Welcome back to Leftovers, a periodic series highlighting memorable dishes and restaurants sampled during reportage that didn’t make the final article. [Previously: Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup Edition.]
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Earlier this summer, I reported on the white-hot dining scene happening in San Diego’s North County for LAist. Following months of travel and dining, I whittled the research down to a quick-hit list highlighting “seven dining destinations defining North County’s culinary scene right now.” With too many tasty bites left on the cutting room floor, below are the dishes that deserve your attention.
I loathe standing in line for food, but the crowds at Tanner’s Prime Burgers in Oceanside were unavoidable. The queue moved quickly, but we still ended up waiting about 30 minutes on a Sunday afternoon to place our order and receive our food.
Just one bite of Tanner’s Prime Hot Dog — an all-beef frank from Brandt tucked inside a brioche bun topped with Tanner’s sauce, diced onions, tomato, and chopped chiles — and I declared the hassle completely worth it. It was a damn good dog: savory, rich, punchy, and satisfying.
Tanner’s Prime Dirty Double burger — Brandt beef smashed with caramelized onions, pickles, and double New School American Cheese on a Brioche Bun with Tanner’s sauce and a Cascabella pepper — was equally delicious.
Los Angeles is chock-full of incredible smash burgers (I’m partial to the ones served at Goldburger), so I can’t recommend making the North County trek just to try Tanner’s. But if you’re in the area and craving a well-constructed burger or hot dog, absolutely swing by and get your fill.
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