[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]

The past decade has seen college tuition rise with the speed (and logic) of a bubble economy. Unfortunately, there is no imminent burst in the offing that will bring affordability to our institutions of higher learning. The upside, such as it is, has been an ever more glorious experience of excess for the collegian with some family money (or debt lust) to burn. The country club-ification of college has meant manicured quads, fancy new dorm facilities, and cafeteria food that has gone from barely-edible to nearly gourmet.

Here in Los Angeles, the standard bearer for this movement is the University of Southern California (USC). Located just north of the intersection that marked the tragic moment of the 1992 riots, the school has (re)invested in a gentrification of its neighborhood that matches the onslaught of renewal that has remade our Downtown. The result has been some impressive remodeling of the area and its campus experience. I headed to a recent addition of the USC Hospitality empire's eating experiment, The Lab, to see what a burger tastes like at a 21st century college cafeteria.

The design of the restaurant, conceived by USC alum Scott Shuttleworth in collaboration with AC Martin, is award winning and rightly so. The space is open and contemporary and just plain cool. Yes, it makes heavy-handed reference to a science lab, but it's truly a compelling space. Communal tables mix with an industrial look that make the gastropub feel like it could have been developed by any number of high-end restaurant groups. Of course, all of that doesn't make the burger taste any better, so I ordered mine medium rare and waited for the proof in this concept eatery.

The Lab Burger is a certified humane Meyer Angus beef patty, butter lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a garlic aioli that is served on a brioche bun. I threw some cheddar cheese on mine for good measure. The ingredients are all standard contemporary gastropub-ery, but, as it turned out, they came together in beautiful example of burger classicism.

It all begins with The Lab's excellent and beautifully seasoned patty. The Angus was charred to near, wild heavenly perfection. The flavor poured out of the patty along with some delicious juice that was enhanced by a medium-coarse grind. The toppings, while all standard, were crisp and flavorful in the way that makes you sad for lesser vegetables. Perhaps they weren't heartfelt heirlooms, but in the midst of a tomato glut, it seems criminal that other restaurants aren't providing tomatoes this good. The cheese could have been melted a tad more, but still added some welcome richness. The aioli delivered on the garlic, but didn't overpower the other flavors.

Then there was the bun. The brioche moniker, the addition of which is fast becoming some sort of high-end burger law, was mercifully not at all what you'd expect. Instead the bun has a commercial sponginess that molded to both my hand and my preference. It was an excellent complement and completed an experience that I wasn't expecting. This burger tasted like a classic. The flavors (except for the garlic kick) were reminiscent of a traditional backyard burger with added refinement.

The rest of the meal was not up to the standard of my burger; my fries were pallid and my bland Hefeweizen wasn't saved by the gimmicky beaker-shaped glass. But an excellent burger forgives a lot of sins. The USC Hospitality folks have given the student body a hip place to experiment with alcohol while eating a great burger. Oh, and they can pay for it all with their college issued meal cards. Maybe I should reconsider that graduate degree.