Daily Grill doubles down with Twice Daily Grinding of Beef

In this burger crazed town, there is always something new to try.  In this case, the something new is an old classic, updated.  I was recently invited to try the new line of specialty burgers at the Daily Grill.  The biggest change is that now the restaurant is buying Angus beef and grinds the beef twice daily in each location, making generous sized patties and cooking them on the eponymous Grill.  The classic cheeseburger has been updated, and now they have added a Wild Mushroom Burger with Havarti cheese, wild mushrooms and pesto aioli, and a Pepper Bacon burger with pepper, bacon and onion from the pepper steak recipe served at the Grill on the Alley.

The Classic was a nice medium loose patty on a toasted bun served with a generous side of french fries and slaw.  The burger was cooked perfectly medium rare and was juicy.  I had tried a burger at the Brentwood location several months ago and this is a large improvement.  Is this burger going to displace the Comme Ca burger as the best in LA?  No.  But its good to have another solid option.

When so many restaurants now have policies stating that they will not modify their food, the Daily Grill stands out for its philosophy of "The Answer is Yes, What is the Question?"  This customer service focus has been evident on several meals at the Daily Grill and it is commendable.  I have found the it to be a comfortable choice when dining with family as everyone can get what they want and there is no worry about whether there will be something on the menu that appeals.  For me, the classic burger will now be my default choice. 

I have been told that both meatload and Plank Steak are making a stealthy comeback on the menu.  The Plank Steak (not flank steak) is ground steak served with onions and fresh broccoli on a plank.  It is almost a burger without the bun and is made from the same twice daily ground beef.

I'm happy to see any restaurant, whether chain or independent, up their game.  In this case the new attention to the burgers from the sourcing of the meat all the way to the finished product has made the new burgers more than "twice" as good as they were before.  The Pepper Bacon burger (below) was much enjoyed and completely devoured by my dining companions.

The Daily Grill has multiple locations including Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Downtown and near the Airport.  Website: www.dailygrill.com

Truffle Season: The Cube Truffle Burger

It is truffle season and what better way to get your recommended daily allowance of truffle than in a truffle burger?  No reason to have to resort to nutritional supplements when Cube has this $18 beauty on offer.  The burger is served on a house brioche bun, with a choice of cheese, charred shallots, crispy potatoes and chipotle ketchup.

The potatoes, a crispy take on french fries, were quite tasty.  Long, flat and thin, they had a hint of a potato chip while remaining true to their french fry heritage.  The chipotle ketchup surprised me by how good it was; this may be the first take on ketchup that was as good as the real thing.

Now for the burger: I chose cheddar cheese and the burger was cooked to medium rare.  The brioche bun had been toasted and when I bit into the truffle burger, both the juiciness of the patty and the truffle flavor were both immediately evident.  This burger was not loaded with toppings to distract from the essential flavors of grilled well sourced beef and truffles.  The Cube truffle burger belongs in the top echelon of gourmet burgers in Los Angeles.  It is available at lunch or dinner.

When my dining companion and I got to Cube we were the only customers, but within a short period of time, all the interior tables were occupied.  It is hard to miss Cube if you are trying to locate it, as it has the most brightly lit billboard of a sign I have ever seen.

Cube: 615 N. La Brea Avenue, just South of Melrose. Phone: (323) 939-1148.  Website: www.cubemarketplace.com