On my 24hr blast thru LA yesterday I had just enough time to visit ONE burger spot and I chose an old favorite Irv's Burgers in West Hollywood. I had in my possession a printed proof of my new book and my goal was to put it in front of the busy Sonia Hong. When she saw her picture in the book she let out a scream and put her face in her hands. I think she was excited. My cheeseburger with mustard and pickles was delivered on the customary paper plate adorned with one of Sonia's quick sketches. With so much going on inside the tiny, chaotic burger stand, it's amazing that she can take the time to leave a personalized message for each customer (I got a 'Ho Ho Ho' for upcoming x-mas). As a bonus yesterday, just before my burger arrived Sonia introduced me to an older woman with a walker who had just finished her burger. "This is Molly Zucker!" Sonia explained that she ran the stand from 1958-1973, lives around the corner, and still visits regularly. I thanked her for her contribution to American food culture and she nodded, smiled, and wheeled off slowly down Santa Monica.
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And that, my friends, is why mom-and-pops will beat out the chains every day of the week. Nothing like that is likely to happen in a McDonald's, Motel 6, or Chevron.
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