When I was in Miami last week I stumbled on a "Five Guys" restaurant location on Washington Street. I'd heard of Five Guys from the news media coverage when the president makes his jaunts to a local Five Guys joint close to the White House, but I had never even seen one before. So when I saw the sign I decided I had to check it out and decide for myself if they are worth the hype. Living in Southern California, our local favorite for fast food burgers is a family-owned chain called In-N-Out Burger. They are legendary here, and really delicious too. So in I went to see what it was all about.
Have you ever gone into a place that had a reputation of having a particular type of menu that only the locals know how to order from? That's how In N Out is here in So Cal. There is a semi-secret menu of ways you can order a burger that is part of the lore of eating at In N Out. I suspect the same is true for Five Guys. I stared at the menu wondering what the trick was to ordering here. To keep things simple I just asked for a cheeseburger. She shouted back to the grill guys something about a double. Before I knew it I had ordered my cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions ketchup and mustard. "AND MUSTARD?" She asked? Yes, I want both ketchup and mustard I confirmed. She peddled fries on me as well. I sat and waited while they cooked to order. The folks in the kitchen called out to each other all sorts of commands and secret kitchen talk. Soon my order was called and I excitedly collected my order. The fries were huge, sitting in a Styrofoam cup within a brown paper bag. They were really greasy. I hated the idea of a Styrofoam cup- it seemed so bad for the environment these days. What IS Styrofoam anyway? The burger, however was quite delicious. I savored every bite and decided Five Guys burgers were every bit as good as In N Out. Their fries however were not nearly as good, so in the end I shall remain a fiercely loyal West Coast In N Out boy. It was still fun to experience something new and share my fast food cuisine with you here. So for those of you who imagine (incorrectly) that I only eat grass fed organic beef filet in fancy restaurants, well that's only partly true. I love a good fast food burger from time to time. At least now I know where to get one when I am back on the East Coast.
-Rick Rockhill
8 comments:
I've never had a Fast Food Burger from anywhere...Not IN & OUT or McDonald's ot American Burger, etc., etc.....I think I basically have never trusted the meat in any of these places...Plus, I eat so little meat at all anymore---and haven't for probably 40 years. It's fun to read about this place Rick...Thanks for sharing this.
Five Guys RULES. I like mine with jalapenos and A1 sauce. The fries are hit or miss. They give you SO much that if it's a miss, it's a waste.
We have two locations here in Nashville. I haven't tried them yet. Too many good local choices... May have to give it a try... and skip the fries...
The last time we were in CA, our daughter made a special trip to find an In and Out burger place. We didn't eat there, so I can't say, but she swears by them. We have Five Guys here, but I've never been there. Maybe now I'll try them out.
Very seldom do I ever eat a burger, but I do crave one every once in a while. The last time we were in San Diego, we went to an In and Out. The burger was good. There is a Five Guys not to far from here. We'll have to try it.
I've never been to In & Out, of course it's been years since I've been off the east coast. Really? A secret menu of ways to order a burger? Please tell me more. Sounds interesting : )
As for Five Guys ... they're known for their burgers and fries. I use vinegar on the fries, this is the way I get the fries at the beach too. I prefer my fries crispy and my burger less greasy, but when you're with a group, you go with the flow. I usually order my burger the way you did, no one has ever said anything to me ... in fact I usually get relish on my burger too ; P
My kids like the bins of peanuts. One eats them, the other only shells them.
HOLY MOLE! GET ME TO THAT BURGER JOINT PRONTO! LOOKS DEELISH! Thanks for the recommendation!
I love a good burger, too, and I've heard of these guys, but I really, really love the fries at In 'n Out. Can't beat the freshness.
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