One of the best appetizers in SoCal! Cheese fries with grilled, thin-sliced jalapeños, bacon, etc. I dearly adore the skinny, crispy shoestring style fries they use. The burgers are always top shelf and I usually order something different every time. This appetizer though is a must for each visit.
One of my favorite burgers at Islands is called “Bleunami”. Made with blue cheese dressing, lettuce, mater and red onion. I always request bacon. Just excellent!
A SoCal institution that never disappoints! The venerable Double Double is consistently excellent!
Outback really surprised me with this Bloomin’ Burger! It was outstanding! When you’re ready to branch out from a delicious steak, I highly recommend trying one of their thoughtful burger offerings.
Finally tried the outstanding lamb gyro at Pete’s Smoked BBQ & Burgers! You can order it made with either lamb or chicken, plus fries, only $9.99. Traditional gyro pitas only include tomato and onion, sometimes lettuce. The gyro at Pete’s goes all out and adds cucumber, pepperoncini and a liberal amount of tangy feta cheese as well! Underneath all that is a generous portion of their hot, tender, flavorful gyro meat.
This gyro was so righteously stacked I had to eat about half of it with a fork before I could even think about picking it up. The tzatziki sauce was house made and very tasty, although somewhat loose in consistency. Pita bread was warm and supple, just how I like it. First time having fries at Pete’s and I was really impressed. Hot, crispy, beer battered style. Among the best I’ve had in town, that I can tell you! I highly recommend trying this one if you’re a fan of the gyro.
Outstanding double cheeseburger with grilled onions and jalapeños at Five Guys in Poway! Definitely one of the best fast food burgers I’ve put in my mouth.
Without a doubt, Freddy’s is one of my favorite fast food restaurants! This time I ordered Freddy’s Original Double! Two outstanding steak burger patties, cheese, mustard, onion & pickle on a toasted bun. I think the biggest standout for me are their remarkably thin patties. It makes for the perfect charred surface area to meat ratio. They also have two delicious types of fry sauce that you can serve yourself out of a giant squirt dispenser.
Ramona Family Naturals is really flexing their culinary muscle with some amazing new food. Here’s the outstanding “Hot Rod Burger”, served every Thursday for Cruise Night, from 5-7:30 pm. This is a cheese stuffed half pound burger with caramelized onions, bacon, provolone, avocado, lettuce & tomato, truffle aioli (fancy mayonnaise) on a brioche bun. Includes a side of truffled sweet potato chips, $13.00.
First, the beef patty was just remarkable. Star of the show. The beef used here is organic, grass fed, pasture raised in the beautiful Eel River Valley in Humboldt County of Northern California. It’s an 80/20 grind which is just perfect for a good, juicy, flavorful burger.
One thing that really impressed me were these excellent fresh baked brioche buns from Ramona Country Bakery. It held together this towering hulk of a burger flawlessly without cracking or disintegrating in my hands! That’s saying something. Locally, Ramona Country Bakery sells a variety their breads at RFN and The London Bakery.
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, eating this thing was not easy! I could not articulate my jaw nearly enough to take a normal bite. I kind of had to attack it from an angle. Somewhat cumbersome and awkward. What I can tell you is that every single component of this burger really comes through nicely in each bite. From the melted cheese, to the bacon and caramelized onions, to the avocado, etc. All of it perfect. Nothing was lost in the mix.
I’m not sure who the young lady was who made our burgers but she was super nice. She was definitely skilled in constructing this masterpiece. I certainly recommend the Hot Rod Burger to anyone who loves a fine artisan burger. Make sure you have lots of napkins or maybe a moist beach towel and plan to take two showers when you get home!
Outstanding ‘Maple Bacon Burger’ recently at The Par Lounge! Made with bacon, crispy fried onions, smoked cheddar, and a spiced maple bourbon sauce. $14 with side of fries (or sweet tater fries or o-rings).
This style of burger has been a favorite of mine for several years, especially from UTHG. When OG/Par added it to their menu I was excited to try it and finally did so. The maple bourbon sauce at Par has a remarkable depth of flavor, unlike anything I’ve had on a burger. It was excellent. I’m not quite sure where it was added in the cooking process, but it seemed to be at the end. And maybe too much of it. This contributed to more of a hot mess hand-feel when eating. At UTHG it’s basted in during the cooking process on the grill, leading to more of a glazed patty that I appreciate. Especially when it becomes somewhat candied along the edges.
The amount of crumbled bacon on the Par burger is second to none. Comes through with gusto in every bite. The beef patty I ordered med-well and it came out hot, juicy and with the perfect amount of light pink center. Overall, this was definitely among the few top shelf burgers I’ve eaten in Ramona. I’m looking forward to trying their Gorgonzola burger next time.
Outstanding “Buffalo and Bleu” burger at Black Angus! Made with buffalo sauce, blue cheese, shredded cabbage, Bleu ranch dressing and green onions. The whole thing was a hot mess but very tasty.
