The Hollywood Way

Hola! And Holla! Yes, it's my turn (Cory) to write the bulk of the blog this week, and that usually means that readers have to wait extra long for me to get things together & get this posted. Well, let this week be no exception. The work has piled high over the past several days, but I'm finally able to see the light, and thus, the blog shall be written.
Last week's lunch outing found us parked on a back street behind The Hollywood Way on, well...Hollywood Way. There, near the intersection of Hollywood Way & Burbank Blvd, lies the shell of for the former Mr. B's. A ramshackle roadside watering hole which was, in its day, a fine establishment favored by the locals for steak, lobster, and other dining delights. Apparently it was around for over 50 years and time took its toll on gool ol' Mr B's.



The once popular bar/restaurant slowly lost the "restaurant" part & became just another bar. Another crappy looking bar, from what I could tell. The kind of bar where it wouldn't be completely unreasonable to imagine yourself being stabbed in the parking lot. And that's *kinda* what I felt like as Alissa & I approached from the rear...
Luckily, the new owners of the old Mr. B's have been working hard to scrape away the dirt & dilapidation, creating for us a new (at least in my opinion) Mecca for Burbank meat-eating beer drinkers. The facade is completely renovated & welcoming...



the inside is spacious, neat, and clean...



the taps are sufficiently stocked with an ample selection of beers, and the menu caused me to have wet dreams for a week. Seriously. My sheets are a mess...



The Basics:
The Hollywood Way puts the "bar" in "barbeque"...or, perhaps adds the "beque" to the "bar." Either way, you're gonna find all the BBQ you're likely to desire in your lunch, along with some good beers to boot. Giant burgers, racks of ribs, & mounds of pulled pork are accompanied by classic BBQ sides such as baked beans, onion straws, and mac & cheese. There's even a decent array of salads for those lunchers who may be looking for something less meat-ish.


Alissa:
Immediately after eating this lunch I came back to my desk and wrote something. I wanted to capture the way I felt at the time. This is what I wrote then:
As I write this, I am near vomiting or passing out and maybe both. I attribute it to the meal I had at The Hollywood Way. There was a lot of swearing during this meal- as we saw the food for the first time, as we took the first bite... as we re-realized how crazy or good what we were eating was- as we tried to finish the giant meals before us... as we sat there trying to concentrate on not puking it all back up. That being said- I thought it was TOTALLY AWESOME. No, really. I was expecting a decent meal. Though I got nervous as we approached- something felt dangerous to me. But once inside, I have no idea why I thought that. I think there were probably serious alcoholics that haunted the bar that they took over & I was sensing their gin soaked spirits.



Ah yes. I remember writing that. And I think I am finally not totally full from that lunch, many days later. Anyhoo- as far as what I ate, I laid eyes upon the pulled pork sandwich, and was instantly sold. I barely know what's on the rest of the menu- because I was like- who cares. I am obviously eating this. So I ordered it with a side of mac & cheese and a Flying Dog IPA. I accidentally thought I liked that IPA after tasting it, but after several sips I found it is not one of the guys I like. Some IPAs are sneaky and have too many complex spicy flavors and I'm like EWWWWWWW. I don't want no Belgium nonsense up in this beer! But whatever. I drank it. I pray that after they are there a while, they get some cooler microbrews. It would really raise the stock. I would be glad to advise.

My pulled pork sandwich tasted as beautiful as it looked. Gosh it really, really did. They come in at 6am and hand pull stuff that has smoked all night or something. I was really trying to remember the exact details that Sonia, our friendly bartender was telling us, but I kept being distracted by the deliciousness of my food. Cory and I were not expecting much from the mac & cheese. You know how that goes- mac & cheese sides are pretty disappointing usually. But I had no problem with this stuff. It wasn't so crazy that you were thinking "EFF I should have just ordered this- it's a meal in itself" but just cheesy and creamy enough not to be a sad clump no one cares about next to their food. Which is saying a lot because THE PULLED PORK SANDWICH on brioche bun with chipotle mayo was freaking great. As far as the meat goes- chewing was totally optional. I chose to chew, but you can make your own decision. In any case, it's just what I wanted it to taste like & was better than expected.

Cory and I loudly cursed at our food throughout the meal, while a guy who was pretty much a younger version of The Dude sang selected lines from the 80s & 90s songs Jack FM was supplying. I'm guessing this would be a good place to catch sports on their multiple TVs AND there is free wi-fi, which I used during our meal. I was really sad when I saw this BBQ place down a couple blocks pop up and soon realized sold BBQs, not BBQ'd food. I witnessed Cory spotting it and had to be the one to break the bad news to him. BUT FINALLY there is a place we (I mean not just Cory & I, but you as well!) can go to get some sweet barbecued meat! Your vegetarian friend can come too- there are options, but I feel it is unnecessary to mention them at this juncture. I don't eat a lot of meat, but if I feel like devouring some- this is gonna be a top pick.

And hey, Cory: gross about your sheets. God. This is supposed to be appetizing.



Cory:

Dear The Hollywood Way,

It's not often that a person, place, or experience provokes me to write in letter form. Almost never, actually. I thought about simply sending you a text, but that wouldn't suffice. There's just so much to say. So many thoughts whizzing around in my brain. So many flavors that I'm still savoring. Oh, Hollywood Way, I must admit that my expectations were perhaps a little on the low side for this lunching. But now, having sampled your goods, I feel ashamed of my initial skepticism. Yes, the walk in was a tad shady; and yes, I did half-expect to get my ass kicked by a gang of bikers once inside; but I was wrong, Hollywood Way. I was wrong and I'm sorry. Instead, you welcomed us into your dark, woody, loving arms. You greeted us warmly & presented us with the greatest bar menu I have ever seen in all my days.



(actually, that picture - like most of them on here today - is terrible, so just look at this...)
The Hollywood Way - MENU

Everything freshly made from scratch, with love & attention to detail. The burger hand-pattied, the pork tenderly pulled, the mac creamily cheesed, and the beans barbequed-ly baked.
You undoubtedly remember this, Hollywood Way, because - let's face it, we had a connection. But, for the sake of others, I'll recount my meal. I was having a very hard time deciding on just one thing as I perused your menu. Those burgers sure looked great, but shouldn't I get the BBQ? And then I laid my eyes on a miracle. The baby jesus of bar food. The Memphis Burger. To quote your menu, "How about a juicy 1/2 pound burger piled high with Carolina pulled pork, cheddar cheese, bacon, and onion straws, topped with Hollywood’s BBQ sauce. Served on a toasted brioche bun." How about it, indeed!
It arrived standing nearly as tall as a pint glass. It was one of those times where I really wasn't quite sure where to start, so I just kinda mashed it all down & had at it. The burger itself was massive & really well-seasoned. Just enough salt & pepper to really make it work. And the pulled pork portion was mind-bendingly awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I nearly forgot about the accompanying ingredients: the hunk of bacon & the mountain of onion straws. Honestly, there wasn't a single part of that burger that I don't think could stand alone. The whole thing is JUST THAT GOOD.
Then, to top it off, you served it up with a side BBQ baked beans. Beans with chunks of pulled pork hidden within. Beans with just right amount of kick. Beans that all other beans should aspire to be(an). I would seriously go back just to get a bucket of these things.



Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: BITE IT. BITE IT NOW. I honestly ate everything except for this last little teeny bite. And I do believe I almost fell into a coma- or crashed the car on the 2 block drive back due to food-drunkness. But I encourage you to do the same.

C: To say this was a "good" bite would be grossly understating the complete & utter awesomeness of this place. Go! Eat! Drink! And maybe stay 'til the next morning...



Info:
1333 N. Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 845-4400
Open Mon-Wed 11am-12am; Thu-Fri 11am-2am; Sat 10am-2am; Sun 9:30am-10pm



**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! If you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

Full o' Life

Apologies readers. At least initially, this time it was my fault (Alissa's fault) that this took too long. I've been sickly, and we've been busy at work... hence the hang up. We'll be better at lunching, we promise! Or we hope, anyhow.

So let me get real with you for a moment, Burbank- and the one random Russian and/or German person who hits up this blog on accident: I really will eat almost anything- but typically I don't. I eat greek yogurt for breakfast and a trader joes salad or some leftovers from dinner I'd made for lunch. If I eat out I usually eat some sort of healthy veggie or at wildest, a grilled chicken breast sandwich. These are the things my stomach tells me it wants. Usually a soda(without alcohol in it) or pile of fries happens in my life like- once a month. So I says to Cory- Cory, sometimes I'd just like to eat somewhere that fried food with piles of mysterious sauce is not the focus- where words like 'crazy' and 'heart attack' don't come into play. I realize that the humor/danger factor gets lost a bit, but not everyone in Burbank is just wondering about shacks and diners.


Basically this speech was all in preparation to break the news to him that this time we'd be going to Full of Life. A health food store with a restaurant tucked into it. Please use this moment to imagine the resulting groans from our friend Cory. Okay go: __________________. So yes. It sounded something like that. But we're basically at this point where we have to go along with one anothers' choices and essentially can tell one another to effing eat it. Hence our joyful journey to Full o' Life!



Full of life is a pleasant little health food store with lots of natural foods, healthy to-go items, homeopathic remedies and supplements and all that jazz. Family run & celebrating 50 years, apparently, it's 2/3 store and 1/3 restaurant. I've been shopping here for something a couple times before, but had never set out to eat from the restaurant. Cory and I walked in and eyed the fun-looking counter seating, but the place was packed (just before 2pm- so maybe don't go at that time) and we took what we could get. A romantic table for two by the window.


It's a pretty comfy atmosphere for a store, and you will surely be surrounded by wacky conversation from people who like friendly piles of sprouts instead of whatever this scary crap is that Cory keeps ordering. Instead of sports and cars, I overheard snarky talk about Scientology in one ear and something about an "elephant compound" in the other. The waitresses are all kind older ladies with senses of humor who would love to give you a taste of something if you are not sure about ordering it. Cory was already calming down, and as the menus- which boasted a vast array of healthy dishes were placed before us- I knew it was going to be alright.


The Basics:
Big ol' menu of health-mindful foods & beverages. Order something. Ask to sample something if you are not sure. There are soups, sandwiches, salads, casseroles, stir-fry dishes and more. There are specials too. Your sides are likely to be salad, chips, or carrot slices.


Alissa:
Having been 'vegan' and 'vegetarian' at points in my life, I have eaten lots of veggi-fied foods. I love healthy stuff- and was immediately eying the avocado/tomato/sprout/cheese sandwich until I remembered I could easily make this myself & frequently do. That's why I like it. Silly to order in a restaurant. So I looked for something that might exceed any of my vegetarian ambitions in the kitchen any time soon. I found the Grilled BBQ Tofu sandwich. I thought this sandwich was really nice. Straight up tofu can be a little too tofuey for me... you gotta sauce it and grill it sufficiently if it is going to pass for a protein on a sandwich. I feel this did the job well enough. The BBQ sauce was good and that is what mattered. The bun was also nice. I added mayo (one of my favorite bad-for-you things)- but as I suspected, it was one of those healthier ones. You can tell by tasting it and it not tasting like magic. Magic is what Best Foods mayo tastes like. This was certainly not that- but once on the sandwich it added the extra kick I knew I wanted. Aside the sandwich were large slices of carrot- like chips. It was such a lovely relief from fry-piles. I tried to order a green drink- some healthy concoction they have, but it never came. She tried to give me a sample when I ordered it and I said I didn't need one. I guess you should say yes to the sample- if you survive, they bring you a grownup size one. I decided that they knew better than I and skipped notifying them. I got a kombucha drink from their store when I left instead.


I liked my food and got a kick out of the folks around us and their conversations. I believe the man next to us went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park and was describing the experience in minute and painful detail the whole time we ate. I was trying to figure out if the ladyperson was interested in what he was saying but I couldn't tell. I don't really think hearing someone talk about seeing things at the zoo is fun though, is it? Don't you go to the zoo or not go to the zoo depending on your interest in the zoo? Well I think I would take my food to go in the future in any case... the ladies who work there are certainly nice, but I don't see the dining experience as a must have.


Cory:
So Alissa's description of my reaction to the news that we'd be eating here wasn't quite as vocal & groany as she made it out to be. It was more eye rollingly acquiescent as I knew I didn't have a say in the matter. It's not that I necessarily have anything against healthy natural food stores, it's just that they're generally too gritty grainy granola hippy for my tastes. I rarely find anything enticing on their shelves & the people are, well...sometimes kinda Wal-Martish...but in a greener way. Plus the stores are always dismally decorated. Forgive me for wanting a little flair with my flax seed oil. Also, the thought of eating food inside a store that also sells all-natural bio-degradable gluten-free deodorant in compostable containers didn't exactly excite my taste buds...



HOWEVER...it seems that all my trepidation was uncalled for because this place was not nearly as horribly horrible as I assumed it would be. Yes, the walls were barren & the overall vibe was kinda funky (and not funky in a Bootsy Collins kinda way, but funky is a sorta weird way), but the people were nice & they didn't seem to have the holier-than-thou attitude so common amongst natural foodites. And, most importantly, the food was GOOD...and there was a ton to choose from.
I actually had a hard time deciding what to try and, after much hemming & hawing, I opted for the tuna melt. It came served on an English muffin (that didn't taste at all like cardboard) & topped with sesame seeds. They usually top it with sprouts as well, but I asked for mine on the side since I was a little wary of the potential warm stringiness of the sprout/tuna salad combo. All this was tucked neatly beside a pile of fresh carrot slices, which were a nice change from the usual soggy lackluster fries of Burbank. I salted them heavily (just to knock as much of the "healthy" out of them as I could) and wolfed them down first & foremost. Next came the tuna melt. It was a little olive-laden for me, but it was still pretty tasty. It was well-seasoned & the sesame seeds were a nice touch. Would I order it again? Probably not. It was good but not great and, with such a vast menu to choose from, I'd rather try something new next time. Yes, I said next time. I'd totally go back.




Good Bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Good bite. The food seems fresh and on the healthy side- so if you aren't trying super hard to have a heart attack, I would say this would be a good place to add into your take out rotation- and if you want to hear some wacky convo or plead for a green drink throughout your lunch- you should eat in. And tell me how it is?

C: Good bite. It's a nice change from the usual go-to lunches I have 'round these parts; and it made me feel better about skipping the gym that night...and the night after. Check it out next time you're in the mood for something not topped with pastrami & covered in chili.

Info:
2515 West Magnolia Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91050
(818) 845-8343
Open Mon-Thu 8am-8pm; Fri 8am-4pm; Sun 9:30am-6pm



**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! If you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

quick bite- empire center

At first it was my fault that our latest blog entry is not posted. Now it is Cory's fault. I guess I was trying to steal his thunder in the flake department, but he has prevailed. He will blame it on work- but it was my turn to write so his little part will take like 5 min. COME ON MAN! Hopefully that is coming soon. God only ONE post in November? That is shameful. Please tell Cory how disappointed you are in him.

In the meantime (which I hope is just until tomorrow) I thought I'd post a 'quick bite' here complete with crappy phone photos. Many of my lunches are dedicated to errands since I have pretty much no time otherwise to do them. Today I needed to go to Target to look for an electric blankEYYYYY. And get some face wash. In case you were wondering. Obviously I am not going to eat at the food place inside Target- and I didn't have time to go on a whole 'nutha adventure for food (even though what I really wanted was a field green salad from Trader Joes!!!) so I decided I must find something edible in the center.

Over by BevMo there is a place called Daphne's Greek Cafe so I ran in there. I got a grilled Chicken pita. It had lettuce and tomatoes and grilled chicken in it- hold the onions.



The pluses:
- it was fast
- the girl I ordered from was nice
- the calories are all listed next to the food items (i don't care but i should- maybe you are more conscious of what you eat and this will appeal to you)
- the chicken was tender & well seasoned
- there is an interesting feature on the soda fountain in there where you can add cherry, vanilla or orange to your coke or sprite or whatever. I didn't get one but- seems cool.
- there is plenty of seating indoor and out



I went and sat outside and jammed that puppy down the hatch. Not AMAZING. The tzatziki was not as sour as I like and too thick. But they don't FORCE you to put in on your stuff (and if you are counting those calories, you'd be better skipping it). I liked my gyro from Norm's better, but it's totally edible- fast to eat- and I didn't feel yucky afterward. Most importantly, I was able to do my errands without feeling like I was going to faint. It is a totally reasonable quick bite if you are in need of some nourishment while shopping at Empire Center.

This gets a quick bite approval. By me. Which is very fancy and super official!

Steve's Oriental Burger/ Steve's Charburger/ Steve's Burger (pick one - they all work)

(*alissa, gearing up for lunch)

Alrighty - sorry I've been so lazy about getting this bite posted, but I've been feeling pretty ambivalent about this place & so I've been having a hard time putting pen to paper. Err...finger to keys. Anyway, Alissa's mom complained about the lack of post the other day, so this one's for you, Pamela. You really do look quite lovely today, by the way. Have you done something different with your hair?


This past week's lunching started out on a sour note when we arrived at my place of choice only to find it closing for the afternoon. Seriously, why close a restaurant at 2:00 in Burbank? People late lunch 'round these parts! Mildly bummed & bemused, we headed east on Victory in search of a plan b. Luckily, we didn't have to travel far as plan b presented itself just a few blocks away, in the form of Steve's. Or Steve's Oriental. Or Steve's Burger. Or perhaps it's Steve's Oriental Burger? I'm really not sure. Depending on which side of the sign you were looking at, it seemed to indicate all of them.

Steve's is a modest little corner joint similar to that Norm's place we went to a few weeks ago. They have an outdoor walk-up counter to order from, an outside seating area from which to take in the scenic view of pavement & traffic, and a small inside seating area. They specialize in all things burger...and Oriental, I guess...And charred.



The Basics: This place has exactly what you'd expect from a "charburger" stand. Burger, fries, hot dogs, etc. But wait! There's more! They also offer a variety of asian dishes, which may actually be the way to go here...

Here's a couple amazing photos. If you look *REALLY* closely, you might just be able to make out what it says on the menu...



Cory: Still reeling from the early closing of my restaurant of choice, I begrudgingly ordered the Crazy Burger. When the nice girl at the counter told me exactly what it was, I quickly became less begrudged (yes, I know that's not a word) & eagerly awaited the arrival of my pastrami & chili-topped charburger with visions of greasy drippy cheesiness dancing in my head.
When my crazy burger arrived, I was a little surprised by just how tame it looked. I expected a giant hamburger patty piled high with a mountain of meat and drizzled with chili. I expected to walk out wearing at least 3/4 of it. I expected to get to fart all over alissa's office all day. Instead, I got a perfectly reasonable & manageable burger.


And it was actually pretty tasty! So, no matter how much I'd like to, I can't really complain. It was well-seasoned. There was just enough pastrami, the tomatoes seemed fresh, and the lettuce crisp. I could've used a little more chili but, like I said, I really can't complain.
As a bonus, the combo came with a drink & CRINKLE CUT FRIES (just like the kind I liked when I was 5!). All for around $5. Super cheap!


Alissa: So Cory was pushing me to try one of the Asian dishes- which actually would have been a good idea & something I would have suggested so we could give a more thorough report... but goddamnit I didn't want noodles so I got a fried fish sandwich and planned to eat as many of Cory's fries as I could steal.


I also got a Cherry Coke- I feel like if a place has Cherry Coke or Dr. Pepper or something I have to get it. So I did. Are you sure 'begrudged' is not a word Cory? Cause like... I am typing it: begrudged. Begrudged, begrudged, begrudged. And there is no spelling error on it. Stop claiming you've made up words that already exist. If anything you're just not using it right (cory edit - shut your facehole, alissa. Stop making me feel stupid for being stupid!). Anyhow- the sandwich was a fine fish sandwich. I think the best part may be the bun- it's one of those semi sturdy ones like they have at In-n-Out.


I just really upset my coworker recently when I told him I had only had grilled cheese from In-n-Out, as I have not eaten hamburger in over 10 years. But because of that I am EXTRA aware of the bun there. Which I like. And this reminded me of it. Also, I will report: there was enough tartar sauce. Lord knows this is the real question in a fish sandwich- did they screw you and give you a quarter size dollop or really give it to you like they know you want it? Anyhow no problems there. And if you like iceberg lettuce, you're in luck. I have recently decided it totally bums me out. I hate burping and tasting iceberg lettuce. That stuff shouldn't get to have a flavor whatsoever. But it does. I removed all of it- probably someone in there was shaking their head watching me do this but OH WELL MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. '

Overall a little better & voluminous(oh don't mind this really cool word- I made it up) than McD's. However- I think I would rather go ahead and eat the cheaper dumbed down version of this sandwich at a fast food joint OR get one of those 10 dollar jazzed up ones at a seafood restaurant. Fries were alright. I'm like... whatever about the whole place. But the lil young lady who took our order was nice. I will say that. She seemed perfectly happy working with Dad at their family run burger shack, and I like that attitude.



Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Boring bite. Not gross, just mediocre non-scary fare. There were a bunch of people in there though & again- we did not try any of the Asian dishes so... we could have missed out.
C: Gotta say, I'm totally on the fence with this one. It's decent & it's cheap, so that's what I'm callin' it - a decent cheap bite. You could do a lot worse


Info:
2320 West Victory Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91506-1227
(818) 846-6620

Open Weekdays 9am-7pm; Sat 9am-5pm

Here's one for the ladies...



**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! so if you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

Sawan Cafe

Hello I'm back from my travels & we're back in biz!



When Cory suggested the Thai place by our office a few weeks ago, I rudely jumped down his throat and announced we were not going there. I have already been there. And I didn't like the Pad See Ew so they are effing fired. Yep. I'm not going to name any names but I also don't plan to review it, as it is not an adventure. Sawan Cafe, on the other hand, was a little place I spotted out of the corner of my eye while barreling down Magnolia one day. A nice looking dad and daughter were walking in with confidence- as if they had been there before. And I thought "that looks promising". So today when I was up to bat, it's what I chose. Cory made some sort of jerky resignation to eating with me. Noncommittal compliance with my choice. Apparently not a big Thai fan. But I appreciate that he didn't flat out complain- as I would have had to use my outside voice on him.



Anyhow, we made it down Magnolia and Cory even remembered exactly where it was (as I had previously pointed it out) so he scored some points. As we walked up there were diners leaving with smiles past a very lo-tech lunch special sign. A $4.95 lunch special sign. That is wayyy reasonable, right?



We walked on in and a smiling lady jumped to clean the table at the booth we were headed to, and spoke to us in an adorably high pitched helium voice. I wanted to chortle with glee over it- but I just did an inner chortle.



We looked around snapping photos and found there was no light but daylight coming through the front window- which did make taking photos (for um unprofessionals) very difficult. But it was very calming- as was the cute, clean and simple decor. Like... if they had a nap area for after you ate, it would be perfect.



After accepting our photos would be dark we chose a lunch special each, and I ordered to share... you guessed it Pad See Ew. Cory, of course was skeptical. Like a grumpy five year old. Sorry I think I am tired. Now I'm the grumpy five year old.

The basics: Typical Thai fare with some interesting looking specials. At lunch there is a limited, but appealing lunch special list. You get a little soup, rice, and your dish for $4.95. You get to choose a meat unless it is specified.




Alissa: So check it: I ordered the spicy eggplant vegetable dish. My meat was tofu. I also ordered a Thai iced tea (I order the tea at Thai places and the coffee at Vietnamese places. That's just how I do it.), and I informed Cory that off the non-lunch menu, we would be sharing some Pad See Ew. I said "trust me, you'll like it" while he made skeptical groans and faces. I ordered that with chicken.

The tea came out first- and that passed. Then the soup- it was just veggie broth and simple veggies. It was pretty bland, but I was into it.


Sometimes I get tom kha soup to start and it is so flavorful and spicy and filling that I can hardly move on to the rest of my order. This just sort of whet the ol' appetite. God what a terrible sentence. Instead of erasing it I will just say- I am sorry. THEN out came our Pad See Ew and I immediately snuck some egg. It was good! SO I started shoveling it onto my plate like a damn wild animal and Cory had to say "um don't you think we need to snap a photo of that first?" Damn it. Yes. So I hit rewind and we did.



When I finally got to eat it, I found I was correct- it was really good. Not like that bunk place by our office. It was just the right flavors and textures... the ones that made me fall in love with Pad See Ew when I first snuck a bite of it out of my roommate's leftovers in the fridge. Sorry Morgan! I realize sometimes the egg in Pad See Ew is not so much exciting as present, and I really liked how this egg was done. Next came the eggplant dish. It was good- not like to die for- but certainly eggplanty, spicy, and tofuey. The rice is a nice contrasting texture. I tasted Cory's also and I would say that's probably a really good way to go- I just like trying a veggie dish out so that folks who are not into meat know it's there and is bite-able.

On a side note I would like to say the bathroom is really clean- decorated and well attended to. Sometimes these lil' hole-in-the wall joints have a pretty depressing situation back there, but not these guys. Gals. Also there is some sort of shrine/offering in the hall on the floor on the way to the bathroom which I think indicates this joint is pretty legit.

Now... my only concern is... later I felt that special sweet taste in my mouth which hearkened back to the days when no one made a fuss about MSG. I do believe I need to get to the bottom of that. I could just be paranoid... but it was a little suspicious.

Cory: Are you seriously concerned about MSG, Alissa? MSG is one the highlights of all Asian food as far as I'm concerned, and any place that uses it is tops in my books. I mean, I've had plenty of good food sans-MSG but a nice sprinkling of that powder goes a long way toward improving the flavor of most dishes. Ah the miracles of chemistry...



Anywhoo...I was immediately bummed out when Alissa asked if we could have Thai food, and I can only assume that I made some sort of angry scowl to go along with my grumpy 5 year old groans, but I decided to let her have this one. It was, after all, her big day to pick & I couldn't very well welcome her back into town by promptly poo pooing her choice of lunch spot. So I acquiesced & rode shotgun while Alissa nearly got lost on the way there, secretly hoping all the while that she would give up trying to find it & take me elsewhere. But find it we did, so I was stuck. I've gotta say, this place isn't really much to look at from the outside. Or from the inside for that matter. You could easily pass by it without ever knowing it's there (so if you really wanna try it, keep your eyes peeled on the north side of Magnolia). The inside is tiny & mostly barren, save for a few happy customers. It was nice to see the smiling faces enjoying their lunches, but I generally have a problem dining in tiny places, so I still wasn't 100% on board. The delightfully squeaky waitress seated us at a booth near some strange naked lady lamps, which I'm pretty sure were in my friend's parents' basement when we were kids, and plopped a couple menus on the table.

Thankfully Alissa decided to be the man on this date & order some noodle dish for us to share (the pad see ew, or whatever) because I'm certainly no connoisseur of Thai food and, frankly, had no idea what the hell I was looking at or how to pronounce it. The one item I felt safe ordering was the yellow curry chicken, so that's what I did. And, just to be a copycat, I ordered a Thai iced tea too.



The iced tea came out first & only served to raise my level of skepticism. It looked like someone bled into a cup of tea. Casting my concerns aside, I stirred, sipped, and nodded my head. It was good! Kind of like tea. And creamy anemic blood. Sort of. Or maybe that's not at all what it tasted like, but whatever. It was tasty.
Next up was the pad see ew. Big flat noodles stir fried with egg, chicken, and veggies. "Well, this can't be half bad," I says to myself. And guess what? I was totally right. Not only was it not half bad, it was completely awesome! The other thing that was awesome was watching Alissa use both hands to shovel it into her mouth at a frightening pace. I'm certain now that if I'm ever in prison, I would like her to be there with me. Not to keep me company, but to help me tunnel to freedom.



The yellow chicken curry was last for me. I'm no curry expert either, but this was pretty good. The chicken was a teeny little bit overcooked, but the curry was spot on & more than made up for it. The dish also included potatoes, which tasted like...well, potatoes; and something else, which I can't recall but can only assume was awesome.
I also sampled Alissa's eggplant extravaganza. Eggplant is sort of a new thing for me. See, I was horribly scarred as a child when my 2nd grade teacher brought an eggplant casserole to class & passed it around for all the kids to sample. When no one took any, she got all upset & basically forced everyone to eat it. As you can imagine, forced eggplant is disgusting to an 8 year old; and I've been an 8 year old, as far as eggplant is concerned, ever since. This one was pretty good though. It didn't knock my socks off or anything, but it didn't make me spit it out, throw a temper tantrum, and get sent to the principal's office either...

And here is an unflattering photo of Alissa which she will post as a good sport since she is literally taking a bite. And trying to keep from laughing.



Good bite? Or just totally bites?

A: Well heck I would go on back there and have me some Pad Se Ew and Thai iced tea just about any time if I can figure out for sure that it wasn't all glistening in a MSG rich glaze. That Yellow Curry was really nice & I am sure there are several other menu items that are just as great.

C: Yeah, I'd bite that again. The red chili sauce is the business, btw. Bring on the MSG!

Info:
1907 1/2 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506-1727
(818) 558-5051

Open Mon-Sat 11am-9:30pm




**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! so if you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)

He did it!

Cory did it- Tallyrand is live! And now I'm out of the office... we should only take our vacations together from now on. This just won't do. If he doesn't fall into a deep depression over my absence, perhaps Cory will take a bite on his own while I'm gone. Or maybe he's one of those people who starts realllly chowing down when he gets sad. That's fine, as long as you blog about it, Cory! See you in a couple weeks!

wow, how surprising!

Cory promised to finish the post for last week's bite, but I see he hasn't. I never for a moment totally did not believe him! This is shocking! Well, he'll probably do it while on vacation in Florida this week. That sounds really likely, so watch for it!!!

Tallyrand

The Tallyrand. Sounds like a euphemism that your grandfather may have muttered in reference to his penis, doesn't it? Well, lucky for us it's not. Because that's where we ate last week.
If you're a Burbank luncher, I'm sure you've seen it lurking on Olive, near Verdugo, with its silly-fonted signage. It's been tempting me with the promise of potential weirdness ever since I first started working up here; and now I'm glad we went, because it sure did deliver...
Now, first things first, this place is another "family style" diner. Given our recent lunching at Lancers, I was none too impressed when I discovered this. I've since been convinced that family style diners excel at only one thing. Mediocrity. Alas, we went in anyway...
Walking in, we were greeted enthusiastically by Marty.


Towering over us at around 6 feet tall (well, towering over ME, because Alissa is shenormous too), Marty unleashed a well-rehearsed rapid-fire string of sounds & words welcoming us to the Tallyrand. She waited patiently (though, clearly, with ants in her pants) while we wandered about the restaurant taking in the sites & deciding where to sit. See, there are 3 seating areas here:
the diner side, which looked like a typical diner...

the bar, which looked AWESOME...

and a 3rd area on the other side which was closed so received zero of our attention.

After much deliberation, we chose the diner because it was nice & light and didn't make me feel like I needed to order a bourbon with my lunch.


While seating us, Marty mentioned that Alissa & I were just too cute & asked our birthdays. She went on to very excitedly explain that Capricorns & Virgos are always wonderful couples. And did she mention that we were just too cute? Well, unfortunately for Alissa, Marty had incorrectly labeled me a Virgo. I am, in fact, a Libra; and everyone knows that Libras & Capricorns are a wholly unholy alliance...

The Basics:It's a family sort of place with a family sort of fare. Soups, salads, sandwiches, and fried things aplenty. You're sure to find something to suit your lunch here. Huell Howser recommends the Hot Turkey Sandwich, though, and Marty will tell you all about it.


Alissa: After getting adjusted to the fact that we were going to not only be fed, but entertained, Cory and I examined the menu for anything that could be called a "specialty" and found that there was a powerful core group that they recommended. We sorted out which we felt needed to be in our mouths, and I came up with the fried chicken. Also, having in NO WAY learned from my past food endeavors, I ordered a root beer float. Cause it was on the menu. And I was like- yeah- I clearly want that.


I am a horrible food-taster, apparently, because I did not remember to retain the flavor of the chicken. It was moist- I remember that. But all is overshadowed by the skin. It was not so much a flaky crispy skin, as it was a shell that literally snapped in your teeth it was so crunchy. It was the kind of texture I find dangerous- as I will eat way more than I need just to feel that snap again. In fact. I wish I could bite dat right now. Dang. Anyhow it is good... in that it is unique and fun. It must taste good too, as I think I would have remembered bad or incredible. Fries came with this at Marty's suggestion because we were already gettin mashed taters with Cory's choice. Steak fries. Not under or overcooked. Just right.


I definitely should not have gotten the root beer float- but I am not complaining. It was good & satisfied my yearly float craving. Cory & I tasted each others' dishes as well- and I really liked eating a sandwich (which he will describe below) with a knife and fork. I don't know if I have ever done that. It made me dream of Thanksgiving and that ol' fashion "I ate too much and I feel like I might vomit and everything will just look like stuffing" feeling. I assume this is the way you describe food to others to make it seem appetizing. Please let me know if I am wrong.


Cory:Walking in, I was like, "Awww, crap...it's another Lancers," but it really did prove to be quite the opposite. While it's essentially the same type of place, everything about it is just...better. The vibe is cool, the bar is silly (and the pic we have of it doesn't really do it justice), the food is good, and the staff is, well...quite possibly insane.


After the welcoming song & dance from the very gracious & highly caffeinated Marty, I decided to order the much-lauded-on-public-television Hot Turkey Sandwich. I haven't actually seen one of these on a menu since I was a wee lad in Iowa & would frequent the strange little diner attached to the Woolworth store in our small-town mall. I used to love these things & was very happy to have the chance to order one again. When it arrived, it looked EXACTLY as I remembered from my youth. A heap of mashed potatoes between two halves of a plain white bread turkey sandwich, all smothered in a snot-colored gravy. This version included a side of stuffing & cranberry sauce too, which gave the meal more of a white trash Thanksgiving feel. Thankfully, I'm a lover of all foods white trash. Hot turkey sandwiches, chipped beef, tater tots, or anything containing Velveeta - put em on a table in front of me & I'll happily put it in my facehole.


Perhaps it was just my sense of nostalgia, but this sandwich really delivered for me. The turkey was juicy & flavorful, the potatoes had the perfect consistency, and the plain ol' white bread was utterly saturated with gravy. Every bite took me back to that weird little diner in Iowa and, while I can see why the appearance may scare some people away, I think everyone should try this at least once.
I also nibbled some bits of Alissa's fried chicken. It was pretty good. Crispity crunchity...just the way I like my chickens. bock bock.

Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Good bite. Snap. Crunch. I don't know if Marty's always there- but I cannot imagine what it would be like without her. Probably less rapping.

C: It's a good bite. Actually, the overall experience beats the bite; but the experience makes the bite worth biting. Be prepared for aural overload.






Info:
1700 West Olive Avenue
Burbank, California 91506
(818) 846-9904
Open Daily 6am-10pm

**Our reports are based on one visit/meal- so we're far from experts on these joints! so if you have advice or experiences you'd like to share, please feel free to enlighten us & our readers! Our goal is to give enough info that someone might feel okay trying somewhere new (or know to avoid it!). Thanks for reading :)