Editor’s note: We conclude our official celebration of Lionel Sternberger and his 1924 cheeseburger “invention” with our final selection, which was a memorable evening at the Royce at the Langham Huntington Hotel Pasadena. Speaking of which, you can still take the Cheeseburger Challenge and vote for your own favorites.
Okay, let’s rock.
It’s been a delicious week, cheeseburger-speaking, and there have been some spectacular burgers all week long. But there is spectacular and there is spectacular.
We dined at The Langham Huntington’s casually luxurious Royce Wood-Fired Steakhouse on Wednesday for what would be our last Cheeseburger Week visit. This year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the “invention” of the cheeseburger, a team of chefs, led by Executive Chef David Depoitre, created their Royal Royce Burger.
This impressive burger begins with a truffle aioli on the bottom bun. The hefty patty itself is a combination of brisket and short rib, which was developed after about a month or two of experimentation in the Royce kitchen.
“They originally thought Wagyu,” said Langham Huntington Pasadena Public Relations Manager Barbara Bishop, who joined us for dinner, “but it didn’t taste as good. So when they mixed the two together, it really came out well.”
The patty is then topped with Gruyere cheese fondue, which is then topped by half of a lobster tail.
Next comes baby arugula, followed by black truffle shavings.
The Black bun, which is flecked with sesame seeds, is also charred and smoked, which gives it a woodsy, almost barbeque flavor, and then the whole affair is topped with gold leaf.
“Just for effect,” said Bishop.
Gold leaf doesn’t really have a taste, in case you’re wondering, and if it did, even gold would likely be lost among the many tempting flavors of the Royce Burger. Oh, and the burgers were accompanied by a basket of crispy, hot truffle fries.
And, just to be clear, the burger costs $100. Worth every bite for the service, we thought, for the ambience, the impeccable service, and the everything of it all.
The Royal Royce clearly ruled the evening, but it was joined by some other impressive friends on the menu. We began the meal with house-made dinner rolls and paprika flavored puffs, followed by charred artichokes, served with coconut and kaffir lime clarified butter.
Following the burger, we indulged in some City of Roses Beignets, cinnamon-flavored with a Chocolate Frangelico sauce. Along with that, there was a serving of the Mille-Feuille Dulcey, roughly translated as a “thousand sweet sheets,” or layers. This version of the popular puff pastry is made with 35% ganache, coffee praline, candied hazelnuts and coconut Anglaise. Yes, as lovely as it sounds.
The Royal Royce Burger is a seasonal menu item at the Langham Huntington, and is clearly a “special occasion” burger. But what better special occasion could there be than having a luxurious dinner at the Royce?
Like maybe tonight, since Cheeseburger Week ends on January 27?
The Royce Wood-Fired Steakhouse, The Langham Huntington Pasadena, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, CA. (626) 568-3900. the.royce@langhamhotels.com.
