Bruno’s BBQ
230 Mt. Hermon Rd.
Scoots Valley, CA.
When I see the words, “BBQ”, I don’t really think burgers – although the popular Bruno’s BBQ is challenging my thinking here.
Located behind Nob Hill Supermarket, look for the boar head mounted above the door, a sign of things to come. First off, customer service was plentiful. The staff was warm and friendly. The décor is more than stuffed prey on the walls and barrels filled with handy wipes and an open kitchen giving it Bruno’s a down-home feel. It is very much a family style restaurant.
Since this is a Burger Tour, we found the menu with a healthy amount of Burgers to choose from. This time around, we are sampling Bruno’s Presidential Burger. Now when you call something presidential, it better be grand. We were not disappointed.
Served open face with not one, but two all beef patties weighing in at 2/3 lbs. (hint, you could share this with the ones you love), with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon, Thousand Island sauce all served on a French roll, flanked by some pretty awesome steakfries (a note, this burger is so big, it is hard to close – we recommend knifing it).
One of the things we look for on our tours is the meat vs. Bun ratio. That is, the bun cannot exceed the meat on the burgers. A Faux paux. Bruno’s BBQ Presidential Burger did not disappoint.
Bottom line - It was delicious! We sat in post-burger delirium as we enjoyed some good conversation in a very comfortable environment.
So let’s recap. In the hamlet of Scotts Valley, sits a BBQ place, that serves a slammin’ Burger where families are more than welcome? C’mon, that math adds up.
*NOTE Bruno’s BBQ will give you 10% off your dining experience if you mention you heard it on KTOM!!!
Like I need more food right? Actually it is a sacrifice I am willing to make for you. Introducing the KTOM Burger World Tour 2011.
For the next few months, we will sample some of the finest Burger establishments here on the Central Coast, so you don’t have too. From gourmet, to fast food, we will give you the good, the bad and the ugly. If you want to recommend a place that we may have missed, contact our Burger Tour Manager here. adamwestreich@clearchannel.com.
Address: 2450 Fremont St
City: Monterey
State: California
ZIP: 93940
Phone: 831-645-9700
http://www.blackbeardiner.com/
FEATURED BURGER: BOB'S BURGER
CLICK THE BURGER BELOW FOR MORE PICS!
OK, ok, we get it. The emails have been endless. I mean Non-stop. One email from Frank in Watsonville simply stated “Jim, if you don’t put Black Bear Diner on the Burger Tour, I will take you Burger tasting card away.” Is that a threat? I love my job and don’t want to jeopardize it, so yes Frank, there is a Santa Claus - and now Black Bear Diner on KTOM’s Burger Tour.
Usually known as a breakfast destination, it holds a hollowed place in the comfort food breakfast hall of fame. In todays’ economy, who couldn’t use a little comfort food?. Meatloafs, Steaks, Fried Chicken, Pot Roast is all over the menu. The crown jewel of the entire massive menu though, is a burger. The very popular Bob’s Big Bear Burger.
Named after it’s Black Bear’s owner, the Bob’s Big Bear Burger is nearly 1 lbs. of Fresh ground beef. Surrounded by the reddest, juiciest tomatoes I have ever had on a Burger. The lettuce is crisp (will uncover more on that in a bit), and the bacon is think and juicy.
I LOOOOOOOVE Black Bear breakfast. It is the best! So, sampling there Burgers, was honestly a first. My thoughts as I observed Black Bear home style décor and family approach forced me to consider why I didn’t try their burgers previously.
Before I finished my contemplation, my Burger arrived, filling the plate with little room for Black Bear’s Fries. Nearly one pound of beef and colorful! Not only were the tomatoes red and the lettuce really green, but the Bacon and cheese made this almost too good looking to eat. Think that’s gonna stop me? Uh, no.
Upon the first bite I was sent to Burger Heaven. The beef was perfectly seasoned and bacon and cheese were a perfect combination. Simply wonderful. Upon my second bite, I noticed the very green, crisp buttery lettuce. I am so used to lettuce being an afterthought. Little did I know that science was at work here at Black Bear Diner.
You see, Black Bear stacks their burgers so the lettuce is at the bottom of the Burger far from the heat of the patty bacon and cheese, to keep it cool and crisp. There is nothing worse than soggy lettuce. Not going to find it here. Yum!
Bo’s Bi Bear Burger is awesome! And, according
to the staff, you can order it anytime you want, including burger for breakfast! So, next time I am at Black Bear for breakfast, me thinks I am going with the Bob’s Big Bear Burger. Yep, making that happen.
http://www.islandsrestaurants.com/
Address: 300 Del Monte Center
City: Monterey
State: California
ZIP: 93940
Phone: 831-655-1552
Fax: 831-655-1549
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Sunday - Thursday |
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM |
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Friday - Saturday |
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM |
CLICK THE PICTURE BELOW FOR MORE BURGERS!
FEATURED BURGER: The Spicy Kilaeua Burger
When we started the KTOM World Burger Tour 2011, I knew it would be a lot of fun. What I did not realize was the level of demand there would be for some of your favorite stops.
One stood head and shoulders above the rest. The response was OVERWHELMING. Emails, phone calls and people coming up to me in stores asking, NAY, demanding that Island Burgers at Del Monte Center in Monterey be part of our Burger Tour. Well as they say, you asked, and you have received.
Here is sample of some of the emails we received –
Jim,
If you don’t include Island Burgers in your Burger Tour, I will have to pull your Burger connoisseur card. This place has some of the best Burgers I have tasted. If you go, try the Kilauea Burger. It’s one of the best, EVER! Thanks!
Dave in Monterey
Dear Jimshow,
We are really enjoying the KTOM Burger Tour. Our family has tried all your Burger stops and your recommendations are spot on. Thanks for letting us know all about the great places in our backyard! It’s allot of fun discovering new places. I would recommend a place in turn for you. You must try Island Burgers @ Del Monte Shopping Center! It is really awesome. Fun place too. I take my family all the time. I would try the Hula Burger. Yum!! Would love for you to discover a place and return the favor you have done for us. Thanks for the fun!
Steve in Monterey
This is just a sample of the requests for Islands I have received. "I must be really missing out here", I thought. Turns out you all were right.
Honestly, on my way to Islands, I was pondering, "How can a Hawaii Burger restaurant work? Aren’t the people of Hawaii pre-occupied with Spam in their food?” Though it’s true that more Spam is sold in Hawaii than any other state by far (Don’t ask me why. The mystery of this remains). That concept was long gone once we hit the doors of Island's Burgers.
The atmosphere is fun energetic and electric. TV’s adorn the very modern Hawaii themed restaurant with LIVE sports and surfing videos to enhance the tropic mood. You feel it immediately when you walk in.
So far, my email friends were spot on.
Once seated, we were greeted by an energetic and very friendly wait staff - Passionate to give you a great dining experience and ready to serve. As we perused the menu, our choice of appetizers was my wife’s favorites – spinach artichoke dip. Honorable mention here, we have tried the cheesy delight many times – Islands is at the top of the list.
Looking at the Island’s Menu I recognized some of your favorites. I was torn between the Hula and Kilauea Burgers. After inquiring with my friendly server, we decided on the Kilauea Burger. What got me? I am a fan of Peppercorn adorned food. The zest of pepper makes a great dining experience, especially on burgers. Looking at the Kilauea Burger, it had everything I loved. Peppercrusted beef, pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli, apple wood smoked bacon, fresh red ripe tomatoes, all on 100% GRASS FED, ground daily fresh beef with Jalapenos infused INSIDE THE BEEF! This was a BURGER MADE FOR ME!!!!
Islands Hula Burger. Shrooms, swiss cheese, onions, what's not to love?
When the Burger arrived, as always, I sampled the fries first. I asked about these tasty little morsels and discovered that Islands Fries were cut and made fresh daily, and you could taste it. Fresh is everything in a good Burger experience.
Islands Kilauea Burger. Can you see the jalapeno's in the beef? Yum!!
As I approached the Kilauea Burger, I wondered what a Pepper crusted burger would taste like. As I took the first bite, that mystery was solved. The peppery beef with Pepper Jack, Jalapeno’s and Chipotle sauce was a combination made for me!! It was incredible! Never had a burger like this! From the jump all these ingrediants together made for an unforgettable taste that was simply wonderful. If you like spicy burgers, this one is for you.
It was at this point I vowed to check my email more often.
We followed this up with dessert, the KONA PIE! Aside from Burgers, I am also a chocoholic. Island’s Kona Pie is amazing. A must try. I also found out that Island’s is very much into giving back to the community. For a limited time, Island Burgers is is donating a portion of it's proceeds to Children's Miracle Network, benefiting children at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital.
So, Island’s Burgers - it’s a destination. One there, you are instant fan. I need to listen to you guys more often.
OK, we all have heard of a place where “everybody knows your name”. Usually it’s far and away on some sort of TV sitcom. I‘ve always wondered if this fictional place actually exsisted or if it just was found on the pages of a script somewhere.
What if I told you there was and it was in our own backyard? It does and its name is Duffy’s Tavern in Monterey!
Tucked behind The Presidio of Monterey in a densely populated suburban neighborhood, you’ll find a place where they do know your name. During my two hour visit, I was introduced and watched as friends came and went with not only their name acknowledged, but asked how their Mom, daughter, Dad, Grandma and aunt were doing, with a sincere inquiry and a genuine sense of care. They usually departed with laughter or a joke on the way out. This is not a TV Show, this is Duffy’s Tavern.
Duffy’s Tavern is where the Locals refer to it as a Neighborhood place. A watering hole where our nations’ finest, our military (usually from the DLI or Presidio) unwind in their hometown team t-shirts and talk up the day.
I have been to many a tavern and pub in my day, including my visit to the oldest Pub in the UK built in the 1400’s. Duffy’s continues the tradition of celebration of life that a Pub / Tavern is really all about.
Dating back to the 30’s, Duffy’s atmosphere is filled with conversation, laughter and good times. The décor is classic tavern. Wood and random bits of wit adorn the walls, and do they love their sports. Duffy’s definitely has personality.
Now we haven’t forgotten, this is a Burger tour. I love pub food. It’s comfort food to the extreme. Duffy’s knows how to do it too.
First off, Duffy’s Burgers are handmade, Charbroiled, from scratch with 100% Ground Angus Chuck Beef. To quote Duffy’s owner, “To make a good hamburger, you start with great beef”. True that.
Our Featured was a Burger Tour first - A Chili Burger. It comes wrapped in a Fresh, Baked-daily bun, covered with Sesame seeds. I have had many a Chili Burger in my time. This can be a polarizing experience as either they are really bad or really good. In this case, it wasn’t good – it was GREAT!
First off, I could smell it coming before it arrived. When it did, the toasted golden bun was steaming and oozing a wonderful scent of true authentic chili.
Steak dominates the Chili with 100% roast beef that accompanies the beans. At this point I had a choice – fork it, or man handle it - hands only. Since I had a school event later that evening, I went the safe route. I forked it. Upon first bite it was obvious. This was a stellar Chili Burger!
The Angus Beef, roast beef and beans masterfully compliment one another, equal in taste and delicious! After asking a few question of the wait staff, I found out why.
Duffy’s Chili is home made fresh every day. Authentic chili, a bit Oaxacan inspired, makes for an incredible taste. Duffy’s makes it simple – no mustard, mayo or “secret sauce” – just great ingredients not to masked by anything to disguise an awesome tasting burger. If they did, it would distract from the taste. That is a sign of a great burger.
No sodium overload here which is surprising for a real angus chili burger. Duffy’s makes it clean and simple and it works. A great burger in the heart of Monterey, and yes, they will know your name.
We were really excited to find a great Burger in Salinas this around from Red’s Burger at 1220 S. Main St., just south of Valley Center Bowl. Red’s is also our first “60’s style Burger Joint” that sports a large menu where the value is fantastic! You can feed a family of four easily on $20!
Red’s is locally owned and operated by folks who are passionate about service, food and excellence. Named after a family member whose grill skills are something of legend, they have created a special place where families are welcomed and the atmosphere is classic.
I was impressed with their large, diverse “flexible menu”. They will cook fresh to order whatever you want, however you want it. This is one of those places where they encourage off menu-ordering.
Red’s menu is huge. There is something for everyone here. Chicken choices, Turkey and a TON more!
831 BURGER
The 831 Burger. Fried Shrooms, bacon and a towel are all that are required!
Our featured Burger is the 831 Burger. We make it point here to remind you that the messier the burger, the better. That’s exactly the case here. The 831 Burger is ¼ lb., bacon, fried mushrooms, cheddar, thousand island, lettuce, tomato, onions on ciabatta roll. The patty is perfectly seasoned.
The combo of the bacon + juicy breaded mushrooms + creamy thousand island sauce + cheddar cheese + red-ripe fresh tomatoes, = a lot of flavor going on!
Sometimes on burgers you get sodium overload, but not with the 831 burger, this is a great, creamy masterpiece.
Be warned – grab some extra napkins here. The 831 is juicy, messy and a delight. If you love your tomatoes thick red and ripe, this is the Burger for you. I went through a stack of napkins while enjoying the 831. You can bring a towel if you like. You might need it. Just a gem of a Burger.
One of the things that sets Red’s apart is their sides are more than fries. You have to try their Blue Cheese/ Jack sticks. I have not experienced Blue Cheese melted like this. It’s similar to a mozzarella stick for the more discerning foodie. All that rich, creamy texture wrapped in a fried shell. They are spectacular. Also, gotta give props to their fried pickle sticks. Wonderful. Also try their Spicy buffalo wings- so full of spicy goodness, they will make your nose run. A great feature if your sportin’ a cold.
I am stoked that we finally have a great burger in Salinas. Not only a great burger, and locally owned, but a great place for the family. Red’s Burger’s is the epi-center of the burger community in Salinas. Tell ‘em you heard it on KTOM for extra good service.
I am not sure how long you have lived here on the Central Coast. I have for most of my life. When home, you have a tendency to get into routine. Same stores, same eateries, same entertainment. But then, when you find a new place, you are pleasantly surprised.
This was my experience with Casa De Restaurant, a family style restaurant that has an incredible burger menu. One of the things I was impressed with was the service. Hospitality doesn’t begin to explain my interaction with the staff. They were more than friendly, they treated like family. Comfy, warm and a great menu. What more could you ask for? How about a phenomenal Burger?
Like many of you, I have been to the Famous Casa De Fruita Fruit stand for years. Driven by there many times as my stomach growled and waiting, thinking there wasn’t anything worthy of my time or money to dine on until I was a bit down the road. Wow, was I wrong.
Literally, 10 ft. to the away from their Famous Fruit Stand, is one of the best Kobe Burgers I have ever had. Kobe beef is known for it’s flavor – rich, tasty tender, juicy and delicious. You must try the Kobe Loaded Burger, topped with some of the finest Apple wood cooked bacon I have ever tasted, which pairs perfectly with the Kobe Beef wrapped around one of those awesome potato buns. This burger is so tasty and tender and is so easy to eat, it literally melts in your mouth.
For the leaner side, they offer a tasty Turkey Burger. And for those more adventurous, a very lean, Buffalo Burger. Yes, Buffalo.
I gotta say, their sides are some of the best on the Burger Tour so far. Their fries are perfectly seasoned. I recommend Casa De Restaurant’s Potato Salad as a side. It is chock full of bacon/Potato flavor. So much so that the bacon can be tasted INSIDE the potato. Nice.
Now, for meat lovers, their Prime Rib cannot be beat. One pound of pepper crusted delight so tender and juicy, you don’t even have dirty your steak knife.
As a side note for the Central Coast veterans, Casa De Restaurant is the home of the World Famous Cup Flipper. It took me back to my teenage years when I would see the Billboard with the twirling cup. Seeing the pictures of the Billboards brought back allot of memories of my childhood.
Casa De Restaurant is dedicated to excellence in service to as well. Very much a family atmosphere, with top notch hospitality. I love this place and am honestly embarrassed I had not been there before.
So, you will do yourself a favor, and follow the Billboards on Highway 156 and 152 to Casa De Restaurant. Making a trip to the Valley or headed to Hollister? Make this a stop, you won’t regret it, like I did. Guess I have to make up for all that lost time!
831.662.2BBQ
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW FOR MORE PICS!
'THE KING BURGER'
I have been looking forward to this for weeks now, cause I am a sucker for any food smoked. Our next stop was a place I have noticed just off Highway 1 in Aptos about to a year now, a place called ‘SmoQe BBQ.’
When we pulled up, we were greeted by the scent of that mouth watering REAL Mesquite Wood smoked essence that we would soon discover is SmoQe BBQ. Little did I know that SmoQe begins your experience five days prior to your before you arrival. This will be revealed a bit later and is worth the read.
The décor is modern meets classic with Large Flat screens and wood counters and steady solid wood tables. It was more than comfortable, with a well rounded crowd of blue collar folks, a couple dates and some senior ladies enjoying some wine before their meal.
I love the wood smoked flavor. There is an art to getting it right so there was anticipation as to how good SmoQe would be. The owner Aaron and his staff are committed to excellence and are passionate about their craft (lucky for us, they share) as you can see, the presentation was excellent.
With bacon being a staple on Burgers, SmoQe smartly and creatively took it to the next level. We were about to sample their exclusive creation - The crown jewel of their menu The King Burger served with a PBR (that’s Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer for the non-beer students).
Starting with ½ lbs. of ground Tri-Tip, bacon and their own, slow-smoked Pastrami, This bad boy was truly a Triple Threat!! Comes filled with onions, avocado, crisp lettuce and red ripe tomatoes.
Remember when I mentioned earlier that your experience begins five days before you arrive? Turns out, this is what it takes to perfect the flavor of their own smoked Pastrami that is key to The King Burger.
When The King arrived, it just sat there, smoked scent filling the air with errant beef making itself known. The smoked Pastrami was seen poking out of the locally made Australian Bread. I never thought I could be intimidated by a burger before, but as we know, there is first time for everything.
First bite was absolutely divine. Look, I can’t stand onions or avocado. They were in there and I didn’t even care.
As we fought to conquer The King Burger, we were met with plenty of juices as the ingredients comingled into one big taste explosion! The smoke flavor amongst everything else was awesome as we delighted in this new found masterpiece!
Garnished with your choice of Sweet Potato fries (a surprisingly nice treat) or TRUE Garlic Fries. Yep, at SmoQe, they don’t just fry up potatoes and sprinkle Garlic on them. That isn’t good enough. No, SmoQe Truffles them! The result is Garlic flavor INSIDE the fries. Nice.
At $25, it may seem a bit steep, but could be shared amongst friends and is well worth the price. The King Burger is aptly named. A Truly great Burger experience.
If you love smoked meats, then SmoQe is your Mecca.
Mention you heard this on KTOM, and receive 15-20% off your experience.
Check and mate- King Burger.
Bruno’s BBQ
230 Mt. Hermon Rd.
Scoots Valley, CA.
When I see the words, “BBQ”, I don’t really think burgers – although the popular Bruno’s BBQ is challenging my thinking here.
Located behind Nob Hill Supermarket, look for the boar head mounted above the door, a sign of things to come. First off, customer service was plentiful. The staff was warm and friendly. The décor is more than stuffed prey on the walls and barrels filled with handy wipes and an open kitchen giving it Bruno’s a down-home feel. It is very much a family style restaurant.
Since this is a Burger Tour, we found the menu with a healthy amount of Burgers to choose from. This time around, we are sampling Bruno’s Presidential Burger. Now when you call something presidential, it better be grand. We were not disappointed.
Served open face with not one, but two all beef patties weighing in at 2/3 lbs. (hint, you could share this with the ones you love), with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon, Thousand Island sauce all served on a French roll, flanked by some pretty awesome steakfries (a note, this burger is so big, it is hard to close – we recommend knifing it).
One of the things we look for on our tours is the meat vs. Bun ratio. That is, the bun cannot exceed the meat on the burgers. A Faux paux. Bruno’s BBQ Presidential Burger did not disappoint.
Bottom line - It was delicious! We sat in post-burger delirium as we enjoyed some good conversation in a very comfortable environment.
So let’s recap. In the hamlet of Scotts Valley, sits a BBQ place, that serves a slammin’ Burger where families are more than welcome? C’mon, that math adds up.
*NOTE Bruno’s BBQ will give you 10% off your dining experience if you mention you heard it on KTOM!!!
What would you do if someone made you a half ground chuck / half ground bacon burger, topped with mild cheddar cheese, tomato and wrapped it in a low profile bun with a hint of mustard, with a fried egg for good measure, Would you eat it? The answer? YES!!!
This happened at Rocco’s 503, Santa Cruz’s newest eatery sporting an attitude with an American Restaurant with an Italian flair. When the Burger Tour Manager and I walked in, we took note of the location (right next door to a Santa Cruz staple, Callahan’s Bar) and were greeted by vibrant colors of red walls, black chairs, red table clothes and tan tile floors that gave it an upscale feel without the upscale price.
The décor is a Modern/Classic with attention to detail. Tasteful track lighting illuminated the experience. They even have real plants (I know, I checked)! To put a bow on the décor, a Bottle of Voss still water (the finest on planet Earth) is the centerpiece. Nice.
The thing I noticed most was the patron diversity. During our stop at Rocco’s, we noted that there was a professional couple seated, a couple of ladies and a few blue collar construction workers fresh from their shift enjoying a meal. It seemed everyone was comfortable at Rocco’s.
When it came time to dine, we could have feasted on some of their fine homemade pasta, or other Italian flairs, but Pete, the owner had other plans. He heard about the KTOM Burger Tour 2011 and wanted to make something special for us – The 50/50 Burger. Yep, we are going off the menu people, with a twist.
A Half Bacon, half beef Burger? Wait, what? Yes, ground bacon, ground beef to make a nearly half pound of delight. Now you know that I have dubbed Bacon, the Food of The Gods (cue the Heavenly theme here). The 50/50 Burger is a bacon lovers delight. Upon first bite of our 50 / 50 Burger, the Tour manager and I looked at each other, set our Burger down and collectively sighed, “Baaaaaacoooooooonnnnnnn!”
Wide eyed with the revelation of what we had just embarked upon, we dove in face first wanting more. Wow, what a great combination! But wait, there’s more! What was waiting for us in the burger was a pleasant surprise – wasn’t expected, nor anticipated, something so simple, yet so appropriate, it made the experience complete – a perfectly cooked fried egg in our burger! Yes! Was it breakfast? Was it dinner? Was it both? How about, ‘We don’t care!” It was a fantastic edition!!
The fried egg filled in the flavor crevices that would usually be filled by mustard or ketchup. Rocco’s 50/50 Burger is a real winner. Remember, it’s off menu, and a must try! Put it on your bucket list. Sure, it will help get you there faster, but at least you’ll have a smile on your face.
