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Saturday,
March 15, 2003
B&R
Old Fashioned Burgers
BY CHRIS COGNAC
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What the heck is a Culinary Detective you ask?
Well let me explain things to you a little bit. You know when
you are driving down the street, kind of hungry with a grumbling
tummy that’s saying “feed me now”! You see those
little places on the corner; in the non-descript strip mall with
the hand painted signs, the ultimate “Mom and Pop” place.
You know you want to go, but you don’t, you just can’t
bring yourself to pull in to the parking lot, get out and try
it. You like what’s familiar and comforting, so you just
keep driving and wondering what the food would have tasted like,
secretly angry with yourself for not having the guts to try something
really new and untested.
Well,
I am the guy that does it for you; I cruise strip malls and out
of the way places looking for new eating experiences. I look for
the good stuff, big food, food that’s made by someone that
did not graduate from the Culinary Institute, but has a great
love for food and cooking, someone that takes pride in what they
make. I look for places where food is actually food, not some
piece of art on a plate. I do not fear the “B” in the
window, that simply means the food has “flavor”, if
there is a “C” in the window, then its “authentic”.
Follow your stomach, you just might like where it takes you...
The
first place I am going to report on is without a doubt, the
biggest and best hamburger, on the face of the planet,
at least the parts that I have been to. It’s called B&R
Old Fashioned Burgers on Rosecrans and Cerise in the
city of Hawthorne. It’s located at 3512 w Rosecrans in Hawthorne
in a small strip mall next to a liquor store and a barber shop.
. The décor is “brown tables and chairs” with
graffiti etched into the windows and signed pictures of rappers
on the wall. The food is simpley amazing!. It’s pretty much
just a hamburger place but what makes it different is the love
in which each hand made patty is created.
They
have normal size char grilled
hamburgers, which are quite good if you are a burger
whimp, but if you are a lover of big, juicy, ketchup and mustard
running down your arms burgers, than you must get
the “Royal Burger”. The “Royal Burger”
is two- lb, hand-made patties - char grilled (they take a while
because they are so big), lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon or pastrami,
a fried egg, onions and finally some chili. When the burger comes
to your table the first thing you think is “how the heck
am I going to eat this” as you survey the massive burger
which is around 5 inches thick. The only way to eat it, and still
remain somewhat clean is to totally commit yourself to it. Once
you grab a hold of it, you must not let go, ever, until it is
finished or it will explode and fall over the plate and then you
simply have a “chili size” with egg. The burger has
so much flavor its almost criminal, and believe me, you will feel
guilty after eating one. Look at the bright side of things, if
you do manage to eat and finish a “Royal Burger” from
B&R burgers at lunch you won't need to eat dinner.If you ever
wanted to go someplace, but just can’t bring yourself to
do it, drop me a line and maybe I will conduct a “culinary
investigation” and report back to you here.
B&R Old Fashioned Burgers
/ 3512 W Rosecrans Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250 - Phone: (310) 679-4774.
Hours:
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