With the speed of a finely tuned pit crew, El Take It Easy transformed overnight (seriously, if you blinked you missed it) into a vintage racing-themed burger joint, Hubcap, that's abandoned the former Baja menu for grass-fed beef creations you can sink your teeth into, like their classically topped namesake burger, incorporating their homemade mayo and house pickles between the sesame seed bun, or an amped-up version with bonus toppings like Fritos, fried ham, or uni pate. While the bones of their North Park location are still pretty much the same, they’ve added some slick metal tables, lightened the place up with a fresh coat of Wimbledon White, and put metal panels in the front that fold down to let in some light and create patio seating. Tires, tailpipes, and other random car parts add to the automotive theme, a jukebox sits in the corner belting tunes from the likes of Guns N' Roses and Bad Company (hopefully not a commentary on your tablemates), old movies (think Steven McQueen) play on the flat screen over the bar and, thanks to the light fixtures, somewhere there’s a Thunderbird and a Caddy missing their hubcaps. Drink one of the eight brews on draft, or opt for one of their cocktails like the Mezkey Ginger (bourbon, mezcal, ginger beer & maraschino) by the glass or the pitcher. So... yeah, get a pitcher. These fries are covered in red-eye gravy, and because that's not unhealthy enough, they also get ham and Hubcap’s "fluffy cheese" made from a blend of sharp cheddar, blue, and cream cheeses. Because fries don’t count as a vegetable, try the roasted local squash that’s been split in half, roasted, seared in a pan, and served with pesto, which might help your efforts to keep your waistline from transforming overnight.
