The excellent hamburger prepared and served at the Balboa Cafe is unlike any other in the city. Instead of a sesame seed bun or a slice of focaccia or a sourdough roll, the starch of choice is a crisp, slender, hollowed-out baguette that serves as a delicate crust for the thick and juicy slab of grilled beef. The result is a hamburger at once hearty, elegant, and absolutely appropriate to the restaurant's clubby ambience of crisp napery, dark woods, brass accents, and handsome artworks. House-cured pickles, citrusy-peppery red onion rings, and crisp little french fries hot from the oil accompany your burger; mushrooms, griddled onions, bacon, cheddar, Swiss, jack, and blue cheese are available for an extra stipend.