El Sombrero

True story: I had planned on taking the pintoresca route (along Sunset Blvd.) home from work one day this week to stop at All American Burger for a CCB spiel. As it turned out, a crew of my former co-workers were in town grinding away at some week long job in Beverly Hills. I met up with them on Martes in the Fairfax district, all of us hambre and thirsty, and we eagerly headed towards Thai Town for a familia style feast. Along the way we decided to pull over and have a bebida so I suggested Ye Coach & Horses, which happens to be across the calle from All American Burger. As we were entering into the dark bar, I glanced over my shoulder to steal a look at my next target; thinking to myself how I had already mentally outlined my entry with great tie-ins to Fast Times at Ridgemont High complete with a working title of "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Dice". No dice is right because although the signage was still standing the restaurant was gone underneath it. Nothing but a pile of dirt. A little long-winded (and perhaps anticlimactic) I know, but I was a bit dismayed to be hit so squarely with a Buddhist-like view of change (nothing is permanent except impermanence). After pondering this for a few days, I decided to move on but wanted to pick a solid burger joint in lieu of our fallen comrade. Without much hesitation I made a decision and (following a couple sluggish Copa Mundial matches) flew on over to The Hat. This small chain is mainly known for pastrami dips and chili cheese fries, but I like the addition of the pastrami burger: beef patty, queso, lettuce, onion, tomate, thousand sauce topped with shaved pastrami. Accompanied with some horseradish and a few papas fritas, there really isn't much in the universe that can beat this thing taste-wise. Staring out onto Lake Av. in a comida stupor, I managed a small grin when an image popped into mi cabeza of Jeff Spicoli (after being hoodwinked to attend class by the ass-kissing Desmond) stating: "Wait a minute, there's no birthday party for me in here!".