The Hat

[insert witty intro here]
The Hat boasts of its long history –55 years in the making from 1951 to 2006 (it’s more like 59 if you’re living in the present). The first thing you might notice on their neon sign are the huge words ‘WORLD FAMOUS PASTRAMI’ atop the less noticeable ‘Burgers,’ ‘Dogs,’ and ‘Chili.’ My goal? To see if their pastrami is as famous as they say it is.
Located on the corner of Rosemead and Broadway, The Hat sports an L-shaped building with a simple interior design of wooden benches and tables. It’s a very typical American food menu with selections of burgers, cold sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, and a few other choices. Prices are moderate, nothing too expensive: Sandwiches average around $5 (not the pastrami though) and burgers and fries fluctuate between $2 to $5 (minus the pastrami as well). Now, before you ask me why I chose this place if the prices are only mediocre, you should take a look at the portions of the entrees. Take the Chili Fries, for example. I used to frequently come to The Hat with a few friends just for the Chili Fries. And I would go home with leftovers. The amount of fries they give you (for the price of $5) is enough to feed the whole country of Africa [this might be offensive. If so, I will fix]. Just kidding! But it is still quite the hefty load compared to McDonalds or In-N-Out. And no, I’m not speaking from an anorexic girl’s point of view. Need I remind you I’m called Glutton Girl for a reason? And if you don’t think the stringy melted cheese blanketing the hot chili adds enough flavor to the fat fries, The Hat has tons of condiments (horseradish, thousand island, relish, mayonnaise just to name a few) for you to mix and match with. They even have an everlasting supply of pickled jalapenos for those out there with a high tolerance for spicy foods. Their large servings make up for their lack of low prices.
Now, onto the Pastrami. Their Pastrami sandwich (called the Pastrami Dip) is set at $6.99, the same price if you get a Pastrami Burger. And if you add Pastrami to your fries order, it costs an extra $4. When I ordered the Dip, I was expecting a sandwich with one or two layers of meat. But boy, did I underestimate their portions yet again. The sandwich consists of a multilayered conglomeration of shredded pastrami and a few pickles smashed between two au jus dipped fluffy bread. Salty but a little tangy at the same time (the pickles and any other condiments you might add), this Pastrami Dip really packs a punch. Can you say heart attack? With all this meaty goodness, you might want to try the Orange Bang from their list of drinks. It’s refreshingly fulfilling and tastes delectably fruity especially after a mouthful of grease. The horchata is also a very satisfying drink.
So... my verdict? I can’t say their pastrami deserves the title of WORLD famous, but maybe more towards STATE famous? And pastrami isn’t the only thing people keep coming back for. The Chili Fries and Orange Bang are good enough reasons. The big thing I could complain about though is the amount of oil and fat cooked into every bite of their food. It’s not very healthy I must say. You could get a heart attack from the tastiness of the food, but then again, the heart attack could just be a result of all that oil clogging up your arteries. I wouldn’t suggest eating here every day, but The Hat is a must eat for anyone wanting a fulfilling meal that will send your taste buds to heaven and back.

[insert witty intro here]
The Hat boasts of its long history –55 years in the making from 1951 to 2006 (it’s more like 59 if you’re living in the present). The first thing you might notice on their neon sign are the huge words ‘WORLD FAMOUS PASTRAMI’ atop the less noticeable ‘Burgers,’ ‘Dogs,’ and ‘Chili.’ My goal? To see if their pastrami is as famous as they say it is.
Located on the corner of Rosemead and Broadway, The Hat sports an L-shaped building with a simple interior design of wooden benches and tables. It’s a very typical American food menu with selections of burgers, cold sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, and a few other choices. Prices are moderate, nothing too expensive: Sandwiches average around $5 (not the pastrami though) and burgers and fries fluctuate between $2 to $5 (minus the pastrami as well). Now, before you ask me why I chose this place if the prices are only mediocre, you should take a look at the portions of the entrees. Take the Chili Fries, for example. I used to frequently come to The Hat with a few friends just for the Chili Fries. And I would go home with leftovers. The amount of fries they give you (for the price of $5) is enough to feed the whole country of Africa [this might be offensive. If so, I will fix][no, i think it is fine] . Just kidding! But it is still quite the hefty load compared to McDonalds or In-N-Out. And no, I’m not speaking from an anorexic girl’s point of view. Need I remind you I’m called Glutton Girl for a reason? And if you don’t think the stringy melted cheese blanketing the hot chili adds enough flavor to the fat fries, The Hat has tons of condiments (horseradish, thousand island, relish, mayonnaise just to name a few) for you to mix and match with. They even have an everlasting supply of pickled jalapenos for those out there with a high tolerance for spicy foods. Their large servings make up for their lack of low prices.
Now, onto the Pastrami. Their Pastrami sandwich (called the Pastrami Dip) is set at $6.99, the same price if you get a Pastrami Burger. And if you add Pastrami to your fries order, it costs an extra $4. When I ordered the Dip, I was expecting a sandwich with one or two layers of meat. But boy, did I underestimate their portions yet again. The sandwich consists of a multilayered conglomeration of shredded pastrami and a few pickles smashed between two au jus dipped fluffy bread. Salty but a little tangy at the same time (the pickles and any other condiments you might add), this Pastrami Dip really packs a punch. Can you say heart attack? With all this meaty goodness, you might want to try the Orange Bang from their list of drinks. It’s refreshingly fulfilling and tastes delectably fruity especially after a mouthful of grease. The horchata[should this be capitalized?] is also a very satisfying drink.
So... my verdict? I can’t say their pastrami deserves the title of WORLD famous, but maybe more towards STATE famous? And pastrami isn’t the only thing people keep coming back for. The Chili Fries and Orange Bang are good enough reasons. The big thing I could complain about though is the amount of oil and fat cooked into every bite of their food. It’s not very healthy I must say. You could get a heart attack from the tastiness of the food, but then again, the heart attack could just be a result of all that oil clogging up your arteries. I wouldn’t suggest eating here every day, but The Hat is a must eat for anyone wanting a fulfilling meal that will send your taste buds to heaven and back.

Wave goodbye to slow painful nights doing last minute homework and say hello to long relaxing days under the hot summer sun. As the school year draws to a close, the seniors begin to pack up their bags while the soon-to-be-freshmen start to shake with fear about their new role in the high school food chain. Seniors will be missed, yet we will all soon learn that life goes on even after the ceremonial graduation, tassel flipping, and tossing of the hats. And speaking of hats, I would like to tip my hat for this month's review location: The Hat.
The Hat boasts of its long history –55 years in the making from 1951 to 2006 (it’s more like 59 if you’re living in the present). The first thing you might notice on their neon sign are the huge words ‘WORLD FAMOUS PASTRAMI’ atop the less noticeable ‘Burgers,’ ‘Dogs,’ and ‘Chili.’ My goal? To see if their pastrami is as famous as they say it is.
Located on the corner of Rosemead and Broadway, The Hat sports an L-shaped building with a simple interior design of wooden benches and tables. It’s a very typical American food menu with selections of burgers, cold sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, and a few other choices. Prices are moderate, nothing too expensive: Sandwiches average around $5 (not the pastrami though) and burgers and fries fluctuate between $2 to $5 (minus the pastrami as well). Now, before you ask me why I chose this place if the prices are only mediocre, you should take a look at the portions of the entrees. Take the Chili Fries, for example. I used to frequently come to The Hat with a few friends just for the Chili Fries. And I would go home with leftovers. The amount of fries they give you (for the price of $5) is enough to feed the whole country of Africa. Just kidding! But it is still quite the hefty load compared to McDonalds or In-N-Out. And no, I’m not speaking from an anorexic girl’s point of view. Need I remind you I’m called Glutton Girl for a reason? And if you don’t think the stringy melted cheese blanketing the hot chili adds enough flavor to the fat fries, The Hat has tons of condiments (horseradish, thousand island, relish, mayonnaise just to name a few) for you to mix and match with. They even have an everlasting supply of pickled jalapenos for those out there with a high tolerance for spicy foods. Their large servings make up for their lack of low prices.
Now, onto the Pastrami. Their Pastrami sandwich (called the Pastrami Dip) is set at $6.99, the same price if you get a Pastrami Burger. And if you add Pastrami to your fries order, it costs an extra $4. When I ordered the Dip, I was expecting a sandwich with one or two layers of meat. But boy, did I underestimate their portions yet again. The sandwich consists of a multilayered conglomeration of shredded pastrami and a few pickles smashed between two au jus dipped fluffy bread. Salty but a little tangy at the same time (the pickles and any other condiments you might add), this Pastrami Dip really packs a punch. Can you say heart attack? With all this meaty goodness, you might want to try the Orange Bang from their list of drinks. It’s refreshingly fulfilling and tastes delectably fruity especially after a mouthful of grease. The Horchata is also a very satisfying drink.
So... my verdict? I can’t say their pastrami deserves the title of WORLD famous, but maybe more towards STATE famous? And pastrami isn’t the only thing people keep coming back for. The Chili Fries and Orange Bang are good enough reasons. The big thing I could complain about though is the amount of oil and fat cooked into every bite of their food. It’s not very healthy I must say. You could get a heart attack from the tastiness of the food, but then again, the heart attack could just be a result of all that oil clogging up your arteries. I wouldn’t suggest eating here every day, but The Hat is a must eat for anyone wanting a fulfilling meal that will send your taste buds to heaven and back.