USC recruiting and everything else

[dublinirish]

Yeah it should always be in a city with the proper infrastructure to move people around and house them. NYC, Chicago, Boston, London, Beijing are all good choices. Boston probably needs some rail upgrades.

even Rio has a functional subway system

 

[BobbyMac]

and everyone could have In N Out... which trumps all stupid arguments about traffic...

Do you really like INO that much or do you simply rep em so much just becuz they are a Cali institution?

Money not being a factor, wouldn't you rather go to The Habit, Smash Burger or Chronic Taco over INO?

 

[yankeehater]

Do you really like INO that much or do you simply rep em so much just becuz they are a Cali institution?

Money not being a factor, wouldn't you rather go to The Habit, Smash Burger or Chronic Taco over INO?

As a matter of fact, I had In N Out yesterday. I like The Habit, but usually get a chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries so basically something different than offered at In N Out. Chronic Tacos is good, but would not be considered a substitute for In N Out. I have yet to try Smash Burger even though the location in Aliso Viejo is pretty darn close to us.

 

[BobbyMac]

As a matter of fact, I had In N Out yesterday. I like The Habit, but usually get a chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries so basically something different than offered at In N Out. Chronic Tacos is good, but would not be considered a substitute for In N Out. I have yet to try Smash Burger even though the location in Aliso Viejo is pretty darn close to us.

I go to the AV Smash Burger a couple times a month. My girl says they make the best fast food salads on the market. I get a burger or chicken... with a Stone IPA.

I just don't get the INO craze. Is it better than McD's and BK? Of course. Do I appreciate that they make it fresh and less detrimental to my health? Yes. Does it taste as good as a Habit or Smash Burger? No. I see no difference in paying $3 for a burger or $6. It's all fast food to me if I can go in and have it in less than 5 minutes.

I've never been to Chronic Tacos. Everybody I've talked to raves about them until I ask... Is it better than your favorite hole in the wall, authentic joint you go to? And the answer is always, Of course not.. I just brought it up because I see INO as boring and unoffensive, sort of like what Chipotle is versus gross and disgusting like McD's and BK are.

Since you are in the area... Any hints on good off the beaten path joints? My submission would be Sabrasado's (formerly Alerto's) Mexican. It's at El Toro and Rockfield just north of the 5. Best carnitas I've ever had.

.

 

[calvegas04]

that would make it look even less like a college stadium than it does now

 

[koonja]

I go to the AV Smash Burger a couple times a month. My girl says they make the best fast food salads on the market. I get a burger or chicken... with a Stone IPA.

I just don't get the INO craze. Is it better than McD's and BK? Of course. Do I appreciate that they make it fresh and less detrimental to my health? Yes. Does it taste as good as a Habit or Smash Burger? No. I see no difference in paying $3 for a burger or $6. It's all fast food to me if I can go in and have it in less than 5 minutes.

I've never been to Chronic Tacos. Everybody I've talked to raves about them until I ask... Is it better than your favorite hole in the wall, authentic joint you go to? And the answer is always, Of course not.. I just brought it up because I see INO as boring and unoffensive, sort of like what Chipotle is versus gross and disgusting like McD's and BK are.

Since you are in the area... Any hints on good off the beaten path joints? My submission would be Sabrasado's (formerly Alerto's) Mexican. It's at El Toro and Rockfield just north of the 5. Best carnitas I've ever had.

.

Whoa, so Smash Burger in your opinion is better than In and Out? I've had 5 guys, and had Smash Burger. I always joke about how great 5 guys is and people tell me 'wait til you have in and out'. Had smash burger, thought 5 guys was better.

 

[connor_in]

Re: in n out, see the gc

 

[BobbyMac]

 

[pkt77242]

I go to the AV Smash Burger a couple times a month. My girl says they make the best fast food salads on the market. I get a burger or chicken... with a Stone IPA.

I just don't get the INO craze. Is it better than McD's and BK? Of course. Do I appreciate that they make it fresh and less detrimental to my health? Yes. Does it taste as good as a Habit or Smash Burger? No. I see no difference in paying $3 for a burger or $6. It's all fast food to me if I can go in and have it in less than 5 minutes.

I've never been to Chronic Tacos. Everybody I've talked to raves about them until I ask... Is it better than your favorite hole in the wall, authentic joint you go to? And the answer is always, Of course not.. I just brought it up because I see INO as boring and unoffensive, sort of like what Chipotle is versus gross and disgusting like McD's and BK are.

Since you are in the area... Any hints on good off the beaten path joints? My submission would be Sabrasado's (formerly Alerto's) Mexican. It's at El Toro and Rockfield just north of the 5. Best carnitas I've ever had.

.

I know that you weren't talking to me and I don't live in the area (though I was in the area 4 times over 2 years so I got to try a fair amount of food). The place that my wife loved when we visited there was Romano Cucina (down in Mission Viejo but a pretty short drive if I remember correctly).

 

[BobbyMac]

Whoa, so Smash Burger in your opinion is better than In and Out? I've had 5 guys, and had Smash Burger. I always joke about how great 5 guys is and people tell me 'wait til you have in and out'. Had smash burger, thought 5 guys was better.

INO is a healthier Wendy's. It doesn't taste bad... it just doesn't taste like 5 Guys, The Habit & Smash Burger level of burgers. People will say they shouldn't as they are different levels of cost but I don't care if a burger costs $6 or $3. It's still fast food if it's $10 or less. Maybe the only reason they really go to INO is they have a drive thru, it's cheaper and it doesn't gross them out. I'll admit, I go to Chipotle sometimes for the same reasons minus the drive thru.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Copycats!

 

[BobbyMac]

I know that you weren't talking to me and I don't live in the area (though I was in the area 4 times over 2 years so I got to try a fair amount of food). The place that my wife loved when we visited there was Romano Cucina (down in Mission Viejo but a pretty short drive if I remember correctly).

That's funny. I just saw that place last Saturday when I got my propane tanks filled. Stopped at McD's to grab a coffee and saw it next door. It's on LaPaz at the 5. I'm prety sure everything on that side of the freeway is Laguna Hills though it is right across the road from MVHS. I'll go try the Gnocchi and report back! Thanks pkt for the heads up!

 

[ACamp1900]

I love me some Fat Burger, Five Guys, etc. but they aren't fast food imo... you have to get down and order in... also, you can get burgers from Applebees for under ten bucks, doesn't make them fast food... Also, Chipotle sucks major booty and is an affront to quality Mexican food... just my two cents. I have had chronic taco (they actually have them in Angel Stadium too)... not bad but SO MANY better options for authentic mexican burrito/taco shops...

 

[Bubbles]

what's the waffle situation? chili?

 

[ACamp1900]

Chicken and Waffles all over LA playa....

 

[BobbyMac]

I love me some Fat Burger, Five Guys, etc. but they aren't fast food imo... you have to get down and order in... also, you can get burgers from Applebees for under ten bucks, doesn't make them fast food... Also, Chipotle sucks major booty and is an affront to quality Mexican food... just my two cents. I have had chronic taco (they actually have them in Angel Stadium too)... not bad but SO MANY better options for authentic mexican burrito/taco shops...

Thank you. How you feel about Chipotle which is a bland, hollow version of real Mexican is how I feel about INO to burgers. Bland, fast food burger compared to the pricier competition..

Applebee's is a bad example. You can't walk through the door there and expect to have your food in less than 5 minutes. At 5 Guys, Smash Burger or The Habit you can. That's fast food.

 

[ACamp1900]

5 Guys, and the like, NOT fast food...

 

[ACamp1900]

btw, Chipotle is typically MORE expensive than the better, more authentic options...

 

[ACamp1900]

Also, I love five guys and fat burger, but have only had smashburger once and I was very much underwhelmed... straight up, take price and convenience out of the equation, I'll take a basic burger from INO with grilled onions over what I had at smashburger... I can't say that about Fat Burger or Five Guys... maybe I just caught them on a bad day though

 

[BobbyMac]

5 Guys, and the like, NOT fast food...

Fast Casual is Fast Food without a drive thru. I don't get INO as fast as McD's or BK. Their time is closer to The Habit or Smash Burger than the old school burger factories.

Anyways, my point was on taste alone. Time and cost aren't enough to differentiate INO from their pricier competiton. Their perceived quality would make me choose them over McD's or BK however.

btw, Chipotle is typically MORE expensive than the better, more authentic options...

Depends on your metrics. A $6.65 Carnitas Burrito is substantially larger (like 50%) than the $5-$7 burritos at real joints. Plus, if I go authentic, I have to have a big bottle Mexican Coke which is $3.

 

[calvegas04]

I like Five guys better than In n Out

 

[ACamp1900]

Fast Casual is Fast Food without a drive thru. I don't get INO as fast as McD's or BK. Their time is closer to The Habit or Smash Burger than the old school burger factories.

Anyways, my point was on taste alone. Time and cost aren't enough to differentiate INO from their pricier competiton. Their perceived quality would make me choose them over McD's or BK however.



Depends on your metrics. A $6.65 Carnitas Burrito is substantially larger (like 50%) than the $5-$7 burritos at real joints. Plus, if I go authentic, I have to have a big bottle Mexican Coke which is $3.

If you are forced to get out of the car it isn't fast food, I don't care if it's a corner hot dog stand. Out the car, not fast food.

Chipotle. I guess it depends on where you are going. There very few authentic spots I go to for a 5 dollar burrito are smaller than what you get at Chiptole, very few... hell I have a spot here that you can get a burrito so big it feeds a fmaily and it's only ~7.50... anyway I said CHipotle is an affront to real meixcan and you said that's how you feel about INO... that's just pure haterism right there because INO IS compared to McDs and BK... that's what it is... just because the lines are longer doesn't make it not so.

 

[wizards8507]

If you are forced to get out of the car it isn't fast food, I don't care if it's a corner hot dog stand. Out the car, not fast food.

Chipotle. I guess it depends on where you are going. There very few authentic spots I go to for a 5 dollar burrito are smaller than what you get at Chiptole, very few... hell I have a spot here that you can get a burrito so big it feeds a fmaily and it's only ~7.50... anyway I said CHipotle is an affront to real meixcan and you said that's how you feel about INO... that's just pure haterism right there because INO IS compared to McDs and BK... that's what it is... just because the lines are longer doesn't make it not so.

I'll agree that Chipotle is not real Mexican but it's still damn tasty. If you stuff slow roasted pork in a flour tortilla with gobs of black beans and salsa and fajita veggies, it's going to be delicious.

Oh and it's totally not fast food. See also: Panera

 

[ACamp1900]

I like Five guys better than In n Out

As do I... but I'd also take a Morton's Steak House ribeye over what I'd get at Golden Corral...

 

[ACamp1900]

I'll agree that Chipotle is not real Mexican but it's still damn tasty. If you stuff slow roasted pork in a flour tortilla with gobs of black beans and salsa and fajita veggies, it's going to be delicious.

Oh and it's totally not fast food. See also: Panera

I wouldn't say Chiptole is bad, it's just far worse and often far more expensive than authentic joints...


Don't get me started on Panera....

 

[wizards8507]

My dudes, let's all agree...

White Castle blows.

 

[wizards8507]

Don't get me started on Panera....

Not saying it's good, just providing another example of "fast casual" that isn't fast food. My wife loves that place but I can't stand it. If I'm spending $10 on a sandwich, it better be a huge ass sandwich that leaves me stuffed, not 1/16 lb of deli meat on stale bread.

 

[ACamp1900]

I am surprised wiz said something positive about mexican food at all though... gives me hope for future generations.

 

[wizards8507]

I love Mexican food. Cali-Mex, not Tex-Mex. Pico, avocado, and roasted pork. Not spicy ground beef and lava cheese. And any kind of beans. I could eat refried or black beans for the rest of my life and never touch another potato.

 

[Irish2155]

My dudes, let's all agree...

White Castle blows.

Never had White Castle sober in my life...not too bad at 3am.