It might not be the first thing you think of at one of Pasadena’s favorite Italian eateries, but Mi Piace has a serious cheeseburger thing going on.
They feature a great, under-the-radar Black Label Burger, which features an exclusive prime ribeye and brisket mix with a touch of skirt steak, topped with aged Vermont cheddar, raw or grilled Vidalia onions, organic tomato, a small garden of Boston lettuce, and sweet, fresh-made Thousand Island dressing, served on a toasted sesame brioche bun. The bun is baked at their sister company, Pasadena Baking Company.
It was the first of a few restaurants we will be visiting this week for Pasadena’s annual Cheeseburger Week, which almost became Pasadena Cheeseburger Delivery Week, save for a last-minute lifting of LA County-wide outdoor dining restrictions.
This is about a third of a pound of beef by our calculations, almost half-a foot-high with all the garnishes, with a basket of picture-perfect, fresh, hot, lightly salted fries, served standing up, begging to be picked up and devoured. And oh, you will.
We could not have picked a better restaurant to start.
Along with Mi Piace, dozens of other participants are offering special creations and deals for Cheeseburger Week, which runs through January 29. You could likely try them all. Why not? Cheeseburger Week only happens once a year.
And if you haven’t had enough of elections yet, voting in the 2021 Cheeseburger Challenge opens Sunday, January 24, 2021, and ends January 30, 2021.
A full list of participants and more specials is available at www.pasadenarestaurantweek.com
