The great thing about getting off work by 1 p.m. on Fridays is having what seems like a two and a half day weekend. Yes, read it fellow working minions: I get off by 1 p.m.! On Fridays! So it’s not really playing hooky when I take off for my old stomping grounds in Los Angeles which includes trying a restaurant I’ve been eyeing for the last few months.
Dark Delicacies on Burbank Avenue hasn’t changed much with the exception of the Franken-figure out front. The figure, name unknown, has a new mask. The store itself still has a lot of creepy, macabre items for sale. It was slow on this Friday afternoon and old Del behind the counter was still grizzled and probably still smelling slightly of booze.
Another Burbank favorite visited was House of Secrets. Slow going here too with the exception of Scott Shaw! who was wandering the aisles and talking it up with Eric behind the counter. But the discounts were still available and 25% off of trade paperback is nothing to scoff at.
How could I not visit Porto’s in Burbank?? I had passed on the weekly donut and bagel buffet at work earlier in the day so I could feast on Porto’s warm potato balls. The urge to consume every imaginable favorite was curbed if only slightly. For the record, a total of three potato balls were eaten.
What better way to work off the meat-filled carb ladden-balls of delight than strolling Ventura Boulevard? Who but should I see than Amy Yasbeck (John Ritter’s widow and Wings alum) at a bagel shop followed a block later with Pink driving away in her new Hybrid Lexus SUV. Still star stuck? Yes, but only slightly.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur but followed with visits to Earth-2, Meltdown and Fashion Square. Before the trip back south, a special trip was made to Lucky Devil’s on Hollywood Blvd.
Tucked behind the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the seedy part of Hollywood Boulevard between skanky souvenir shops and trashy lingerie is Lucky Devil’s. Lucky’s Devil’s is run by a former Coke stud, Lucky Vanous. Well Lucky was no where to be seen but even in the tiny chic dinner, it seemed many people were there to be seen.
The menu at Lucky Devil’s is fairly simple but at the cost of looking trendy, I was annoyed at the pricing. Not necessarily the cost for a chili dog ($11!) but the lack of doubles digit behind the decimal. Maybe it was to confuse the patron. Well this sort of style would’t fly in any newspapers I’ve worked for!
What was ordered? Tomato soup and an Angus cheeseburger. No milkshakes were available this time due to the lack of custard – an integral component of all their milkshakes creation. Service was relatively quick and the soup and burgers were still hot when they were delivered. Unfortunately the tomato soup was hot in another manner altogether. Despite the lemon cream sauce topping, the soup was too spicy for my taste. The red pepper seasoning seemed too liberal and the soup was one shake away from being a full-fledged hot sauce.
The Angus burger was tender but admittedly the best thing about the burger was the bun: soft and pliable. But on whole the burger was so-so. Nothing I couldn’t make in my own kitchen. I could easily see it as a $10 burger but $13 seemed just a tad steep. Next visit to Lucky Devil’s if given the opportunity and if parking allows, will be for the shakes.
All in all, a great day with many finds, a lot of visiting and a fully belly.
My Burning Kitchen 
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