The Swamp

We don’t have a wing stop. Our local/regional is wing zone. It’s pretty solid. May order tonight!

serrano wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:33 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 12:44 pm We got some wings and thighs from Wing Stop. I tried their new flavor of wings, Orange Szechuan. Not good. Nothing Asian about it. Just tasted like a heavily breaded wing that an orange popsicle had melted on top of.

I think there is a Wing Stop a few miles away. Never tried it but is it worth trying?

Its decent. Just don’t get the Orange Szechuan flavor.

I'm a fan of Wingstop if there's no local wing joint that can just do it better. That's not to say that Wingstop is bad, it'll be my go-to 100% if the other places in the city are Buffalo Wild Wings or that place that's in Pizza Hut. And possibly Hooters. (I honestly haven't been to a breasturant in a while, so I have no idea how good their wings are. The Daytona sauce (hot + BBQ) is what I remember as being pretty good.)

What I like to do is get their plain wings and put my own concoction of sauce on it. I mix Frank's, butter, and lemon pepper/lemon garlic seasoning to give it a spicy, but tangy kick.

Oh, and hands down, hottest take of all takes in the history of takes ever for me: they have THE BEST fries. Dip their fries in their blue cheese and it's crack. Every time I get wings, I make sure to get like 3 orders.

Johnnie, I haven’t agreed with you more than I do with that. Easily the best fast food fries.

My man!

Crossed on my local news feeds
"Scandal on the Left Bank: the legendary bookshop Gibert Jeune is being replaced by a Five Guys fast food outlet (apparently popular in the United States and Barack Obama’s favourite).”

Is "Five Guys sucks" a hot take? I've given it 3 or 4 chances (3 different sites) and its simply not good.

mister d wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:34 am Is "Five Guys sucks" a hot take? I've given it 3 or 4 chances (3 different sites) and its simply not good.

It came up earlier in this thread. I had it once and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I should probably give it another shot, but feel like I'd be taking business away from somewhere I know is better.

I like it a lot but it might be heavily weighted on bacon style

I really like their fries, but if a place manages to serve me fresh from the fryer too hot to eat but I try anyway fries I'm almost certainly going to be happy.

The burgers are thoroughly fast food, well done (no pink) and greasy, but I guess there is a freshness to them and the toppings that puts them above most other FF places for me. Though I guess it's probably been years since I've had a FF burger anywhere else, so maybe they're better now, too?

1) I really like Hooters wings. I don't do crazy stuff to them, I just like the batter. Don't like eating in the actual restaurant, because it's weird. Typically get them for Super Bowl, but haven't had one near our home since that one burned down a number of years back.

2) Five Guys don't "suck," but I'm not a big fan of eating anything other than a single with bacon. I made the mistake of trying to finish a "normal" double and it just makes me sick to eat that much in one sitting.

So 5 guys was a handful of stores in Alexandria, VA for years (like '86 to '01 or so). I lived .5 miles from the founding location (which they knocked down and now have apt/condo over retail/harris teeter). When they started franchising they did a nice job to start but like most lost control of quality, etc. Developers/property mgmt loved them and were driving fast growth.

mister d wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:34 am Is "Five Guys sucks" a hot take? I've given it 3 or 4 chances (3 different sites) and its simply not good.

10 or so years ago one opened close to base in Tucson. We'd go fairly regularly as an office and I'd go in my off duty time kinda whenever. It was excellent. And for a time rated it above In N Out.

Fast forward to coming back to America in 2016 to Albuquerque and I made it a point to find the best green chile cheeseburger in the city (The Grill on San Mateo, for my money). I stopped in 5 Guys and was let down. Not only did they not have green chile as a regional topping (note: McDonald's, Burger King, Whataburger, and Wendy's have green chile cheeseburgers), but the burger was...kinda shit? Not cooked decently at all and just had zero flavor. I haven't been back.

And when you have options like Blake's, Culver's, Graze, and just good burgers from local restaurants, 5 Guys kinda good by the wayside.

It's why they're taking over Europe though. 5 Guys is massive in Europe.

Yeah, that's my real issue with 5Gs... You can find a better fast-casual option at this point. Smashburger, Elevation Burger, Shake Shack, Steak and Shake...

I think 5Gs is better than Shake Shack. But I like them both.

Shirley wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:11 pm I think 5Gs is better than Shake Shack. But I like them both.

Better fries for sure, and I think a better burger too. I loved Shake Shack before we had one here, now that we do, I'm very much over SS.

Respectfully disagree. Both are definitely fast food burgers and nothing more, but I would put Shake Shack waaaaaaay over Five Guys.

Yeah, with the caveat that I love a good burger, but I don't need to feel gross with meat sweats after eating one.

I'll also go down a tangent and reiterate that a Red Robin burger, where it's impossible to eat without dropping an anvil on it to flatten, is not what I'm looking for in a burger/sandwhich.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 4:44 pm Yeah, with the caveat that I love a good burger, but I don't need to feel gross with meat sweats after eating one.

I'll also go down a tangent and reiterate that a Red Robin burger, where it's impossible to eat without dropping an anvil on it to flatten, is not what I'm looking for in a burger/sandwhich.

And, the noise level at a Red Robin is like having speakers pumping an NFL halftime show plus a bad country band both simultaneously at your table.

Unlimited salted in the shell peanuts. Otherwise its ok and overpriced. But peanuts!

At 10.333 years, my oldest's streak of never having McDonald's will end tonight when her swim group gets it after practice. I assume this is Guinness Book worthy for an american child.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:04 pm At 10.333 years, my oldest's streak of never having McDonald's will end tonight when her swim group gets it after practice. I assume this is Guinness Book worthy for an american child.

This is mind blowing. No sleepovers or whatnot where it could have crept in?

Nope. She laughed when telling us that she lied and said she loves it because she was afraid the truth would be implied non-permission. Her plan is to order last and go with whatever sounds best from the other orders "just like (she) did at Starbucks the first time".



(My younger kid could be getting high at recess every day and we'd never know it. Older is an open book.)

If it wasn't for grandparents, mine would still be on zero. They've definitely used the bathrooms at least 3 times as often as they've eaten the food.

Ryan wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:29 pm If it wasn't for grandparents, mine would still be on zero. They've definitely used the bathrooms at least 3 times as often as they've eaten the food.

3-1 ratio for Mcd's sounds about right.

I think I was 13 years old the first time I had McDonald's. The main reason was my dad hated McDonald's and only liked Wendy's.

They're leaning into that secret menu now. I really hope to hear Brian Cox say "McGangBang" sometime soon.

We've spent way too much time roadtripping up and down 95 to try and get crazy picky with our fast-food for the kids. I'll eat ANYTHING other than Burger King (and even then, I have to, meh.)

The kids will eat McDs, Wendy's (stong like) and Chicken Filet (also strong like).

Now they'll also eat fast casual like Shake Shake and stuff, but nobody got time for that on 95.

(I'll eat at Arby's and Taco Bell if left to my own devices. When I'm truly driving on a long run and want to treat myself, I'll hunt down a Cook Out. But that's a dangerous game, cause if you get a shake, loaded burger and onion rings --> food coma.)

Never a fan of Burger King, except to say that the Whopper was the absolute best at clearing out the bowels. The best.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:42 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:11 pm I think 5Gs is better than Shake Shack. But I like them both.

Better fries for sure, and I think a better burger too. I loved Shake Shack before we had one here, now that we do, I'm very much over SS.

Just had 5Gs tonight, and I agree that they're not as good as in years past, but it's still good and the closest. Today though, their fries were inedible. They were overdone and super over-salted. The wife and I literally scraped the salt off with a napkin but it didn't matter as it'd already been oversaturated. In a couple months after the move is official, we'll be closer to something new near us called MrBeastBurger, so maybe we'll switch it up.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:04 pm At 10.333 years, my oldest's streak of never having McDonald's will end tonight when her swim group gets it after practice. I assume this is Guinness Book worthy for an american child.

My son is 15, had McD’s fries once at a party, 13 yo daughter has never had it. We live a quarter mile away from a McD’s. We never made a rule against it, just never happened. When traveling, we stop at Panera’s, a diner or random family owned restaurant. Kids love Smashburger, and that’s 1 mile away. My son prefers 5 Guys. To me, it’s better than fast food, as it tastes fresh, but it’s nothing special. I loved their fries, and they give you a giant sack. I got one order between me and both kids and we couldn’t finish it.

Mr Beast is a Youtube star, my kids used to watch his shit years ago. I think his schtick is giving away $10,000 to random people every video. He did a pop up burger stand in a video and apparently opened a bunch of stores. My son saw one on the bus ride back from a track meet. He told my daughter last Sunday, and they are obsessed with going.

There was a pop-up (ghost?, I don't know) Mr. Beast Burger in one of the restaurants at the shore last summer, and my wife took our youngest who was super excited to be there and the oldest was super jealous that she didn't go (though I can't remember why she missed out). Wife said the food was good.

Rex wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:03 pm Never a fan of Burger King, except to say that the Whopper was the absolute best at clearing out the bowels. The best.

Exactly. Not a great choice on a road trip.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 9:42 am

Rex wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:03 pm Never a fan of Burger King, except to say that the Whopper was the absolute best at clearing out the bowels. The best.

Exactly. Not a great choice on a road trip.

A day or two after returning from Russia as an exchange student, I ate Burger King and was sick for 3 days. Made me realize how bad heavily processed food is and I was turned off to fast food places. Looking back, I ate a lot of late night Taco Bell, no idea how the tarnish didn't touch The Bell. After too many stories from friends who worked at Taco Bell, it lost it's luster.

Rex wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 8:03 pm Never a fan of Burger King, except to say that the Whopper was the absolute best at clearing out the bowels. The best.

It was McDonalds for me. Big Macs just slid through my digestive tract like a luger.

rass wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:36 am There was a pop-up (ghost?, I don't know) Mr. Beast Burger in one of the restaurants at the shore last summer, and my wife took our youngest who was super excited to be there and the oldest was super jealous that she didn't go (though I can't remember why she missed out). Wife said the food was good.

I looked up MrBeast Burger, it says it’s “virtual brand” you can add to your existing kitchen. Seems strange, does a mom and pop grill add Mr Beast branded items to their menu? Can’t imagine they maintain consistency across locations. Looked at NJ locations, seems to be clustered. New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Roselle and Fanwood.

Seems like an extension of the concept of a secret menu (like In-N-Out) by being a whole ass secret restaurant. That's a pretty cool concept. I'm going to have to give this place a try. The menu looks great.

My youngest got into Mr. Beast videos about a year ago. We had one of his kitchens pop up near us recently as well. Haven't tried it. Might be just DoorDash/UberEats.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 2:54 pm

rass wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:36 am There was a pop-up (ghost?, I don't know) Mr. Beast Burger in one of the restaurants at the shore last summer, and my wife took our youngest who was super excited to be there and the oldest was super jealous that she didn't go (though I can't remember why she missed out). Wife said the food was good.

I looked up MrBeast Burger, it says it’s “virtual brand” you can add to your existing kitchen. Seems strange, does a mom and pop grill add Mr Beast branded items to their menu? Can’t imagine they maintain consistency across locations. Looked at NJ locations, seems to be clustered. New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Roselle and Fanwood.

We (they) went to one in OCNJ, nestled in the OC Grilled Cheese and Quesadilla Company restaurant. Seems to still be there based on FB and the food delivery app websites.

since we were talking 5 guys
https://www.arlnow.com/2022/02/15/the-o ... mbia-pike/