OMG - I Ate the Whole Thing!

The Catch is a popular restaurant in downtown Anaheim, right near Angel Stadium. They recently grabbed the headlines with the unveiling of an 8 lb party burger known simply as the "OMG Burger." It's a fitting name, because that's what most people scream when they see the monster burger brought out.

The restaurant bills the burger as larger than your head. It's larger than a damn birthday cake. It's larger than lots of things. They're wagering it's also larger than the vast majority of human stomachs. To that end, The Catch has unveiled an interesting offer: $500 to anyone who can completely consume this beast in one hour. You don't have to eat the fries, but with 4 lbs of beef, a fluffy brioche bun, and loads of mayonnaise and vegetables, this is no simple task. Even serious eaters would be struck down by this monster.

I've completed several challenges that I'd considered very difficult. The one that screams out at me is the Big John Superburger, from Big John's Cafe in Redondo Beach. I was the second successful finisher out of 1820+ attempts in ten years. That burger was similar, but smaller. I've always considered that one the most daunting single person eating challenge I'd been involved in.

This OMG Burger was at a whole other level. I gave it a shot because I was in the neighborhood with friends. I really had no idea if I could get it all down. Being the first person on their Wall of Champions was certainly a huge motivator!

I was daunted by the fact that the restaurant's challenge forbade dunking, since this would have really softened the bread. Nevertheless, I began aggressively, finishing the 4 lbs of beef and all of the vegetable toppings in about 35 minutes. Onlookers were clearly amazed at my performance. Several staff members believed I might really be their first champion.... over 200 had already failed, someone had to come along, right?

Well, the bread really slowed me down in the end. I wasn't really full, but my mouth was dry and I was not able to maintain the blistering pace for the entire hour. I stopped at 59 minutes, with 6/8 of the bottom bun isolating me from victory. I was proud of the amount I had consumed, but disappointed that I couldn't entirely conquer the burger.

So close and yet so far! The manager offered me a chocolate milkshake on the house, and made me an incredible offer based on my performance.... if I could finish the rest of the bun, I would get the burger for free. That's not something I blinked at! I finished the bottom bun and milkshake in about 30 minutes time. My strength has always been in long-distance eating, and I proved it that day.

With the milkshake and all the water I consumed that day, my body must have been holding over 10 lbs of excess mass. It was the single biggest eating challenge I'd succeeded at.

One way or another, I was the first finisher of the OMG Burger. Even if I don't have $500 to show for it.

Now let me rest for awhile.

The Farmhouse

Some restaurants fully resemble the things they're named after.

The Farmhouse is a traditional American-breakfast/lunch restaurant that looks like.... a farmhouse! There's even a huge statue of a rooster to the right of it. I nabbed a photo, but I don't know if anyone actually wants to see a picture of a huge male chicken. It was just a statue anyway.

This place is located in Banning, CA, right off the Interstate 10... think 20 miles east of Redlands. There's signs along both sides of the freeway telling you how to get here. One sign said that this restaurant was award-winning. I hoped that meant the food tasted great, not merely that this restaurant did a good job of grabbing hungry travelers along the busy interstate.

There's a Denny's right next door, but I didn't drive here to eat at Denny's. The food at this location had to be more original and local. Inside, the Farmhouse looked like one of those traditional diners with loads of memorabilia all over the walls. It reminded me of a farm from the inside as well. One humorous sign along the wall informed me that "whining was not allowed."

I came to the Farmhouse to sample their Justin Burger, the biggest sandwich on the menu, named after a local marine and featuring one full pound of ground beef. It comes with any side, and I decided to go with chili con carne for a change of pace. I bet they served decent french fries though.

The Justin Burger was certainly stacked high, but that's the nifty illusion that crisp lettuce provides. This situation always reminds me of those TV commercials and billboards that showcase absolutely mammoth fast food burgers. Just crush down the lettuce, and you'll have a perfectly manageable meal. Done and done.

Getting to the burger pictured above, I must say that it looked, smelled, and tasted like an oversized, higher-quality Big Mac. That's not a knock by any stretch, since I grew up on Big Macs and have always loved their flavor. The side salad and chili were decent, but nothing extraordinary. It's a huge offering but definitely not impossible. I bet lots of diners finish this attempt at a monstrosity.

Your prize, if you can finish the Justin Burger, is an oversized cookie from their dessert station. It's not much of a prize, but then again, the burger is not much of an challenge!

I opted for an oatmeal cookie. It was sweet and moist, and a nice if calorific way of capping off a large burger. Anyone who wants to try a different dining experience needs to check out the Farmhouse!

The Coney Island Crazies

My thoughts this week have been consumed by the wild events surrounding this year's July 4th Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Yes, Joey Chestnut returned to claim his fourth straight title. That certainly was news.

But the even bigger news was all of the shortcomings of this year's event.

1) Joey didn't even come close to the astronomical figures he's reached in years past. Sure, 54 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes is an insane eating feat, but this man has done 64 and 68 previously.

2) Takeru Kobayashi was not in contention, which dramatically lowered the expectations for the showdown. This man was once synonomous with the hot dog contest, a champion of multiple years, originally responsible for doubling the winning total. A contract dispute which turned ugly kept him in the stands.

3) One of my friends onstage must have had a bad day! I expected a bigger performance, but I'm sure next year will turn out much differently. This has been a miserable hot dog season all around.

I can only hope that next year will be a little bit better.

Chocolate Ice Cream, Squared

Nothing says chocolate like Ghirardelli's.

Especially if you're willing to pay extra for it.

On a recent trip to San Francisco with my cousin, I fell into the typical tourist traps in the Bay Area. I had to see the Fisherman's Wharf. Stand in that area where you can see both the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridges. And yes, I paid for parking. That's something you just don't do at home. But when you're on the road, you'll do some pretty crazy things.

So we had to go to Ghirardelli's Square while in town. The place was packed, but we got to sample a free piece of peanut butter-filled chocolate as we waited. It was definitely up to par. I don't know if it justified all the waiting though. I guess I have to chalk up the whole thing to a cultural experience. You sometimes have to suffer (financially or otherwise) to enjoy something new.

The corporate propaganda was certainly in full effect! There were posters and note cards everywhere informing me that Ghirardelli's chocolates were simply the best in the world -- the best tasting, and the highest quality. Well, a double-scoop ice cream cone certainly cost more here than it did in most places. Hopefully that implied something.

I was more than a little disappointed when my food finally arrived.

I don't know, but there was something depressing about seeing my ice cream cone delivered on a silver platter. You're supposed to hold a cone in your hand, like you see in those movies on a hot summer's day. I couldn't do that in this big fancy ice cream joint. I had to eat my ice cream cone with a spoon. 

The taste? It was absolutely spot-on. I selected Ghirardelli's Chocolate and Rocky Road. Both were excellent, deep, rich, flavors. My entire gripe centered upon presentation and to a lesser degree price. The place was busy, obviously, and their name commands a high volume of customers. There is a cost to be borne for such considerations.

Don't count on me going back the next time I'm in San Francisco!