There are cheeseburgers and there are cheeseburgers and there are cheeseburgers. One would think they’re all the same, correct? Incorrect.
Sometimes more than the flavor of a cheeseburger, is the ambience of the venue where it is prepared and served. Few Pasadena locations can match the experience of dining at the Terrace at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena.
On a chilly winter evening, we were seated underneath the heat lamps alongside the blue-lit outdoor pool under a waning moon. They could have brought us anything.
But the 23-acre historic luxury Langham Huntington Hotel, reflecting its Southern California heritage, offered its own creation for Cheeseburger Week, which officially began Sunday, January 23—its Chef-created Green Chili Cheeseburger.
The bountiful mouthful featured hatch chilis, poblano chilis, a cilantro aioli spread, lettuce and onion. The substantial patty is ⅓ lb beef, which was served medium rare. The piping hot french fries are served in a wire fryer basket, thankfully not the one they were skillfully fried in. It’s a presentation worthy of the five-star location.
This cheeseburger is a lot of spice and flavor, almost unusual in its piquant taste, but what makes its mark is the overall quality and presentation. (Toto, we’re not at McDonald’s anymore.)
The combination of location and inspiration makes for a cheeseburger set apart from many on the list of offerings this year. But, as we are learning, any one of countless elements in the cheeseburger experience can take the prize on any given night. On Thursday, we handed it to the Langham.
And the week is still very young.
The Terrace at the Langham Huntington Hotel, 1401 S Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
