Fat Boy Friday

Ah Friday's, the last day of the week. You've been working hard, and now for a hard earned lazy lunch. I think I started Fat Boy Fridays at my last job. We happened to work next door to a Super Duper Burger in San Francisco. Which aside from great burgers, has free french fries with every beer at happy hour. There aren't many better ways to end a week that that.

But I now in San Mateo now, and there is no Super Duper outside my office. Actually there isn't much of anything. Just 1 restaurant called Apple Fritter. Yes, there is a Specialtys down the street but I hate that place. And in the other direction is a shopping mall with Asian restaurants. Most of which leave a lot to be desired.

But I went to Yelp to learn more about the Fritter. Now I know Yelp is evil, coercing companies to pay to remove bad reviews that could damage their business. Very mafia like but without Al Pacino in the starring role. However, when any establishment has over 400 reviews and 4 stars, there is no amount of coniving that Yelp can do to effect that, So I went to the reviews. And they were very enthusiastic about the burgers and breakfasts!

So I asked some people in the office, and sadly no one had actually eaten there. Ok maybe 1 or 2. But in an office of over 30 people, no one had eaten at the closest place to them. I was mystified and had to learn more. And learn I have.

To date I think I have eaten at the Fritter 5 times. Every time I have gotten a burger. Sometimes with chips, sometimes with fries, and sometimes with a custard shake. All are great.

Let's start with the most important part, the burger. This is one of those places that has standard burgers, and then the wacky burgers with different toppings, including a burger on a donut. I love those things! And anyplace that is willing to put it on their menu shares my fat guy in a skinny body mentality, or they are just fat and prone to heart attacks. Either way...

Rather than review each burger I've had I will touch on the basics, namely the burger and traditional accompaniments. First off the patty. I hate these places that griddle a thin patty and call it gourmet. If you can't cook a burger with some thickness and still leave some pink, so aren't trying. These guys griddle there relatively thick burgers in butter I'm pretty sure, cause they crisp up real good, but still retain some pink in the middle. That's all I expect from a burger like this, and it is super tasty. And if you add cheese, it isn't some skimpy piece, but a mass of cheese. My burger on Friday had massive amounts of cheese escaping the sides, and not dripping like some thin piece of cheese, but holding together because it was such a thick slice. And the bacon is cooked just right, not limp, not crisp, right in between.

Now you can add different cheeses, and mushrooms and all sorts of other stuff, and trust me, all the combos are great! And they have other fun burgers like the Luther(on a donut!), Wild Thang(with onion rings), Hawaii BBQ.

Chips vs fries is your next decisions. The chips are fresh made in house and come out how. Super crispy and delicious, and seasoned well, they are outstanding. The fries are long and thin, though not quite McDs thin, but just as good if not better. Because they are a little fatter, they still retain the feeling of actual potato on the inside.

This place also makes mean shakes. But they are made out of frozen custard, not ice cream. Choice of blends include M&Ms, oreos, Butterfingers and much more. The nice lady who makes them even came to our table after we ordered them on Friday to ask us a couple of clarifying questions on how we wanted them and offered her opinion. She's the best!

Of course, they make fresh donuts daily, and also make a mean breakfast as well. Lines out the door to order are the norm here. And being in San Mateo means lots of sun, so try to snag one of the outdoor tables if you can.

If they had better coffee, this place would be a dream, but at least they have beer! So if you find yourself in San Mateo, god help you. But if you are hungry, hit Apple Fritter! You'll be pleasantly surprised.