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| The Hatch Green Chile Burger |
I am not a huge fan of fast food, but I will eat it only if I have to. Growing up, I would occasionally find myself at a local Steak-n-Shake during my trips to and from Georgia. But when I was in high school, a restaurant opened up in Junction City, and it was called Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. At first I was skeptical of this place. I seen them around, but never ate there. I had thought it was a knock off of Steak-n-Shake, and I told myself that I will not eat there whatsoever. I do would like to say that their frozen custards were delicious. It was the closest thing to a Sheridan's Frozen Custard that I knew and loved while living in Leavenworth. I asked myself, what makes their burgers so good? Well from what I was told, they used lean beef. If you really know me, I love fat in my meats (Pause). Fat equals flavor. So I gave it a try, ate it once, and wasn't impressed. The meat was too thin, dry, and cold. Perhaps it was because the restaurant was still new and the cooks were still learning how to make a Freddy's burger. This was back in 2010. Flashing forward to this past summer, I was craving a In-N-Out burger. Well in Kansas, you will not find those anywhere. So I went to Freddy's because my cooperating teacher introduced me to their fry sauce. On their menu was a "California Steakburger." It was like an In-N-Out burger because it had that sauce on it, so I decided to give it try. "Not bad!" I told myself. As I'm sitting in my seat, I turned over at the table top to where it advertised a special called The Hatch Green Chile Burger. I thought about it, and said I will get that the next time. Days have went by, and all I can think about was Freddy's Fry Sauce over a basket of hot, fresh fries. When I drove to Manhattan, I stopped at Freddy's for lunch. I ordered myself the original, signature double. When I first looked at the burger, I saw the steam rising from the burger, cheese melted on the sides, and the bun was warm to the touch. I took that first bite, and it was like heaven. I enjoyed every single bite of that burger. But once again, the sign of The Hatch Green Chile Burger was in my right in my sight. "Next time, I promise!" I told myself as I was walking out the restaurant. Days have went by again, and I was still craving fry sauce and fries. But this time on my next visit, I went ahead and ordered The Hatch Green Chile Burger. Went I sat down and took that first bite, my taste buds exploded with flavor. Here you have two hot burgers with two slices of melted American cheese, but in between the patties, were freshly grilled onions and imported green chile peppers (and sometimes red) from New Mexico. That cheesy goodness mingling with all of those flavors somehow made that burger rich and exotic. Oh, and not to mention their hot, butter-grilled buns. I can't tell a lie, and in my opinion, this was perhaps the best thing I ever ate at Freddy's. It's also the best fast food burger I had since In-N-Out. I'm not saying the others are terrible, or that it beats Five Guys, Wendy's, and Smash burger, but seriously, it doesn't compare when the first thing you think about is quality and freshness. There was just something about that South-western sizzle where it made me craving it for more, day after day. I wasn't sure if it was the spiciness of the chilies, the fresh quality beef, or the banana shakes that go along with it. To this day, I still crave those green chile burgers. I will literally wait an hour on my short lunch break to get them. But here's what I learned... At Freddy's, everything is always made fresh, and everything is just simple. No need to change anything, and they still give what the people love. By the time you order, they start cooking your food, so don't be upset that you have to wait. Believe me, it's worth the wait. This isn't McDonald's where the food is already made and it comes to you. This is Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers we're talking about. In Kansas, we do things fresh, and we make sure we serve our customers justice. If it wasn't for this Green Chile burger, or that signature double I had this summer, I would probably still be that same picky kid I was back in 2010. And it made me realize that you should always appreciate what's offered right in front of you. My love for their burgers have grown, but I am willing to pass it on to you so that you can try their Hatch Green Chile Burgers before they're gone. I want you to experience something that's home away from home. I do believe that many restaurants can think beyond the Jalapeno, and always elevate flavor to a whole new level when experiencing with different spices. This is something I wish it was kept on the menu, but you have to look at the season of peppers. I recommend you try one original, and also get one with no mustard and add the Jalapeno fry sauce. So now, I give my regards to owners of Freddy's! Thank You for sharing your success to America, and showcasing other states what Kansas quality means. And if you don't know or haven't met Freddy, take the time to do so. He is one of the nicest guy you'll ever meet, along with his sons. To give you some historical information, Freddy's first opened up 2002 in Wichita, Kansas. Freddy himself, was a businessman, and also served in the United States Army during WWII. His family also had a farm, and in someway, he had an appetite for Steak burgers after playing games of baseball. The last thing that I would like to pass on to you that he has passed on to us are some famous quotes by him....."Always tell the truth." "Love, obey, and thank your parents and teachers." and "Work hard and study."
#ilovefreddys
