DISQUS

Michael Krotchie · 2 years ago

I'm pretty happy because Tucson is getting it's 2nd In-N-Out Burger later this year (much closer to my house). Everytime I drive by the first one there are always ridiculous lines, soon I will gleefully join the rabid masses!

Ross McKillop · 2 years ago

You're killing me. There's nothing even close to In-N-Out here in Vancouver, and I miss Blondies (best pizza in the world) in SF SO badly. Hey maybe your next post could cover the Filmore, Golden Gate Park, Baker Beach, Fry's and everything else I miss about SF/the Bay Area :)

webomatica · 2 years ago

Michael when that second store opens I think you will like it. I dunno if it's worth waiting more than 15 minutes for but they're good, cheap, quality burgers.

Ross i might indulge you ... the strangeness of fry's is worth a post in itself.

JC · 2 years ago

I often joke with people that In-N-Out is the reason I moved to California. It's definitely on the top 10 list.

Check out the book "Fast Food Nation" (not the movie) for a great explanation of why IN-N-Out is fast food the way it SHOULD be done. At a minimal cost premium (literally a few cents), you get fresh, quality food served by well-paid, well-treated workers. There's absolutely no economic reason why MacDonald's or Burger King couldn't do the same.

So not only is it healthier (at least as healthy as fast food can be), it comes from a company with a conscience. What more could you ask?

Eric Berlin · 2 years ago

I've spent most of my life living in New York and California, and In-N-Out seems to have the same kind of cult following that White Castle has on the East Coast (see: Harold & Kumar for an example). In-N-Out is in my view far better, at least in the hamburger department. White Castle fries are quite good. White Castles overall though are not-fun places to hang out; In-N-Outs seem to be a little bit more friendly from what I've seen.

Dave · 2 years ago

Hey Jase, if you like In-N-Out, you should give The Counter a try. It's another L.A. chain that's expanded up into the Bay Area (they currently have 3 locations in the state, but are poised for big expansion).

The best explanation is In-N-Out gone gourmet. Maybe that sounds off-putting, but the sheer number of add-ons you can put on the burger are what make it damned fun. Price point is a little higher too. It's not a replacement for In-N-Out, but a nice alternative/complement for when you want a burger with a bit more panache suited to your mood for the day.

Here's the site and there's a Counter near your 'hood down in Palo Alto:
http://www.thecounterburger.com/menu/

And just to get your In-N-Out juices going, I've always been amazed/horrified by this tale of a 100x100 burger:
http://www.supersizedmeals.com/food/article.php...
(Morgan Spurlock close your eyes!)

Dave · 2 years ago

One more thing...in the future can you accompany your food blog posts with some suitable food porn? :-)

webomatica · 2 years ago

I haven't had a White Castle however I did read a book that said the secret was adding water to the burgers as they cook on the grill so they sort of boil with the onions, and when the bun is put on the meat kinda sticks to the bun. Someday I'll have to try 'em.

I read fast food nation (the book) and I think what I remember most was the lab where they try to make a meat smell or flavor - I think for the fries because they used to be cooked in beef fat or something. The whole fast food industry is rather nasty and I only need think back to my first full time summer job at a chain that shall remain nameless to remind myself of that...

Dave I'll have to check out the counter - sounds like fun. I actually had heard about the Counter before, because some dude ordered everything on the menu on his burger and got it in a bowl and then tried to eat it.

For the "gourmet" burger route there's also Jeffrey's in San Mateo which I like, but honestly, I prefer In-N-Out because of the cost factor. The Jeffrey's burger is excellent but any time I pay more than six bucks for a burger with fries I kinda wonder if I should just get a really good sandwich.

Anyhow I don't normally write about food so I don't know about the "food porn." But perhaps the high number of comments on this off-the-cuff post indicates I could possibly write about food more often.

Derami · 2 years ago

Our local (Seattle) equivalent is Dick's ... there's this weird cloud of crazy people, rappers, street artists and dirty hippies that floats around each Dick's store in town like the dirty cloud around PigPen. They, too, have the simple menu: fries, shakes, 'Dick's Supreme' and regular burgers. A must-eat when you come up the coast ;)

DaFerret · 2 years ago

Mmm... Everytime I visit Cali I always have to stop over at In-and-Out. Although relatives always get me hooked on others, like Johnny's Pastrami and Oki-dogs and the various Mom and Pop burger joints.

It's pretty funny to go up there and my cousins say how much they take In-and-Out for granted. Then they visit Hawaii and I'm saying the same thing about Hawaiian food and Zippy's chili.

Ben Homer · 2 years ago

Mmmmmm. In and Out Burger. Every time I'm on the West Coast I figure out a way to get there - the craving is so much stronger when you live in New York for a while. When I was in Sonoma for a film fest a while back I had the shuttle driver stop there even though it was about a half hour out of the way. And when I was in Vegas last time I had the cab driver go through the drive through on the way to the airport.

papa · 2 years ago

Jase, yeah. More food blogs would be good. Hell, you should consider doing some more of your exotic soda reviews while you're at it. I always find those entertaining. The salty snacks article you did a long way back was also very amusing.

sang · 2 years ago

there's an in out a block away from where i live.... that's in and out burger, not the old in out, in out ;)