PrintAn Upscale Casual Burger Fails to Strike a Balance at Westside Tavern in Los Angeles
[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]
Westside Tavern
10850 W Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90064 (map); 310-470-1539; westsidetavernla.com
Cooking Method: Grilled
Short Order: Another upscale-casual spot falls victim to the fancy-pants impulses.
Want Fries with That? No thanks! Surprisingly mushy and uninspired. Try the homemade potato chips if you are craving a deep fried spud.
Prices: Cheeseburger (with side), $13
Notes: If you are compelled too try this burger, ask for medium to get a proper medium rare.
It will come as no surprise that I get a lot of burger recommendations. Living in a metropolis as vast and dynamic as Los Angeles means I could easily find a new burger everyday. Most of the places that are thrown my way are standbys that I've sampled before, but every now and then a new one pops up that seems worth a visit.
The Westside Tavern was suggested to me by a new acquaintance whose enthusiasm for food was immediately palpable. After hearing about my job here at AHT, she immediately dropped into an exegesis on the hearty patty, the fluffy bun, and the professional execution I'd find at this new modern American restaurant.
I'd read about this new casual, yet upscale spot and didn't think there'd be much there for me. First off, it's located on the ground floor of a major West Los Angeles Mall. Secondly...okay, there really isn't a second; I just don't like going to malls. But duty bound me so I made my across town with an open mind and a empty belly.
While parking for the Westside Tavern means pulling into the Westside Pavilion, any memory of that all-too-American shopping mall fades with the sight of the expansive and attractive dining room. Westside Tavern is described as casually upscale, but this minimalist, wood-soaked interior was clearly not a casual undertaking. The owners spared little expense to sate the aesthetic demands of its creative professional clientele. It's a truly impressive and—save the flat screen televisions—elegant take on the contemporary tavern. If this restaurant can makes things taste as good as it looks, I might have to rethink dinner at the mall.
The only burger option on the menu is a cheeseburger, which saves me the trouble of choosing the Tillamook cheddar that comes standard. Grilled onions are also an automatic topping, so that's another tacit agreement. The listed egg bun doesn't initiate the harmony of the first two standards, but as there is little amiss thus far I choose to trust the chef Warren Schwartz's burger instincts. To be fair, that's an easy call being that he's done time at the well received (and just plain upscale) eateries Whist and Saddle Peak Lodge. I thrown in an order of fries and homemade potato chips to fill out the meal (and my pants).
My burger arrives looking every bit the part of that aforementioned descriptor: upscale. The bun is the shiny, bulbous mass that has come to dominate the fancy pants burger world. It's clearly got some good toasting to it and looks of the patty and heaping toppings, will all be needed. The cheese is a double slice and the onions are more than just a little dollop. There's also an unadvertised pile of arugula and a glob of aioli (mayo). Those last two aren't necessarily unwelcome, but I'm nonplussed by the sneak attack strategy for the vegetable and condiment additions.
After cutting my burger in half I find my medium rare burger to be surprisingly pinkish red. When I ask about the temperature I am told, in a somewhat condescending tone, that I asked for medium rare. It's an atypical disconnect—usually I'm handed overdone patties and told to enjoy, but this place seems to be fighting hard for tough guy meat cred. I'm an eater, not a fighter, so the Westside tavern and I will just have to agree to disagree on what temperature constitutes a medium rare burger. I give it a shot as it was brought to me.
Although the first bite is full of flavor and texture, I notice a distinct failure in balance. There is a hearty amount of seasoning on the patty and passable heat on the crust, but the cheese, onion, arugula, and condiments (I add a dip of ketchup here and there) don't strike the harmonious chords I'm wanting. Clearly there is a nod to the Father's Office preparation here, but this upscale burger falls down in execution. Its undercooked status is definitely a weak spot, but the fine grind is also blame and made even worse by the large size of the patty. The beef doesn't step forward to offer the backbone this burger needs to stand up to the onslaught of flavors and textures added to it.
The egg bun is a disappointment along the lines of day-old brioche. Arugula will never win my heart as a leaf choice on a burger, but in this case the heat has wilted any hopes of there being a break-even proposition. Soggy arugula doesn't do anyone's burger any good.
The fries are dusted with a pink-hued Hawaiian sea salt, which has an unpleasant taste. Sadly, this isn't their worst quality—the oil seems to have been set at stun. The potato has no crispness. Soggy and salted is no way to go through life as a french fry. The homemade potato chips are much better and offer a little sustenance.
As the place fills up for lunch with one business casual clad young professional after another, I realize that I am in the minority in my assessment of Westside Tavern's food. Part of me thinks this might be a crowd that actually enjoys paying more for less (taste) as long as things look the way they want them to. That won't ever be a calculation that adds up to an enjoyable meal for me. Today my solace is found in a curiosity fulfilled. My new friend's recommendation isn't a destination burger, but I am all about the journey.
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12 Comments:
that top burger pic doesn't even look real. how do they do that? better yet, why?
twoshoes at 3:56PM on 09/09/09
So they wouldn't re-do the burger for you??? Regardless of what you said (btw, that pic definitely looks rare) they should have offered to cook it to your liking, not argue over definitions.
FamishedFem at 4:16PM on 09/09/09
I've recenly tried the burger at the Westside Tavern and I have to respectfully disagree with your review. I love the flavor components and find the burger juicy and delicious. The kitchen has also gotten much better on accurate cooking times. I also find that the staff is very kind and accomodating as well. Plus, their other food is outstanding. I suggest you give it one more try...
Babyface at 4:53PM on 09/09/09
They shouldn't have been condescending to your questions.
On the contrary; a good server/resturaunt idenity would want to educate the customer on the reasoning; you know, sell it!
I love mine (personally) exactly that rare if the source is of good quality. It appears so.
If you would prefer it done more they shouldn't stick their nose in the air for it! It's not like it was free--right?!
hungrychristel at 4:54PM on 09/09/09
That looks like medium rare to me. Most places try to pass off medium as medium rare and, in my opinion, this place deserves props for serving an actual medium rare.
The cheese seems to be a little under melted for my taste and I would be very annoyed if my burger was delivered with some uninvited mayo.
ChrisHam at 5:26PM on 09/09/09
Looks shy of medium rare. Pink doesn't look like it would pass the "warm" test. And what's with brioches all of a sudden? Yukkers, IMHO
burgerdogboy at 5:32PM on 09/09/09
If that is medium rare, I guess rare moos.
SAKSc at 6:39PM on 09/09/09
Looks seriously rare to me! They should've been more accomodating...
jlew911 at 7:05PM on 09/09/09
I agree that the medium rare tends to the rare side, but I feel that the burger at Westside Tavern is superior. I highly recommend that all burger lovers check it out and report back.
djgarber at 7:32PM on 09/09/09
Hmmmm. Two people's first comments here just happen to be defending a place that got a bad review? Just sayin'.
ratbuddy at 12:13AM on 09/10/09
On the contrary, I've had a friend send back their burger before at the Westside Tavern and they gladly fixed it. They weren't condescending at all!
Babyface at 2:04AM on 09/10/09
I'm a big fan of the "modern" F.O. burger as well as the traditional "Pie & Burger" -- and to me the Westside Tavern cheeseburger strikes a perfect balance between the two. It's one of my favorite burgers in LA. That said, they do tend to do medium rare just like you have it pictured -- but in general I have found them very up front about that, and they usually advise getting it medium for anyone who wants it a more "customary" medium rare.
jtsherman at 2:08AM on 09/24/09