PCG Burger

Surf & Turf Burger

The view from the patio

For the third stop on our summer beach tour, San Diego Burger Club went to Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff today.  Like Poseidon, Pacific Coast Grill is a place where your primary goal should be to enjoy the view, rather than the burger.  We uniformly rated the meal a C (or as some noted, a “Sea”), while the view was clearly an A.

It was a beautiful day in Cardiff and we sat on the patio and enjoyed the weather to its fullest.  The sky was blue with only a few clouds.  It was sunny but with a nice breeze to keep the temperature in check.  The waves were nice with a smattering of surfers.  Basically, the atmosphere was great.

The burgers, on the other hand, were “okay”.  The menu claims the burgers are made from “certified ‘Sterling’ Chuck”.  We asked our waiter what this meant and he said it had something to do with the kind of beef.  That answer didn’t inspire a lot of confidence, so we did a little research and turned up the Sterling Silver division of Cargill , Inc.  This company apparently works with producers and grades meats using a “camera vision” system.  According to the Sterling website, their meat is “highly marbled for rich flavor and aged to perfection” and “every cut is tender, juicy and flavorful every time.”  We didn’t really find that to be the case.  The burgers seemed very plain and lacking in flavor — almost as if Pacific Coast Grill thought the meat alone would be so flavorful that no salt or pepper or anything else was needed.  Even the Surf & Turf Burger pictured above, which comes with lobster & crab salad, jack cheese, avocado, bacon, and chile-lime mayo, tasted plain.

The fries also were surprisingly plain.  One member likened them to what you would expect if you ordered fries that were supposed to be low in calories.  The fries were thin but they were not crispy, and they tasted a bit funny like maybe they were fried in some kind of unusual oil.  We couldn’t quite put our fingers on it, but basically the fries were not flavorful.  A few bites and I was pretty much done with the fries.  After adding a healthy dose of salt though I was at least able to keep picking at them.

All of this came for the low low price of $19 (for a PCG burger, drink, and tip) plus $5 for parking and valet tip.

Is it worth it?  Certainly not if you are going there to enjoy a great burger.  But if you are looking for a leisurely lunch by the beach in a place with a nice atmosphere, Pacific Coast Grill fits the bill.