The Swamp

Is anyone else's city just inundated with coffee roasters as much as there are breweries? ABQ has a lot of both and new ones keep popping up all the time. I'm spoiled. Starbucks and Dunkin' (their rebranded name, btw) don't even make a blip on my radar.

And if anyone wants to try a New Mexico staple bag of coffee, look no further: https://nmpinoncoffee.com

Bright a bag home to my buddy in August and he's hooked.

A couple micros here but most of the good places are more based on sourcing some of the good majors like Counter Culture or La Columbe.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Sat Oct 13, 2018 1:43 pm Is anyone else's city just inundated with coffee roasters as much as there are breweries? ABQ has a lot of both and new ones keep popping up all the time. I'm spoiled. Starbucks and Dunkin' (their rebranded name, btw) don't even make a blip on my radar.

And if anyone wants to try a New Mexico staple bag of coffee, look no further: https://nmpinoncoffee.com

Bright a bag home to my buddy in August and he's hooked.

Yes, and it's great. Although, very similar range in quality to craft breweries.

I didn't notice it when I first stepped into the 12 items or less line, and by the time I did I felt too invested to switch, but the guy in front of me had a full cart and ended up with 43 items scanned. He also couldn't figure out the card reader and popped his cart up on the curb rather than returning it to a pen.

Because of how watch sports/tv and listen to podcasts, I'm kind of immune or walled off from a lot of advertising.

Wendy's running the 4 for $4 right now..

Sandwich + 4 piece nuggs - fries - drink.

I left some fries in the bag (I always do these days) so it wasn't totally gross... Pretty awesome little lunch there.

rass wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:19 pm I didn't notice it when I first stepped into the 12 items or less line, and by the time I did I felt too invested to switch, but the guy in front of me had a full cart and ended up with 43 items scanned. He also couldn't figure out the card reader and popped his cart up on the curb rather than returning it to a pen.

Two days ago, went to the store to buy a couple of things and got into the self-checkout line. Didn't notice the guy in front of me was buying a six-pack of beer, so we ended up waiting about 6-8 minutes for this guy to scan it and then wait for someone to come check his ID. He was pissed he had to wait and snapped at the clerk who helped him, which is really shitty because he's the dipshit who bought alcohol in a self-checkout line.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Sat Oct 13, 2018 1:43 pm And if anyone wants to try a New Mexico staple bag of coffee, look no further: https://nmpinoncoffee.com

Bright a bag home to my buddy in August and he's hooked.

They sell this at the Costcos here in CO. I'm a big fan of Dean's Beans out of MA

Pruitt wrote: ↑Tue Nov 27, 2018 7:39 am Japanese Used Car Dealership Recognized by the Michelin Guide for its Ramen

Read a great story recently about a street food vendor in Bangkok who was given a Michelin star and tried to give it back to prevent so many people from visiting her stall.

Wasn't there a story posted here about how a place got rated best burger and closed because they couldn't handle the demand?

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Nov 27, 2018 10:50 am Wasn't there a story posted here about how a place got rated best burger and closed because they couldn't handle the demand?

Yeah, I posted that. I think the Bangkok story was either referenced in that one or someone else posted it because it sounded similar.

Mr. D, how long were you sitting on this? Or is Salty just getting around to your e-mail from years ago?

I'm toooooootally ok with that (although maybe 5:00 is too early from the restaurant's perspective). Our neighborhood spot when Q was born didn't change, we just went from being third turn into being first turn with all the other new parents.

Cook Out, North Carolina's answer to the criminally overrated In N Out Burger.

https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article ... food-chain

It is possible for there to be more than one great burger joint. Step off with any "criminally overrated" nonsense.

... unless you're talking about 5 Guys. Which is pretty much shit.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:36 pm ... unless you're talking about 5 Guys. Which is pretty much shit.

I suppose though I still think at worst it's alright. As far as "overrating" goes I don't see much hype for Five Guys these days (or what you do see seems to be about the same as joints like Smashburger or Fatburger) so I'd argue it's probably "rated" about right.

If we're talking about underrated places I'd list Whataburger, Steak N' Shake and yes Cook Out though CO being only in North Carolina means it's understandable few people talk about it when listing great chain burger joints.

I think In N Out is rated just fine. It's about the best -- if not THE best $3 burger you can buy in this country.

I think Five Guys is fine. Had Smashburger for the first time over the holidays and definitely like Five Guys better, from burger to fries to soda machine.

I wanted to try Cook Out when we were in The South in the summer of 2017 but the line was too long and we ended up at the relatively empty Zaxby's the next lot over.

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:43 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:36 pm ... unless you're talking about 5 Guys. Which is pretty much shit.

I suppose though I still think at worst it's alright. As far as "overrating" goes I don't see much hype for Five Guys these days (or what you do see seems to be about the same as joints like Smashburger or Fatburger) so I'd argue it's probably "rated" about right.

The only hype I've ever heard about Smashburger is from my daughter. Smash and Five Guys are probably the only fast food burgers she's ever had, and she wasn't all that excited about Five Guys, which of course means my son preferred Five Guys and they fight over it. It was never a conscious boycott, but my kids have never eaten McDonald's, BK, Wendy's or any of the old school fast food places.

I rarely ever eat fast food, but if I do, I prefer In-n-Out over the others. My daughter is a Taco Bell fan, and occasionally drags me there, too.

Best thing about 5 guys is peanuts and well they're peanuts. Terribly overpriced also. Cookout lines move quick. Quicker than Chick-fil-A and they move it along. Kids not having ever eaten regular fast food is just plain odd. My kids have gotten old enough to enjoy more expensive fast food tastes (ie Chick-fil-A) but a McDonald's cheeseburger at five might as well have been heaven in a wrapper.

I'm of the same mindset as Brian. There can be multiple decent burger joints.

Whether In N Out, Shake Shack, Steak & Shake, Smash Burger, Five Guys, Freddy's or whoever, each has their merits. (Though the 2 times I've been to Five Guys here they've been terrible and they don't have green chile.)

Blake's Lotaburger, the regional chain here, is also quite good. That's my go-to spot.

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:46 pm If we're talking about underrated places I'd list Whataburger, Steak N' Shake and yes Cook Out though CO being only in North Carolina means it's understandable few people talk about it when listing great chain burger joints.

I think In N Out is rated just fine. It's about the best -- if not THE best $3 burger you can buy in this country.

Cookout is not Nc only. There is one in Lexington and I’ve seen them scattered around Kentucky.

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:12 pm

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:46 pm If we're talking about underrated places I'd list Whataburger, Steak N' Shake and yes Cook Out though CO being only in North Carolina means it's understandable few people talk about it when listing great chain burger joints.

I think In N Out is rated just fine. It's about the best -- if not THE best $3 burger you can buy in this country.

Cookout is not Nc only. There is one in Lexington and I’ve seen them scattered around Kentucky.

I stand corrected then. But they're certainly not as widespread as most places.

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:46 pm If we're talking about underrated places I'd list Whataburger, Steak N' Shake and yes Cook Out though CO being only in North Carolina means it's understandable few people talk about it when listing great chain burger joints.

I think In N Out is rated just fine. It's about the best -- if not THE best $3 burger you can buy in this country.

I should invite you to our local Facebook restaurant group page and you'll see just how wrong you are about the first place on your list.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:51 pm
Blake's Lotaburger, the regional chain here, is also quite good. That's my go-to spot.

It's OK.

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:12 pm

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:46 pm If we're talking about underrated places I'd list Whataburger, Steak N' Shake and yes Cook Out though CO being only in North Carolina means it's understandable few people talk about it when listing great chain burger joints.

I think In N Out is rated just fine. It's about the best -- if not THE best $3 burger you can buy in this country.

Cookout is not Nc only. There is one in Lexington and I’ve seen them scattered around Kentucky.

The one time I had it was in Knoxville. IIRC, the menu was something to behold and I found myself wishing I had time to try a lot of stuff.

Wow, didn't realize I'd started a thing. Shoulda guessed, given the topic.

I should clarify that with In-N-Out's crazy reputation, I think "criminally overrated" left plenty of room for it to still be good. And I think it is. It's just not any better than most of the other good burger chains you guys listed.

Mr D's hatred for Five Guys is odd to me. Must have gotten a bad one. I'd say it's probably the best burger of the ones I've seen listed here. Overpriced though. Cook Out's burgers aren't quite as good as Five Guys, or probably In-N-Out, but their shakes are great and the rest of the huge menu offers a lot of good choices.

Bad three. I didn't like it, then I stopped again on a drive and it was really bad and then I gave the local one a final chance. Three different locations, all sucked.

I don't even know, man. You must have eaten some damn fine burgers in your life.

ETA: I'm gonna go get a five guys burger now.

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:43 am I don't even know, man. You must have eaten some damn fine burgers in your life.

ETA: I'm gonna go get a five guys burger now.

Says the guy who liked Domino's Pizza on Facebook, causing them to pop into my feed...

I am with mister d on Five Guys. Granted I only had it once, but didn't put me in a hurry to try again with other options available.

I haven't had a fast food burger in a long time. 3-4 years maybe.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:49 am

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:43 am I don't even know, man. You must have eaten some damn fine burgers in your life.

ETA: I'm gonna go get a five guys burger now.

Says the guy who liked Domino's Pizza on Facebook, causing them to pop into my feed...

Wow. I don't even remember doing that, so it must have been some discount or something. Rectified, and I am actually terrible sorry because I try not to click on those things. I have dishonored your timeline, truly.

I just figured Kentucky pizza laws required declaring as a Papa John’s or a Domino’s.

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:43 am I don't even know, man. You must have eaten some damn fine burgers in your life.

ETA: I'm gonna go get a five guys burger now.

Update: DELICIOUS.

But did you get the peanuts! And is it ok to just throw the shells on the ground when your done? Cause thats about the best thing with peanuts. And they use to let us do that at some steak chain maybe 10-15 years ago.

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:50 pm But did you get the peanuts! And is it ok to just throw the shells on the ground when your done? Cause thats about the best thing with peanuts. And they use to let us do that at some steak chain maybe 10-15 years ago.

I did have some peanuts while i waited, but I just put the shells in one of the little trays they have instead of on the floor. However, a fairly decent amount of peanut detritus ended up on the floor.

Nothing I love more than peanuts and burgers.