Yaki's Burger

Yakis - The Yakis Burger - 904 West Alameda Avenue Burbank, CA 91506

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Yakis Burger is what Greaseweek is all about. While the burger was delightful and very greasy, it was the Yakis Sauce that really brought everything together. A mixture of thousand island dressing and teriyaki sauce did not overpower the burger but rather added new levels of flavor. Upon ordering you will see a series of signs for Yakis‘ deep fried arsenal. The most notable is The Bulldog. A hot dog, covered in cheese, deep fried, and served with Yakis sauce. Sign me up. While my heart was saying ‘Mike it’s just a novelty, don’t do it!‘ The rest of me was happy with the decision. Yakis is truly one of the great greasy stands in L.A.

Umami Burger

Umami Burger - The Umami Burger - 12159 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604

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As an upstart food blogger it is a bit tough reviewing the most critically acclaimed burger in L.A. Part of me wants to go against the grain and pan the burger just to stir up some controversy. But alas I cannot. Bowing down to the gastronomic trends and succumbing to its popularity, I too love this burger as much as the masses. It is the most identifiably flavorful burger I have ever had. I never thought I would be praising catchup, but Umami’s version transcends your standard Heinz 57. And the Parmesan disk adds great flavor, texture, and fanciness too. Not to mention the actual burger that’s seared on a round flattop, and served up on brioche. Delicious! Fantastic sides are a plus as well. I’ve heard people rag on Umami for being too small in size. Others think it is perfectly proportioned. I suppose it is a matter of preference. I am usually all about gluttonous burgers but sometimes you have to penny-up for a super fancy gourmet dining experience.

Twin Castle Burger

Twin Castle - 4400 Vineland Ave. North Hollywood, CA 91602 (Moorpark and Vineland)

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Things started a bit dicey at the Twin Castle in Studio City. I was disappointed when I realized the Twin Castle was in no way related to the beloved Midwest and East Coast eatery White Castle. My discontent turned to concern when I saw the cook throw three patties on the grill, two that looked fresh, and one that appeared a bit grey. Hoping that the grey burger would not find the receiving end of my bun I carefully watched the cook shuffling and flipping the burgers as if we were playing a game of three card monte. In reality it was more like dinner Russian Roulette. When the order was ready the burger looked good, smelled fine, and in a sigh of relief, tasted very good. I’m not sure if I got the grey burger or not. I guess I’ll never know, but I suppose if I did I can take comfort in the fact that the patty was fully cooked and hell, it was fresh at one point in time. I decided to get bacon on my cheeseburger because I was feeling a bit festive which was a good call. The bacon added new levels of grease texture and flavor that really brought the whole meal together. The Twin Castle dining experience went from disappointed to concerned to relieved to surprised and ultimately satisfied. What a roller coaster!