satisfied(Both the burgers and the fries.)
Didn't know this until local reporter/ well-liked media geek Stephanie Stricklen mentioned one was going in over in Vancouver, but Five Guys has three (soon to be four) stores around Portland. Including one in Beaverton at Cedar Hills Blvd. and Walker Rd. And as Five Guys fans range from my friends
slipjig and rafaela to President Obama, all people who appreciate good burgers, I knew I had to try it. Midday today (after getting a REALLY NEEDED haircut), I bussed, light-railed and walked to the place, and treated myself to a cheeseburger (actually a double cheeseburger), regular fries and a Coke. Kitchen crew in an open kitchen who yell "[x number] in the door!" when potential eaters arrive; giant bags and open boxes of peanuts and giant containers of peanut oil piled in rows; the health notices that might as well say DON'T BE A DICK WITH THE PEANUTS, YO; walls covered with articles from various publications from my beloved Washington, D.C. area, where Five Guys started; and flavor-y fast food -- it was all there. Now I've digested some of it.
The nice young lady who took my order (and these were nice people working there) reminded me that your burger only gets topped with what you ask for, which I hadn't realized. "So you don't automatically do ketchup," I said, appreciatively. I've long been a don't-add-ketchup guy -- I think I burned out on ketchup -- and it's nice to know it doesn't have to be put on in the first place. I kept it condiment-low and ordered it with mustard, mayo and mushrooms. I almost ordered jalapeño peppers, but decided to stay simple. I didn't even get lettuce or tomatoes. I guess I still thought some toppings were automatic.
I'm not even a big peanut eater, but I did get a scoopful of peanuts on my way out. Now I have nuts and fries that I'm still eating.
So: not that I get to Beaverton, Oregon City, West Linn or (soon) Hazel Dell often, but there's another option for a good quick burger. But I'm still more likely to go to Burgerville. And not just because people I'm acquainted with do ads for it.
I completely missed Five Guys in my previous time in the D.C. area. It only had from one to five restaurants in the years (1984-1994) I lived there -- I was a Roy Rogers guy at the time (they had a Fixin's Bar; you put all of your condiments on; I'd get LOTS of pickles) -- but hey, I'm gonna root for a D.C.-area foodery making a good name for itself.