Hamburger Los Angeles

After a great couple of days on conference in Pasadena for work, I made my way to Hollywood for some sun, fun and Oscar madness. After checking my bags at the Hollywood Roosevelt, I headed over to Mel's Drive-in for a bite of breakfast with a couple of friends from work - Jeremy, who'll be in town for the day, and Anca, who'll be joining me on this adventure. After a good greasy breakfast that included beef sliders (which really should be on every breakfast menu), Anca and I headed over to the Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt pool to sit in the sunshine and have a drink (a delicious strawberry basil mojito for me).

Now before I tell you about the rest of my day, I should first give you a little back-story. A few weeks back, on a tip from a co-worker (and fellow foodie) I watched a documentary called Hamburger America (which also has a companion book of the same name) that highlights the 100 best hamburger joints across the USA. So, of course, we looked up some of the key locations in Los Angeles and decided to visit at least one.

We started the burger pilgrimage with a visit to Apple Pan in Santa Monica - a very old-school, hamburger house that serves straight-up burgers and fresh pies. A dozen or so red, vinyl stools face in towards the grill - which makes seating very limited. Drinks are served in vintage silver cups that are lined with paper. One word of warning - prepare yourself well before you enter the restaurant - know your order by heart and whatever you do, don't leave without trying the fresh apple pie a la mode. Delicious.

In dire need of some exercise after the gluttony at Apple Pan, Anca and I made a visit to the Santa Monica pier for a walk and although the wind was cold, the sun was shining brightly.

After meeting back up with Jeremy (and his cousin Aaron who was visiting for the day), we, for some strange reason, decided it would be a good idea to eat yet again. We hit up the legendary Pink's on LaBrea in Hollywood and indulged in some outstanding hotdogs. I could only eat half of my Guacamole Hotdog, but not because it wasn't tasty. I know, I know. I'm a total lightweight.

After a quick spin on the the red carpet at the Kodak Theatre and some major geeking out at Grauman's Chinese Theatre we called it an early night.

I wonder if they have a rehab for burger addiction out here?