The Drugstore Burger from The Grill has received many good reviews, prompting Mr. K and I to go visit.
The Grill is one of two restaurants located at The Lodge at Torrey Pines. The Grill is the more casual of the two. On a warm day, you can request outdoor seating which overlooks the pristine Torrey Pines golf course.
The Drugstore Burger
This is a simple, no frills burger. The burger patty is made of Niman Ranch ground chuck. It’s garnished with shredded lettuce, chopped onions and house-made mayonnaise, which creates a nice slaw. There’s also fresh tomato slices and pickles. The sesame seed bun is cooked on the griddle, giving the bread rounds a good char and crunch.
The burger comes with some mixed greens drizzled with ranch dressing. You can also upgrade to French fries for $2 more.
Mr. K requested the burger cooked to a medium.
We both enjoyed this burger. It was a solid, no-nonsense burger and meets all the expectations of what a properly cooked burger should taste like. However, while we enjoyed it, it’s not one I’d necessarily go out of my way to eat again. Because of its simplicity, I couldn’t help feeling like this is one I could recreate on my own and save a few dollars.
The Balboa Burger**
The asterisks denote the fact that asking for this burger by the above name may result in some confusion.
I love finding off-the-menu items, and when I read Eater’s article revealing two secret menu spin-offs, I had to try one. Unfortunately, it apparently is so so secretive that our waiter had no idea what I was trying to order. Luckily, I was able to customize my burger with the additions of what I believe the Balboa burger is supposed to be: topped with a fried egg and bacon. (Each topping was an additional $2.)
There was a generous amount of thick-cut crispy bacon. The sunny side egg arrived slightly broken, but the runny finish just made it look even more mouth-watering. In theory, I thought I would love this burger, but I actually enjoyed the original Drugstore burger better. The bacon and egg, while tasty, seemed excessive and didn’t really blend well with the burger.
I upgraded from the salad to the French fries, as I am of the philosophy that a salad does not belong anywhere near my burger. Thin-cut, crunchy and lightly dusted with salt, I thoroughly enjoyed these fries. I was surprised when Mr. K ordered the salad, but then he promptly tried to eat all the fries off my plate.
Overall, we enjoyed the well-executed burgers and the view, but I wouldn’t make a special trip here just for the burger. But if you’re out golfing or have plans to dine at The Lodge, it’s a definite menu highlight.
For other reviews of the Drugstore burger, check out Serious Eats and Eater.
The Grill at The Lodge at Torrey Pines
11480 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037
I work across from The Lodge and I highly recommend The Argentina: Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Chimichuri, Roasted Peppers and Onions on Warm Focaccia. Now I’m craving it!
thanks for the rec!
I struggle when ordering dishes that could easily be made at home. On one hand, if it’s done really well, then that means I don’t have to dirty dishes at home to satisfy a craving. On the other hand, if it’s something relatively simple, I start to wonder if I’m really paying for the ambiance/view.
It looks like a pretty decent burger, though. Funny that you upgraded to fries. I would never pay more for a side salad instead of fries, but I typically stick with the salad if that’s what comes with a burger because it makes me feel better about my choices! It’s like getting a Diet Coke to go with your fast food, I guess. 🙂
I know what you mean about the struggle. I thought it was weird that the fries is an upgrade. I feel like once I am eating a burger, I might as well go all out and get the fries.
Friends have been telling me about this burger for years and we still haven’t made it out here; seeing the menu makes me curious to try a burger and something else, though. Always nice to see a photo of what you are really served, compared to what ‘known’ reviewers are served…
I was thinking of trying something else too since we made it all the way out there. I was reading through yelp though and people didn’t really seem to love any of the other dishes, so we just ended up ordering 2 burgers. I did like that my regular person order came out just as nicely as I thought it would based on what the reviewers are served.