, but in place of the egg, it could have really used some crunch inside the burger.<br /><br />Still, despite the worthless egg and lack of fresh-veggie crunch, it was a good burger and I'd gladly have it again. Also, the place was fun, busy but not overly loud, and all the staff were helpful and pleasant. Oh, and there are something like 100 different beers available. I sat at the bar and ordered a draught Harp Ale, which went well with the sandwich. Burger and beer, about $16.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-47825185031075264012013-12-15T08:55:00.001-08:002013-12-15T08:56:15.072-08:00S'Links Three Cheese Burger<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11339131075/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/11339131075_6be33a4fd7.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11339131075/">S'Links Three Cheese Burger</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
After several visits, the biggest problem with <a href="http://www.slinksgrill.com/" rel="nofollow">S'Links</a> is presentation. Unlike a master, such as Willie at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/tags/viciousdogs/">Vicious Dogs</a>, too often my meals at S'Links have that <i>"just thrown together"</i> feeling, taking away from otherwise fine ingredients. <br /><br />Such is the case here with the Three Cheese Burger. Rather than giving me a coherent package, I'm essentially given the components to assemble myself. Which usually isn't a problem, if it's given to me actually ready to assemble. But you'll notice here that many of the ingredients below the meat are literally falling out, meaning I've got to lift the patty, setting it aside while I reassemble the veggies before replacing the burger. Also, you may not notice, but they <i>literally</i> set the burger onto the Thousand Island dressing on the top bun, meaning a good amount of the sauce on the bread was left behind on the side of the burger. None of this affected the taste, mind you, but it does effect the experience, and I only mention it here since it's been a consistent issue at S'Links. There just isn't much care given on how the food is presented.<br /><br />Now that's off my chest, the burger itself was fine. The meat was over-dense and overcooked, but not by much. The Cheddar, Provolone, and Monterey Jack cheeses keep things very moist. The veggies are fresh and the Monrovia Bakery bun is a great sop for all the drippings. So a good, if not great cheeseburger, dropped in a paper basket, ready to be reassembled. About $8.Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-41908555471341586082013-12-07T07:06:00.001-08:002013-12-07T07:06:20.912-08:00Pepper Steak From Andy's Subs<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11252298214/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/11252298214_90a7e38aa3.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/11252298214/">Pepper Steak From Andy's Subs</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>It was my first time at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/andys-sub-shop-canoga-park-2" rel="nofollow">Andy's Subs</a> in Canoga Park, chosen using the sophisticated <i>"I'm hungry, where can I eat?"</i> method. It was a fortuitous choice, and hopefully won't be my last visit. <br /><br />I ordered a regular sized pepper steak sandwich and it was easily one of the best I've ever had. Unlike many others, the beef wasn't overcooked. Instead it was a perfect medium rare, with each thin slice somehow still pink in the middle. The veggies are fresh and the bread soft, which was good, given the amount of <i>juice</i> dripping through my fingers. I ordered a regular sized only because I was in a hurry, but could have gotten a large for only 50 cents more. Well worth it. Pepper steak sandwich, under $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-55723134778649561902013-11-11T08:42:00.001-08:002013-11-11T08:42:28.637-08:00The Truffle Dog<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10801562705/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/10801562705_d40a13c9e4.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10801562705/">The Truffle Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>This is my favorite hot dog from <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger in Toluca Lake</a>, and the only one I've ordered more than once, well at least so far.<br /><br />The <i>Truffle Dog</i> is the standard Umami beef frank and custom bun, topped with their excellent roasted garlic aioli, creamy truffle infused port onions, and melty house truffle cheese. It is <i>good</i>. You want one. Or two. My only issue is that in toasting the bun, it sometimes ends up being too dried out, as was the case here. I ended up picking off a lot of crunchy bits of bread. You might like this. Me? Not so much. Still, that's a small complaint because <i>did I mention it was good?!?</i><br /><br />I also ordered a half-dozen <i>Cheesy Tots</i>. Crunchy and full of flavor, they too were pretty excellent, especially just as they are served, hot and ready to be dipped into one of the sauces provided. Hot Dog and Cheesy Tots, under $11.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-41446556127662190562013-11-02T07:40:00.001-07:002013-11-02T07:40:45.937-07:00S'Links West Virginia Slaw Dog<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10626670443/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/10626670443_b35f15b3e0.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10626670443/">S'Links West Virginia Slaw Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>I went to <a href="http://www.slinksgrill.com/" rel="nofollow">S'Links</a> yesterday, thinking I'd try one of their burgers, but instead opted for a chilidog. My mistake.<br /><br />The <i>West Virginia Slaw Dog</i> is their regular wiener, topped with the house chili and coleslaw, along with mustard, sweet onions, and pimento cheese. All of is in set into the new, slimmer <a href="http://monroviabakery.com/" rel="nofollow">Monrovia Bakery</a> bun.<br /><br />The main problem is that it's so overstuffed. For many people I suspect this is a feature, but in practice is means that the whole thing falls apart once it's picked up. And after a couple of bites, the bun, soaked with the chili, begins to disintegrate.<br /><br />The flavors are okay, but I found the spicy heat of the chili overpowered everything else. Again, your mileage may vary when it comes to the amount heat, but for me it was too much. The slaw was nice and crunchy, but rather bland and unable to cut through the chili. After a few bites, I ended up just setting the thing down and eating it with a fork. I hate eating a hot dog with a fork.<br /><br />So, while not bad, I doubt I'll try it again, at least for a while. But if a messy, spicy hot dog which falls apart in your hands sounds good, then this in the one for you. Hot dog, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-89273757515603108292013-11-01T09:49:00.001-07:002013-11-01T09:49:06.029-07:00S'Links Sonoran<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10611653493/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/10611653493_036b4773d2.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10611653493/">S'Links Sonoran</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>For my latest visit to <a href="http://www.slinksgrill.com/" rel="nofollow">S'Links</a>, I got the <i>Sonoran</i> which is their version of an LA Street Dog. In addition to their natural casing frank, there are a <i>lot</i> of toppings, including bacon, tomatoes, onions, mayo and mustard, pinto beans, tomatillo salsa, cotija cheese, and avocado. As always, that's all set in a bun from <a href="http://monroviabakery.com/" rel="nofollow">Monrovia Bakery</a>.<br /><br />The good news is it tastes pretty great. The bad news is that it's a mess. It's the kind of overstuffed dog that requires a fork to eat all the stuff that falls off. It seems the buns have been adjusted from my previous visits and are a bit longer and narrower. Ironically, where I didn't like the extra bread in the previous two dogs I ate, that wider bun would have served its purpose well with this Sonoran Dog. As it was, much of the toppings just fell off, to be scooped up later.<br /><br />So, definitely a good dog, and a full meal. Just don't plan on eating it without making a huge mess. Hot dog, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-17019909950320280372013-10-31T08:21:00.001-07:002013-10-31T08:21:19.091-07:00The Buffalo Wild Weiner from S'Links<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10592883823/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/10592883823_2384580089.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10592883823/">The Buffalo Wild Weiner from S'Links</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>From my second visit to <a href="http://www.slinksgrill.com/" rel="nofollow">S'Links</a>, the <i>Buffalo Wild Weiner</i> (their spelling) is their natural casing 8" frank topped with blue cheese, chopped celery, and both buffalo ranch and wing sauce. This all inside a puffy <a href="http://monroviabakery.com/" rel="nofollow">Monrovia Bakery</a> bun.<br /><br />It was very good, though like my first dog there was a bit too much bread left over. Since this was taken, they've changed the bun, making it a bit longer and more narrow. Also they are now making it with cheddar or Swiss cheese, which is unfortunate since it worked so well with the blue cheese. Hot dog, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-25419933405030567112013-10-29T07:44:00.001-07:002013-10-29T07:44:22.003-07:00S'Links Memphis Dog<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10556127905/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3700/10556127905_0037bca594.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10556127905/">S'Links Memphis Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p><a href="http://www.slinksgrill.com/" rel="nofollow">S'Links</a> is a new <i>gourmet</i> hot dog place which opened down the street from my home a couple months ago. This Memphis Dog is from its first or second night of being officially opened.<br /><br />It's an 8" beef frank, with two bacon slices, a <i>Dr. Pepper</i> BBQ sauce, sliced green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. That's all set into a custom bun made by the local <a href="http://monroviabakery.com/" rel="nofollow">Monrovia Bakery</a>. It's a good dog. The slightly obscene frank is nice and beefy, if a bit bigger than I'm used to (I think they've since slimmed it down a bit), and the toppings are all good. The natural casing provides an terrific <i>snap</i>. The bun is excellent in taste, though it's size meant there was a lot of extra bread in the middle, and not so much on the ends. They've also since adjusted this so the bun is a bit longer and thinner.<br /><br />It wasn't perfect. I wished the cheese was melted. I wished there was more sauce on the dog. I wish there wasn't so much bread left over. But all in all it was a good start for a new local restaurant and worth a return visit, or two. Hot dog, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-44286329557070335412013-10-05T06:20:00.001-07:002013-10-05T06:20:26.425-07:003pm Meatballs & Charred Asparagus<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10099330776/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/10099330776_b159f4df5f.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10099330776/">3pm Meatballs & Charred Asparagus</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>My go-to meal at <a href="http://eatchego.com/" rel="nofollow">Chego</a> during the Summer.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-19090772252115536392013-10-02T07:41:00.001-07:002013-10-02T07:41:44.257-07:00Umami Slashburger<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10054675243/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/10054675243_98a8305290.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10054675243/">Umami Slashburger</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>For my latest trek to <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger in Toluca Lake</a> I had been intending on finally trying out their Original Burger. But when I sat down I was reminded about their special <a href="http://laist.com/2013/09/23/finally_a_burger_in_honor_of_rock_i.php" rel="nofollow">Slashburger</a>, named for the former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_(musician)" rel="nofollow">Guns 'n Roses guitarist</a>. It's a couple of dollars more expensive than their other burgers, but at least one of those dollars is to be sent to the <a href="http://layn.org/" rel="nofollow">Los Angeles Youth Network</a>, so there's that. The burger starts with the standard Umami Portuguese bun and house-ground beef burger, with braised shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, house American cheese, avocado spread, wasabi aioli. It's then topped a Parmesan crisp, which looks a bit more <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/96594633/">Kommunity FK</a> than GnR, but still a nice touch.<br /><br />The burger was pretty fantastic. The wasabi aioli especially opened up the flavor. And it's a great example of why that big puffy bun is the perfect way to sop up all the juicy juice. And as with other times I've enjoyed an Umami burger, I ate every bit of it, which is not something I can say about most burgers I order. Definitely worth it. Burger, about $15.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-80342751733935627902013-10-01T07:16:00.001-07:002013-10-01T07:23:56.826-07:00Dirty Laundry<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10037759974/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/10037759974_98581e3d79.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/10037759974/">Dirty Laundry</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
It was Sunday and time to clean clothes. Fortunately one of the local laundromats is next door to <a href="http://www.bajamarfishtacos.com/" rel="nofollow">Baja Mar Fish Taco</a>, a favorite of mine. Rather than going with my usual order of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/6871483450">fish tacos</a>, I went with the menudo. <br /><br />It's a fine menudo. Nothing bad about it, it's pretty much the same bowl I can get at any number of good Mexican places around the Southland. It's not the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/2821890268/">transcendent menudo</a> of the now-closed <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sahuayo-mexican-foods-north-hollywood" rel="nofollow">Sahuayo</a>, but it's surely something I'll order again while waiting for my raiment to dry. Menudo, under $10.Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-58716001775066731252013-09-15T09:42:00.001-07:002013-09-15T13:45:46.952-07:00Umami Chili Dog<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9761041125/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7351/9761041125_a4fa3f64b5.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9761041125/">Umami Chili Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
When choosing my third dog from the new <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger in Toluca Lake</a>, I decided to go with a classic. Their chili dog starts with a mustard sauce smeared inside one of Umami's custom hot dog buns, then beer cheddar, house chili, and minced fresh onions go atop the all-beef hot dog. And it is <i>all</i> about that frank, which is the star of the show. Dense and full of flavor, Umami has these dogs made to spec, and it's probably the best hot dog frank I've tasted. All the rest of the ingredients, in this and all the other Umami hot dogs I've had so far, are in service to that central player, the dog itself.<br />
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The chili too is pretty excellent, <i>very</i> meaty and not overpowering with its spices. Yet for a chili dog, this was a little too refined, and if I had a wish it's that there was more of the actual chili. The minced onions provide nice crunch and freshness, with the cheese and mustard sauce rounding things out. My only real complaint is the bun was either stale or, more likely, under-toasted. It was rather dry around the edges, as if it had been sitting on a shelf for a few hours. A fair amount of it was left on the plate.<br />
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The sweet potato fries were flavorful, but a little disappointing. I like a fry which is big and firm enough to be eaten one-by-one. These I had to eat by the batch, as they were mainly small pieces and a bit too limp. That said, the house-made ketchup was excellent, as always, and the garlic aioli went well with the fries. All told, a good meal, though next time I'll probably choose a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9592866530/">different</a> side dish.<br />
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Hot dog and fries, about $10.
Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-25959826157231897072013-09-11T10:25:00.001-07:002013-09-11T10:25:30.373-07:00Charred Asparagus from Chego!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9725172564/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9725172564_965753cb8a.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9725172564/">Charred Asparagus from Chego!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>The grilled asparagus at <a href="http://eatchego.com/" rel="nofollow">Chego!</a> has been their veggie of choice, I think, since they opened their new place in Chinatown. That's <a href="https://twitter.com/EatChego/status/375663668316225536" rel="nofollow">going to change soon</a>, so I thought it best to get some while I could. The asparagus is topped with Roy Choi's <i>excellent</i> blueberry habanero salsa, <i>lots</i> of garlic, along with chilies, Parmesan, and some lemon. <br /><br />For me this has unfortunately been the biggest miss so far in my visits to Chego! Mainly because the asparagus was overdone. It was impossible to bite through anything but the tips without having to gnaw through the blackened, stringy spears. The flavors were all there, and the dish itself would be a winner, except for the above-mentioned issue with the asparagus itself. The hot/sweet salsa, the abundance of roasted garlic slices, all the crunchy peppers and fried bits were all good. So, far from a failure, it would have been so much better had the asparagus not been overdone. Charred asparagus, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-69748817042681342902013-09-10T06:35:00.001-07:002013-09-10T06:35:10.305-07:00Ooey Gooey Fries<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9714889473/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/9714889473_5641f13954.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9714889473/">Ooey Gooey Fries</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>More drunk food from <a href="http://eatchego.com/" rel="nofollow">Chego!</a> Yes, these fries are ooey. Indeed, they are gooey. The beer-battered fries are combined with sour cream sambal, monterey jack <i>and</i> cotija <i>and</i> cheddar cheese, chillies, cilantro and pickled garlic. <i>Lots</i> of pickled garlic.<br /><br />This is not refined food. Like I said, this is drunk food, meant to be eaten late at night with friends, while drunk. And while it's <i>really</i> tasty, I was neither drunk nor with friends, and I was barely able to make my way halfway through this pile of food. Yes, the fries are soggy. Yes, it's a mess. But that's not the point. Because when you're drunk and out late at night, you just want to stuff your face with something tasty and satisfying. And there's a whole lot of that going on right here. Ooey Gooey Fries, about $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-63942897124763296232013-09-09T08:14:00.001-07:002013-09-09T08:14:00.732-07:00The Umami Original Dog<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9711183376/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7333/9711183376_9ecb2646ef.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9711183376/">The Umami Original Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>For my third visit to the new <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger in Toluca Lake</a>, I decided to go with with the Original Dog. It's the same beef dog and bun as their other hot dogs, this time topped with fried (and pungent!) parmesan cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted tomato. A <i>really</i> tasty dog. Very assertive flavors all around, with the cheese nearly bringing tears to my eyes. My only quibble is the tomato kept sliding out and needed be be pushed back down with my fingers. But that messiness was a small price to pay.<br /><br />The fries are of the <i>thin</i> variety which, as I've previously mentioned, are not my favorite kind. These were not bad, but I do wish they were crisper. Next time I'll ask for them well done. Their homemade ketchup is awesome.<br /><br />All in all a good meal. Hot dog and fries, about $10.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-68817333013041450662013-09-08T08:28:00.001-07:002013-09-08T08:28:23.659-07:00Umami Burger's Fried Pickle Spears<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9680878572/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/9680878572_a5f80cc400.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9680878572/">Umami Burger's Fried Pickle Spears</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>Pretty terrific, if you like fried pickle spears. The batter is light, meaning the pickles aren't greasy. And they're fried just enough so that they are cooked through, but not so much that they lose their bite. Served with a jalapeno ranch sauce as a dip, it's a good contrast to Umami's meat-based main dishes.<br /><br />That said, the full order of four spears was too much to eat by myself and I was barely able to make it through two of these babies. Next time I'll bring a friend. Fried pickle spears, about $4.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-86025950884936132282013-09-08T08:26:00.001-07:002013-09-08T08:26:54.720-07:00The Umami Show Dog<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9699360929/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/9699360929_2a25ae9949.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9699360929/">The Umami Show Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
On my first return to <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger in Burbank</a>, I decided to do what I didn't do the first time and actually order a hot dog. While Umami didn't reproduce the original Papoo's Hot Dog Show menu, they did choose to create seven special hot dogs exclusive to this new location. I figured I'd go with the compliment to my previous visit's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9653031335/">Show Burger</a> and ordered the Show Dog. <br /><br />The actual franks used by Umami are unlike those I've had elsewhere. I didn't ask, but pretty sure they're custom made for the restaurant. Very dense and meaty, a bit longer and perhaps a little thinner than a regular dog, they fit nicely into the long, thin buns used here. The Show Dog itself has minced bacon, beer cheese, onion strings, and Hak's BBQ sauce. It was a good dog, though a bit salty. I'm not sure mincing the bacon is the best way to go since they end up being chewy little cubes separate from the hot dog itself. I also wouldn't have been opposed to having some fresh vegetable in there to balance against the lipids and give some crunch. Still, it was good and I'd definitely order it again. About $6.Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-75237466994892386752013-09-02T10:13:00.003-07:002013-09-02T10:13:45.653-07:00Umami Show Burger<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9653031335/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/9653031335_1bd16c4efc.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9653031335/">Umami Show Burger</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>My history with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64232630@N00/71112245">Papoo's Hot Dog Show</a> goes <i>way</i> back. But by the time it closed down a few years ago, things had gotten <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/64232630@N00/5970541329">pretty bleak</a>. So it was with great excitement I greeted the news that it was going to be bought by <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger</a>, and they were going to keep true to its spirit, including saving the building and serving a number of amped up hot dogs.<br /><br />And so I <a href="https://twitter.com/umamiburger/status/316628437156630528" rel="nofollow">waited</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/umamiburger/status/355882731932098561" rel="nofollow">waited</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/doranb/status/357210171988131840" rel="nofollow">waited</a>. And then it happened, and it was <a href="https://twitter.com/doranb/status/357322240867581952" rel="nofollow">so crowded</a> I had to wait some more.<br /><br />Undeterred, I was back a couple days later and ready to eat. But instead of getting a hot dog, as I had planned, the <i>Show Burger</i>, a menu special available only at this location, caught my eye. It's Umami's standard, hand-ground beef burger patty cooked medium rare, as God intended. It's topped with <a href="https://www.umami.com/shop/hak-s-bbq-sauce" rel="nofollow">Hak's BBQ sauce</a>, one of their <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9592866530/">awesome</a> onion rings, bacon lardons, and beer-cheddar cheese. That's right, BEER CHEESE!! All that is put inside the <a href="http://www.lamag.com/features/2012/05/01/empire-of-the-bun" rel="nofollow">famous</a> Umami-branded soft Portuguese-style bun.<br /><br />My love of Umami's burgers <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/6913304291/">is no secret</a>, and that love remains strong. And despite the accoutrement (I just pulled out the onion ring and ate it separately after the first bite), this burger is all about the meat, which is cooked perfectly. The BBQ sauce is bold, and the cheese provides more of that <i>nom-nom-nom</i> mouth-feel which gives the restaurant chain its name. But really it's about that meat, of which I ate every last bit. Now where are those hot dogs? Burger, about $11.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-15111920023300566512013-09-02T10:13:00.001-07:002013-09-02T10:14:36.575-07:00Perfect Onion Rings<div style="padding: 3px; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9592866530/" title="photo sharing"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/9592866530_36234e42f6.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9592866530/">Perfect Onion Rings</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div>
From <a href="http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-burbank/" rel="nofollow">Umami Burger at The Hot Dog Show</a> in Burbank. Seriously. Go get some now. We'll wait. About $4.50.Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-61748832429521872992013-07-07T08:32:00.001-07:002013-07-07T08:32:55.929-07:00One Last Meal at Tom Bergin's<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9228656683/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/9228656683_2f42a067a3.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9228656683/">One Last Meal at Tom Bergin's</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Bergin's" rel="nofollow">Tom Bergin's restaurant</a> closes today. The new owners who took over the landmark recently had given it, and its menu, a bit of a going-over. They now say it's just not bringing in enough money, and are closing it down. After my visit yesterday, it's easy to see why.<br /><br />First some background. I've been going to Bergin's for as long as I can remember. Literally. My dad had been going for years before I was born and knew Mr. Bergin well. The bar had a group of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Los_Angeles_Rams" rel="nofollow">L.A. Rams</a> season ticket holders, dad included, who would meet there and take a bus together to the team's home games at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum" rel="nofollow">Coliseum</a>. When I was still in grade school, I joined this group. For years during football season dad and I would have our bi-weekly outing, spending most of Sunday afternoon bonding over friends and football.<br /><br />But Bergin's was more than just a place to catch a bus to the game. It was the scene of many family nights out. It was the first restaurant I took a girl on a date. It was a place I knew I was welcome because I could point to the shamrock on the ceiling with our family name on it.<br /><br />So it's no surprise that the <a href="http://blog.zagat.com/2013/07/summer-shockers-tom-bergins-closing-on.html" rel="nofollow">sudden announcement of the closing of Tom Bergin's</a> came as quite a shock, and I knew I had to go one last time.<br /><br />I got there about 11:30 in the morning and sat at the bar, joining the four or five others who were already there. It wasn't quiet, but it wasn't busy either. A lone woman in a corner booth typed away at her laptop. Another did the same with her smartphone.<br /><br />A few minutes later the bartender came by to asked what I wanted to drink. I asked for a lager and was told "We're out of that." I asked what she had and was told the only draught they had was a strong <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Pale_Ale" rel="nofollow">IPA</a> and a <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/89" rel="nofollow">"Heff."</a> I paused to consider, and she was off to help others. When she came back a few minutes later, I decided to go with an Irish Coffee, and asked for a menu. The drink arrived quickly and I was glad I had made that decision. I perused the menu and decided on a corned beef sandwich. <br /><br />Then the waiting began. <br /><br />The bartender always had enough time to take drink orders, but for some reason was never ready to take a food order. When a gentleman next to me asked for a menu, she told him to ask for mine. "All our menus are being stolen and I don't have another one" I dutifully handed it over as she darted away. Finally, after about 25 minutes, I was able to get her attention for a brief moment. I ordered the corned beef with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut.<br /><br />Then the <i>real</i> waiting began.<br /><br />While I waited for my food over the next 45 minutes or so, the place started to get a bit busy as folk came in to say goodbye. The gentleman with whom I shared the menu had, like me, been coming there since the 60's. Later, we were joined by two other old-timers. The "newcomer" had <i>only</i> been a customer for 38 years. We all sat there swapping stories, all of us waiting for some service.<br /><br />The stories were many and the memories fond. But it was also bittersweet. It was obvious that these long-time regulars were furious with what they saw as mismanagement and horrible service. It was hard to argue as the bartender walks away from customers mid-order, or food orders are taken and then ignored because the kitchen was "too busy."<br /><br />Luckily, I apparently placed my order in time and only had to wait for those 45 minutes to get my sandwich. It was actually a fine sandwich, though the bread wasn't sturdy enough to hold it together and much of it had to be eaten with a fork. The beef was thickly cut and very moist. The sauerkraut was okay, though a bit too soft for my taste. The cheese had just enough flavor to cut through the fat. The pickle may have been a bit too sweet, but was still nice.<br /><br />So it was a good, if ill-constructed, sandwich. I'm not sure it's worth $16, but it was good.<br /><br />In the end it was sad finish to a long relationship. There is talk of potential buyers, and the current owners have said they are keeping the decor, shamrocks and all, with the hope that a new buyer can come in and reopen it without losing its character. That's a hope a lot of us share. Corned beef sandwich and Irish coffee, about $25.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-25457368567187699652013-07-04T09:47:00.001-07:002013-07-04T09:47:44.475-07:00The Vicious Gumby Dog<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9207511215/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/9207511215_3d5b994735.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9207511215/">The Vicious Gumby Dog</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>Chewy is an innovative <i>cuisinier</i> at Vicious Dogs. His creations include the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/8036794281/">Luau Dog</a> and the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/8534528892/">Goomba</a>. His latest is the <i>Gumby</i>. It's a pineapple link, topped with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarator" rel="nofollow">tarator</a> (tahini, garlic, lemon, and salt) and an avocado "mix" which contains blue cheese and bacon bits. It's all stuffed into a regular bun.<br /><br />First, the pineapple in the link works much better than I thought it would. It's a fruit which can easily overpower other ingredients, and it only enhances them here. The avocado <i>mix</i> (Can't we just call it guacamole?) is <i>excellent</i>. I could just eat a big bowl of it alone. The tarator sauce is refreshing, but there wasn't enough of it. Talking with owner Willie, he said he'd rather the tarator be served on top of the guacamole (there, I said it), but he deferred Chewy, who was manning the grill at the moment. On top or underneath, I only wish there was more. The bun was fine, but I really need to remember to ask for my preferred poppy seed bun in the future.<br /><br />So all in all it was a good, filling meal with especially good toppings. About $6.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-3492732369570863192013-07-02T06:21:00.001-07:002013-07-02T06:21:49.186-07:00Late Night Burger Run<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9190256313/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2825/9190256313_d65ddc554d.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9190256313/">Late Night Burger Run</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>A regular Double-Double, <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/01/animal-style-fries-at-in-n-out-burger.html" rel="nofollow">Animal Style fries</a>, and a chocolate shake from <a href="http://www.in-n-out.com/" rel="nofollow">In-N-Out</a>. Hit the spot on a hot summer night. About $10.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-89963277298351713532013-06-30T10:26:00.001-07:002013-06-30T10:26:45.211-07:00The Counter Burger<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9174458139/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9174458139_1f0e1d9b05.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9174458139/">The Counter Burger</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and I didn't want to cook, and I didn't want to drive far to get something. I had been wanting to try out <a href="http://www.thecounterburger.com/toluca_lake_ca/" rel="nofollow">The Counter</a> in Toluca Lake for a while, so I thought I'd head over there. It turns out The Counter isn't a burger <i>shack</i> as such, but rather much more of a regular restaurant, complete with a bar which, because it was so busy, is where I chose to sit.<br /><br />It was busy. <i>Very</i> busy.<br /><br />So busy in fact that I sat for about 20 minutes before my existence was acknowledged, and then only to have the bartender hand me a sheet of paper, allowing me to mark off what I wanted. That's because The Counter is a "build your own" kind of burger place, allowing you to explicitly choose the meat, bun, toppings and such.<br /><br />I got a 1/3 pound beef patty cooked medium on a regular bun with roasted red peppers, Bermuda red onion, dill pickle chips, and a lettuce blend. I think that's Gruyere cheese, but I'm not 100% sure. I also got a red relish, which came on the side.<br /><br />I also <i>ordered</i> a fifty-fifty plate of onion strings and sweet potato fries, but <i>got</i> regular fries instead of the onion strings. Likewise, when I got the burger, the patty was medium-well at best, with not the slightest hint of pink, even at its center. But because of the long wait, and my being <i>real</i> hungry at that point, I didn't complain and just started eating what I was given.<br /><br />But in the end that was a mistake on my part. I ended up giving up halfway through. All the elements were really good, except the overdone (by my taste) patty was just too dense. Also, while the fries were okay, if too skinny, I wish I'd had a chance at those onion strings. The sweet potato fries were really good, though I was only able to make my way about halfway through. Also ordered, but unseen, is a draft Flat Tire ale, which is a favorite of mine.<br /><br />So in the end it was a fine, if unsatisfying meal. I'll have to go back when it's not so packed. In fact, by the time I had finished, things were much quieter and the staff was noticeably more relaxed and attentive of the diners. Burger, fries, and beer, about $23.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181927.post-72733605711474151962013-06-22T08:23:00.001-07:002013-06-22T08:23:54.889-07:00The Beefy T From Chego!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9108920046/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/9108920046_e288f546af.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/9108920046/">The Beefy T From Chego!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dopey/">~db~</a>.</span></div><p>Last week I headed to Chinatown for the first of its <a href="http://chinatownsummernights.com/" rel="nofollow">Summer Night</a> festivals. And while there were many food trucks, with long lines, I chose instead to walk down the street to <a href="http://eatchego.com/" rel="nofollow">Chego</a>, with its own long line. It ended up taking me about a half-hour before I could order, much longer then I had ever waited when I've visited during the day. But the crowd was young and enthusiastic, so the wait wasn't so bad. Especially knowing what was in store.<br /><br />First a side note about that. Every time I go to Chego it seems most of the people there are visiting for the first time. Often they are fans of <a href="https://twitter.com/RidingShotgunLA" rel="nofollow">Roy Choi</a> and his famous <a href="http://kogibbq.com/" rel="nofollow">Kogi</a> truck and want to see what his brick and mortar restaurant had to offer. It's fun hearing the discussion the first-timers have about whether to go for the Chubby Pork Belly or the Sour Cream Hen House.<br /><br />But also, it's really important to note that Chego is bringing new business into Chinatown. On this night, nearly every other business in the plaza Chego inhabits was closed, including all but just a couple other restaurants there. Yet here I was with more than a dozen people standing in line to eat at Chego, a number which had actually increased by the time I left. I couldn't help but wonder why the nearby shuttered stores and restaurants didn't take advantage of this opportunity. Hopefully they will.<br /><br />Now, onto the meal. The <i>Beefy T</i> is beef fried rice. Really good fried rice. And I'm sure it's really good <i>drunk</i> food too. There's hot chili, diced prime rib, fried shallots, and a big glop of braised shoyu garlic paste. That's all topped with a fried egg. Perhaps a bit less refined than other dishes I've had, it serves its purpose if your looking for a filling meal with a lot of flavor. Under $10.</p>Doranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432197902507876037noreply@blogger.com0