Southern Sierran
Chapter Benefactor O!burger Greens an American Classic

Photo By: Elizabeth Saas O!burger's Martha Chang and Andy Soboil

Organic cuisine. For many of us, these words conjure an exotic experience—we think of new foods for which we must acquire a taste sold at prices for which we must acquire a second job to pay.

The owners of O!burger (8593 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood) Martha Chang and Andy Soboil say think again.

Chang and Soboil have re-invented the beloved American burger joint and they've made it planet-friendly. More astonishingly, they've made it good-for-you. During a recent visit there, I succumbed to the temptation of a cheeseburger and fries. Usually indulging in this weakness lands me right in a food coma, but the fare at O!burger, while rich and delicious in taste, did not make me want to nap afterwards. The effect is satisfying as opposed to stuffing, a rarity in the burger-sphere as I know it.

Inspiration for the venture struck the pair when Soboil, working as a private chef, noticed organic food coming into vogue with his clientele. "We came up with the idea of a completely organic burger place where organic food isn't precious," Chang recalled, adding, "Organic food shouldn't be a luxury, and good, clean food shouldn't be an expensive or foreign experience."

Soboil agrees. "This is organic food for everyone. A mother can feel good about her child eating a hot dog here because it's organic."

While their commitment to organic food cannot be overstated--a full 100% of the menu, from bun to condiments to side dishes, is organic, O!burger's green ethos expands into any issue of sustainability related to their business. The restaurant's wooden panels are made from reclaimed wood from a farm. All of the packaging is recyclable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. Their cleaning products and their paint are all toxin-free.

Staying at sustainability's cutting edge is part of their business plan. "Our goal's to stay on the cusp of green," says Chang, "it's a dialogue we try to keep alive between the two of us."

For more, visit www.oburger.net.

[top of page]