Unusual spots for offbeat burgers

There is no shortage of burgers in this town, whether classic or updated (you know, with truffles or bleu cheese or Parmesan crisps). But the truly offbeat burger shines in some unexpected places. Looking for a halal chicken tikka burger? A soul turkey burger with yams on a sesame seed bun? An Angus beef patty between two Belgian waffles? L.A.’s got it all. Here are a few from recent Find columns.

--

Bruxie: This waffle stand in Old Towne Orange sells s’mores-stuffed and prosciutto-packed Belgian waffle sandwiches. Leavened not by baking powder but by yeast, the waffles are crisp yet delicate, pliable enough to be folded over sweet and savory fillings, sturdy enough to support a serious sandwich. The burger is juicy Angus beef with cheddar, sweet-sour pickles, lettuce and tomato. It’s a fine example of a reengineered classic, one joined with a wink and a nudge by an order of waffle fries.

292 N. Glassell St., Orange, (714) 633-3900, www.bruxie .com.

Toni’s Soul Burger: Toni Malone’s towering burgers may be the most ambitious in all of L.A. The signature burger is a hand-formed turkey patty, a crispy lattice of turkey bacon, a fried egg, a single slice of cheese, sweet mashed yams and wilted collard greens on a gently toasted sesame seed bun. It’s a triumph of maximalism, a burger in expert balance despite its seeming overabundance of ingredients.

1035 S. Prairie Ave., Suite 2, Inglewood, (310) 419-7685, www.tonissoulburger.com.

Sattdown: At this tiny Jamaican gem in Studio City, owner Tony Hyde’s cooking weaves the Caribbean’s fusion of European, African and East Indian tastes into what he calls “my new vibration of Jamaican flavor.” He’s got a fun lineup of burgers (chicken, salmon, vegetarian), each with its own flavorings. A beef version topped with almost caramelized onions gets its ultra flavor jolt from a Jamaica-fied “ketchup,” a fresh pepper and fruit-paste blend that includes Jamaican Scotch bonnets.

11320 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 766-3696, www.satt downjamaicangrill.com.

Red Chili Express: At Red Chili Pakistani restaurant in Northridge, smoke-laden aromas come from spice-crusted, tandoori-charred meats. But at Red Chili Express -- its sister restaurant in a stylishly converted doughnut shop in the same strip mall -- sandwiches stand in place of the expected kebabs and curries. A chicken tikka burger is topped with pepper jack cheese or with mango barbecue sauce. And all dishes are halal -- the Muslim equivalent of kosher.

18112 Parthenia St., Northridge, (818) 775-0633.

King’s Burgers/Got Sushi?: And if you happen to want sushi with your burger, this is the spot. Truffles shaved onto wild-caught yellowtail sashimi or kanpachi nigiri splashed with black caviar might begin your omakase at Got Sushi? Close your eyes and for a moment it’s easy to forget that this tiny sushi bar is squeezed into a corner of King’s Burgers, a fully operational burger joint in Northridge. There is omakase, and then there are the fully loaded pastrami burgers.

9345 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, (818) 885-6456.

food@latimes.com

-- Betty Hallock, Linda Burum, Miles Clements and C. Thi Nguyen