Double Burger (with everything)
PATTY BURGER, $8.74
72 E. Adams St., 312-987-0900
www.pattyburger.com
No nutritional information available
The pitch: “Serving up burgers that are 100 percent pure Angus beef, Patty doesn’t cut corners. Hand-formed and seasoned on the spot, they don’t just sizzle when they hit the grill. They’re setting the burger world on fire.”
First thought: Googly-moogly, this is one gigantic sandwich. But the beef actually tastes like beef, with a nice pepperiness to it. Thumbs up to the spicy mayo sauce, and we love the crunch and bite of red onions. Mushroom, bacon, avocado and grilled onions are extra, but worth every penny (316 copper-plated Abe Lincolns, to be exact). This is one mighty fine hamburger.
On second thought: Greasy. The calorie count must be obscene. But who cares … you only live once.
McGrade: A
Half-pound Jalapeno Cheddar Double Melt
WENDY’S, $4.29
www.wendys.com
760 calories, 41 g fat, 1,610 mg sodium
The pitch: “Two hot ‘n’ juicy fresh ground beef patties with pepper jack cheese, warm Cheddar cheese sauce, three strips of hickory-smoked bacon and sliced jalapeno peppers.”
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First thought: Ay ay ay! This is hotter than Jessica Alba in “Sin City.” Meat, bacon, two types of cheese and jalapeno work together. If you like your Scoville spiciness scale tipped to the right, this is for you.
On second thought: The novelty of this sandwich is that the jalapeno slices are floating in a cheesy abyss between two beef patties. What if you didn’t want so many jalapenos? Fishing them out is messy.
McGrade: B+
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