Rick's Burgers - Pasadena

I was introduced to Rick's late one night after using somewhat toxic adhesives to glue together the cardboard packaging for the Best of Flipside Vinyl Fanzines 2 CD compilation (chances are pretty good that if you own one, I touched it)... After folding, gluing and inhaling fumes for hours hunger set in - Smith and Al decided on the particulars of where and that's how I was introduced to the spuderito... A wonderful, starchy concoction that hits the spot with the proper amount of tasty sustenance no matter what the circumstance. I have some very fond memories of working with Al on the fanzine and taking a break for lunch or a late night snack and going to Rick's - it was and still is the same thing every time for me - one spuderito, one bean tostda and a vanilla shake.

I don't know how Rick's Drive-In came to mind this year. Maybe it was a discussion between me and Tomme about where to take the dogs for a drive... I googled Rick's and discovered that it's going to be shut down for the same reason as a lot of places in the Los Angeles area - land prices are at an all time high and most old places are being put out of business for "redevelopment", which generally means one of two things... A new building that will make far more money for the owner (mixed-use high density is really fashionable now) or terrible boutiques and franchise places. Since learning of the imminent demise we've been trying to make it out there whenever possible for a Sunday drive. The dogs enjoy it and it tastes good.

I discovered the clips below on YouTube...

Someone's home movies of the spud... somewhat goofy narration, but you get to see the spud.
Rick's Drive-in - "The Spuderito" Part I

Rick's Drive-in - "The Spuderito" Part II


This is something that was filmed at Rick's... You might recognize the folks behind the counter if you're a Rick's frequenter.
Silent Drums (excerpt)