It's about the PIE, not the Burger

PIE 'n BURGER - Pasadena, CA - http://www.pienburger.com/

I know why it's called Pie n' Burger and not Burger n' Pie.  Here the burger is second tier to the Pie, namely the Cheese Cake.  I started with the burger and fries but after eating the cheese cake the rest was forgettable.  The cheese cake has a crumbly gram-cracker crust, a very thick dense creamy center and an almost icy top crust.  To put it bluntly it's the best pie, cake, and/or cheese cake I've ever had.  This thing was soo good I slowly savored every bite.  I ate it so slow you'd think the meal was directed by Clint Eastwood.  In the time that it took me to eat half, the 10-year-old sitting next to me had devoured his whole burger and was licking his place clean on this peach cobbler.  It was so good I called my nephew who was in town and asked him if he wanted a piece, then drove back to the Westside, about an hour in decent traffic from Pasadena to have him say, "Oh my God!  This is the best cheese cake ever"!

Pie n' Burger has been recognized as having a great burger, I've read it on best burger lists all over, but just like Apple Pan or In n' Out it's an old fashioned small pattied burger.  The regular cheese burger is a quarter of a pound, for layman, that's a measly 4 oz.  If it's not at least 6 oz, which is still small, I tryin' to figure out where the beef is.  I knew this going in so like most people do at In n' Out, I ordered a double.  What came out was 8 oz of beef, gooey cheese, a thick piece of lettuce, pickles, tomato, raw onion (they give you the choice of grilled or raw) and they top the burger with an average tasting thousand island dressing.  As soon as I saw it and tasted it I thought In n' Out, but to be honest In' n' Out is better, it's juicier, has more flavor and their thousand island dressing is tastier.  Pie n' Burger's thousand island tastes fatty, unseasoned, like it has too much of a cheap mayo.  The burger was OK, and for that type of old school burger and at that price, around $9 for the double not including fries, I'd rather have a burger at In n' Out or throw in a few extra bucks and spring for a gourmet burger.

The fries are standard old fashion fries, not the thin McDonald's cut and thinner than those huge deli wedges, but they aren't fresh.  They seemed like they start as frozen and need more salt added to them as soon as they come out of the frier.  One thing about the fries and burger they both came out blazin' hot.  The burger almost burnt my lips.

Besides the Pie what made me really appreciate Pie n' Burger was their old fashioned nature.  The service wasn't great, it wasn't busy and it actually took the waitress quite some time to get over to me and two other waitress noticed, asked if I had been helped but then didn't take care of me, simply told me my waitress would be coming soon.  Then when I wanted a togo piece of pie I couldn't get a waitress' attention.   What helped me forget about the poor services was when I realized Pie n' Burger was cash only and I had no cash.  I asked the waitress if I could leave her my car keys or drivers license and go to an ATM and she laughed and told me I only had to give her my word.  I felt like I was in Mayberry.  When I returned she smile and nodded as if to say thank you for being honest.  That old fashioned attitude and the Best Fuckin' Cheese Cake I've ever had will keep Pie n' Burger on my radar every time I'm in Pasadena.  Writing this at 5am, all I can think about is that pie and what excuses I can come up with togo to Pasadena to get more...