Head back to school at these local burger joints

MOSHER’S by ROSHEILA ROBLES

It wasn’t too long ago that I spent my lunch hours sneaking across the street from my high school, hurrying through lines to grab a burger or some chili fries before the bell rang. But even if I made it back to campus in time, there was hardly a chance to eat—instead, I was forced to stuff myself with whatever I brought back in those greasy bags.

But as high school goes, that’s just about universal. After all, it seems that nearly every high school is paired with some sort of burger place—converted corporate joints or long-standing icons, all of which draw huge lines by slopping together those cheap, familiar foods. And at most of our local high schools, this is surely the case—restaurants and stands so ingrained in their communities that they even draw diners who can spend more than just a day’s allowance.

Mosher’s, a self-proclaimed gourmet stand tucked behind Wilson High, is a perfect example. With its garden café-type atmosphere, the restaurant spreads its focus wide: plenty of burgers and sandwiches, but also burritos and regional dishes like Louisiana sausages. Some of these offerings don’t fare as well as others, but that’s to be expected, since the best choices at Mosher’s are also the most simple: hot dogs.

Although there is a handful of variations, Mosher’s Chicago Dog is the best of the bunch. Like every good dog bold enough to recall the Windy City, this one is buried under a mess of condiments. It starts with a bright grass-green relish that’s sweet atop the rest of the pile. Then there are a few slices of tomato, a pickle, and a couple of peppers, all of which are tied together with a bit of salt and pepper. And with all of that, the Chicago Dog looks like a complete meal—the essential (and some not-so-essential) food groups all stuffed into the bun. But best of all, the Chicago Dog eats like a complete meal, too—filling enough to hold you over for more than just a few hours.

Then there’s John’s, a little burger place near Millikan that seems like it could’ve been recast from any number of big-name chains. John’s offers a mostly traditional helping of burgers, but the standout is its chicken club sandwich. Crammed into a thin yellow wrapper (like all of John’s hand-held dishes), the chicken club is hearty: it’s stacked high with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, and a huge chunk of chicken. And the chicken is precisely what makes this club so good—an oregano-heavy breast that tastes right out of the Mediterranean, flavorful and moist and an excellent complement to the rest of the sandwich.

And then there’s Poly. Unfortunately, Poly, the city’s largest high school, is without a truly good burger place. There is Poly Burger (the green-and-gold shell of a restaurant just off campus), which is good enough—burgers and sandwiches and fries all on par—but it doesn’t rise to that higher level that pulls in eaters outside of Poly’s student body.

So it may come as a surprise, but in order to get to the best high-school burger joint—the place where the food is universally good and the lines always long—you’ll need to head to Volcano Burger across from Los Alamitos High. The place does just about everything right, but Volcano Burger is still renowned primarily for one dish: its chili cheese fries. Regardless of whether you order them in or for take-out, the chili cheese fries are served in something resembling a pie tin—a metal dish easily capped with a plastic lid for leftovers. The fries are thick and crispy, the chili heavy with a kick. In a lot of ways, it’s the quintessential high-school dish—greasy, heavy, filling, quick, and unquestionably satisfying.

There’s no doubt that all of these restaurants serve up food that’s built for students, as everything is tailored to both the teenage metabolism and the high-school budget. But that shouldn’t stop any older diners. If not for the food alone, then go for the nostalgia. It’ll be a lot like a little high-school reunion. Except, you know, enjoyable.

MOSHER’S 4712 E SEVENTH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.439.9600 | JOHN’S 6223 E SPRING ST | LONG BEACH 90808 | 562.421.3663 | VOLCANO BURGER 3652 CERRITOS AVE | LOS ALAMITOS 90720 | 562.430.6004

Tags: burgers, high school, hot dogs, john's, mosher's, volcano burger