Bareburger – East Coast Organic Burger Joint Opens It’s Doors in Santa Monica

By Mike Vallens

The current state of the burger scene in Los Angeles is a showcase of intense competition with restaurants, bars, food trucks and street carts all in contention for our business. For most of us, we search for peace of mind by knowing what is in our food, where it came from, how the animals were treated and what it consumed during its life. Although the search will never fully end, the folks at Bareburger, an East Coast Burger chain, have gone all in with emphasis on organics, sustainability and keeping it local. Bareburger opened its first West Coast location on Santa Monica’s popular Main Street taking over the location that was recently inhabited by the legendary Omelet Parlor.

As I ventured inside Bareburger, I couldn’t help but still feel that familiar feeling of being in a comfortable space, similar to the feeling of walking in the old Omelet Parlor. I was greeted by Ronnie and sat right away. Soon after, my server Vanessa welcomed me with exuberance. Her energy was infectious and I went on to take her suggestions as I could tell she was a true Bareburger aficionado.

Vanessa explained that all burgers are grinded in house with the meat coming from local butchers and farmers. While Bareburger offers traditional beef burgers, they also offer an array of exotic meats such as: Elk, Turkey, Bison, Wild Boar, Duck, Lemon Chicken and Two Vegetarian options (Sweet Potato/Wild Rice and Mushroom/Lentil). With the menu already decided on, I fastened my imaginary seatbelt and was ready for a culinary whirlwind of divine grub.

The first course of the evening consisted of Two Types of Fries (Fresh Cut Fries and Sweet Fries) and a small portion of Onion Rings. The Fresh Cut Fries had a great crunch and was nicely seasoned. The sweet fries are flavorful and have a tenderness that only occurs with the freshest of produce. However, the Onion Rings overshadow the fries by a wide margin. I was speechless when Vanessa asked my opinion and it was obvious that I was more than impressed with the Onion Rings. These appetizers were paired with three sauces: Horseradish Remoulade, Chipotle Mayo and a Secret Sauce.

Next out was the Chocolate Milkshake, presented 50’s old school style with the silver cup holding the extra milkshake that didn’t fit in the glass. I ordered Chocolate, but their options on the menu include: Vanilla, Strawberry, Peanut butter/Banana, Raspberry, Bananas Foster and Hot Honey Shake. The Chocolate Shake was clearly made with the high quality of organic ingredients. Rich and sweet, there was a depth to the chocolate that made me wonder if it came straight from San Francisco’s famous Ghirardelli.

The Brussels Sprouts came out next. They were nice and charred, garnished with Parmesan shavings and a lemon wedge. This was a minimalist take on the very popular side dish. While others may add other seasonings and marinades to their Brussels Sprouts, Bareburger knows their Santa Monica clientele and lets the natural flavors be the focal point. It certainly did not disappoint.

The Cali Fresh Salad is a dish that lets the customer know that Burgers aren’t the only item on the menu that deserves attention. Prepared with baby kale, green hummus, red quinoa, grape tomato, watermelon radish, red onion, alfalfa sprouts and lemon tahini dressing; light and aromatic, the salad tasted as good as it looked.

The Falafaraptor is unique and deserves to be the object of our affection. Wrapped solidly in a Collar Green, the Falafaraptor is filled with chickpea falafel, feta, spicy pico de gallo, alfalfa, pickled red onion, cucumbers and lemon tahini dressing. This wrap will please vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. There is a distinct Mediterranean taste that feels authentic and innovative at the same time. This is a real hidden gem on the menu at Bareburger.

Stacked high, The Supreme Burger is a sight to see, that’s for sure. It is a beautifully constructed creation that includes: Organic fresh ground beef, Colby cheese, country bacon, green leaf lettuce, onion rings, fries and special sauce. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium and was seasoned generously. With each bite, I thought to myself that this burger would be hard to beat in a competition.

The final main course was the Pickle Fried Chicken Sandwich, recommended by Vanessa. She explained that while most fried chicken sandwiches use white breast meat, Bareburger goes against the grain and utilizes pounded dark thigh chicken meat in their version. Fried in a glorious buttermilk batter to golden perfection, the sandwich includes sweet pickles, green leaf lettuce and Horseradish Remoulade on a Brioche bun. Crisp and spicy, this sandwich is an east coast take on a southern classic.

The last menu item to arrive was Bareburger’s classic Ice Cream Sammie consisting of Vanilla Ice Cream sandwiched between two Chocolate chip cookies and placed inside a moat of melted chocolate. The cookie was soft baked and provided a chewy bite that paired well with the ice cream and melted chocolate.

One thing is certain; Bareburger has made a major splash in Santa Monica and will have all of LA talking. With emphasis on Organics, Sustainability and keeping it local, Bareburger is the perfect fit for in this fast paced and competitive burger market in Los Angeles. While the products being put out speak for themselves, the staff deserves recognition for fully buying into the Bareburger philosophy. I couldn’t be more thankful to Ronnie, Vanessa and the rest of the gang at Bareburger in Santa Monica. I look forward to taking friends and family out for a high quality and environmentally friendly yet tasty burger.

 

Bareburger (Santa Monica)

2732 Main St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

(310) 392-2122

 

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