Five Guys

This famous American burger chain opened its first branch in the UK in July 2013, 1 day before competitor ‘Shake Shack’ opened its first UK outlet just down the road. Serving sloppy American burgers, the two went head to head. Naturally, I had to try them both back to back.

I have no doubt in saying the burger and fries are better at five guys. This is not to say it’s the best burger you’ll ever eat. It’s still fast food, with an impressive production line (pictured), and patties are cooked from fresh not frozen. Toppings are free and numerous. If you get them all (as I did) your burger will fall apart and stuffing your hand onto your face will be the only way to polish it off.

The fries are loaded into a cup and intentionally served overflowing in the paper bag, you feel like you’re getting bonus fries. Go for Cajun fries if you like a little heat and flavour.

It’s messy, it’s fast, and if you aren’t full (which is unlikely) you can gorge on the free buckets of monkey nuts. Long live America.

£28 (2 people)

1-3 Long Acre, Covent Garden London WC2E 9LH

Five Guys: Website/Facebook/Twitter

Creme de la Crepe

Hidden amongst the violins, somersaulting performers, and designer brands of Covent Garden Market lies an absolute gem of an eatery that serves a classic dish that couldn’t be more complementary to the surrounding European atmosphere – the crepe.

Creme De La Crepe, with its low ceilings and white brick walls, takes you straight into a Creperie in an Alpine French town. Seriously, this tavern is literally so cute and cosy that I can imagine Frodo eating his second breakfast everyday here.

The menu has a wide selection of both savoury and sweet crepes. I ordered a “Dirty Harry” savoury crepe, a hearty fellow that packs chorizo, red onion, mature cheddar cheese, greens, and ranch dressing all for £6.40. It was large, hot, and brilliant. It had just the right amount of cheese, the crepe was crisp but had the right amount of thickness to prevent it feeling like a biscuit, and the perfectly sized Chorizo pieces were soft but firm. Most importantly though, it just looked so darn beautiful. Taking my first bite felt similar to that wide-eyed joy a 4 year old experiences when playing with a new Lego set. It was layered so that the warm taste of the cheese would hit first and then the onion, with the chorizo charging in at the end to drive it all home. The only downside to this crepe I felt was the ranch dressing. Not only does it horrify 50 million folks across the English Channel that an American sauce would be used in a French food, the dressing on top of the molten cheese makes the crepe wetter than I’d like it to be.

There is enough variety on the menu for any mood and for any time of the day, so there is no excuse not to give Creme De La Crepe many a visit. Bon Appetit!

£12 (2 people)

The Piazza, Covent Garden Market, London WC2E 8RE

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