Housemade ketchup?

[ipsedixit]

I'm on a bit of a ketchup kick.

May all time favorite is Heinz.

In my opinion, Heinz simply is ketchup perfected. And then some.

But then I've been sort of challenged to find a housemade ketchup that is better (to me, anyway) than the classic Heinz iteration.

So, 'Hounds, what say you?

What places make really great in-house ketchup? Good enough to give Heinz a run for its money?

[J.L.]

I enjoyed Chef Laurent Quenioux's housemade "green" ketchup at Bistro LQ, served with the amazing cheese tray.

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Bistro LQ
8009 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048

[wienermobile]

Umami Burger.

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Umami Burger
850 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Umami Burger
4655 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[Obessed]

Oinkster

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Oinkster
2005 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

[soniabegonia]

definitely Oinkster.

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Oinkster
2005 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

[OCSteve]

I'm with you on Heinz. I don't know if it's just because that's what I grew up or if it really is the best, but I really don't care.

Haven Gastropub in Orange has pretty good housemade ketchup.

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Haven Gastropub
190 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

[rednyellow]

Same here. Heinz or Del Monte are what I expect it to taste like and places that make their own just don't do it for me. I'd love to be proven wrong somewhere, just hasn't happened yet.

[Dommy]

Generally I'm with you... I don't like most housemade ketchups including Umami... their flavor profiles are always off. But the one that is closest to Heinz, but still gives off a good flavor is at Chili Addiction on La Cienega... I'd even take theirs over heinz...

--Dommy!

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Chili Addiction
408 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

[reality check]

Umami was the first name I thought of, too. But, I'm not a fan, you're right Dommy, the flavor profile is off.

[darrelll]

I take Heinz and add Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot sauce to the ketchup and I prefer it to the standard Heinz. We used to prefer Heinz over Del Monte because Heinz was thicker consistency and more flavor. To make my own housemade ketchup is a snap. I use tomato paste, dilute with water to desired consistency, a dash of sugar if the paste is sour and add some fresh herbs on hand either basil or thyme, some black pepper and some hot sauce and it kicks 57 no problem.

[WildSwede]

The house-made curry ketchup at Dog Haus in Pasadena is really, really good.

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Dog Haus
105 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

[yinyangdi]

I really like the housemade ketchup at Salt's Cure.

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Salt's Cure
7494 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

[goodhealthgourmet]

[gasp!] ipse, ketchup? are you feeling okay? i'm worried about you as i sit here dipping carrots in mustard...

[deet13]

Jufran Banana Ketchup.
http://www.amazon.com/Jufran-Banana-S...

I got hooked on the horrible stuff the first time I went to Luzon, and have been ordering it on Amazon ever since.

[maxcatsilver]

There are far better bottled ketchups on the market than Heinz, in all its mainstream corn syrupy glory.

Try this instead:

http://sirkensingtons.com/

Both spiced and regular are far superior IMHO.

[Jeryy]

The Curious Palate on Venice Blvd in Mar Vista makes a really good, nicely complex ketchup. But, the thing about Heinz is, its value is not measured by objective criteria: it's more familiar than mother's milk - it defines the word for me. It's really Proustian in its appeal - a plate of french fries, good or bad, wouldn't make my heart sing without Heinz ketchup.

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The Curious Palate
12034 Venice Boulevard, Mar Vista, CA

[TracyS]

8 oz makes an interesting purple ketchup that's served with their mini kobe corndogs.

[aching]

Have you tried the ketchup at Hole in the Wall Burger Joint? I remember they had some funny signage up basically saying that their housemade ketchup was made with love and the Heinz ketchup next to it was definitely not made with love - but to be honest, it's been so long I can't really remember what it tasted like!

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Hole in the Wall Burger Joint
11058 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

[yinyangdi]

It as been a couple of months since I last ate at Hole in the Wall Burger Joint but remember the house made ketchup, at first taste, as having funky undertones, and thinking it quite tasty by the end of my fries.

[Dommy]

Yeah... funky would explain it... I liked the Heinz better... It's funny that they offer both, I think the story is that the owner is in love with Heinz as well...LOL!!

--Dommy!