Hamburger Haven

Hamburger Haven in West Hollywood is a place I have passed by many times with the same thought, "Next time I'm in the area I'll give it a try." Well, next time finally came as I was in WEHO looking for something to eat that didn't involve a valet or a menu in my hands. I was looking for an easy meal with minimal wait time. First thing, enter the parking lot on Robertson Blvd. just south of Santa Monica Blvd. The driveway on Santa Monica is an exit and you'll have a hard time trying to slip into a parking stall if you go in that way. Most of the seating is a covered outdoor patio with just a few seats available at the indoor counter.



I ordered the #3 the sassy burger which is a burger with swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. You then have the option for grilled or raw onions or bacon for an additional charge. A wheat bun can be substitued for free which I did.


The burger tasted fresh and was juicy. The wheat bun gave it a nice texture and taste which I really enjoyed but it left my husband still hungry more.

So he went back after finishing it and ordered another #3 but this time he changed things up. He went with a double and added bacon and grilled onions on a white bun. It wasn't as good as the first burger. I could tell that the bacon had been sitting around because it wasn't hot and felt a little dried out. The bun was bland and fell apart on him after only a couple of bites. He should have just had the double the same way We'd ordered it the first one. The fries were nothing special as they looked an tasted like something out of the freezer. Paying the extra price for bacon and grilled onions also wasn't worth it as it did not add anything to the meal. Next time, a double #3 on wheat is a perfect, inexpensive way to get an all-around solid hamburger. The good thing is that now I know that Hamburger Haven is worth coming back to IF I'm in the area.





Hamburger Haven
8954 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069(310) 659-8796

Tally Rand

You want to go where everybody knows your name..

Consistency is under-rated and under-valued in our “I want it now” society. Everyone wants the newest, hippest thing regardless if it’s any good. I have been going to Tallyrand for the past 10 years on a weekly or at times daily basis. In talking with Mark, one of the owners, it’s nice to hear that he does not compromise on his ingredients. He knows what works and is consistent. He once told me that he can not change his turkey recipe because he has it down to a science and couldn’t make it any better and he is right. When you do something well, why change? Sometimes the hard part is to not tinker with success.
I look forward every year on Saint Patrick’s Day for their corned beef and cabbage. They offer a hearty portion of corned beef over cabbage with boiled potatoes and carrots. I try to get there early because sometimes there is a wait. The corned beef is cooked to perfection and is lean.
For breakfast, this place has the best oatmeal hands down. It’s thick and creamy and you can have fresh fruit or raisins as it comes with a side of brown sugar, butter and milk. I always eat mine with just butter and Equal. For about a year I ate this everyday and I never got tired of it

The chili hash and eggs are to die for as the hash browns are nice and carmelized and add a perfect crunch.

The King burrito is satisfying and filling. Sunday’s features eggs benedict with a Hollandaise sauce made fresh that morning. That sauce is straight out of a Le Cordon Bleu textbook for quality and taste. Once you have eaten here for breakfast it’s kind of hard to go to one of those chains places. Tallyrand offers fresh ingredients at an affordable price. Sure you can find a cheaper breakfast place but the food simply will not be as good and satisfying.

Other highlights include their hamburger steak (meat grinded fresh daily),

Cobb salad and the appetizer platter which really puts a smile on your face.This is my "big salad as in the Seinfield episode.

They don't have grill cheese sandwich on the menu but they will make it for you.

TallyRand
1700 W Olive Ave
Burbank, CA 91506
818-846-9904

Marked 5

Today was a reminder of why I love living in Los Angeles. I started my afternoon tasting another new craze of taco trucks. This one is Japanese-style burgers with a twist. Marked 5 stands for your 5 senses, touch, smell, feel, hearing and taste, Also each burger is $5 including tax and five people collaborated to make the idea happen. Marked 5 has been on the streets for 5 months and so far they have had a good response. They are mainly in the Venice area where they have received positive feedback which has helped in the process of improving the burger to what it is today. I was surprised that they did not have 5 burgers on the menu since 5 seems to be their theme.

Here are the burgers starting with the one I liked the best on down:

#1 Kastu burger: This was my favorite, a grilled rice bun and the crunchiness of the fried pork all came together well. The sauce was just an added bonus as it was tangy, slightly sweet and spicy.

#2 Torakku V: Tofu patty, pan-fried served with special torakku marked V sauce and veggies with handmade rice bun. I liked this one better than the beef. The crew told me they make their own tofu and mix the cheese,veggies and spices. This made a big difference as it just added a whole new dimension to the tofu.

#3 Chicken Curry: Deep-fried chicken served with special marked 5 curry sauce, cabbage and homemade rice buns. The sauce was a slightly salty but hey I like salt and it could have been a bit more spicy.

#4 Torakku burger: 100% Angus beef marinated in Marked 5 secret Torakku sauce, romaine lettuce, veggies and homemade rice buns. While the sauce and meat were excellent I just couldn't get past the seaweed with my burger. I know it's Japanese with a twist but I didn't think it added value as it was kind of a pain because when I got to the end of the burger the seaweed was there wrapped around the rice bun and it was chewy.

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The side items were shrimp chips and shrimp spring rolls. The chips added a nice crunch and the shrimp with spring onions was a perfect intermission from the burger show.

So the next time you're out and about and see a taco truck be adventurous and give them a try.