With cilantro, I’m not so much in the middle as being completely neutral. I don’t mind it in a dish but I won’t miss it if it’s not there. I don’t even notice any soapy taste to it, just something vaguely parsley-like.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes, that is exactly what I mean to assert.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time (ie months / years) in NYC and DC, and have eaten burgers at 5 of the 12 you named, and I will firmly stand by my assertion that not a one of them is beating In-n-Out on either quality or price, and none of them even come CLOSE in terms of quality-for-price.
And yet they still can’t properly fry a potato.
Lobster rolls. I live in Maine. I hate lobster. However, so I’m told, blows have come from the argument of butter v mayonnaise. As I’ve hinted at, I’ve never eaten a lobster roll in my life, but you apparently have to be careful where you order your lobster rolls around here. Oh, don’t go to Chester’s they toss the meat with mayo! I love Chesters! Jebadiah’s Clam Shack sucks; they just put butter over the top.
I can’t remember which is the hip way to eat it. Just butter, I would imagine.
For the first: there weren’t enough to make him sick, apparently. He didn’t eat that much of it anyway.
For the second: that’s what I heard (second hand) and you know what they say about unhearing things…
Yeah, I just can’t believe that this one California chain has somehow come up with a magic formula for one of the most simple and common forms of American cuisine that no east coast establishment has managed to measure up to.
The biggest controversy in my area is what constitutes a proper Oostburger. Said sandwich, all agree, is composed of a hamburger patty topped with a bratwurst, and served on a Sheboygan hard roll (aka semmel roll).
While some disputants spend time arguing about allowed toppings, the main fight is over whether or not a bratwurst patty may be used, or if the sandwich requires a bratwurst sausage, complete with natural casing, to top the hamburger patty.
I myself prefer the sausage in casing over a patty, since the hard roll is actually designed to accomodate a double brat sausage pair with ease, but I will not refuse an Oostburger made from a brat patty.
I also find it hard to believe that *any *chain makes *any *food that is the finest example of its kind. i mean, they’re chains. They’re what you go to when you don’t feel like going to an actual restaurant.
All of the joints being bandied about are chains. So?
Like TI, I have eaten at 5 of the 12 East Coast chains mentioned. Also like TI, I find In-'N-Out to have the superior burger in all ways except customizability, which is over-rated.
Just checked Google Maps, and there is an In-‘N-Out less than 2000’ from The Hat in Upland. Drive by The Hat for fries and onion rings, then around the corner for a couple of Double-Doubles. Best of both worlds!
Look, I can buy that In-N-Out is y’all’s favorite burger chain. Fine. Everyone has a favorite. It’s just a matter of preference.
But that’s all it is, a preference. I just can’t buy that no east coast chain—not one—has a good burger, to the point that justifies condescending scorn against east coasters. That just can’t be true.
Oh, they do. I just a) haven’t had one that matches/beats In-'N-Out yet, and b) need no reason to heap scorn and condescension on [del]Wrong Coasters[/del] people who see the sun rise from the ocean, rather than set into it as the IPU intended. 
Wow, so much passion! I’m going to blissfully assume most of you are exaggerating for comedic effect and don’t really feel that strongly about people who eat foods prepared in manners you don’t prefer.
That said, I’ll chime in on a few of the more common topics being discussed here:
Hot dogs and ketchup were made for each other. If a hot dog business doesn’t “allow” ketchup, then they don’t get my business.
Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip are both delicious and I always keep both on hand (which one I use at a given time just depends on my mood). I’ll slather a sandwich with as much as possible without the fillings slipping out, and put a big ol’ glob on the plate to dip the sandwich in.
“Traditional” pizza crust is the only acceptable option for me. The crust is just supposed to be a vehicle for the toppings; more bread (a la deep dish) is superfluous and unwelcome. As for thin crust, the texture is just all wrong to me; I don’t want my pizza crunchy.
My disdain for sweet tea borders on irrational. I feel like it’s for children, and my estimation of people who like it is ever so slightly lowered.
McDonald’s fries are the worst of the fast food offerings. I’ll confess to a weakness for some of McDonald’s fare, but I never get the fries. Shoestring fries are just sort of…I dunno…sad or something. I much prefer thicker fries, ideally steak fries. I always thought Roy Rogers had the best fast food fries…are there any of those around any more?
I have literally never heard of chili without beans.
My ex loved Five Guys burgers with a passion and we got them often. I liked them just fine - they’re certainly half a step above most fast food burgers - but I didn’t get what the big deal was. You can get a better burger at any diner or deli.
Hard-shell tacos for me every time. Aren’t soft-shell tacos basically burritos?
Nope. Soft tacos can be either corn or wheat tortillas, and they are just folded around the filling, not incasing it in a closed-end cylinder. Wheat tortillas for tacos are generally thicker than burrito tortillas as well.
I like hard tacos because the contrast of texture between the crunch of the shell and the softness of the meat and cheese is very nice. I know I’m not anywhere authenticity when I have taco night, but my belly is happy.
Not gonna get in the burger war. Never had an ‘In and Out’ or ‘Five Guys’. No burger chain is close to where I live. I don’t consider 20 miles close for a chain burger. And I certainly wouldn’t drive that far just for one.
When I’m busy and 100 miles from home, and just need fuel to get me through the next six hours. Just give me a McD’s 1/4 pounder with cheese that I can scarf down in 5 minutes.
No, it’s not true. However, I can say without a doubt, that as far as chains go, no East coast place has a burger as good at the In&Out price point. Not even close.
Even out here I have had better burgers- Rustic burger, a small local chain, has a better burger. Which is $8. A Double-double is $3.45.
So you have fresh meat, Fresh bun, slightly fried. Sliced fresh tomatoes. Sliced fresh onions. Pickles, 1000 island dressing.
In& Out wont expand too far as they cant guarantee the quality.
Spoken like someone who has no idea what deep dish pizza is.
Erm…deep dish pizza has less crust than your typical Pizza Hut or whatever. It’s not quite “thin-crust”, but is more akin to a British meat pie with tomato sauce and Italian seasonings. Don’t know what you’ve been getting.
My mom always liked Miracle Whip over mayo because she “hates eggs.” Nevermind that I showed her that Miracle whip is basically mayo (with eggs, in the ingredients list) with extra sugar and vinegar. One of the “Southern” mayos is very close to Miracle Whip. I forget if it’s Duke’s or Blue Plate. Anywho, I do confess to liking leftover turkey sandwiches with Miracle Whip post-holidays, because that’s how it was always done at Mom’s.
I hate McD’s fries with a passion, and will always choose something akin to a steak fry if possible. I actually stopped into a Roy Rogers’ a couple weeks ago on vacation (just to use the restroom) and was surprised they still existed. Alas, we had just eaten an hour or so before, so I didn’t actually try their fries or anything. The place smelled really good, though.
I’m at a loss to know how you don’t know about regular chili (without beans) or non-crunchy tacos. Probably where you grew up. But still, hadn’t you ever had a chili dog? I bet it didn’t have beans in. And crunchy tacos as you describe have always been a rarity to me, although I know they are an option at Taco Bell. My holy grail of a taco is actually something I had in a hole-in-the-wall in Monticello, Indiana…I guess it was kind of a chalupa or something…but the bread was some amazing fried pita/lavash sort of thing. Unfortunately the restaurant had closed next time I visited. The fillings were tripas and a sort of oniony carnitas, BTW.
Anyway, flour tortillas are common in a certain type of Mexican cuisine (Sonoran?) and non-crispy (or at least not deep fried) white corn tortillas typify another.
A burrito is a type of taco. A fajita is a type of taco. They’re all tacos. The original tacos are soft. But crunchy is also good.