One of my late husband’s favorite T-shirts was one by the artist Yoshitomo Nara. It read, “Nothing ever happens.” A depressing thought. Whenever he wore it, I’d shake my head, thinking, “Something always happens.”

But, for one corner on Pauoa Road, the statement rang true. Save for the comings and goings at Pauoa Chop Suey, I rarely saw much pedestrian action on this stretch of road near the entrance to Pali Highway, classic drive-through territory giving motorists little reason to stop.

Living in the area, I drove by frequently, eyeing a storefront that had served as a storage room for years. Through its glass windows I could see boxes stacked floor to ceiling, and with no better apparent tenant for eight or nine years, I dreamed of renting the 500-square-foot space to serve as a walk-in closet. Then, last year, activity surrounded the space.

Out went the boxes, in came Ernesto Limcaco and Kara Shimamura, and following them, dozens of customers hungry for a bite of their Burgers and Things, including hand-formed burgers made from meat of choice, such as wagyu ($11), Niihau lamb ($12), or grass-fed Kauai beef ($16) on a brioche bun. An upgrade to a pretzel bun costs $1 more.

Everyone has a different measure for the magnificence of a burger. It starts with the quality of beef offered, followed by doneness, use of fillers or the lack thereof, as well as choice of toppings.

I would like to suggest another yardstick: the napkin test. That is, how many napkins does it take to clean up the juices dribbling from your lips and fingers? As a person who tries to live green, I loathe wastefulness and can typically get the job done with a single napkin. Over at Burgers and Things, it takes three, the mark of a burger three times as juicy as its competitors’. I felt bad for the planet but glad for my opu.

Limcaco had worked for several restaurants from here to California before settling in as executive chef at food distributor Y. Hata & Co. for 13 years. Then, approaching 60 in 2013, he decided to strike out on his own to pursue his small-business dream.

“If culinarians tell you they don’t want to pursue their own restaurant, they’re lying. We all want to open our own restaurant,” he said. “For me it was thinking that what I would regret more on my deathbed is not what I’ve done, but what I haven’t done.” He was going to make something happen.

Now his old boss is among his restaurant suppliers, and Limcaco has partnered with Shimamura, a former Y. Hata culinary intern, one of many he has kept up with over the years.

Their hole-in-the-wall burger joint is all about fun and hospitality. Shimamura often wears a Wonder Woman apron, and the walls are dressed in comic book cover images. A box of toys keeps little ones occupied while parents wait for their meals.

Burgers and sandwiches have playful names such as Don’t Go Bacon My Heart ($6.50) with candied rosemary bacon, lettuce and tomato; Zucchini Got Me ($6.50), sauteed veggies with pepper jack; and Wagyu Say?! ($11), one of the best of the bunch, the burger cooked medium rare and topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions, and creamy horseradish sauce.

The restaurant is actually run out of two spaces, the dining room where to-go prep is done and orders are taken, and an adjoining kitchen where Limcaco creates the char-crusted burgers and the jus that makes even the most well-done patty juicy.

For those who opt for takeout, great care is taken to provide the best burger experience possible. The hot burger patty and bun with fixings are served separately so the veggies don’t wilt and the bun doesn’t get soggy from all that jus.

The most basic of the burgers is the Juicy Burger, which goes against conventional belief in the beauty of rare meat. Instead, Limcaco cooks his burger to a well-done state before soaking it in garlicky jus to restore its juiciness.

My favorite is the Lamb Bam Thank You Ma’am ($12), the tender Niihau lamb braised to desired done­ness in a honey-mint vinegar, then topped with bacon, apple, maple jam and honey pesto. If there’s too much sweetness in one spot, just move it around.

When it comes to food, I’m a bit of a spoiled brat — when I think foie gras, I think of thick, opulent slices. So, for me, the Un-foie-gettable ($16) burger, with minced bits of overcooked foie gras, didn’t measure up. But, it could seem like a little taste of heaven for someone who can’t otherwise get foie gras at that price.

A small house salad ($2) or Caesar ($3) with white anchovy dressing might accompany burgers. Daily chalkboard specials can range from balsamic chicken adobo ($7.50) to various potato dishes such as a wasabi pesto tri-colored potato salad ($2) to roasted garlic mashed potatoes ($2). The various potato dishes compensate for the lack of french fries.

A lengthy government permitting process kept the restaurant in limbo for a year and a half, and Limcaco said he’s not up for another battle to gain approval for a deep fryer.

Despite the difficulties of running a small business, Limcaco says, “I have no regrets. It’s been a marvelous journey.”

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.