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The Peach Pit – Los Angeles (Beverly Hills)

Published

on September 2, 2010

in Burgers, Diner, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review

. 8 Comments

After spending the afternoon shopping with my gal pals Kelly and Brenda for the perfect Spring Dance frock, we were in dire need of something good to eat. Brenda suggested that we hit up a diner a few blocks away because her brother was working the dinner shift. I wasn’t in a burger and milkshake mood, but Brenda’s twin brother Brandon is pretty hot and is known to offer up freebies when the restaurant’s owner isn’t looking.

We pulled up to a retro-style restaurant emblazoned with the words “Peach Pit” in neon lights. Once inside, we were greeted by Nat Bussichio, the restaurant’s amiable proprietor. He pointed us towards a comfortable corner booth near the back and handed each of us a menu, knowing very well that neither Kelly nor Brenda ate much of anything.

As we settled into our seats, I glanced around the room to admire the decor. The brightly lit space was accented with chrome trimmed tables and waiters sporting fetching maroon and teal shirts. The records pasted on the wall and penny jukeboxes gave the Pit a decidedly throwback feel.

Brandon came by soon after to recite the daily specials and to take our orders. The Peach Pit offers classic diner fare, from fries to burgers to ice cream sundaes. The Mint Chocolate Marshmallow Jelly Bean Extravaganza Sundae is our friend Donna’s favorite for when she’s feeling traumatized (like that one afternoon when she witnessed her mother cheating on her father and missed hanging out with Color Me Badd). Quite a few menu items caught my eye, but I was told that the thing to get here is the famed Mega Burger. I went ahead and ordered the signature dish and a malted milkshake to go with it.

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Bison Burgers with Cheddar and Onions

Published

Gastronomer

on June 7, 2010

in Burgers and Recipe

. 15 Comments

I am generally quite fearless in the kitchen, but have always shied away from grilling. In spite of my liberal leanings, I long held onto the silly notion that cooking over an open flame was dude territory. As a result, all of the grilling in our household was assigned to The Astronomer and his little Smokey Joe. I was content with baking and sauteeing—you know, chick stuff.

Our longstanding division of kitchen duties came to a halt two months ago when I received a fantastically fun photography assignment that required me to grill like I’d never grilled before. From loins to shoulders to burgers, I did it all, and in the process, I discovered a great appreciation for the sport. I love how grilling makes me feel like a culinary badass and how it requires me to trust my instincts. I also like how cleaning up entails scrubbing a metal brush back and forth and little else.

For my first non-work-related grilling session, I decided to prepare bison burgers. Bison meat is often lauded for its nutritional prowess*, but doesn’t have the greatest reputation for moistness due to its lower fat content. However, this recipe for Bison Burgers with Cheddar and Onions from Cooking the Cowboy Way by Grady Spears makes an extremely flavorful, juicy, and satisfying specimen. And as an awesome bonus, it’s actually good for you. Grill on!

2 pounds ground bison** or chuck beef
3/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
12 English muffins or hamburger buns

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, grated cheese, onion, salt, and pepper thoroughly with your hands.

Divide the mixture into 12 small patties, making sure they are compacted and firm. Place the patties on the hot grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until they register an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

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Hodad’s – San Diego (Ocean Beach)

Published

Gastronomer

on March 2, 2010

in Burgers, Restaurant Review and San Diego

. 14 Comments

I always feel like a fraud whenever I tell someone that I’m from San Diego. There’s a certain beach bum culture that pervades the city (and its stereotypes) that I’ve never taken part in. Sure, I rock the Roxy on occasion, but I’ve never lived by the ocean, owned a surfboard, or worshiped the sun. I’ve also never been especially laid back, which is an essential quality for every native.

During a recent trip to my hometown, I infiltrated the ranks of authentic San Diegans chowing down at Hodad’s, a little burger shack with a huge reputation (See: A Hamburger Today, CNN.com, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives). Locals and tourists alike line up outside this forty-year-old shop for hours on end, all for a taste of their impressive burgers.

Joining me for lunch was The Astronomer, my cousin Phil, his finance Tannia, and my mama. We were seated after enduring a 40-minute wait.

The menu at Hodad’s is straightforward—burgers, fries, onion rings, and milkshakes. For those who don’t do cow, there’s also tuna on wheat, grilled cheeses, veggie burgers, BLTs, and chicken sandwiches. My soon-to-be cousin-in-law ordered the chicken sandwich; the patty looked and tasted like it came off the Sysco truck. Be warned. Do cow.

Our party of five shared two baskets of onion rings ($4.25) that were crisp and properly seasoned. Deep-frying is an art form and Hodad’s has it down.

Everyone but Tannia ordered some variation of Hodad’s famous burgers. The Astronomer went for a single bacon cheeseburger ($6.25), while Phil ordered a single bacon hamburger ($6). My mom and I split a double bacon cheeseburger ($9.50), which arrived nestled in a plastic basket, neatly wrapped in butcher paper. The sesame seed bun stood agape, much like my mouth when I saw this thing.

Each burger was topped with slightly grilled onions, standard pickles, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Both beef patties were nicely seared and fully cooked through. The most unique component of the burger was the bacon. According to A Hamburger Today, Hodad’s boils their bacon in water, then fries it on the grill under an iron weight. The result is a mass of bacon that delivers a little smoked piggy in every bite.

After she polished off her half of the double bacon cheeseburger, my mother concluded that it certainly merited the extra long wait. Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. Hodad’s creation was everything a great burger should be—deliciously beefy, a little bit greasy, seriously messy, and totally satisfying. It wasn’t a cutting edge burger, just solidly good.

[By the way, a "hodad" is a non-surfer who spends time at beaches masquerading as a surfer. Also known as a poser.]

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Hodad’s
5010 Newport Avenue
San Diego, CA 92107
Phone: 619-224-4623