Everest big on taste, affordability

EverestMost third-graders could tell you that Everest is big. The biggest, in fact. While I’m not certain that Everest’s burgers are the biggest around, I will make the claim that they are among the tastiest in town. And the restaurant’s motto, “Excellent Quality, Generous Portions, Great Prices” is no tall tale.

Everything is cooked to order, so the food is hot and fresh, the servings are truly mountainous and the prices are mole-hill tiny.

The menu offers a large selection of burgers, salads and sandwiches, as well as tacos, burritos and gyros. One of my favorite dishes is the carne asada taco ($2.89).

Two corn tortillas cradle a mound of tender marinated and grilled steak, under a pile of frilly shredded lettuce and bright, chopped tomatoes. Melted cheese lurks below the meat, clinging to the soft tortillas. A shot of fresh and tangy salsa verde, and I’m good to go. The carnitas taco is another tasty choice.

The biggest draw at Everest must be the burgers. There aren’t many places where the real burger looks as good as, if not better than, the food-styled photo on the menu. But these burgers are camera-ready and gorgeous, with sesame-sprinkled buns, perfectly melted cheese peeking out from the edges and tomato slices about ½-inch thick.

Red onion slices, crunchily cold iceberg lettuce and a sharp pickle tang make this burger a winner, and worth every calorie. (There’s a well-known exercise studio nearly next door for the dedicated, although the lady in line behind me confessed that she had just finished working out, and the aroma of charbroiled beef had lured her in.)

A ¼-pound burger will set you back $2.49, a cheeseburger an extra 30 cents. The prices go up along with the extras, which include all the usuals, along with pastrami(!), but the most expensive burger offered is $4.99.

Fries are thin and crisp, with a trace of peel on the edges. When I do indulge, I ask for well-done fries, and the results are nearly irresistible. A small order spills up and over the confines of the cardboard container. Onion rings are shatteringly crisp and crunchy.

Everest offers two gyros, the traditional beef-and-lamb mixture, or chicken ($4.49). Both are packed with tender, well-seasoned meat on a puffy pita, with slivered onions and tomato slices. Tasty yogurt sauce rounds out the flavors on this healthier option.

A Greek salad ($4.19) is another healthful alternative to traditional fast-food choices, with crisply fresh lettuce, glistening Kalamata olives, tomato wedges and plenty of tangy feta.

So, trek on over to Everest for mountains of flavorful food at tiny prices.

FYI:

WHAT: Everest

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: 3826 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta

COST: $2.49 to $6.79

CONTACT: (818) 249-9402

* CHERIE MERCER TWOHY teaches cooking in La Cañada Flintridge. She can be reached at www.chezcherie.com.