Food News

If the West Coast has "In & Out", the East Coast has "Five Guys Burger and Fries". Recently, a Five Guys chain opened up at the Carson Mall. Jojo and I have heard the hype and read the reviews. We've talked about trying their burgers for a while, but only got the chance tonight. It was time to set it straight and find out which burger chain was best. Tonight was the Battle of the Burger Joints!

For starters, ambiance-wise, it is a definite tie. Both places are typical of fast-food joints with bright lights and formica-topped tables. Both chains even had the signature red and white colors that give off a diner-like vibe. We walked up to the counter and scanned the menu. Just as with In & Out, there is not much choice. Just burgers (different sizes and your choice of 1 or 2 patties). They also served hotdogs but we decided to pass, after all tonight was all about the burgers. Five Guys lets you choose up to a dozen different toppings that go on your burger. My choice was grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes and jalapenoes. Jojo had cheese, mayo, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes and steak sauce. All the burgers are cooked to order and served well done. We also ordered a side of cajun fries.

We sat down to wait. Since the burgers take some time to cook, we helped ourselves to shelled peanuts which was available in 5 pound containers around the restaurant. I thought this was a nice touch since the food does take some time to be prepared. After about 15 minutes, we had our dinner.

I didn't take pictures because honestly these were not gourmet burgers nor was this a cool dining place. It's really all about taste - nothing fancy. Burger-wise, I have to give it up for Five Guys. Their burgers were juicy and almost savory. A far cry from typical fastfood burgers that taste like frozen patties where the condiments mask all the beefy taste. I also liked the fact that you got to choose your toppings. Fries-wise, I still prefer In & Out's. It's a personal preference though since I like long, thin and crispy fries (like In & Out's). Five Guys serves their fries, extra thick with malt vinegar on the side. Not my favorite way to eat potatoes. Drinks-wise, In & Out wins because they have delicious extra-thick milkshakes while Five Guys just had soda.

All in all, I'd have to say that in the Battle of the Burger Joints, East Coast vs. West Coast, it's a pretty even tie!

In other food news ... today is also memorable because it is the first time EVER that my husband baked cookies! Yes, you read that right. Jojo baked cookies! It started with Jojo buying a cookbook specifically for diabetics. Since Jojo LOVES dessert but has high bloodsugar, he often has to pass up on sweets. He decided to start making his own desserts. (I like to cook but I do not like to bake, so I told Jojo he would be pretty much on his own here).

Anyway, today, while I was at work, he decided to surprise me by baking me something to eat when I got home. He started with an easy recipe - peanut butter cookies (one of my favorites!). I missed most of the action in the kitchen but came home to the wonderful aroma of fresh baked cookies. Sorry there aren't any pictures but take my word for it, the cookies turned out great (although a little bit lopsided - but I think that just adds to their charm). They were warm, soft, gooey, peanut-buttery and tasted just as sweet as the guy who baked them for me! =)