Saturday Morning Cartoon: Dudley Do-Right

Dudley Do-right was created as a back-up feature for the Bullwinkle Show in 1961.  Jay Ward and is accomplished staff of writers and directers were always able to overcompensate for cheap animation with great writing and directing, and Dudley Do-Right was one of their crowning achievements.   I had the opportunity to watch the following episode recently in a crowded theater where it was a HUGE hit from start to finish.   Enjoy "The Sawmill."

Restaurant Review #4: Pie 'n' Burger

Guess what I had for lunch.

Hamburgers are one of those things that the restaurant community is always trying to re-invent.   Several gourmet or trendy restaurants have re-envisioned the burger, with odd variations that included goat cheese, Kobe beef, cranberries, olives, salmon, and - in the worst-case scenario - a fried egg.   A FRIED EGG.   Sorry, I had to repeat that in case you weren't sure you read it right the first time.   A FRIED EGG.   The Burger Bar in Las Vegas has a $60 burger on their menu that includes foie gras and shaved truffles.   This all may be your cup of tea, but I prefer a old-time classic burger.   One of the best places to get a classic burger is in a little diner in Pasadena called Pie 'n' Burger.

Like the Apple Pan, this little diner is often listed as serving one of the best burgers in Southern California.  It has been in the same location in Pasadena since 1963, when the place opened.   The current owner started working there in 1972 and has kept the same restaurant fixtures, recipes and personnel.   The head baker has been there since 1972, and one waitress has been there since the restaurant opened.  It's small and unassuming; a large lunch counter and about 5 tables make up the entire seating area.  Seat yourself at the counter and look up at the wall, because, like any good lunch couter, that is where you will find the menu.  Burgers, sandwiches and a few hot dishes make up the menu.  They also serve a plethora of fresh-baked desserts, which I will get to later in this review.   Patience, little one.

I ordered the burger.   Duh.   What else do you order in a place called Pie 'n' Burger?   Well, yeah, I guess you could order pie too, but as I said, have patience.   The burger is brought to you wrapped in paper on a plate.   The meat is obviously hand-formed, giving each burger its own unique shape.  Fries are optional; They are good but nothing spectacular.   But the burger....   aaahhh.   It's just as it should be.  A nice big piece of fresh, crunchy lettuce, Tillamook cheese, and a hand-made thousand-island sauce that mixes with the juice from the meat to create a messy yet tantalizing burger.    I'm sure the onions and pickles are good too, if you like that kind of thing.  I don't. 

What wasn't so good?   Well, I was surprised to find that the milkshakes were not as good as I had hoped.   For a great milkshake, head over to nearby Fosselman's in Arcadia.   I'll write a review about that place later.  

Now for the dessert.   I had berry pie.  The pie was very good.   Not the best I have had, but very good diner pie.   The big secret ended up being the dessert my dining partner ordered - strawberry cake.   It's made with real strawberries, both in the cake and in the frosting.   My dining partner swears by it.   During our last visit there, they were sold out, and she swore by it in an entirely different way.  I snuck out the back door.

 Pie 'n' Burger is a Pasadena institution that is well worth a visit if you are in the area.  The meal is a little pricey, especially if you order two burgers like I always seem to do, but well worth it.   Tell them Joe sent you and demand a good table.   It won't mean anything to them, but I like to embarrass you every chance I get. 

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Porky Pig's Feat

Today I'm bringing you "Porky's Pig's Feat" a black and white Looney Tune released in 1943 and directed by Frank Tashlin. Tashlin is one of the lesser-known Looney Tunes directors among the general public; however, he was one of the most successful. He started directed at Warner Bros. in 1938, left for a while and returned for three years, from 1943-1946. At that point Tashlin left animation to become a live-action writer and director, working with such talents as Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Jerry Lewis. He wrote films such as "The Paleface" "The Fuller Brush Man" and "The Lemon Drop Kid," and directed "Cinderfella," "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" and "Artist and Models" among others. In his cartoon work, you can defintely see him experimenting as a director, with odd camera angles and movement that were beyond what the other directors were doing at the time. Watch the scene in this cartoon starting at 2:40, where much of the action is shown via camera pans, reflection, and very odd camera angles. Enjoy!

Dog Tease

This video has made the rounds, so you have probably already seen it.   If not, sit back and prepare to feel sad.   Very sad.

Restaurant Review #3: The Bahooka Restaurant

Tiki bars were a big thing in the 1940'3 and 1950's.   Places like Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic's and the like were the popular places to go to sip mai tais and zombies.  Tiki bars have recently experienced a resurgence, with many new tiki bars opening up around the hip places in LA.   Heck, Disneyland just opened one at the Hotel, called Trader Sams.  However, if you want to go to an authentic 50's tiki bar that is anything but trendy, head for the Bahooka Restaurant in Rosemead, CA. 


The Bahooka actually opened up in 1967, a little late in the tiki craze.   However, you'd never know it was a latecomer.  The entire place is agog with nautical artifacts, tiki architecture, and fishtanks.   TONS of fishtanks.   It's rumored that there are over 100 fishtanks in this restaurant, and I'd be the last one to argue this estimate.   And these fish aren't your doctor's-waiting-room variety, either.   We are talking large tropical fish, small sharks, turtles and the like.   As you walk into the lobby, you are greeted by Rufus, a 33-year old pacu that is enormous.   If you're in luck, you may catch the restaurant staff feeding Rufus carrots.  Not a place you'll want to stick your fingers.

Cashier station (click for larger view)

As you are taken to your table, you'll pass by the small bar.   The restaurant is famous for its tiki drinks, but the bar itself is something to behold...   it's a large fishtank.   As you place your drink on the counter you can look down and see turtles and fish glide past the bottom of your glass.   If you drink like a fish, you'll be in good company.

At your table, you are guaranteed a great view of the tropical fish.  Each booth is surrounded by at least three tanks, plus various others around the seating area.   Did I mention that the Bahooka is known for their drinks?   I am not a drinker myself, but here I always indulge in something just for the presentation.   The Bahooka Ade is my drink of choice.   Yes, it's non alcoholic, but it's brought out in a flaming bowl for two.   The other drinks are all wonderful, according to those of you who know.   You can't go wrong when your drink is served with a little paper parasol.

The food is...   adequate.  It's good, but the food is not the main reason you are coming here.   Polynesian ribs are the specialty here, which come with a pineapple glaze that I really enjoyed.   The chicken had a teriyaki glaze that was delicious as well.   Desserts are not worth mentioning, so I won't.  

Before you leave the Bahooka, be sure to walk around and take in all the decor.   There is one seating area for small groups that is located in a jail.   The banquet room is awash in color and yes, more fishtanks.   Christmas lights adorn one of my favorite booths.  And the fish are really worth seeing.   It's like getting a free visit to an aquarium with every meal.   My favorite fish are the ones that build mountains.   It's something to see:   they use their mouths to scoop up mounds of the gravel from the bottom of the tanks, then spit it all out on the highest point in the tank, creating a mountain.  


With the re-introduction of Tiki Architecture across LA, this restaurant is well worth a visit.   It's conveniently located off the 10 Freeway, on Rosemead Blvd.   Aloha, and Numi Kai Tan Yo!  (that's Hawaiian for "even though the bowl is meant for two, you really don't have to share.")

Click on the pictures for larger views.   Disclaimer:   If you have a fear of fish, I do not recommend this place.   This is directed at a certain reader:   YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Goonland

Today's cartoon features that one-eyed runt, that spinach-slurpin' sailor, Popeye.   Popeye originally appeared in in a comic strip called "Thimble Theater" on January 17, 1929.  He was originally just an incidental character, but his popularity rose and rose until he became the star of the strip.  In 1933, the Max Fleischer studios began producing Popeye animated cartoons.   They were highly successful, and for a time Popeye was the #1 cartoon star in the US, passing over Mickey Mouse for the title.  The Fleischers lost their studio to Paramount in 1942, and the Popeye cartoons began a gradual decline in quality at that time.   However, in their heyday they were inventive and fun, and rarely the same Popeye / Olive / Bluto rivalry thing over and over.  Here's a great one from 1938: "Goonland," which chronicles Popeye's quest to find his long-lost father.



For those of you who prefer the Popeye / Olive / Bluto rivalry, here's another great one, "The Paneless Window Washer" from 1937.

By the way....

More Restaurant reviews are coming soon.   I have them ready, but I have lost the little cable that I use to download pictures onto the computer.   Once I find that, the reviews will commence.   I have pictiures from The Bahooka Restaurant (one of my favorites) Pie and Burger, The Chicken Box, and a few others.  So don't change that dial, hopefully they will be here soon!