Chow Time: Bun 'N Burger

I have fallen off the "Healthy Eating" wagon so often that I've determined my best bet is simply to tether my cankle to the wagon and just get dragged behind, hoping for the best.  Predictably, the knot in the rope seemed to slip a little when I saw the neon wonder of a short-order cook proffering a hamburger in one hand and a piece of pie in the other.

Situated on a bustling corner of Alhambra's Main St, is an under-appreciated institution of Southern California's wartime gastronomy.  Looking from the outside like something straight out of a Hollywood movie's "Main St," Bun 'N Burger (est. 1941), is just shy of its 75th anniversary of serving America's greatest taste sensation, the burger ('n the bun too).

Bun 'N Burger - Alhambra, CA

The angled corner entry, the awnings, and that marvelous signage are all so wonderfully stereotypical of a burger joint of its vintage.  After countless disappointing, after-hours drives-by (why am I always in Alhambra after dark???), I was excited to finally get a chance to experience what lay beyond the locked doors of Bun 'N Burger.  

The obligatory red booths and counter stools are set solidly in place before formica tables and countertops.
I immediately fell head over heals for the gleaming, stainless-steel fixtures including that monstrous exhaust hood.
I would thrill to see the two-tone green color story of the exterior brought under foot in the form of linoleum tiles.

Quiet, quick, and courteous, the service at Bun 'N Burger is top notch.  I was so lost in snapping photos that the waitress finally had to snap me out of it just to take my order.  

Oh darn, I just missed menudo....

Convinced that I was making a healthy choice by ordering a grilled chicken sandwich with no cheese and no mayo (I might be the last person on Earth that foolishly does not consider bread the enemy), I realized that the waitress probably felt sorry for me and brought my sandwich with a side of guacamole (healthy fat and omega something something, right?) AND a side of fries.

Waffle-cut fries!!!
There would be no saving room for pie...

As well as "Professional Waffle-Cut Fry Connoisseur," one of my many dream jobs would be "Make-Under Artist."  As frequently and as fiercely as I tout the ideology, "Too much is never enough," I often think that what old-fashioned eateries could really tolerate is a heavy dose of good, old-fashioned decluttering - particularly where totally-unrelated miscellanea is concerned.  When will retro diners/coffee shops/et al. realize that were they all landmarks on old Route 66, the"Mother Road" would've been a highly-circuitous eight-million-miles long!

At some point in its history, Bun 'N Burger created an additional dining room by expanding into an adjoining space - as much to accommodate more guests as to accommodate the growing collection of reproduction Coca-Cola memorabilia, I'd wager.  Is it so wrong that I just want to see the streamlined bones of a streamline-era restaurant?  All Bun 'N Burger needs is a fair bit of curation by someone with a level head and a keen eye.  However, there are definitely a few select collectibles that I think should remain; I mean, who can resist a taxidermied swordfish?!!

And this loving tribute to the King...there's always
room in a wacky tacky environment for black velvet.

"Hot Dog" - Elvis Presley

What goes better together than hot dogs and hamburgers, I ask you?

Bun 'N Burger
1000 E Main St
Alhambra, CA
(626)281-6777


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Kitsch-en Kounter: Pineapple Upside-Down Loaf

What is it that makes the tropics so alluring?  Elvis knew the secret.  Is it the gently swaying palms, the lilting melody of the ukulele, the lapping of crystalline waves of the purest blue, the swishing of grass skirts as wahines hula into your heart?  Yes.  But for Elvis and me, it is also the delicious tropical food.

"Aloha Oe" - Elvis Presley (1961)

It has been a while since my last "Kitsch-en Kounter" post because while I regularly pore over vintage issues of Collier's and McCall's looking for fun and strange recipes, it is really tough to find one that is not just funny but actually tasty.  I hate waste and it is important to me to find a recipe worth the investment of time and the cost of ingredients.  It has happened to me many times over - that moment when I am completely overcome with the brilliance of an entirely-original idea only to do a quick search online and discover that I had been bested by people much smarter  - or at least quicker on the draw.  Well, the idea for Teriyaki Pineapple Upside-Down Meatloaf has been brewing in the back of my mind for quite some time and I finally found the motivation to make it today.  I searched for any incarnation of a pineapple upside-down meatloaf and was pleased to find that none existed!!!  So here, in its world premiere, I introduce to the universe, TERIYAKI PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN MEATLOAF!

Truthfully, I am not one who really follows a recipe very closely.  I love to cook but half the fun is in the spontaneity.  So, in true wacky tacky fashion, here is a vague indication of the things you will need for a Teriyaki Pineapple Upside-Down Meatloaf.  If you're the type that needs a detailed recipe, I encourage you to let it go and just get wacky!

1  17oz. Bottle Prepared Teriyaki Glaze
1  Can Pineapple rings
Maraschino Cherries
Your Best Meatloaf Recipe

In a greased pan place as many pineapple rings as will fit comfortably (I used an angel food cake pan which to fill even halfway takes an unholy amount of meatloaf mixture and the results will leave you eating meatloaf for the next week).  In the center of each ring place a maraschino cherry.  Using about one third of the teriyaki sauce, cover the pineapple rings/cherries (this will create a glaze).  I used the rest of the teriyaki sauce inside the meatloaf mixture (usually, I would make my own out of soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, etc. but in the interest of keeping it simple, I used prepared).  Fill the pan with the your favorite meatloaf (we grew up on ground turkey) and bake until cooked through.  Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to rest.  Turn it out onto a serving platter and garnish as desired.

Like a true Hawaiian plate lunch, I think it is best to serve your Pineapple Upside-Down Loaf with steamed rice and macaroni salad.

As delicious as a Pineapple Upside-Down Loaf may be, it is only as good as the table on which it is served.  So, I decided to bring a few tropical delights out of storage and set the mood by setting the table.

A vintage, tropical-print, tablecloth.
This was the first cloth in what has developed into a greater collection.
(stay tuned for a future post on that)
As you can see, I did a rather perfunctory
 job at pressing out the creases.  I refuse to over think it because
 once the whole table is set, the wrinkles are barely noticeable.

I placed some leaves down and topped them with bamboo placemats,
highlighted by yellow, cotton placemats (folded in half lengthwise),
bamboo-handled flatware, and plain white porcelain dinnerware.

The finished placesetting.
Who's ready for some PUDL?!

Mary said it looked a little naked without rice in the middle.

I think that was actually a pretty good call.

So there it is.  An island of meatloaf amidst a sea of fluffy, white rice. 

PUDL is just one more thing that is NOT included on Mr. Tiny's current diet, but if the sounds of joy coming from the diners in the next room are any indication, PUDL is a hit!  If you decide to make your own PUDL for Sunday dinner or your upcoming Valentine's Day festivities, please let me know how it turns out.  Good luck and good eating!


Cheers & Aloha!

Mr. Tiny