Slaters 50/50

I was in town for the holidays and some friends had recommended we try out Slaters 50/50 burgers in Anaheim Hills, Ca. Never one to turn down a good burger, I easily accepted the offer to go. Slaters is located in a typical OC mini mall, tucked away in a dark corner. You could tell the place was new, sparsely decorated with a few beer posters and signs on the wall. However, It needed the space since the place was packed. There are two sides to the place; the main dining room and the bar area covered in the Slaters logo which resemble the Chargers in San Diego Chargers (must be an OC thing, if we were in LA then obviously it would have been a Raiders rip-off). We had a 45 minute wait for a table so we moseyed over to the bar area. Apparently in addition to the burgers Slaters is famous for their beers on tap. I am not a big drinker nor have I been to a bar in ages but Slaters has a nice sized selection of beers on tap and Metallica blaring from the speakers to put me at ease; and after 2 North Coast Brother Thelonius beers (9.4% ABV), I was.

What has made Slaters 50/50 Burger a famous destination is the patty being made up of half ground beef and half ground bacon, thus the 50/50. After 45 or so minute wait, and a glass of Chimay beer (which my friends swear by), I was ready to order and eat. There are a few "stock" signature burgers to start off with but the fun is in their "Design It" menu where it offers over 50 different sauces, cheeses and toppings.

My creation:
50/50 patty - You can also get: Fire Beer, Chicken, Turkey, Veggie etc.
2/3 size - 1/3 Lb and a Full 1 Pound are also offered.
Focaccia Bread - I wanted the White Brioche but they were out.
Imported Swiss Cheese - American, Brie, Feta, Pesto Goat Cheese, Gruyere, and the standard American, Swiss, Cheddar etc, are available.
Danish Blue Cheese
Wasabi Mayo - So many sauce options, not enough room to list them all
Green Leaf Lettuce - I like the classics but you can also get Baby Greens, Cranberry Sauce, Sauerkraut, Pico De Gallo, Tomatoes, Sweet Relish, Grilled Pineapple...you get the idea.
Raw Yellow Onion
Tomato
Slater Sauce
Pastrami - This where things get interesting....
Egg over easy - So maybe i didn't have to put this on but after the pastrami, why not.
and i think that was it.

You can name your creation....I present to you "The DayDay".


Verdict - The patty was good, I will not deny that - juicy and tasty and the bacon did work. I am glad i didn't get the 1 pounder as the patty's are huge. I did not like the bun - the Focaccia bun did not stand up to the monster burger that I created and fell apart after the first bite. I liked all the toppings I put in it but it was too much. It took away from the patty and by the last bite the burger was a mess. I had a good time drinking, hanging with friends, listening to bar music, eating my uniquely designed gourmet burger but am not sure if I need to go again. If I do return I am going to go with a more simplified, traditional burger that highlights the tasty patty. I do recommend going at least once.