‘guest blog’


Following the Rules at Kuma’s Corner

May 10th, 2010 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit

That burger sounds loud.

The following guest blog is courtesy of Ryan Glasspiegel.  Check him out on Twitter:  @RGSpiegel

After living the unvegan lifestyle in Chicago for the better part of a year, I am extremely ashamed to admit that I had never eaten at Kuma’s Corner until just recently. Located off the beaten path on Belmont Avenue near the corner of Belmont, California, and Elston, Kuma’s Corner is not easily accessible to me by either walking or public transportation. Further, there is a perpetual wait time of over two hours so in addition to knowing someone who has a car, you have to be willing to stake out the significant portion of a day in order to indulge in their renowned hamburgers. Continue Reading»


S & W Country Diner

July 27th, 2009 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble Reddit
A breakfast for champions.

A breakfast for champions.

The following guest blog is courtesy of Waldo Centeno.  Check him out on Twitter:  @waldocent

I woke up on Sunday contemplating two things:  what happened last night and what’s for breakfast?  In a way, both questions were answered with one phrase – S & W.  Since moving to Culver City, my roommate and I have regularly attended S & W a few times a month and frequently run into people we know.  This time was no different, as we were greeted with many friendly faces.

As usual, the diner was uniquely covered in a menagerie of old travel souvenir items (license plates, road signs, large coca cola cap, etc.) scattered along the walls.  The simple setup of a counter, booths, un-sturdy tables, and mismatched chairs fondly reminded me of Ann Arbor’s own Fleetwood Diner, which is also a great place to get rid of hangovers while blowing away cigarette ash off of your plate. S & W, however, lacks cigarette ash/smoke, which is a plus in my book. Continue Reading»


Going Global at Plan Check

Fries of the world.

A couple of weeks ago, The Backyard Bite invited me to The Burger Culture Clash, sponsored by Stussy (which apparently still exists) and Plan Check. Plan Check, by the way, is a sort of new (since February) restaurant in West LA with Chef Ernesto Uchimura of Umami Burger fame. As my love of burgers, especially those of the umami variety, I jumped at the opportunity.

Although I arrived alone, I was not the only lone eater. Just next to where I was seated, I met e*star LA and we decided to share a meal called loneliness, because it’s better than eating alone. We made quick friends over our respective blogs and Midwestern roots, then got to work at dissecting the special menu, which Plan Check will be featuring for the next month if anything tickles your fancy.

Continue Reading»