Nathan's Famous: The Best Thing to Order on Their Menu Is...

Every time that I've spent my money at a Nathan's Famous fast food place, always in a mall, I've ordered their hot dogs. You've probably done the same thing; you had a 'hankering' for a hot dog, and your automatic choice was Nathan's. I recently was at my local mall, and decided to treat myself to a 'junk food' lunch. I walked past Taco Bell, McDonald's, Arby's, Sbarro, Rita's Water Ice (not crowded there in January!), Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Cinnabon, and Wok King. Tucked behind a wall was, to my surprise, a Nathan's Famous. Not surprisingly, it wasn't crowded, although there were customers.

Stepping right up to the counter, I was ready to place my order for their two hot dog special, when suddenly I changed my mind. I hadn't had beef in quite some time. Beef it was going to be.

I ordered their "small" cheesburger combo. A "small" drink, "small" order of fries, "small" cheeseburger.

There was nothing small about this meal except the price: $5.39, including tax.

I had to wait a few minutes while my burger was cooked to order. (Their burgers come complete with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions and, of course, cheese. I opted out for the onions.) My "small" meal was ready in a matter of three, maybe four minutes.

It was delicious. Honestly. One of the very best burgers I've eaten in a very long time.

Who would have thought that Nathan's Famous hamburgers are actually better than their Coney Island style hot dogs?

Everything in the combo was piping hot. The drink was a good size, nothing like you'd get in a kid's mealm or other "small" portioned meal. The fries were a decent size, too, at least twelve or fifteen of them. Just enough to eat all of them in one sitting without feeling like you had to stuff yourself to finish them off, or throw a good portion of them away because there were just too darned many. They had just the right amount of greasy flavor, too. Another big plus: Nathan's offers malt vinegar to go with your fries, as an option to ketchup and mustard. I filled up my little paper cup with that vinegar, and chowed down.

But the biggest and best surprise was the cheeseburger itself. This little beauty towered over 4" high and came on a really good, toasted bun. The cheese was properly melted, and was real cheese, not the yellowish stuff that McDonald's throws on their grill at the last minute. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and plentiful. The burger came with both ketchup and mustard, and in just the right proportions to its size.. Even though it was their "small" burger, I had to take my time to leisurely finish it - and finish it I did. It was really, really tasty.

While I didn't, sadly, find the cure for cancer, world hunger, or a wilting economy, I did find a truly bargain burger at the most unexpected of places. While "bargain" may connote a lesser standard, in the sense that you get what you pay for, this Nathan's Famous cheeseburger was first-rate all the way. The price was right, the ingredients fresh and bountiful, and the burger was delicious.

Nathan's Famous burgers made McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King's offerings pale by comparison. As I ate, I watched the Nathan's staff cook each order individually. There was nothing that was wrapped and stuck in a warming tray. Everything was cooked as it was ordered by each customer. Nothing was plopped into a paper bag pre-cooked or pre-wrapped.

The next time you're weighing your options at Nathan's Famous, think outside the hot dog box: order a burger. You won't regret it. I may be standing behind you in line, because, in the words of California Governor Schwarzenegger, "I''ll be back" - for another of their outstanding cheeseburgers!