Humble Potato

With a second location which opened less than two months ago in Culver City [the original location being Westchester], you'd think Humble Potato is out-growing its humble ways.  The good news is that it's not, so we can continue to love Humble Potato in all of its cutesy hipster glory.

Cute + hip.  But importantly, does it serve good food?... yes.

Humble Potato is a casual, Japanese-fusion "hambuga" & hot dog shop that "introduce[s] savory Japanese flavor twists to American comfort food."  What does that even mean?  Check it.

Take the classic American hamburger, hot dog, and fries and add some curry, ginger, yuzu, and other Japanese spices to add some Asian flair.  It's like when I was a kid, I'd add gochujang on my cheeseburger.  Too bad I didn't/ don't have enough business savvy to open up a Korean-style hamburger place (I'd call it Simple Yam).  But lucky for us all, we have Humble Potato.

Kare Fries -- Sunny egg and Japanese curry with carrots over crispy potatoes -- $6

The Kare Fries are kind of similar to poutine sans the cheese, but with thicker gravy/ curry and a sunny-side egg.  A concept that is delicious, mind you.  And the sweet curry compliments the crispy fries quite well.  These will go fast.

Sweet Potato Fries -- $5

Jack'd -- 1/4-lb Angus beef patty, melted pepper jack cheese, caramelized onion, applewood-smoked bacon, avocado, soy-pickled jalapenos on a sweet brioche bun -- $11

Battle Royale -- 1/4-lb Angus beef patty, melted cheddar, caramelized onion, smoked bacon, garlic jam, romaine, tomato, avocado, Japanese spices, spicy HP sauce, and sunny egg on a buttered brioche -- $13

With so many different ingredients, trying to eat the burger without creating a mess will be a true challenge.  Messy or even messier, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that one particular ingredient didn't really overpower the other, complimenting each other quite well to create a satisfying party in your belly.  If you prefer your burger a particular way (i.e., meat cooked well-done), don't be afraid to let them know.

Runny. Egg. Yolk. -- gross to some, but fantastic to me.

For those who want to stick to more simpler dishes, try the Hambaga, their signature burger with less accroutrements, or the classic Japanese chicken katsu with kare.  For the vegetarians, there are a couple (literally, two) salad options, fried potato served in four different ways, and a Japanese-style grilled cheese that includes a hash-brown crisp (carbs, dairy, carbs).

Unlike its Westchester sibling, the Culver City location is now serving up a wide variety of beers (Ichiban and Sapporo on tap!), wine and sake to help wash down every bite of your tasty meal.

Plus, Humble Potato's haiku-esque vision/ mission/ pledge is wholly worth supporting:

Simple Food.  Happy People.

Humble Lasts. Hunger Shouldn't.

Where There's Good Will,

There's Good Eats.

Eat Well.  Feel Good.

Live Humbly.

cuisine: Japanese-American Fusion
location: Culver City
hours:
websites: { HP | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
attire: Casual
price: $10-15
notes: Good for brunch, good for lunch, good for dinner and good for late-night/anytime snacks.