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BCP Report Card #13 – Ladder 15

July 29th, 2010 · Burger Club, Center City, Korean tacos, Ladder 15, burger, fries

OVERALL GRADE: B

Ladder 15
1528 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2804
(215) 964-9755

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This is like Burger Club: The Lost Meating. I apologize for the terrible delay with the last of these. I believe this will be the last time I have to apologize for this though. I’m excited to announce that there will be a new reporting system. It should allow me to get these report cards posted more quickly. Here’s to a speedier burger reporting delivery system!

TRENDS:

TOP HITS:

  1. Fries (shout out to truffle mayo as well)
  2. Excellent service
  3. Appetizers: especially Korean tacos and goat cheese cigars
  4. Tied: Burger bun/Cocktails
  5. Beer list

TOP GRIPES:

  1. Tied: Burger was dry and underseasoned

IN SUMMARY

This was a highly anticipated Burger Club meating. When it was announced that Chef David Ansill would take over the kitchen AND that he was planning on serving a bone marrow burger topped with short rib, I knew this was a place for meat loving Burger Club members. I will admit I have a deep fascination/love for meat on meat combos. That doesn’t quite sound right but you know what I’m getting at, right? Ugh that somehow made it even worse I think. Moving on.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the space at Ladder 15. It is a great space; modern, warm and open.The staff were super friendly and kind enough to reserve some space in the back of the first floor. Sorry for the iPhone quality picture but it was great to see all of us sitting together in burger loving harmony.

Burger Club at Ladder 15

We started off on the right foot, or should I say the best kind of foot ever in all the world, with Ansill’s famous Korean tacos. Having had the original, I will say that these are an excellent interpretation. During happy hour this tasty delight is only $4.

Korean taco from Ladder 15

Braised short rib Korean taco

Here is a true meat lovers burger. It’s a prime sirloin patty, topped with braised short rib, red wine mushrooms and grilled red onions. Served alongside it was bone marrow and truffle sauce. It had all the makings of an exceptional burger. Unfortunately, a number of burger club folks found their burgers to be underseasoned and dry. Even my patty, which came out nice and pink just as I had ordered it, didn’t have a lot of juiciness that I enjoy in a burger. I would have loved to have  seen some burger juices seeping into my bun. I will say that with all the rich burger toppings the burger did not feel heavy. The high quality of ingredients was evident. I just didn’t get as much flavor from the different components of the burger as I would have liked. It seems a lot of BCP agreed. As one member noted, “Lots of rich ingredients but not a ton of flavor.”

Burger 15 at Ladder 15

Burger 15

As you can see below I had some trouble keeping my burger intact. The short ribs were very tender but made it difficult to keep the burger together.

Burger 15 innards

Burger 15 innards

There is also a basic burger available on the menu, with your choice of cheese.

Classic Burger

Classic burger

The fries were a big hit with the group. They were the perfect combination of crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The truffle fries were especially good. Just enough truffle flavor to enjoy but not overwhelm the fries.

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Truffle fries with truffle mayo

Overall we all had a great time at Ladder 15. High marks for the great beer list, fantastic service, excellent appetizers and fries. Big thanks to the folks at Ladder 15 for being so great to us and for the wonderful service we received.

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Pat La Frieda Meats now delivering to Philly and South Jersey

July 27th, 2010 · Pat La Frieda, burger

I got a comment from tmacc with the following question:

i heard lafrieda meats, where the Shake Shack gets there burgers, is coming to Philadelphia now..any truth?

At the time I didn’t have an answer but now I do! I awoke this morning to a wonderful email from the fine folks at Pat La Frieda letting me know that they are now delivering to Philly and South Jersey. It’s no secret that I am a fan of Shake Shack which uses Pat. It is one of the most flavorful and juiciest burgers around and much of that has to do with the meat.

Thanks to Twitter, the wonderful Ashley Primis just informed me that both Continentals are now using Pat for their burgers. You don’t need to be psychic to know that many Philly restaurants will be doing the same very soon.

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It doesn’t look like much, but this is a tüzes (fiery)…

July 26th, 2010 · burgasm, burger

It doesn’t look like much, but this is a tüzes (fiery) burger the size of your head at a place I ate at roughly once a week when living in Budapest. Other favorite toppings include: fried eggs, corn, breaded, fried chicken livers, and some kind of slaw. If you’re feeling particularly bold (read: wastey-face) , definitely go for the “Gasztronómiai Orgazmus” Submitted by Sam Roth

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Tracy Morgan and a burger walk into a bar…

July 23rd, 2010 · burgasm, comedy

via http://www.gq.com/entertainment/humor/201008/tracy-morgan-paul-rudd-zach-galifianakis-comedy-issue
Funny guy + burger = instaburgasm

Attention! Hey guys so I started this tumblr blog just to play around and thought I would start adding it's content to FWTS. It should be a fun little experiment. If you are on tumblr and feel so inclined please follow it. Also please feel free to submit your very own burgasm and it will show up here on FWTS as well.

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FWTS on the road: Irv’s Burgers in West Hollywood

June 29th, 2010 · California, West Hollywood, burger, cheap eats, on the road, vacation eats

Oh sunny Southern California, you’ve got a piece of my heart. Maybe it is because I was born there but I always have a fantastic time when I visit the LA area. The notoriously bad traffic can’t even get me down when I’ve got the sun shining down on me and a burger in my hand.

DSC_0224If I haven’t already recommended the book Hamburger America by George Motz to you already, then let me do so now. This book is a state by state guide to some of the best burgers in the country. Whenever I travel somewhere I always page through it to see what burger joints I should check out. I haven’t been disappointed by any of Motz’s recommendations yet. Don’t forget to follow his blog as well. He’s working on an update to Hamburger America so he’s been eating a lot of delicious burgers.

One eatery mentioned in the book that I have been dying to try is Irv’s Burgers, located in West Hollywood, CA. The story of this Route 66 staple gets me every time.  As Motz tells it, it was owned by Irvin Gendis from 1978-2000 and then bought by Sonia Hong in 200o, who still runs it today. Even before it was Irv’s, it was a popular burger stand on Route 66. When Peet’s Coffee threatened to take over this choice real estate spot in 2005 the neighborhood rallied around this little burger stand and it was  declared a cultural landmark. The mutual love and respect between Sonia and neighborhood was clear the moment I visited Irv’s. Everyone seems to be a regular at Irv’s.

I immediately felt like a regular at Irv’s. Sonia gave me a warm welcome the minute I stepped up to give my order. As I ordered my single cheeseburger with fries, she kindly suggested I have it with a little bit of mayo, some ketchup, mustard, raw onion, lettuce and tomato. How could I argue with that? While I waited for my burger, at one of the outside tables, Sonia came over to chat with me. I somehow mentioned that I was from Philadelphia and she brought over a picture of herself  with Daryl Hall! She told me he was a regular.

DSC_0220The classic burger wrapped in wax paper, a Southern California staple. Irv’s burgers are just that. Hands down this is my favorite style of burger and also the least popular style in my current home of Philly. This style of burger is why I must visit LA at least one a year. It’s like my Burger Mecca. Toasted squishy white bun, thin patty topped with American cheese with a little lettuce, tomato and onion. The burger had a nice crust to it that I can only imagine comes from a grill that has been cooking up burgers for as long as it has.

Another special touch that you get at Irv’s, that makes the overall experience even more awesome, is that Sonia draws a picture, for each customer,  on the plate the burger is served on. I totally brought this back to Philly with me and it’s currently on my fridge. I smile every time I pass by it.

DSC_0219The fries were not anything special but they were well seasoned. Sometimes you just want fries to go with your burger. These do the trick.

DSC_0221As I was getting ready to leave, Sonia made sure she said goodbye and hoped I would visit again if I found myself in West Hollywood again. The smile I had on my face, as I was leaving Irv’s, tells me I will definitely be coming back. Burger spots like this make me yearn to sling burgers for a living so I can make people as happy as Sonia made me. It’s cheesy but it’s true.

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Party and Brunching: Cantina Dos Segundos

June 18th, 2010 · Cantina Dos Segundos, NoLibs, boozy, brunch, party and brunching

The last “party and brunching” I shared with you was a brunch that healed both the body and soul. This week’s brunch is all about the hair of the dog. Sometimes you just want to keep the party going and you can definitely do that at Dos Segundos.

Brunch menu, at Dos Segundos

You will immediately be welcomed with chips and two kinds of salsa. My friends and I have an ongoing debate about these salsas. We all really enjoy the red salsa but the green one is always inconsistent. I enjoy it most days but my friends are not fans. What generally happens is that we all eat up the red salsa very quickly and the green salsa is left behind. Just in case you wanted to know about the salsa eating habits of me and my friends. Enjoy.

Salsas, at Dos Segundos

Here is where the hair of the dog comes in. Margaritas! Below is their mango margarita. I was feeling tropical. Normally we share a pitcher or 3 of plain margaritas. That will definitely get you going on a path to boozy brunching where you step out into the sun and wonder why you are drunk at 1pm, on a Sunday afternoon. I call it church.

Mango margarita, at Dos Segundos

I can never stay away from their guacamole. It’s fresh and simple. It could use a little extra squirt of lime juice but other than that I love this stuff. It comes with chips that are a little thicker than the ones that come with the salsa. I like them better.

Closer look at guacamole, at Dos Segundos

Heuvos dos segundos: poached eggs, sopes, Benton’s bacon, refried beans, chipotle hollandaise and breakfast potatoes. What doesn’t this dish have? I love this dish. The eggs are poached perfectly. The hollandaise has a subtle kick of chipotle so it doesn’t overwhelm the dish. I also love refried beans on pretty much anything so their inclusion in this dish makes me happy. My only minor complaint with this dish is that I wish the sopes were a little bit thinner. I find the sopa to topping ratio a little off.

Huevos dos segundos

Let me just get up close and personal to this Benton’s bacon. So smoky and thick, I would marry this bacon if people wouldn’t judge me for it. I would probably look a little stranger than normal carrying around a slab of this bacon. Just a little.

Huevos dos segundos, at Dos Segundos

I believe this is the quesadilla de pollo which includes:  achiote chicken, poblano peppers, roasted corn,  and queso fresco. While I did not eat these, the picture came out so well I had to share it. I did have a bite and it was delicious. I really enjoyed the pico that was included with this dish.

Chicken quesadilla

Keep it boozy Philadelphia!

Cantina Dos Segundos

931 North 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123-2326
(215) 629-0500

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I’m lovin’ it: pretty random edition

June 18th, 2010 · I'm lovin' it, South Philly Taproom, burger, donut

So random. Enjoy!

  • American Drink – Holy hell I love this tumblr blog. I especially love this post about the three essentials to making great cocktails at home. Also, ever thought about making grenadine at home, well look here if you did. I declare this the summer of me mixing awesome cocktails at home and you all are invited. Or something.
  • The Donut King is Donut Man – I was so happy to find out via twitter that my childhood donut place was crowned Donut King.  I wrote about Donut Man here. There must be something in that Southern California water because they just don’t make donuts like that around here.
  • @foodsyoucaneat – Chef of SPTR, home of one of my favorite burgers, and hilarious on the twitter machine. His tweets during beer week killed me. Like this one. Follow him! That is an order.

And just because I want to, here is a beautiful picture of 3 Double Doubles lined up. Aren’t they the most photogenic burgers you have ever seen? Doesn’t it just make your mouth water. Don’t you want to leap out of your chair right now and hop on a plane just have a bite of this burger. Gotta gooooo!

3 Double Doubles lined up

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Burger Club Meating #14 – Johnny Brenda’s

June 11th, 2010 · Burger Club, Johnny Brenda's, burgerbaroness

Burger club is not dead! I promise. We were just taking a little break. I am happy to announce that BCP will be returning with a vengeance. This summer we will get back to our monthly schedule starting in July with an all out welcome back BCP, Happy Birthday BCP and Happy Birthday to me. It will be a party! Yes while we were on hiatus,  Burger Club turned 1. I was going to attempt to get something together in May but I was in California for most of the month. I love being able to say that.

Sooo we are getting together on July 12th at Johnny Brenda’s for so much celebrating. There is a lot to celebrate. My birthday is on the 14th and I am pretty much a birthday whore, I love my birthday, so we will celebrate that as well, because I said so.

Monday, July 12 @ 6:00

Johnny Brenda’s – 1201 Frankford Ave

Burger Club Celebration!

Official Facebook event invite, if you’re into that kind of thing.

My favorite sign in Philly

I have mentioned my love for the burger at JB’s time and time again. It is also my very favorite bar. I hope to have some smooth jams playing for us and just an overall awesome atmosphere for you nerdburgers. Oh and great beer. Mmm burgers and beer. Doesn’t this all sound delightful? I want to go to there now.

JB's burger

I also hope to unveil the new Burger Club tee shirt. I think I will also be switching up the BCP Report Card so I can get them posted in a more timely fashion. Basically I am just going to make BCP even better. Also, Burger Club has been moved to Mondays for the summer. It’s going to be a very burgery summer.

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MaxFunCon was indeed maximum fun

June 3rd, 2010 · MaxFunCon, burger, burgerbaroness, comedy, favorites, travel

Long overdue recap of my experience at MaxFunCon.

So my experience at MFC wasn’t exactly food related BUT I have mentioned it so I thought I would offer you a little recap of my time there and try to keep it as food related as possible.

A friend asked me, when I returned to Philly, if I was sad it was all over. I surprised myself when I answered no. Yes, I had an amazing time and while I was there I didn’t want to leave but the great thing about MFC is that you are inspired by all the awesomeness you have witnessed that you rush home motivated to be more awesome yourself.

This talk by Andrew WK was my very favorite part of MaxFunCon. He talks about food a little bit but he also talks about joy. I was a mix of insane laughter and emotional rawness during his talk. I almost jumped out of my seat, raised my hands and yelled HALLELUJAH! Fortunately or unfortunately, for those sitting next to me, I just howled with laughter and had tears welling up in my eyes. I was a good mess.

Food is a great experience because you get to consume it, right? So it’s one of the few things that you could actually eat that you love.

I talked with Bill Corbett and Michael J Nelson from RiffTrax about burgers! First I got to sit in on their RiffTrax session where they walked us through their process of movie riffing and then we got to do a little bit of it ourselves. My mind was a little slow that morning, I blame the Malort, so while I didn’t offer anything funny I laughed a lot to help encourage folks. That’s something! You should totally check out this RiffTrax short, Families: Food and Eating. Oh so back to burger talkin’ with Jess, while I was waiting in line for something I ended up standing next to Bill Corbett and Michael J Nelson, it only feels right to use their full names. They noticed the @burgerbaroness on my name-tag and asked what that was all about and thus burger talkin’ began. Bill Corbett mentioned the Juicy Lucy, which I knew a thing or two about. Michael J Nelson talked about how he likes to use a cast iron pan to make burgers for his kids. Yes! MaxFunCon could have ended just then and I would have been completely satisfied.

Rifftrax session

RiffTrax dudes

Pub Quiz with John Hodgman and Elephant Larry. My love for Hodgman is no secret. I was no help to my team for most of the pub quiz questions. Disneyland, comic books and the Yankees are not a part of my areas of expertise. SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! BUT I believe my contribution to the apples category helped my team get 2nd place. I know a thing or two about apples. It pays to spend your high school summers  in Yakima, WA. I was happy to meet fellow Philadelphian and pub quiz teammate @theindigi.

Pub Quiz host John Hodgman

Lonelysandwich – ok not technically a food thing  but the  word sandwich is there and he likes burgers. He is also my favorite of the You Look Nice Today dudes. Don’t get me wrong, Merlin and Scott are wonderful but I am a sucker for a good beard. Their live show was one of the funniest moments of the weekend so you should totally check it out. Oh and you can hear my annoying cackle. PLEASE  START LISTENING TO THIS PODCAST, IF YOU DON’T ALREADY! IF YOU DO, LET’S HAVE A SHIRLEY TEMPLE OF DOOM TOGETHER! Really this is just an excuse for me to share this picture.

Latest buddy cop series

The Sandwich and the Baroness, NBC's next buddy cop series.

And this one.

Awkward hand gestures

My favorite podcasters

I am grateful to Jesse Thorn for putting this amazing weekend together. Everyone I met were incredibly kind and talented. SERIOUSLY, MOST AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE EVER. This post doesn’t even cover half of the great stuff that I experienced over the weekend but it’s the most food related. We did eat and drink well all weekend. BOOZE!! There was even a burger lunch. I could have died from happiness. I must give a little shout out to my roomies, Lauren and Leanne, because they made my weekend even better. Meaning we had dance parties in between scheduled MFC events.

I will definitely be back next year. That’s a warning and a promise.

To keep the memories of this amazing weekend in my heart forever or at least on a wall at home, I just bought this great print, drawn by new Twitter pal @wolfhard. Pretty much sums up my emotions perfectly. You can purchase one for yourself at the MaxFunStore.

Flickr set!

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An experiment in gardening

May 31st, 2010 · 19122, friends, gardening, locally grown

While I am catching up with being away for soooo long I thought I would quickly share my experience with community gardening thus far.

Community garden plot!

My friend Meg and I are sharing this plot and look we have stuff growing! It is amazing to me how scared I am of planting things into the ground. I worry I’m doing it all wrong. For two busy ladies, who haven’t had a lot of time to spend on the garden, we are doing pretty good. I’ve killed spider plants in the past so anything coming up is a success to me. I’m easy to please.

It felt great this weekend to do some weeding, head over to Greensgrow to pick up more stuff to plant, put them in the ground and then water them. I actually became a big fan of weeding. It’s super relaxing and I love seeing the end result when I’m done.

Butter lettuce!

I am especially excited about the butter lettuce you see above. This was a part of our first round of planting which also included:  mixed greens, cauliflower, kale, four kinds of basil and cilantro. This weekend we planted: rosemary, some weird herb I can’t remember the name of,  hot peppers, yellow peppers, grape tomatoes, plum tomatoes, tomatillos, and melons. Again we are calling this an experiment so we’re just having fun and learning from the experience. The cilantro has done amazing well. Cilantro pesto here we come!

This is a great project to have with a friend. We’ve gotten into the habit of meeting up for breakfast before we work in the garden so we get to cook together too! Yay friends!

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