Five Guys Burgers And Fries

Five Guys Burgers And Fries

Keene NH

Five Guys Website

About a year or so ago, my friend Chris started raving to me about this place in Keene he'd eaten at, he kept talking about how amazing it was for a fast food burger joint, and how he couldn't wait to go back. And after alot of talking it up, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take a trip up to check this place out myself, taking my mom with me, because she's a good second opinion on such things, we headed up to the Keene location, which is in a small mini-mall, long time livers in the area would know that its the location of the former Strawberries Music Shop location for the city of Keene, and if you're reading this and under the age of 30, you've probably never been in a music shop, in which case, I seriously hate you and your damn ipods and how they ruined a good thing.

The exterior of the Keene location

The Keene location is amazingly clean and bright, they're all tables with chairs, instead of booths, I'm always abit leery of booths, they make me feel confined most of the time, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and very patient with us as it was our first time there and didn't really know the menu or how big different sizes were. The burgers are cooked up old school style on a big thick griddle, like a burger should be at such an establishment, other fast food places take note, there is no microwave at all in this place. The fries are made from right there at the location from real potatoes, with the skin on them still and everything! They make both regular and Cajan style fries, they also make veggie sammiches and grilled cheese too, all right there on the spot, so you know exactly where the food you're eating is coming from, even if it is fast food.

The Interior of the Keene Location

I would have to say, as far as the food goes, OH MY GAWD, I honestly, have never had a burger or hot dog as good as this place makes them. Though I will admit, they are abit on the high priced side, my mother got a bacon cheeseburger, a cheese and bacon hot dog, a large fry and a large drink, I had 2 bacon cheeseburgers, a cheese and bacon hot dog, a large cajan fry, and a large drink, all together it cost me just over $50.oo, which really isn't that bad when you realize that the burgers were all double burgers, and that the fries are seriously enough to fill a brown paper bag about half way, and that you can get any of 20 different things on your orders, they even have veggie sammiches and grilled cheeses as well, but we didn't try any of those, I seriously can't believe just how much food we really got over all, it was enough to put me down for the count, which believe me, is not very easy to do food wise.

my order, though you can't seen the titanic amount of fries I got with my order, believe me, they are there.

The food came to us maybe 10 minutes after we ordered, and was cooked to perfection, seriously this had to be the best non-sit down restaurant burger i've ever had, i tend to judge how good a place is on their burgers, i am kind of picky that way. Mine had A-1 steak sauce and extra pickles, and my hot dog was just a plain cheese and bacon hot dog, i will admit, the cajan fries are abit on the spicy side, but still very good, though i would rather the regular fries, some of which i liberate from my mom's order while her eyes were bugging out of her head and she was raving about how good her burger was. The drinks were from one of those modern drinking fountains where you can mix and match your drink any way you like, half coke, half ice tea for example, though i didn't realize this until after my drink was lidded and i was enjoying it at my table. The extra condiments table was expansive and full of different things; ketchup, mustard, A-1 Steak Sauce and barbecue sauce as regular everyday add ons, and they had fresh lemon over by the drinks for extra flavor as well.

the never ending bag of cajan fries, truly they are a cruel mistress.

Over all, I would have to say, both of us thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Five Guys Burgers And Fries, as I had said earlier, the price was abit much, it came out to around $7.50 for each burger with meal tax, and the fries were about $4.oo or so, and the hot dogs were about $5.50 each, and that might sound like alot of money, but when you sit down and see just how much you get, each burger weighs in at almost a pound each, and each hot dog is an 8 inch dog butterflied, and the fries, well, they never seem to stop coming, it really isn't all that bad, though its definitely not an every single day lunch deal if you're a big eater like me, but if you just want a burger and some fries and nothing all that fancy, it isn't that bad on the wallet. But still very much worth the time and effort and more importantly, definitely its worth the money, even if you don't believe it until you see it in your hands. So definitely, if you get a chance, check our Five Guys Burgers And Fries, they're definitely worth a visit.


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Chris

The Meat House

The Meat House Butcher And Grocer

Amherst NH
The Meat House Website

So I wanted to start off this blog with a review of a place that I just love, my butcher shop, as any true meat lover would right? 

If you ask them, most chefs will tell you, the most important thing any lover of food can do is become friends with, or atleast be on a first name basis, with their local butcher, they say you should be this way with all local food merchants (Farm stand owners, ect), but they will say, the most important of those truly is the butcher shop connection, I always thought this was bullcrap, until I tried the Meat House. I tried tried them out the day before this past New Years Eve, looking for something special to get for New Years dinner, wanting to do something rather special for my mom and I. I was greeted and welcomed by the man who we would later find out is the manager and two other employees, all of whom asked me if it was my first time in the shop, they were very friendly and happy, and when I asked for two porterhouse steaks just 2 1/2 inches thick, of which they had none out, but the younger assistant, who would eventually go on to become the guy I deal with 90% of the time when I go to the shop, offered to go cut me some, which he ran and did happily, I truly enjoyed my first visit, infact they gave me free steak tips as a thank you for trying their shop, how awesome is that!

My first two buys, two Porterhouse Steaks

My first two DelMonico Rib Eyes

I have to tell you, until I cooked up those steaks, I really hadn't truly been sold on the whole Butcher Shop vs. Grocery Store meat debate, but I can tell you with certainty, that porterhouse, though slightly undercooked for some's liking, destroyed any chance of me ever getting another steak at a grocery store. I quickly returned to the Amherst store for more! And this time, I discovered what would come to be my go too and favorite steak of all time, the lovely Delmonico Rib Eye. Possibly the most tender and flavorful steak cut I have ever eaten in my life. Seriously just looking at these things makes your mouth water for a nice grilled up slab of meat, if you've never had one, you truly are missing out, unless you're a vegetarian or a vegan, in which case, go eat a carrot you damn hippie, no one cares what you think.

Cowboy Rib Eyes, the gateway to a meat coma

Peanut Butter Pie, truly they are gods who made this.

I have been going back to the Meat House regularly ever sense that first month, depending on various things either once a week or once very two weeks, and they just amaze me every single time, their beef, chicken, pork, lamb and I would assume buffalo, is all locally raised and grown, with no additives or injections, all organic farm grown untouched pure meat, there truly is something amazingly good about that, and something very healthy, the Meat House also prides itself on selling as many local products as it can, be they peanut butter pie or mini chocolate lava cakes made by a local bakery thats one of the top in the state, or untouched fresh from the cow milk in the old glass jars with the cream ontop and everything! All of their products, except for afew of their in house brand and afew big demand spices and rubs, are local to the area around the store, we've discovered that the Amherst location, as I would assume the others in the area, feature products from New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, everything from Michelle's Famous popcorn (the best in the world, review will come later) to locally made wine and beers to cheese and ice cream to even salsa chips.

Their twice baked potatoes, a favorite around my home

The dessert case, truly, they are a tempting evil lot who stock this

So where am I going with all of this? Well simple, if you're like I was, someone that loves to enjoy their food, and wanting to get away from the factory farms that pump animals full of the most horrid additives and do the most cruel things to them all in the name of food supply and demand, and would like to try a healthier, better for you alternative with out becoming one of those annoying hippie types, try out a local butcher shop, and if you have one in your area, try a branch of The Meat House, they have locations all over Mass, NH, Maine, and afew states down south and out in California. You will be glad health wise you did, and also you'll be supporting tons of local companies, which really is the best thing about it all, remember, eating local supports more jobs then you realize. Plus, their staff is just so nice and lovely, every single time you buy anything they make sure you know to cook it, or suggest you different ways to cook them, or seasoning or rubs, they are truly some of the most knowledgeable people on just about everything in their shop, and also check out their website, their blog has cheat sheets on the best way to cook everything they have, as well as a great place to get recipes now and then!

So seriously, if you live near a location for The Meat Shop, give them a try, and if you don't, well, go give a local butcher a try, they might be just about a dollar or so more cost wise then a grocery store, but, your taste buds, and your health will thank you for it.


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Chris

So here we go..

Ok so, this is my food review blog, its gonna be a place for me, and afew friends as they wish to jump in, to review places to eat, and specialty shops for various foods and such, and maybe afew recipes we try at home, you know, just for funsies.

Now, to get this place looking like it should before I gets to posting...

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Chris