New Deputy In Town

This past Saturday was a momentous occasion in my life. Just how momentous of an occasion was it? Well let me put it in context for you. It was more momentous than the birth of my 3rd child. Pretty momentous, yeah? Has the anticipation been sufficiently stoked? I hope so, because here is the big reveal:

On Saturday I sampled the second best tier 2 burger in LA. Thanks to a great suggestion from a quite reputable source, I made it over to a great little Korean BBQ Restaurant/Lounge in Culver City that goes by the name of Gyenari. Before I get into the details of the Gyenari experience I think it is safe to say that Koreans do it better when it comes to burgers. As evidence I gladly submit Fathers Office and Gyenari for your consideration.

So now for the Gyenari experience. They had a couple of options on the menu but I decided to go with the one they referred to as The Original Half-Pound Prime Burger which is served on a challah bun with garlic aioli, arugula, tomato, caramelized onions, and cheddar cheese. The beef was expertly seasoned and of excellent quality but it would be foolish of me to not mention here that it did not quite measure up to the bastion of perfection established by Fathers Office. The garlic aioli added a nice bit of flavor and the caramelized onions were delectable. My favorite aspect of the burger though was the challah bun. It wasn't all dry and cardboardy like something you would find at The Counter and it added an air of sophistication that you would not find at Fudruckers.

So yeah, the burger was excellent and all the pieces complemented each other so nicely that after my first bite I immediately proclaimed it the second best tier 2 burger in LA. After the second bite I reaffirmed my initial assertion and I stand by the judgement two days later. Second best tier two burger in LA. 

The sweet potato fries however are a completely different story. I didn't like them at all. They had absolutely no flavor. There was not a delectable sauce to dip them in. Oh yeah, and they put Parmesan cheese on them and by Parmesan cheese I mean the gross Parmesan cheese that comes in a can. I am not sure you can even call it cheese. It didn't work. At all.

So definitely go to Gyenari for the burger but skip the sweet potato fries. I have heard that the traditional fries are pretty good so that might be a better option. And one more thing, the location itself was quite aesthetically pleasing. Don't hesitate to sit in the lounge section. It is what I did and received excellent service and access to the full menu.

***Photo by lead.salad - I forgot my camera. Dumb. I know.