Big Mec at Petit Trois (Los Angeles, CA)
French twist on an American classic.
Chef Ludo Lefebvre's branded "Petit (Something)" restaurants dot the Los Angeles culinary landscape and are discussed in the awed, hushed tones reserved for only the most revered of restaurateurs. My wife and I had been meaning to enjoy a meal at one of his places for some time, so early one evening last October we drove over to Petit Trois where I ordered up Chef Ludo's extravagant take on the classic American burger, his boldly named Big Mec.
Overall Appearance: 5 Points (of 5)
Petit Trois, as the name suggests, is a small joint with mostly counter seating. This allows you to enjoy a front row seat as you watch the chefs cook up your order, which is a delight. When the Big Mec is placed in front of you, the first thing you notice is the copious quantity of melting cheese cascading down the sides of burger, mixing with the overflowing sauce and surrounding the burger in a rich pool of savory goodness. I was eager to start eating, but this is a burger that demands to be admired before consumption.
I looked at it for a little while, deciding how to approach it. A lot of people recommend cutting it in half, some even go so far as suggesting it's impossible to eat the thing without first dividing it with a knife. Bu I like a challenge, so I decided to dive right in. As I took a big bite, one of the chefs behind the bar looked at me and said, "Yeah, that's the way to eat it. So many people cut it in half."
The toasted brioche bun is the most mundane aspect of this burger, but it was well baked and well executed. No matter how toasted the bun is, though, it can’t help but get quite moist once it hits the melange of cheese and sauce. This, naturally, enhances the flavor of the bun but also makes for a somewhat unstable eating experience.
The meat of the Big Mec is a pair of substantial prime beef patties, nestled between the buns and under all that melting cheese. The twin four-ounce patties are very French—they're prepared as bifteck haché, which is chopped steak that's seared on the grill (like a steak). I don't know anything about the blend of the meat Chef Ludo uses or where he gets it, but I can tell you these patties were perfectly cooked and wonderfully delicious.
Cheese: 15 Points (of 15)
The cheese that so fondly captured my attention on first glance is a carefully crafted house-made American cheese, and it seems to be optimized for its melting qualities. It's flavorful and salty and fantastically gooey, the perfect cheese for any burger—but especially this one.
Vegetables: 12 Points (of 15)
The Big Mec is dressed up with a smattering of caramelized onions, which is always a tricky topping to pull off. Too many and the burger is too slimy and too sweet. But the Big Mec had just the right amount, imparting the subtlest hint of French onion flavor. This might sound weird for a burger, but it totally worked here. I also think there were some pickles mixed in with the garlic aioli (more on this below), which offered just the slightest crunch.
Sauces: 10 Points (of 10)
The Big Mec keeps it French with a classic Bordelaise made from foie gras. That's right. Red wine and foie gras—a rich, decadent, and perfect dressing for this burger. There's also generous amount of garlic aioli spread on the top bun for some extra flair.
Messiness: 4 Points (of 5)
Even before I picked up the Big Mec, I knew it was going to be messy. And it was. However, I expected it to disintegrate almost immediately, but it maintained an overall burger integrity for most of the meal, managing to strike a near-perfect balance between messiness and burgerness.
Burgerness: 9 Points (of 10)
The Big Mec is included on many "Best Burgers in L.A." lists, and it's one of those rare burgers that exceeds the hype. This is a really well thought-out burger full of strong flavors that blend together quite well. Quite simply, it's an incredibly satisfying burger experience, and one that I'd be all too happy to repeat.
If you're going to try the Big Mec (and I recommend you do), arrive early—Petit Trois doesn't take reservations and fills up quite quickly.
The Big Mec is $18 at Petit Trois, 718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA. This one was consumed on October 24, 2016.
