The burger is indeed an American icon. While I might have a bone to pick about whether frying, or as it is known in more positive circles of discourse, griddling, is something that would constitute burger sacrilege, I like a place that extols burger values, even if a few of theirs violate one or two of mine.
I've been known to cut out that First World excess, Hebrew Dietary violation, more commonly known as "cheese", in order to fulfill my one man crusade of saving you a buck or two on your next burger. In most cases this tactic of thrift delivers burger euphoria while keeping a little more change in your pocket. However, just like it sounds, cutting the cheese at the Habit is one big mistake. One of their burger virtues is their ridiculous insistence of cooking, or according to their place mat manifesto, charring their burger to a minimum of medium well. That type of extremist thinking leads to this:
Dry Patty Blues
Surprisingly all was not lost during the ensuing beef juice drought. You don't have to be a French Chemist named Maillard to know that big flavor comes from browned foods. In the case of the Habit, I realized that the addition of cheese along with some staples from the Polynesian pantry could make a serious case for taste in the world of Bang for your Burger Buck and possibly begin a new burger trend in the medium well and over club; let's call it the Teriyaki Burger Movement.
New Jack City
New burger movements call for changes not just in the addition of toppings but questioning the very use of certain toppings, however staple they may be. I freely swing between American and Cheddar though my inner snob seems to choose for the latter when given the opportunity. I've gone on record calling Swiss cheese an 80s throwback, and today I'm lumping Monterey Jack into that very same category as well but when you start challenging the use of staple toppings, you best take that philosophy top to bottom, so bring on that jack. I find the idea of pineapple foul on pizza and, controversial as this might seem: unnecessary on al pastor tacos. But in the case for the Teriyaki Burger Movement; I will play ball and after all, when tasked with finding a remedy for a dry patty, a little juice from the pineapple is the play that elevates your check to checkmate. Finally we get to the sauce itself. I'm no Teriyaki expert so Seattle peeps dont go judging me just yet, but I have recently developed a fat kid fondness for that rich, sticky and sweet glaze. The Habit may not be the place to get your Teriyaki fix but it is certainly the place to go get your Teriyaki burger fix. Double patty and the caramelized onion turn a single sandwich into a satisfying meal. The final tally was $5.45 with tax and it certainly is worth all of your pennies.
Will the Earth momentarily pause its rotational axis when you take your first bite of the double beef teriyaki jack cheeseburger requested medium well when you visit the Habit in Burbank? Nope and that's ok. Bang for your Burger Buck is all about making the most out of a less than ideal situation: not having $15+ to drop on a burger. The Habit ain't no In N Out but with a carefully calculated menu hack, this joint will deliver a Teriyaki burger that is worth taking a drive across town for. That's enough right there to drop a vintage Ali G line:
Respect.
The Habit Burger Grill
Tested and approved in Burbank, CA.
Multiple Locations
