#valleyeats

If there’s one culinary area in which Los Angeles has made landslide improvements over the last several years, it’s the burger. Gastropubs and taverns are springing up constantly and most of them profess to have “the best” burger. There are many, many good ones, but I’m putting my money on Laurel Tavern as the undisputed winner. I know everyone has their favorite, and boasting about my little Valley haunt always makes for a heated debate, but I’ll take that Pepsi challenge any day.

Not to mention, even if other establishments can produce a tasty burger, you’ll seldom find a place with several other excellent eats on the menu. Too often, these gastropubs have the right concepts, but lack in execution. Or, even worse, the concepts are about as exciting as a toothpick. I mean, guys, seriously, enough with the pork belly skewers—-they’re so tired. Ughhhh, and the truffle <insert shitty food here> whatever. Anthony Bourdain nailed it when he called truffles an “easy lay.” Couldn’t have said it better. Delicious? Absolutely! But, too delicate and fine for bastardization.

Okay, okay, so Laurel has the damn pork belly skewers on the menu, but I haven’t ordered it, so I just pretend it’s not there. They’re dead to me. Otherwise, the other star of the menu are the Chorizo Sliders, which are EXCELLENT and O-R-I-G-I-N-A-L! I have yet to see a comparable dish at the other local taverns. I also think the mussels are consistently good, not as big as I prefer, but solid and tasty.

I know this next statement is so “L.A.,” and by NO MEANS do I remotely care about carb counting, but, I will say this (only as a testament to the quality and flavor of their burgers)—-you can lose the bun…you won’t miss it.