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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)