O’Brothers Brings Tasty Organic Burgers to San Diego
No commentsI’m always on the look-out for stores and restaurants that up the eco ante in our own neighborhood, and I hit upon a winner last week with O’Brothers, a new burger venture nestled amongst the labyrinthine corridors of downtown’s Horton Plaza.
The menu is simple: burger, cheeseburger, veggie burger, fries. The difference with O’Brothers is the approach to the food. Everything here, and we mean everything, is organic.
O’Brothers will feature premium organic beef that is grass fed for 12 months before a short diet of organic grains and corn for 12 weeks to bring out the beef’s natural flavors. All of the ingredients and products used at O’Brothers are USDA certified organic, including the beef, bun, bacon, cheese, onion, tomato, condiments, fries, soda, wine and beer. The restaurant plans to achieve organic kitchen certification from Quality Assurance International.
An organic labor of love is great and all, but how do the burgers taste? Phenomenal. My accomplice in chowing down and I both ordered “The Big O’ — bacon, avocado, tomato and cheese — with a side of garlicky shoestring fries. Through a big glass window, we could see our meals being prepared fresh in a green-approved kitchen. As fast as they arrived, these were not fast food burgers: they tasted fresh and flavorful, without the grease and heavy feeling that normally comes with, well, most anything topped with bacon. The portions were perfect (enough to fill us up, without being bogged down for a night on the town), and the fries on the side were crispy and an excellent touch.
The only downside? For all the organics and green-consciousness and recycling bins in the restroom, the drinks came from behind the counter in a refrigerator stocked with cans and plastic bottles. As proponents of reusable bags and bottles, we ask, why stop with the food when it comes to an eco-friendly approach? At the same time, we realize that customer demands are also an issue that must be balanced, and sometimes customers want an organic soda that only comes in a can.
Overall? O’Brothers is a delicious restaurant that’s as easy on the conscience as it is on the taste buds. Check it out next time you’re in Horton Plaza!
What else is crackin’ in San Diego so far? Take a look:
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 1:05 am and is filed under The Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
