Pangaea Burger – Pangaea Cafe – Sacramento, CA
Price: $12 | California, Sacramento | Restaurant Burgers
Burger Photo Gallery (click pictures to enlarge)
Find this Burger
Address: Pangaea Cafe
2743 Franklin Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: (916) 454-4942
On the Web: http://pangaeatwobrews.com
THE JOINT
Pangaea Cafe opened originally as Pangaea Two Brews Cafe in Curtis Park in the summer of 2008. Much like the tectonic plates it’s named after, the focus of this, now beloved, neighborhood restaurant has slightly shifted over the years. It originally starting out as just a nice European styled cafe that served both coffee and beer (two brews). Now with its new kitchen and strong beer selection it has grown to be a favorite of both foodies and hop heads alike.
THE BURGER
I was drawn to Pangaea’s new burger from the photo taken by one of the writers of Sacramento Foodways during a sneak peek he got of the new kitchen being built out there. The photo looked so cheesy and juicy, I almost didn’t believe the burger was a real thing.
After about a month of the new kitchen being open, I took my Cadillac for a drive up Highway 99, banked a left on Broadway and took and hooked another left on Franklin passed The Hideaway to see if the burger lived up to the photo.
I stepped up to the front counter and ordered the burger medium-rare and and what came out 10 minutes later was one of the prettiest burgers I’ve seen.
They say you eat with your eyes first and my eyes said this burger was delicious. To be honest though, it’s not often that a burger is delicious as it is beautiful. Most of the truly amazing burgers I’ve eaten tended to fall more on the jolie laide style of beauty. Spoiler alert: this burger lived up to its good looks.
Chef Venditti put the perfect sear on this half pound Angus beef patty made from a custom blend of brisket and chuck. Biting through the toasted but airy brioche bun, the crunch from the crispy bacon and the seared patty was both noticeable and welcome. When a burger is seared just right and cooked medium rare it should be dripping with juices and this burger did not disappoint. It definitely could’ve used a Burger Lift to keep the bottom bun high and dry. The TOPpings (Tomato, Onion, Pickles) were ever so thinly sliced with care and the burger to bun ratio was damn near perfect.
THE VERDICT
I’ve enjoyed (read: eaten) a lot of burgers, but this was a burger was actually enjoyable to eat. Like I had a good time eating it and it made me smile. Something about it is just so classic, but at the same time, carefully done. They’re currently running a lunch special that includes this amazing bacon cheeseburger, a side of shoestring fries and a soft drink for $9.50 and at that price point, they may be a top contender for the best value Sacramento burger crown. A nice bonus is that the chef has tried most of the beers they have in house, so he can usually give great suggestions for beers that pair well with any of their dishes.
BurgerJunkies Rating
- Burger Juiciness (because a dry burger is just wrong) 10
- Bun Goodness (a quality meat holder is essential) 8
- Burger Flavor (is the meat itself extra tastilicious) 8
- Burger Value (you can pay too much for a .99 cent burger and an amazing burger can seem like a steal at $20…and vice versa) 10
- B Factor (this is that super subjective thing that makes each review unique. That gene se qua, that something special about the experience. Could be the special sauce, could be the atmosphere of the joint, could be the ridiculous shakes that you paired the burger with, or it could be some french fries that make you wanna cry) 8
Total Score: 44pts
Tags: bacon, classic, curtis park, featured, sacramento, value
While the patty was good the bottom half of the bun was drenched to the point of turning to paste at the first bite. I’m thinking the prep time was misjudged and it sat there with rinsed lettuce saturating the bun to baby food levels of mush. Maybe it was a one off that my burger experience didn’t match yours. I was disappointed especially at that price point.
Thanks for the comment! Different strokes for different folks I guess. The burger was definitely juicy after the first bite, but I count that as a good thing :) I definitely thought the price point was pretty spot on, even better now that they’re running the lunch special.
I love the big pics! Mmmm!
Sounds like a good place to visit and partake of their ‘wares’.
Plus one for the Abe link on your post. ;) [see what I did there]
One of the best burger, I had tasted on my trip of CA. Thanks to Burger Junkies for their guidance which helped me to get an idea about best burger for hunger.