Five Guys Burgers and Fries

At least in my neck of the woods, In N' Out is generally revered as the "King" (competitor names notwithstanding) of fast food burger chains. Southern California residents are smugly gleeful about their unfettered access to animal style double doubles, and In N' Out probably gets as many tourists each year as Disneyland and the Santa Monica pier.

I used to be one of the self-righteous In N' Out disciples, but my first bite of a burger from Five Guys Burgers and Fries cured me of that misguided monotheism.

Five Guys is a Virginia-based franchise chain hell-bent on expansion, which is a very very good thing for those of you (okay me) that believe cheeseburgers are one of life's great food pleasures. Put simply, their burgers put In N' Out to shame.

The Five Guys concept is simple: juicy burgers made right in front of you (in about 5 to 7 minutes), unlimited toppings, fresh hot fries (regular or Cajun) cooked in peanut oil, and for those of you who can skip the burger (or have room for some extras), hot dogs and grilled sandwiches. And did I mention there are big bins of bulk peanuts for snacking while you wait?!?

The default Five Guys burger (available as hamburger, cheeseburger, or bacon cheeseburger + toppings) is a two-patty monster. So if you're like me and only need one patty at noontime, go for the not-so-small "Little" burger. Available toppings include mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A-1 Sauce, BBQ Sauce and Hot Sauce.

My go-to burger has been a Little Bacon Cheeseburger with jalapenos and BBQ sauce. Spicy deliciousness, and they get the bacon perfectly crispy every time. The Bacon Cheeseburger with grilled mushrooms, mustard and grilled onions is also good, but I'm such a fiend for jalapenos that I only got that combo one time.

I am surprised at how much I like the Five Guys fries. Unlike some people I know (cough - Babs - cough) I am not a huge potato person. If I'm going for fries, I want skinny, crispy McDonald's-esque fries (Campanile's are pretty damn good too). Five Guys' are of the slightly thicker variety, but both the Cajun and regular are quite tasty. If you are someone that is concerned about the origins of your food (even the fried), there is a sign on the wall that tells you where the day's potatoes are from.

I'd never heard of Five Guys before my stint in Warren, but research has revealed a fact somewhat alarming for my waistline: there are two Five Guys locations in Southern California (Carson and Cerritos). Looks like I will be making a Five Guys pilgrimage next time I go to IKEA . . .