Five Guys Burgers

We have the honor today to have a special guest columnist. Jacqueline B. brings extensive experience in the field of culinary appreciation. Though we remain completely committed to our goals, we are going to depart from our usual fair of hometown eateries to bring you another great option. I hope this is the first of many occasions when we will be privileged to have Jackie's experienced perspective. - Jessica

"Though I feel remiss that my first contribution to this site is of a chain, I feel it’s recognition in the best of Tampa polls justifies this post. My first experience with Five Guys Burger and Fries occurred in the carefree days of a summer archaeological dig in northern Virginia. Unaware of its growth into an East Coast chain I was thrilled with the fact that I had found a “local” joint but sad that my occasional moments of hamburger bliss would soon end. So it was with great surprise that I spied the familiar red sign out of the corner of my eye on Fowler Ave. Turns out my fears were unnecessary as there are now three Tampa locations where you can gorge yourself on the best fast food has to offer.

Five Guys strides a fine line between being welcoming and corporate. Sparkling clean interiors are hallmarks of each location I’ve visited as well as friendly staff. The open kitchen format allows you to watch the entire process of your order being prepared. The unintended consequence however is that the air conditioning system is shared and hence, to those of us not working by hot fryers or grills, the restaurant can be uncomfortably cold at times.

While classified as fast food, Five Guys does not offer prefab food that has been waiting under a heat lamp for hours. Instead all food is prepared only after you have placed your order. The consequence is a long list of options for customizing your dinner any way that you desire. The vegetables offered have always been fresh – making even my personal nemesis, the tomato, appear brilliant red and almost tempting. While their mission statement makes them seem like a one hit wonder (“We are in the business of selling burgers.”) they do have a few other options for those not fond of burgers, including hot dogs and grilled cheese. The options are also generous in the beverage department – consisting of one of only three restaurants I have yet found that serve a caffeine free soda option that’s not sprite. Some options are limited though – burgers are only cooked well done yet they still retain a great flavor.

Portions here are overly generous and are perfect for sharing. For the novice, start small as regardless of how full you will feel later, to stop eating is a much harder task than normal. While the “fresh, never frozen” ground beef is advertised as lean, it is still best to not look at the nutritional facts until after it has been enjoyed. Peanuts are always available in an open bin for anyone not thrilled with the concept of yet another fried vegetable, though this is certainly a perfect place for exceptions to be made to almost any diet.

Overall Five Guys is the apex of any fast food restaurant. If you’re overly concerned about health or nutrition, steer clear. Once you’ve had a taste of what these guys have to offer you will be back!"

http://www.fiveguys.com/