Double-Double

 

The Double-Double at In-N-Out Burger

innout.com

A+

This is it. This is the definitive American hamburger in my book, and good luck convincing me otherwise. Two never frozen beef chuck patties, lettuce, tomato, onions, American cheese, and "spread" (You know what it is. It's good stuff.) on that slow-rising sponge dough bun. It is an iconic sandwich, a symbol of California, and since that's one of the best states, purely American. In these burger obsessed times, I refuse to become obsessed with burgers. I doubt there will be another burger added to the A+ list here at all sandwich, and if there is, it likely will be the Awful Awful of Reno, Nevada. But that'll probably be it.

The thing about the Double-Double is its success as a sandwich. Let's get back to basics for a sec ... what makes a perfect sandwich? A brilliant combination of flavors and textures made easily munchable by great bread. In-N-Out serves the best bun in the fast food world. That's not up for debate. And the ingredients here add up to something much greater than the sum of this burger's parts. Whether you prefer your onions grilled or raw, they work with/against the cheese and sauce in a sublime way. And the fact that In-N-Out has never served me wilted lettuce or a scary tomato makes all the difference. Double-Double, welcome to standard-bearer status.