BURGER LOUNGE
11740 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood • (424) 248-3789
Just a few weeks ago, Burger Lounge opened on San Vicente in the space that was occupied by La Salsa. You can’t miss it, as there are diners lined up outside the door or seated at one of the outdoor tables waiting for their order to be served. Burger Lounge serves fresh, single-source grass-fed burgers, a free-range turkey burger and an organic quinoa veggie burger, in addition to its newest offering, a seared albacore burger.
Last week, my friend and I lined up to place our order, and then luckily found a just-vacated outdoor table where we took our drinks and waited for our order to arrive. People watching on San Vicente is fun while you wait. The outdoor tables are metal, and several have umbrellas to shield diners from the sun.
The handcrafted burgers offer a selection of cheese, fresh or grilled onions and various toppings. There are even crispy chicken tenders, or for kids under 12, a small cheeseburger or chicken tenders with fries or salad and soft drink.
This month’s special is a lamb burger. Sometimes the special is elk, bison or something even more exotic. There are fresh salads (vegetable and organic quinoa) available in full and half sizes, and you may add a protein such as a grilled or crispy chicken breast to the full size for an additional charge. French fries and onion rings are also available.
Our drinks were Maine root soda sweetened with organic cane sugar and fragrant with tangy ginger, and an organic brewed ice tea. Mine was black tea, but there is also green, spearmint, herbal eucalyptus and passion fruit. Eventually, when they get their liquor license, there will also be local craft beers and premium wine.
Happily, they cut our burgers in half so that we could easily share the lamb burger and seared albacore burger. When these were hot and ready they were served to us at our table. They were each delicious. The seared albacore on a Lounge bun came with baby watercress topped with a roasted tomato relish and a basil and lemon aioli. The albacore was given exceptional flavor with the relish and aioli.
The lamb burger special has a marvelous jalapeño relish with asadero cheese (with its good melting properties), a chile-flavored mayonnaise and green tomatillo. It is the carefully designed way that each burger is put together that makes each burger here so special.
Burgers may be served on the House Lounge bun, made with organic whole wheat and unbleached white flour, simply wrapped in a crisp lettuce leaf or on a hot gluten-free bun. With the burger I got the vegetable salad of romaine lettuce, spinach, arugula, corn and red onion with a superb house-made lemon-basil dressing (buttermilk ranch is another option).
My friend and I found the big onion rings and French fries, cooked in refined peanut oil, delicious and irresistible to the last bite.
For a sweet touch, we shared a rich house chocolate-caramel sea-salted brownie with icing in the middle. Add $1.50 for an à la mode brownie. There are also ice cream shakes.
This is the newest Burger Lounge location to be added to the other three in Los Angeles, including one near the Third Street Promenade, and seven in San Diego. The Brentwood Burger Lounge is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
PRICES
Burgers: $5.95 to $10.95
Salads: $5.95 to $8.95
Kids’ Meal: $6.95
Fries/Onion Rings: $2.99 to $4.99
Desserts: $3.95 to $4.95
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