[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]

The recent spate of rain showers here in Los Angeles has wreaked all manner of havoc, not least of which was my having a meal in Beverly Hills. The storied, upscale center of American excess is a part of town I tend to avoid, but when you can't get across town in traffic, well—as they say, any port in a storm. My happenstance destination? A new(ish) restaurant called LA Food Show that boasts a connection to California Pizza Kitchen. I should have known better.

LA Food Show is striking in that it is both brand new and seemingly designed in 1992. The interior strikes an odd mix of garish and clean-lined. It has the cookie-cutter looks of the "hip hotel" movement. Think: a real estate developer's version of the urban loft. Such are the food bona fides of this outfit. The menu announces "from the guys who brought you California Pizza Kitchen..." Without turning this into a discussion about that chain, suffice it to say, LA Food Show seems a restaurant designed for replication.

The American grill fare is anchored by a section of burgers. I went with the Show Burger topped with sweet onions, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and a choice of cheese. The beef is meant to be fresh ground and the bun is brioche. Along with these standbys is a "feature" sauce that's similar to aioli. I ordered mine medium rare with American cheese.

The look of this burger served open-faced is really appealing. The char-grill marks are severe and the toppings are all expertly presented. That said, my slice of cheese came out sweaty rather than fully melted. Certainly that isn't a fatal flaw, but it's also an unnecessary oversight.

The flavor of this burger was solid, straightforward Americana with a few surprises. The shredded lettuce, which isn't usually my preference, worked. The brioche bun, also outside of my wheelhouse, was delightfully spongy and perhaps the strongest single element. Their "feature" sauce had the familiar sweet and tangy appeal I'd expected. All of this make for a great accompaniment to a tasty patty. Sadly, this is where the Show Burger falls down.

They advertise the beef as fresh ground, but the grainy texture of the grind and wan flavor undermined it. The char-grilling was very nice, but when there isn't a juicy, full-flavored center on the patty, it becomes one note. The patty tasted too firmly packed and the meat itself lacked any character. A half-pound of beef could work against all of these great toppings and a solid bun, but this beef isn't ready for a starring role in the Show Burger.

They offer an option of fries or buttermilk-battered onion rings. I asked for a half and half order which I got (no extra charge). The fries are skin-on and medium cut spuds that have decent flavor, though mine could have come out crispier. I'd guess they only get one chance at the oil. The onion rings looked beautiful, but were woefully under-seasoned. Stick to the french fries at this place.

Finishing up our meal I found myself trying to figure out why a clearly professional outfit couldn't put together a complete burger. On balance, LA Food Show delivers all-but-one of the ingredients for a good burger. Unfortunately the one that trips them up is the one that matters most. The beef just isn't sourced or handled in a way that does justice to the burger. Perhaps that's what one should expect from a place designed to become another restaurant brand, but I'd hoped for more; like how I'd hoped the rain might abate during my lunch break. It didn't.