Food Find: Five Guys Famous Burgers

Washington is a great place to eat through. With the Capitol and so many important politicians and decision makers, there's all kinds of classy eateries with character and well-stocked wine cellars. There also every kind of regional cuisine, thanks to a diverse population and the menagerie of representatives from across the United States. Indeed, if there's a type of food you crave and you can't find it in DC, you're not looking hard enough.

This dates back a week or two, but I was craving a burger. Not some overcooked slab of unseasoned ground sirloin on a dry bun or some nasty composite of beef from a chain, but a real, genuine burger. A friend and I went over to National Place between 13th and 14th NW, which has an impressive food court boasting sushi, Thai, cafe style paninis and soups, Chinese buffet food, pizza by the slice with beer and the classic, American burger.

I stepped in line at Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries, an Eastern chain that has been voted the best burger by Washingtonian Magazine for the past seven years. That's quite the record. I waited 10 minutes for my lunch in the non-rush hour of 3 p.m. because it's all made to order. I ordered a cheeseburger with fries and a fountain drink for $10. For that price, it better be fabulous and famous.

And believe me, it was. Granted, I had no idea that the regular cheeseburger was a double patty and for regular fries they not only fill up a Styrofoam cup with fries, but they also dump a big scoopful into your paper to-go bag, just for good measure. Everything was greasy, but when the craving strikes, you have to feed it.

I got the burger with all the fixings that are standard, including tomato, mustard, mayo, ketchup, onion and lettuce (if I remember correctly). If I knew how big the helpings were, I would have ordered the small burger, which I assume is a single patty. This burger did not disappoint -- the beef itself was tasty and tender and the patty was obviously formed by hand. The toppings were the right quantity so as to not overwhelm the beef itself. Also, the bun was soft and moist without falling apart as I progressed into the burger.

The fries were equally fabulous. They were not made from frozen and you can taste the different in the crispness of the potato coupled with an exterior crunch and interior that is still a bit soft. They were seasoned appropriately and tasted delicious with ketchup.

I don't think my heart can take the grease of this place again, but it was certainly a tasty treat.