Larry's Chili Dog

What a lamely workified two weeks it's been! Alissa & I have been trying to get lunchy for the past ten days to no avail. And for that, we apologize. But today the light at the end of the tunnel shined bright & we were able to sneak out for the most hasty Burbank Biting yet. A 3:45 lunch. A lunch that would ruin my dinner. A lunch that threatens to rise up in the middle of the night & strike back. A lunch that could, quite possibly, ruin my digestive tract for life. And it was worth it(???).
Today's late lunching took us to Larry's Chili Dog on Burbank Blvd. A large sign on the wall boasts that they've been serving Burbank for over "50 Years." Alissa wondered aloud why they had put that in quotes as I pondered it silently....


Larry's is one of those little corner shack-type restaurants with a sweet sign that you can't help but to notice when you drive by. Seating is outside only (which can be a little brutal when Alissa takes the only chair in the shade, presumably to protect her Casper the Friendly Ghost-esque skin, while you sweat in the glaring sun) & there's a walk-up window for ordering. At that window was John. I already knew what I'd be ordering from John, and I'd been dreading it for weeks...



The basics: It's called Larry's CHILI DOG. Need I say more? Well apparently, yes I do. Because they have a lot more than just chili dogs here. They also have chili burgers, chili fries, chili chicken things, chili turkey things, chili veggie-based items, chili breakfast morsels, etc. Oh, and a lot of other non-chili stuff too.






Alissa: I will now admit that I was a little jealous that Cory ordered something that allowed him to feel naughty and dangerous... but I guess he had to deal with digesting it as the night progressed and that part probably wasn’t so badass. Or literally was. Meanwhile, I was at the fair eating a chicken fillet between crispy creme jelly donuts to make up for it- but that’s another story.

So. What did I order? I got the Hawaiian Dog. That’s pineapple chunks and bbq sauce piled on a hot dog. It’s also grilled onions at John’s recommendation. And I got it with a veggie dog, as it is my intention to let you know if there are vegetarian/vegan options at these places. Though I am not vegan/veggie now, I have been both, and have many friends who are- and it’s nice to know that if you don’t eat animalparts you can get something to eat at a place called Chili Dog Larry’s, right?



Anyhow- it tasted just how you might think it would. BBQ sauce is not overpowering... bun is nice and soft. I did not feel horrible after eating it either. I cannot say it was EFFING amazing- but it was totally pleasant. I realized while eating it that it was truly missing the fat/salt component that meat would have delivered. Pork and pinapple? DUH. But I can say- I would have been real happy to find this when I was completely not eating les animaux.

John said that he will cook your dog- veggie or otherwise however you want. He said most of his vegan customers get it grilled. But that he can boil or DEEP FRY whatever you order. John is totally down for your ideas- not a dog nazi. He seems game for experimentation so I totally recommend you look at what they have and ask for whatever you come up with. I think I blew it by not ordering a bacon-wrapped deep fried veggie dog. NEXT TIME. But the fact is- you can eat something that isn't totally going to clog your arteries and allows you to work through the rest of your day without dying on your desk. Which is nice. And oh yeah- I also got strawberry soda, which is awesome. Obviously. They have a handful of delicious-looking bottled sodas. Grape will be next for me!





Cory: You know those anti-smoking ads you used to see that said something along the lines of, "every cigarette you smoke takes 5 minutes off of your life"? Well, I kinda feel like a similar warning should be posted regarding what I ordered. Oh, wait...it sorta is...



John recommended that I top it off w/ chili, which I did because, hey, it's in the name of the restaurant. It took a little longer than I thought it would to arrive (presumably because John was back there masterfully hand-crafting this beast, and when it finally came out it looked...um...menacing.





The plastic knife & fork indicated that this is a dog too big to be treated like a dog. But I did anyway. After scoping it out for a bit & carefully selecting the "first bite zone", I picked it up & chowed down. Chili, bacon, rings, hot sauce, and polish sausage. Amen! This thing was AWESOME. Granted, I will never ever EVER have it again (because it's now a full 24 hours later & I'm still feeling it), but damn am I glad I tried it once! The genius behind its construction is what really propels this thing to greatness. Everyone knows that bacon-wrapped dogs are the bee's knees, but threading it through onion rings & DEEP FRYING it? Brilliant. The hot sauce added a nice tang to the meaty friedness & the chili was the perfect addition. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that chili isn't included in the standard-issue Mini Stroke. I just makes it that much better.
And, as daunting a task as it seemed to finish the entire thing, I easily could have. But Alissa said I didn't have to. So I didn't.


And then I exploded.



Good Bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Good bite. I'd go back fo sho. You might want to wait til the heat calms down a little tho- cause it's only outdoor seating. John said he nearly just closed for the day during the record heat on Monday... but had one customer every time he almost called it quits.
C: Good bite. So long as it covered in chili (and bacon...and onion rings...and hot sauce), how can it possibly be bad? Though my hot body may never recover...




Info:
3122 W Burbank Blvd
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 842-0244
Open Weekdays 10am-5pm; Sat 11am-4pm

**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 :)

double up

Looks like Cory & I got too slammed this week at work for a lunch excursion, so we're planning on doubling up next week. For now... I leave you with Cory tolerating me taking a photo of myself in his cop glasses... and our hopes that you have a wonderful weekend. Gonna be a hot one!

Between Meals - Motorin'

Burbank Transmissions - Magnolia Blvd.


Lakeside Car Wash - Hollywood Way & Riverside Dr.
-this is where I get my car washed by the way & they have a little air conditioned room if it's too hot for you outside & and a lot of 70's rock facade- which is awesome, in case you thought otherwise.


Safari Inn - Olive Ave.

Norm's (no, not that one- a different Norm's)

Today, we barely went to Norm's. Not the chain diner- but a little joint started up by another guy with the same name. Presumably. Actually I think maybe it's called Norm's Hamburger #3??? I say barely, because Cory and I had what he called "our first fight" over where to go (I just thought we were discussing- but his discussion tolerance is clearly low), because we've both been having upset stomachs and were wondering if we should eat somewhere that was in no way boasting any health properties and which Cory was calling a "shady shack", and finally, because once we were there looking at the menu aside the B rating it was not seeming as exciting today as it may have been on another day. But like... I'd already parked and walked across a whole street... so we dove in. This time we remembered to order something for which the place felt it was famous. Things in big letters on the sign. This meant Cory ordering something that he didn't even necessarily think he'd like. Then I tried to get some help deciding from the nice lady (Norm?) running the joint, but she was merrily indifferent about my selection. So I just manned up and chose something. That's right. Cause I'm a grownup.



The basics: Well for lunch, which is our bag, they have many different burgers (and yes even a garden burger), various sandwiches, bowls, tacos and burritos, salads, fried sides and soft drinks. Yes. It's that kind of place. One that boasts Gyros and Mexican Gyros (tacos) on the same sign. If you are eating there, under the shadow of that mighty sign, you can sit inside or outside- and if you are lucky enough to snag the right table outside, you can have a conversation on a pay phone from your seat while you eat. Talk about convenience!!! Like literally- you could call someone and talk about the convenience.


Also Cory said "this doesn't look like the kind of place that takes debit cards," which could have been a deal breaker- but they do!


Alissa: So after my usual unnecessarily long period of deliberation, I decided on a chicken gyro and orange whipped drink. I was nervous- but the food came quickly so the fear didn't have time to build.


When it came out I thought "hey that doesn't look half bad." And it wasn't. I ate all of it. The chicken was just shy of dry (so not to be tough) and was seasoned in a gyro fashion. There weren't any nefarious textures, the tomatoes were not mush, and the tzatziki was honestly quite good.


Just to make sure I felt uncomfortable after lunch I drank all of that orange whipped drink which could probably be a meal in it of itself. If you want to stand up and feel orange flavored gurgles at the back of your throat, I totally recommend this.


I would eat that gyro again- this time without fear. I would even try something else off the menu. I think this is a good place to go with your buddies at lunch to prove you are not a complete wuss (when you feel choosing the Olive Garden has started to make you appear soft), without totally for sure getting food poisoning. We even saw a pretty hot lady in a nice executive-type outfit which matched her slick Lexus have lunch inside while we ate. She was by herself & I am hoping it is because this spot is a secret guilty pleasure for her.


Cory: After finally getting up the courage to throw caution to the wind & pull the trigger on this place, I dove right in & opted for the most prominently displayed item on the sign: the pastrami. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the *most* prominent, but it was the FIRST black bolded item up there. Plus, last week's decision to stick to "house specialties" meant that, per the sign, I really only had 3 choices: pastrami, gyros, or tacos. Strange bedfellows, and I really didn't feel like having either of the latter two.
Now, I'm not normally much of a pastrami fan because, frankly, I don't even know what the hell pastrami is. All I know is that it usually looks super fatty and it's usually pretty red. Like really REALLY red. In a weird off-putting sorta way. Upon ordering, I learned from the nice nameless lady that they serve their pastrami on a french roll. This was welcome news to me because, from what I gather, pastrami is generally served on rye. And I happen to think that rye bread is one of this world's most vile & evil substances. Evil averted, I anxiously awaited the arrival of my sandwich while Alissa took far too long to finally decide on her gyro.


(*we call this piece Pastrami Sandwich Boobs)
When the lady heaved my pastrami upon the table, I first noticed that it was indeed really really red. But in a good way. In a way that made me wanna scarf it down immediately. Which I totally would have done if only my sense of gentlemanliness didn't dictate that I wait for Alissa to get her food as well. Well her food arrived quickly & I was finally allowed to sample the goods. And good it was! The french roll provided a nice crusty element & the meat was cut thicker than I've seen in most pastrami situations. This thicker cut allowed for a sort of burnt end thing to happen with the meat. If you're familiar with real BBQ, you'll know that "burnt ends" are the hyper-browned bits of meat at the end of cut. They're thick, chewy, and extra flavorful. Well, this pastrami sandwich had those goin' on all over it and, for that, I was happy.
Like Alissa, I would also eat here again without *too* much fear of spending the night in the bathroom. Would I venture out on a limb to try something else on the menu? I'm not so sure...that pastrami might have its hooks in me. I did notice the word "Hamburger" on the sign though. Preceded by the words "Famous Charbroiled" even. I could maybe go for one of those...


Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: I say it's a good bite. Not like HOLYCRAP THIS IS GOOD good, but good enough. I'm sure not everything on the menu is amazing- but I bet if you at least stick to that stuff on the sign, you'll get a decent lunch.
C: A good bite. Their food's not gonna save the world or anything, but it might just earn you some cred with your lunchable friends for suggesting it. Just be sure to look past the "B" sign on the front window...
(ps. from Alissa: I know some pretty "fancy" restaurants that have B's that I see celebs at all the time. You never know if it's actually cause of a violation or if they just won't pay off the inspectors properly.)




Info:
1201 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506-1829
(818) 953-5050
Open Mon-Sat 6:30am-4pm; Sun 6:30am-2pm

**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 :)

Lancers

Staying true to my Alissa-given title of "Worst Blogger Ever," I said I would do this last night yet opted to put it off 'til this morning instead. No matter though. Lancer's has been around for quite a while & I don't think it's going to disappear any time soon, so I feel alright about my laziness.
Lancers is one of those weird places that you drive by repeatedly & always wonder about, but fail to ever visit. You think, "Huh, that's kind of a strange location for a restaurant. I wonder why it's so HUGE? Could it possibly be any good??" Then, you notice that the light has turned green & you go on your merry way toward the freeway.
Well one Wednesday long long ago (last week), Alissa & I happened to drop by Ye Olde Kragen Auto Parts to buy some more duct tape to hold her car together. Lancers, as it just so happens, occupies a very large corner of this very same shopping center. Noticing the GIANT sign that says, "COCKTAILS," she suggested we venture inside. So we did.
Inside, it's pretty much what you might imagine it to be during all those drive-by ponderings. A typical family diner atmosphere - clean & appropriately decorated - staffed by typical family diner cooks & wait staff, offering a menu of typical family diner fare. There's a counter, a bunch of vinyl booths, and a very large & separate "fancy" dining area.


Now, here's where Lancers breaks from the "typical family diner" vibe. They have a bar. A fully stocked bar. A very weird little fully stocked bar that drew an interesting crowd all its own.


The basics: Like I said, it's pretty standard fare here. A large menu with all the choices you would expect from a place like this. Soups, salads, sandwiches, etc. And pies.





Alissa: I'm with Cory on his assessment of the atmosphere. It was what I would call 'fine'. I feel like I either want to feel really cool or extremely ashamed anywhere I am eating. I felt nothing. My whole life is a dark room. One big dark room. What am I talking about? Oh yeah. But really- very middley WHICH is exactly why there was a ton of sweet granparenty people eating there. Sometimes those grandparenty people are onto something. Sometimes they are just gathered because it's easy and familiar. I think that is the case here. Anyhow CORY took so long to write this I can't remember what I got- OH WAIT. It was called the Cobb Sandwich. And you know what? It was fine. I think if you asked them to ease off the blue cheese a bit, you'd be in biznezz. It's just a little too much & you wonder what creamy hell you bit into for a moment before remembering it's blue cheese and calming down and chewing and swallowing. I tasted the fish n chips too & I can't say I enjoyed the texture of the fish being like fake crab meat- where it flakes into big chunks, but no smaller. I will say, however, that we did not try the things that were highlighted as specialties... so that may have been our mistake. WHAT WAS GOOD: They have steak fries which were totally decent causing me to eat way too many- and they have Mr. Pibb and are very attentive when it comes to free refills. I feel like that bar Cory described might get pretty weird- and may be worth a visit. My inkling is that those ol' weathered gentlemen probably worked on movie sets for 40 years and are fulla stories- and despite being serious fellows gave me a warm and polite hello when I intruded. So they wouldn't mug you out of the place.


Cory: You know, as much as I wanted to really really like this place, something just didn't feel right. I typically love diners, but this place is just too...I don't know...BIG, maybe. And sterile feeling. It didn't feel grimy enough to be good & it didn't feel cozy comfortable enough to be homey. That's not to say that the food was bad though. I went for the fish & chips and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't as super-fried & beer batter-y as I normally like my fish & chips, but it actually worked out alright for lunch. The batter was crisp & tasty enough and the fish seemed to be of high quality. Nothing special, but better than I expected. I also tried some of Alissa's turkey bacon avocado & blue cheese bonanza. It was blue cheesy...



Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: Bites, softly. As if with dentures that are not quite secure.
C: Totally bites. Actually, that seems a little harsh here, because it definitely doesn't TOTALLY bite. It just regular bites. Mostly because it's just not my style.

Info:
697 N. Victory Blvd
Burbank, CA 91502-1628
(818) 843-3433
Open Daily 5:30am-12am

**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 :)

Between Meals - Burbank Blvd.

A lil taste of Burbank while you wait...






Photos taken along Burbank Blvd.

Chili John's

Chili John's has apparently been around since 1943. It is no new chili on the block. Debbie has worked there for 20 years, and can therefore point out things on the wall that she knows have been there that long. Sometimes when a body's been working somewhere that long, they are cranky. They are not excited about new customers. And they sure as hell don't want to give you a spiel about the history or go into depth about what they are serving or how best to enjoy your dining experience. But that was certainly not the case here. Alec- the young man (presumably Debbie's son or nephew) who was brewing up the chili asked us "have you eaten here before?" almost immediately and not in a tone that smacked of irritation- but invitation. He lovingly described his creations, made sure we tasted before choosing and piled extra food into my leftover container. He is busy perfecting his vegetarian recipe- which he feels is not yet right- but I definitely admire his quest. He spoke like a scientist about his craft and is rather well informed about Scoville units so don't be afraid to chat him up about the Bhut Jolokia or pepper spray.




The basics: You choose a type of chili & can have it on or mixed with a variety of things. It's just the meat (or unmeat) until you scoop it on to something. There are some sides and soft drinks & that's pretty much it. Simple.


Alissa: The first thing I noticed was that eating around the horseshoe shaped counter (which is the only seating) was like... 10 dudes. Zero ladies. So I had the pleasure of being the only female nasty enough to take down a bowl of chili for lunch. I tasted the chicken and veggie chili- but Alec seemed disappointed in the amount of quinoa in the veggie, so I chose chicken. I got it over spaghetti. He said a couple drops of apple cider vinegar would make the protein pop- so i dropped them puppies in there. It was just spicy enough to have that special tingling- the threat of sweat on the brow... but no actual sweat. I ate nearly the whole thing before feeling totally food-drunk so, needless to say I enjoyed it. I liked Cory's too...


Cory: Be prepared to perspire when you walk in the door. The place is like a sauna. A sauna full of bearded paunchy dudes huddled around steaming deep wells of chili, which are placed appropriately dead center of the seating arrangement.
Don't read that as a negative statement though. This place is exactly what a chili joint should be: down & dirty (in a clean way), plain & simple. Chili John's serves up an awesomely satisfying bowl of chili in the classic sense. I opted for the chicken chili over beans with some cheddar, a few droplets of vinegar, some oyster crackers, & a dollop of sour cream to cool the burn on this already sweltering summer afternoon. I was impressed! The flavor was right on, with a not-too-fiery finish. I could have put down another bowl, but I opted not to for Alissa's sake (since she had to work near me for the rest of the day).
I'll definitely return, but may wait for the temperature in Burbank to dip below 90 first. Or wear a mesh shirt...



Good bite? Or just totally bites?
A: good bite. recommend. i want that feller to get that vegetarian chili poppin so I can eat it.
C: good bite. I'd love to go back. And I have an idea for that veggie chili: barley.
Possible bummers: saunaesque atmosphere, grease, a little $$ey


Info:
2018 West Burbank Boulevard
Burbank, CA 91506-1319
(818) 846-3611
Open Weekdays 11am-7pm; Sat 11am-4pm

**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 :)