Burgers is a popular dish in the US and it goes beyond fast food. New Burger joints are opening on a regular basis and chefs like Bobby Flay or Laurent Tourondel are proposing their own version. In France, at the exception of few restaurant who may want to give their own spin (like Chez Papa in Paris), it is restricted to the fast food world. Mac Donald’s commonly called MacDo or Quick, a French-Belgian spin off of Mac Donald’s, are popular, especially among teenagers; Burger King closed down its restaurants there as it was not profitable. The most expensive burger in the US is proposed by Chef Hubert Keller at Fleur de Lys at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, for... $5000! It is a foie gras and black truffle stuffed Kobe beef burger served on a truffle brioche bun with a garnish that also contains truffles (you better know that you like truffles before ordering it!). Of course, for that price, they give you a free bottle of Chateau Petrus 1995 (very expensive wine) and you can keep the stemware (at this price I should be able to keep the Chef!). So, if you are in Las Vegas and someone proposes you to have a burger, be careful….
Fortunately, you do not need to spend $5000 to have a good burger. For less than $8, you can go to Five Guys. Their first location opened in Arlington,Virginia in 1986 and the restaurant got its name simply because it was founded by a father and his four sons.
Five Guys burgers are coming with two patty; if you prefer a "lighter" meal, you can ask for the "little burger" that has only one. Besides burgers, they also propose hot dogs, but these have nothing special. You can then pick from a large selection of toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, pickles...In term of sides, they unfortunately only propose French fries, no other sides such as onion rings! Be aware that they are quite generous with the fries and one regular order can feed two people.
The meat is cooked medium and...tastes like meat, that is not always the case in some other restaurants (sorry Spike!). It is also juicy, but not to the point where you regret you were wearing your favorite white shirt. The Bun is a regular bun. I suggest you eat your burger right away otherwise it steams in the aluminum foil.
Last but not least, the restaurant is nice enough to offer shelled peanuts while you wait for your burger!
The meat is cooked medium and...tastes like meat, that is not always the case in some other restaurants (sorry Spike!). It is also juicy, but not to the point where you regret you were wearing your favorite white shirt. The Bun is a regular bun. I suggest you eat your burger right away otherwise it steams in the aluminum foil.
Last but not least, the restaurant is nice enough to offer shelled peanuts while you wait for your burger!
Although not the best, Five guys is in my top 3 list (check out My Favorite Restaurants section): good burger for a good price!
Enjoy (I do)
