Five Guys, Three Cheers

You'd think we'd never gotten our hands on a burger and fries before, from the looks of things. Shortly after Five Guys opens daily at 11 a.m., there's a line down one wall of the restaurant. At lunch, it's out the door and by the dinner rush, well, forget about it. 

Evidently, Westport was more than ready to welcome the newest Five Guys franchise, which opened on Tuesday to much fanfare.

The restaurant occupies a bright, spare space. Mostly white with red tile accents, there aren't many frills. Five Guys offers up open barrels of peanuts in the shell which people eat while waiting for their order. Hence, the floors are covered with shells. But that's part of the charm, I suppose. Loud, classic rock raises the decibel level. It's casual fun, boardwalk style.

The menu is as pared down as the décor. They serve burgers (plain, cheese, bacon), hot dogs (plain, cheese, bacon), grilled cheese and french fries. That's it. No onion rings. No shakes or sundaes. They stick with what they do best.

I can't find fault with the burger. The meat is clearly good quality: juicy and flavorful. They cook all their patties to well done, but they're never dry. Incidentally, the "Little" size is a bit of a misnomer. It's a regular for most people. You'd better bring quite an appetite if you plan on eating the full-size bacon cheeseburger, which has two thick patties. The Kosher style hot dogs might even be better than the burgers. Unlike so many packaged hot dogs these days,  they're substantial and real — not processed beyond recognition.

Although the buns are a bit on the squishy side, they won me over. The buns are Five Guys' own, made from a proprietary recipe unchanged since 1986. Fresh batches are delivered three times a week.

Five Guys' schtick is that every meal is made right here, just for you. Customers dictate exactly how they like their hamburger served, selecting free condiments and toppings from a long list that includes grilled onions, jalapenos, and green peppers. They don't have boxes of pre-fab patties sitting in a huge walk-in freezer in the prep kitchen. In fact, there is no freezer. They promise that the beef in their hand-shaped patties has never been frozen, never will. "There's no secret ingredient," said Nick Marona, one of the owners. "Just quality ingredients."

Same with the fries. The guys at Five Guys cut 600 pounds of potatoes a day, which soak all day in running water to remove the starch. The restaurant is proud of the fact that the potatoes are grown on one of their own company-owned farms in Idaho. To track their freshness, each sack is dated when it arrives at the restaurant and once cut, uncooked potatoes are tossed after 48 hours.

Cooked in cholesterol-free peanut oil, these legendary fries are pretty darn good. Unlike the potatoes at some of the bigger chains, there's nothing processed about them. It's a real, authentic strip of russet – skin on – fried in oil. Nothing more, nothing less. They're available in plain or a rather spicy Cajun style. On opening day, my fries were a bit undercooked. But on my second visit they were just right: crispy on the outside, tender inside. And the portions are nothing short of enormous. After they put a large cup of fries in a paper bag, they throw a few extra handfuls on top. Trust me: even the regular size is enough for two.

(Word of warning. The food is not exactly light here. If you have a sensitive stomach, might I recommend a preventative antacid, taken ahead of time. Maybe two.)

Five Guys is just right for what it is: a casual, lively place where a family can eat for about $30 and everyone goes home happy. That's not so easy to find these days.

By the way, they don't serve dessert at Five Guys. But don't worry. You won't have room for it anyway.

------------------

Five Guys

534 Post Road East

557-4250

www.fiveguys.com

Hours:

11 am – 10 pm every day

major credit cards accepted