[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]

Sometimes a great cheeseburger isn't all that matters. I know it sounds odd coming from a column here at A Hamburger Today and particularly so from a burgermeister such as myself, but it is, quite plainly, the truth. Now, I'm not going to let the high points of a restaurant color my criticism of its low-end burger. Over the past three years of reviewing burgers I've been to more than one very good restaurant that served me a not very good burger and vice versa. I've always tried to be evenhanded about my burger reviewing escapades and the nature of the disconnect that can erupt when focusing on a single dish. But there are some cases where the positive aspects of a dining experience can't help but inform my overall sentiment.

Such was the case when I stopped by Mickey Fine Pharmacy & Grill the other day. It's a longtime Los Angeles establishment (first opened in 1962) that serves up an old school combination of pharmaceuticals and a hot lunch. The soda fountain pharmacy is an American tradition that I saw in its death throes during my New York City childhood. My father would take me to an aging lunch counter for a burger and an egg cream and tell me about how when he was a boy, the odd pairing of drug store and restaurant was the rule, not the exception. I never really understood his affection for them, but isn't that the way with nostalgia; it doesn't make sense to the ones without the memory to embellish. Thirty years later, across the country at Mickey Fine in Beverly Hills, I found myself understanding my father's perspective for the first time.

The lunch counter at Mickey Fine sits behind the full blown pharmacy on the ground floor of a Beverly Hills medical building. It's an impressive and attractive interior that summons the classic pharmacy soda fountains, but has a distinctly updated feel.

The cheeseburger at Mickey Fine is served with almost no surprises. It's got the full-plate diner look that you'd expect. An open faced American cheese-covered patty arrives with a little lettuce and tomato on the side. I ordered mine with some fried onions on the suggestion of my server, Annie (more on her later).

The quarter-pound patty is standard issue commercial meat that is cooked within an inch of its life. The bun too is commercial, which isn't nearly the pejorative descriptor when talking bread. All the toppings are just serviceable. And that's the story. What you get here is a standard (perhaps even substandard) diner burger that makes little argument for Mickey Fine as a burger destination. In fact, much of the food at Mickey Fine is below average, but that's not all this classic eatery is selling.

One of the treasures of Mickey Fine is the server, Annie. She is camera shy (she'd only let me catch her in action, in the photo on the right), but that might be the only thing she's shy about. When I sat down she greeted me with a fresh smile and old school sass. Immediately we were chatting about nothing in that way that turns small talk into an art. She made me laugh or smile with delight four times in a couple of minutes; this ornery geezer might not have that many smiles in a day. She was endlessly enthusiastic and, perhaps most distinctive to her personality, genuinely warm and thoughtful.

When she felt like she hadn't given me attention for too long a spell, a bowl of chicken noodle soup appeared before me as an apology (with a bottle of Tapatio, no less). When my lunch date arrived, another one appeared so he wouldn't feel left out.

I tried a number of dishes just because I wanted to keep ordering things from Annie. The Matzoh Brie and the Asian Chicken Salad were both unimpressive, but I kept eating. Finally, I hit upon the one dish I would recommend: the fries. They were flavorful and their skins were nicely blistered without losing the silky interior texture. They not only stood out amongst the substandard fare at Mickey Fine, but would classify as standout fries generally.

Perhaps the fries point to a gastronomic secret at Mickey Fine that I've yet to uncover. Just maybe there is a gem lurking amidst the broad menu. Certainly it's not under the heading of "Hamburger," but that's ok by me. Doubtless I'll be back to Mickey Fine for the small talk with Annie and the attractive, classic diner vibe; I just won't be ordering the burger.

About the author: Damon is one of our roving burger reporters and food writers. When he's not eating more than is warranted or healthful (and then writing about it) he can be found writing and producing for television and film. You can contact him at seriouslydamon@gmail.com.

Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter while you're at it!