Burger Blog: Club 33
Burger Rating: 4.8 outta 5
This deserves a bit more than a standard Burger Blog review simply because of the location & circumstances. So here's a little backstory for ya.
I grew up in Fullerton, just north of Anaheim, which means Disneyland was pretty much in my backyard. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time there with my friends in middle school and High School cause annual passes used to be affordable for people other than Scrooge McDuck.
'Round then, I'd never heard of Disney's Club 33 until after High School when everyone's day job seemed to be at "The D". That's when stories began to circulate there was a secret place where you could get drunk in Disneyland, thereby making it truly the Happiest Place on Earth. I never really bought into the fables though, because at the same time kids were also conjuring tales of a secret Disney gulag where they would enslave people who were misbehaving in the park. Surely that idea was as rediculous as a basketball court at the top of the Matterhorn ride.
I never found out about the gulag, but since then, it's always been a dream of mine to get in there, hell, maybe even to become a member! I had a problem though, to join the exclusive mouse club you had to come up with some serious cheddar. $25,000 initiation fee, and something like $10,000 per year membership (and that was back in the 90's).
Then last Christmas some hometown friends of mine become members. It's their story to tell, but suffice to say the speed and circumstances at which they were granted membership was nothing short of Disney magic. The standing invitation was floated to the wife and I, and with my wife turning 33 in June, I'd have been goofy to not realize how it's all kismet: 33. Calls were made, hotel booked, me and the misses were going to The D in style!
I'll refrain from the particulars and amenities of the club so that anyone reading this may have the same fresh experience we had being first-time visitors. So from here on out... it's all about the burger.
Billed as the: Signature Club 33 Prime Hamburger, this whopper comes in at a cool $33. Cost/ club name coincidence? Probably not. It is offered with tomato concassé, sauce béarnaise, St. Andre cheese, and truffle-bacon marmalade. If that doesn't get your taste buds budding then you're a soulless misanthrope or vegan, probably both. #BaconForever
When the burger appeared my nose was immediately entranced by the smokey bacon fragrance and a subtle scent of truffle tacked on like Eeyore's tail. It's served open face on a piece of black slate allowing the green of the mizuna and the rich reds of the tomatoes and bacon to pop off the juicy beef patty.
I plucked the cornichons from the burger and tossed them aside like ash from Cruella de Vil's cigarette. There would be no briney respite disrupting the savory goodness of what lay before my drooling tongue. The St. Andre cheese turned translucent as it melted over the burger, and from under the greens, I could see a perfectly placed pool of béarnaise. I couldn't wait any longer. I tucked my napkin into my shirt just like Pooh-Bear , slapped that saucy top onto the pile of meat and cheese and prepared for the hickory honeypot that I assumed awaited.
The burger is a two-hander for sure. Out of habit I cut it in half, gotta make sure the kitchen knows what medium rare is... Good news, they do, and they better for thirty-three bucks. The time had come for my face hole to experience what my eyes, nose, and fingers had already fondled... the moment of truth.
God damn, that's a tasty burger. "WOW!" I literally said aloud. Here's a quick rundown of my halfheartedly regulated face stuffing experience. The bun is solid, not too bready, yet maintained the constitution of the burger without overpowering all the other flavors being offered up. I was also impressed how the truffle didn't overpower the smokey goodness of the bacon. #FlavorCombo #LevelUp
In general, I'm not a fan of bacon jam. It's usually too sweet and works against every principle that makes bacon a celestial culinary currency. But again I was surprised, in this instance, it spread over every bite of the burger lending an equal representation of hickory heaven without sacrificing flavor or texture.
The patty was good. Was a little hard to tell if it is freshly ground (better be 33) or frozen. I sensed it was a little too firm to be fresh, but it was so damn good with every bite those thoughts fleeted my mind as quick as Dory remembering... Whatever she was trying to remember. The preparation spot on, slight char on the outside and perfect medium rare inside.
Overall, I'd say this burger is worth every penny. Especially if you include the ambiance of C33, crisp air conditioning, lack of crowds, and overall attention to detail in ways that only Disney can do. Honestly, I'm kinda happy I'm not a member, and live in L.A., because if I was, and I did... I'd try to eat this tasty beefy bacon burger as often as I could.
Burger Rating: 4.8 outta 5 - would've been a 5/5, but $33 is a ridiculous price for a burger, gotta knock that on principle.
Thanks to Kat-dog and Scotty J for being awesome people and giving us a taste of 33!
