Larry’s - 3122 West Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505
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Larry’s double cheeseburger was one of the better looking burgers ever presented to me. From the healthy green shreds of lettuce, to the melted cheese staggered on each patty, down to the sweat beads on the tomato slices, this burger was good enough to eat. It was a good burger, but they didn’t knock it out of the park. What the preformed patties gain in symmetry and consistentcy, they lose as much in flavor. It was a good burger, but still plays second fiddle to their chili cheese dog.
Astro Burger boasts ‘homemade chili’ on their menu. However, just because chili is homemade doesn’t mean that it is good. My Auntie Anne makes a homemade beef stew, but I’m not bending over backwards to have at it. I do enjoy a good char dog though and Astro-Burger’s got one. The onions are cut in a way to give them a sauerkraut look and feel that helps them mix well with the chili. However, nothing mixes well with pre-shredded dried out cheddar cheese. The plusses outweigh the minus’ but just barely. Overall the dog is fine but it is bit steep in price. If you find yourself at Astro-Burger with a serious craving for a chili cheese dog, go ahead and get it, but don’t say I didn’t warn you of impending mediocrity.
I’ve road by Pink’s countless number of times, looked at the line wrapping around the adjacent antique shop, shook my head wondering why anyone would wait in that long of a line for a hot dog, and kept on riding. If you want to enjoy a Pink’s dining experience minus the ridiculous wait time, try having a dog for breakfast or at least an early morning lunch like I did. The infamous and staggering line can spoil ones appetite and attitude towards the legendary hot dog stand. I’ve had Pink’s on one other occaission. The line single handedly ruined my lunch. It is almost impossible to live up to such hype and publicity that Pink’s has acquired though the years. When you break things down, it’s just a hot dog, plain and simple. When you filter out all the hype and enjoy Pink’s for what it truly is, which is a greasy little hot dog stand, you can be at peace with your wiener and enjoy it in serenity. I enjoyed the Pink’s chili cheese dog. The dog had a nice snap, the chili, cheese, and mustard, worked well together and were all contained rather neatly as far as chili cheese dogs go. The dining room is tiny yet filled with celebrity pictures wall to wall. I loved the fact that it was so empty, it’s like being at home plate of an empty Yankee Stadium, or all alone in the Sistine Chapel. I was expecting to can Pink’s in my review, but not waiting in that line and dealing with the massive crowd truly made all the difference.