5 Guys Burgers and Fries

OVERVIEW; These sloppy, fully loaded burgers are legendary in Washington DC and relativity newly (2003) franchised. This burger is reminiscent of the fabled "In n Out Burger", local to L.A. (my home land, BTW). These fast food alterna-burgers are quick, delicious and heads and tails above any drive through you may find yourself in on your lunch hour. With a secret "verbal-legend" menu sporting around 250,000 variations, this place is a piece of Americana in both meaty-ness and franchise opportunity.

BURGER; Thin patties cooked well done, stacked generously with all your favorite toppings, plus an entire sub-menu of additional toppings, ensure that you get your ultimate burger. The sparkling clean, wide open kitchen lets you into the preparation of your order from the moment the cashier hollers "two patties!!" over her right shoulder.

FRIES; Always local, with a counter-top sign that displays the specific farm that day's batch was sourced from. Cajun is an unimpressive option. And even the small order of fries satiates the fry lust of two adults, and since if you're probably eating the double burger anyway, try to avoid large fry excess.

SERVICE; This is essentially a fast food restaurant. Though it harkens to the idealized version of a middle America burger joint, patronized by, like, Richie Cunningham or something, it is still a fast food restaurant. There are pallets with boxes upon boxes of peanuts everywhere for pre-pig-out snacking, so, unless you're deathly allergic, that's a plus. An appropriate and affordable alternative to Burgerville, when you're feeling both cheap and snobby.

WHERE; Heavy saturation in the suburbs, with an 82nd st location in Portland proper. www.fiveguys.com

Violetta Forevah

FOREVAH IS A LONG TIME; Yea, no duh, but I have yet to be done wrong by either Violetta's roaming food cart, "Etta" or their location in Directors Park in SW Portland. It's a beautiful example of Portland local flavors, served in a great casual setting.

BURGER; Beautiful. Violetta's catchy slogan reads "fast-slow-food" (cleverly worded in the shape of the recycling insignia), and though the "fast" part might be a little presumptuous, they really deliver on the "slow" and the "food". But wait, I don't mean you'll be waiting forevah, or that these burgers are pedestrian enough to be referred to simply as food. I mean that this burger is well crafted with fabulous local ingredients, carefully prepared to showcase their respective freshness.

FRIES; Both sweet potato and traditional. And they're great. Waffle fries covered in gorgonzola cheese is a favorite, but they are serious business, so don't go in thinking it's a one man job. It's at least a two person ordeal, but it will bring you two together, so go for it.

SERVICE; Walk up to the counter and be served efficiently and with a huge smile. Grab your own water and/or craft beer bottle and if you're at the Director's Park Location you can either post up in the spare dining room or stretch out on the patio beneath the rainbow of soft neon that illuminates the concrete park below. Or if you opt for the truck version, grab a local soda-pop, pull up some curb/picnic table/park bench and tuck in.

WHERE; 877 sw taylor at sw park, Portland www.violettapdx.com