A truly great burger, whatever its proportions and however tidy its construction, is a perilous proposition. That this sandwich-in-the-round sits not only on a bun but also on the brink of greasy collapse is fundamental to its gratification.
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The photo was taken by Andrea Chu Takeoka at the Lazy Ox Canteen in LA’s Little Tokyo. Los Angeles Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila called it the best burger in town.
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It’s true that a great burger is, somehow, far greater than the sum of it’s parts. But if it’s so tall I’ve no chance of getting my chops around it (like the one in your pic) it fails as a burger for me, as I have to resort to using a knife and fork – and that’s just not right!
Kavey – No argument from me. Due to its short diameter, the Lazy Ox burger is not nearly as unwieldy as it appears. It’s almost a mini-burger, albeit a very chubby one.
Today a friend and I lunched at Lazy Ox Canteen. We shared the burger, which was kindly cut in two for us. I had to take off part of the bun to bite into it, but my friend was able to eat without deconstruction. Actually, don’t sell the beet/fennel salad short–it was excellent (we shared that, too)!