Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 6 - Five Guys Burger and Fries

So, a Five Guys Burgers and Fries just opened up around the block from my office. I've generally read decent things about Five Guys...but you know there's only one way to assess a true opinion.

If you want to beat the lunchtime crowd, get there as close to noon as possible. I got there five minutes before noon, and it took about six minutes for me to get my food after ordering. I got a cheeseburger with grilled onions and an order of regular fries. Did I forget that a cheeseburger was actually two patties? Yes.

One thing that's very evident is the sheer number of people working the line. There were at least fifteen people behind the counter, with each person tasked with one specific job.



Well, onto the review of the burger. It was way too well done, which resulted in a severely dry patty. Also, there was a serious lack of seasoning. This led to a lack in crust around the patty, which I generally prefer in a burger this size. I'm going to chalk this up as an error on whoever's job it is was to season the patties on this day (obviously). I'd wager that on some days the patties are well seasoned, and other times it'll be over or under-seasoned...which adds a nice human element to the burger making process at Five Guys (I guess). As for the bun, it was almost too doughy which makes for it to be too chewy. And because the patty was dry, the bun wasn't an integral part in sopping up burger juice.

Here's what the burger looks like upon unwrapping the tinfoil:



Here's a picture after a few bites:





You can see how well done the burger is.

As for the fries, they're fresh cut, and on this day they were Shelley Idaho potatoes. The regular sized fries are put into a styrofoam cup, which I wish they didn't used...after which, they dump more fries into the bag containing your burger and cup of fries. Here's a pic of the bag after taking out the aforementioned burger and cup:



I think it's kind of unnecessary...but I'm sure a lot of people will think it adds better value to your french fry order.

I would probably return, but will definitely get a little cheeseburger next time. An added bonus at Five Guys is that they have a plethora of toppings, like jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms and grilled onions, that you can pile on for free. As it's so close to my office, I'm sure I'll be back. If I could only ask them to make my patties medium rare, I'd give it two enthusiastic thumbs up. As for now, it gets one.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries
690 Third Avenue (b/t 43rd and 44th St)
New York, NY 10017
646-783-5060

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