Gastronomic Gutbuster: Beer Belly

If you're starting a diet soon, I highly recommend you go to Beer Belly.  Not for your diet.  For your last hurrah before your diet.

I imagine the beer here is really good.  I imagine because I can't actually tell you because I don't drink beer, but I did have a great spicy Blenheim ginger ale ($3).

Death by Duck -- duck fat fries, duck skin cracklins, duck confit, raspberry mustard ($8).

A damn good way to die.  Freakishly delicious.  Even non-duck-loving Amber was a fan!

Buttermilk fried chicken -- breast strips, roasted corn aioli ($9).

While the rest of us were quacking, Eleana cried, "Give chicken a chance!"  And, boy, were we glad we did.

The Duck French Dip -- sage-roasted duck breast, Provolone, duck-skin horseradish aioli, duck au jus, pickled onions ($14).

Sometimes it's the condiments that really make a sandwich.  Gold stars for the duck-skin horseradish aioli and the duck au jus!

The Beer Belly Grilled Cheese -- cheddar, Asiago, Gruyere, goat cheese, applewood bacon, maple syrup ($11).

Maple syrup!  Yes, once again, the condiment made the sandwich.  What an epic inclusion!  At our table, Mercy recognized this first.

Chipotle and beer-braised short rib -- cheddar puff pastry, roasted short rib jus, dill and onion housemade chips ($15).

Hard to believe that this dish came from a street-art-adorned Koreatown structure and not a fancy-schmancy Beverly Hills establishment.

Deep-fried mint Oreos, Nutella, strawberry puree, whipped cream, strawberry sugar, chocolate chip ice cream ($5).

This tasted like the county fair.  I like the county fair.

Next time I want to try the deep-fried cheddar with beer and bacon batter and jalapeño aioli.  And pork belly chips.  And steak and garlic truffle fries.  And pizza mac 'n' cheese.  And a fried Twinkie.