The Oinkster
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The Details:
2005 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, CA
Phone: (323) 255-OINK
Fax: (323) 255-6464
Email: info@oinkster.com
Summer Hours:
Mon-Thur 11am-11pm
Fri-Sat 11am-12am
Sun 11am-10pm
The Los Angeles Foodie Rating:
The Summary:
Along with Spitz and Casa Bianca, The Oinkster is contributing to Eagle Rock’s becoming a foodie destination. If you only eat one sandwich at The Oinkster, get the pastrami (either the House Cured Pastrami or the Oinkster Pastrami). If you get two sandwiches, also get the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. The food is outstanding, the details (like the ketchup, which by the way rivals some of the better barbecue sauces out there) are attended-to with care, and the folks are nice. If you are in the neighborhood, I have to assume that this is a regular stop. If you’re not local, it’s worth the drive.
The Place:
The red A-frame of The Oinkster, a former location of the Jim’s chain, is a highly-recognizable landmark on Colorado Blvd., right in the heart of Eagle Rock. It’s even more visible at night when the large sign blazes out-front. The dining experience is simple with an order counter and a handful of tables inside and out on the patio.
If a fast food chain added some character and cleaned up a bit, it would look like The Oinkster’s dining room. It’s neither cold nor comfortable, but it’s about the food not the place.
The Food:
Sometimes Los Angeles Foodie gets wrapped-up in the aesthetics of a place. But sometimes that’s the whole point – not so at The Oinkster. The Oinkster definitely has a hip vibe going on, but the outstanding food is the reason to go. The Oinkster is well-respected chef André Guerrero’s baby, and his experience shows. And if you’re wondering why the pastrami is so good, consider that Guerrero interned with Al Langer solely to learn how to make the stuff as good as it can be made. The sign outside proclaims “Slow Fast Food,” and it’s the exact kind of place I wish we had on every corner – a fast food joint that’s not a big chain. The BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich easily rivals the Oinkster Pastrami, but both are the stuff people write home about.
Other food blogs and columns extol the supposedly sublime Belgian fries, and while they’re quite good, I wouldn’t say they are up with the best I’ve had. Perhaps I should give them another shot since everybody seems to think they’re some of the best.
I thought they were overly-oily (as you can see in the photo). Nearly everything at The Oinkster is made on the premises, including their Homemade Ketchup and other sauces like Chipotle Ketchup, Roasted Garlic Aioli, Ancho-Lime Mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, and Dijon-Horseradish Mayonnaise.
The Service:
Everyone is friendly and seems genuinely happy to be there. More importantly, they are passionate about the food. I found the employees more than happy to discuss details of the cuisine, which is always a nice feature for a foodie like me. Orders are placed at the counter and delivered to your table, and everything was brought out quickly, just as advertised.
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