513308 Sat Apr 26 14:25:01 -0700 2008 33 32 Chains 0 3632255 after abandoning vegetarianism about two years ago-- i ate my first white caste burger the other night. in fact, it was my first "commercial" burger in many years. the last time i had white castle, however, was when i was ten. it was the feature of my friend's birthday party. (i grew up in a very classy town) to return to my burger from the other night: i admit it was good. and i admit that we were all drinking so my taste buds might not have been as discerning as they would be on another night. nonetheless everyone at our table seemed to agree that the little castle burgers were the best commercial burger option around. true or untrue? Sat Apr 26 14:25:03 -0700 2008 48024 oystersallday 1 3632307 Best commercial burger? I don't think so. But it's like in the movie Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle -- when you've got that craving, nothing else will do. Sat Apr 26 14:51:45 -0700 2008 3632255 10763 Miss Needle 2 3632579 I'm certainly glad I never get that craving. I have never understood the WC phenom. I've had WC exactly four times in my life. I just don't get it. And I'm no snob about junk foods. I'll be the first to admit that I love 7-11 microwave burrito things, taco hell, arby's fish sammiches (and plenty more.) but WC I will never understand. Just does nothing for me at all. Sat Apr 26 17:26:13 -0700 2008 3632307 111530 gordeaux 3 3632705 I think it's mainly about the strong onion flavor in the slyders. If you LOVE onions, then it's little burger heaven. I know people who aren't crazy for WC - just a matter of taste. Also, a pal from VA says that "something about a burger that's just cooked on one side sounds wrong"- but Sr. Swanky & I can't get enough! Sat Apr 26 18:31:24 -0700 2008 3632579 59004 Sra. Swanky 3 3632724 Guess people have different tastes. I can't eat 7-11 burritos and Taco Bell at all. But White Castle is something I like to enjoy once every few years. In addition to the strong onion flavor, there's something nice biting into that soggy squishy bun. Sat Apr 26 18:37:22 -0700 2008 3632579 10763 Miss Needle 4 3632904 I love In-and-Out, would I love White Castle? (I know that they are different in many ways) Sat Apr 26 20:28:51 -0700 2008 3632724 52988 BellaDonna 5 3632923 They're different in damn near every way. There's no way to tell if you'd like White Castle based on whether you like In n Out -- there just aren't enough data points in common. Sat Apr 26 20:45:40 -0700 2008 3632904 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 6 3633366 I eat them every once in a while. And here's a disturbing news flash: the last batch I got, the buns weren't steamed. They tasted dry and yucky. I hope this was just an isolated mistake. Sun Apr 27 06:13:57 -0700 2008 3632923 21777 Emm 5 3633745 Oh, completely different animals. The only way you would know for sure is to try it. And as it's only about 50 cents a burger, there's not too much harm done if you don't like it. Sun Apr 27 09:31:40 -0700 2008 3632904 10763 Miss Needle 5 3635525 I can pretty much guarantee that if you love In-n-Out you'll detest White Castle. Any more than Beach Boys and Rap can both be your favorite type of music. Mon Apr 28 03:36:55 -0700 2008 3632904 80872 addictedtolunch 6 3641656 Wait..I love them both!! I'm in Ca, & I love my double-doubles, but you can find the big box of frozen White Castle cheezeburgers in my freezer right now. After a few seconds in the microwave, same squishy texture as if they were just steamed on the restaurant grill. Tue Apr 29 18:26:43 -0700 2008 3635525 165296 mdlb 1 3633411 i would say flavor balance and the appeal of "snackability." appealing soft bun, pungent flavorful onions, gooey cheese (supposing you're smart and go with the cheese sliders), and--though optional, completely required for me--the spice of a touch of jalapeno. someone made a post a while back about how the burger patty in most great fast food burgers is just there to support the superb condiments and bun, and i think white castle is a great example of that. Sun Apr 27 06:35:03 -0700 2008 3632255 184055 beelzebozo 1 3633869 There is no WC in our area, so they only thing I have had is the frozen version. It was okay, I'm sure it would have been better fresh, but what sticks out in my mind is the overwhelming smell of BO. The onions, I know, but . . . Sun Apr 27 10:31:55 -0700 2008 3632255 80937 danhole 2 3636413 We don't have them where I live either and I had tried the frozen ones..oh the stank! I smelled up my whole house and I hated them....fast forward a few years and we were visiting the east coast and gave it a shot, walked in and BLAMO BO smell! I will say that aside from the smell they were damn tasty...would go back in a heartbeat. Avoid the frozen at all costs. Mon Apr 28 09:37:18 -0700 2008 3633869 96905 bubbles4me 1 3633970 i've been eating them all my life - i love them, but they don't love me so i don't eat them very often. we call them bellybombers for a reason. there is just something about them - the onions, the steamed bun - who know. i can eat about 10 of them! forget about the frozen ones, they are just not the same! Sun Apr 27 11:23:41 -0700 2008 3632255 12933 meb903 1 3635618 the allure of White Castle for me is that they are open 24 hours, and an easy stop home after a night of drinking, something about a greasy burger helping to fend off a hangover the next day. I rarely if ever eat White Castle when sober. Nowhere near the best burger, but they fill the late night niche like Taco Bell, etc. Mon Apr 28 05:29:40 -0700 2008 3632255 26725 swsidejim 1 3635645 I'm not all that sold on WC. I'm much more of a Krystals fan. I find them a lot more tasty. As for a commercial burger, there are plenty of options out there. I'd even take a McD's burger so long as it's super fresh. Of the major chains, I'll go with Wendy's for my favourite. Not that they're the greatest over all. DT Mon Apr 28 05:49:54 -0700 2008 3632255 11291 Davwud 2 3642712 this may sound incredibly ignorant but what's krystals? i am in nyc...maybe we don't have them here? Wed Apr 30 07:42:23 -0700 2008 3635645 48024 oystersallday 3 3642865 Pretty much the same idea as WC but slightly different. No holes in the meat and they don't put the bun on top to steam it. Slightly different toppings too. They're mostly in the south. http://www.krystal.com/ DT Wed Apr 30 08:22:24 -0700 2008 3642712 11291 Davwud 1 3636372 I'm born and raised in New Jersey where there are quite a few White Castles. I have to say, there is nothing else like it. I love those burgers. I don't eat fast food, but every once in a while I'll have one and they are always awesome. they never disappoint. I don't love their fries... they are a bit soggy, but the onion rings are awesome. It really is like a religion for those of us who grew up on them. Mon Apr 28 09:29:48 -0700 2008 3632255 50537 NiKoLe1625 1 3641561 born in jersey 35 years now cali 25 years i love in n out and i love white castle first stop when i visit and now im jonesing Tue Apr 29 17:50:15 -0700 2008 3632255 129879 JimmyC 1 3642724 I think White Castles are an aquired taste. Those who have grown up with them (like me) get the urge, while others could care less and/or hate them. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for dinner tonight, but all this talk gave me the urge for a batch of wc's... Wed Apr 30 07:45:43 -0700 2008 3632255 10147 michele cindy 2 3644397 Michele, I think you're right about growing up with them. I know WC is not a quality burger at all. But I've been eating them since I was 3. There's some nostalgia factor to it -- kind of like watching reruns of Three's Company. Wed Apr 30 14:24:05 -0700 2008 3642724 10763 Miss Needle 3 3645878 Also, it's one of the few things a kid could afford to buy for themselves. At least back then when they were only about .15 each. Thu May 01 04:21:58 -0700 2008 3644397 10147 michele cindy 2 3646191 i didn't eat one until i was nineteen, and i think they're heavenly. Thu May 01 06:59:37 -0700 2008 3642724 184055 beelzebozo 1 3644309 I like that because of the small size, the meat to cheese to bun ratio on a japaleno slider is just about perfect. They're the perfect antidote to a night of drinking, either while "affected" or while recovering the next day. I live just a few blocks from a Castle, and I avoid driving by there because often I have a Pavlovian response and find myself driving through when I'm not even hungry. Note of caution, however...the digestive after effects of these tasty morsels can be quite, ahem, disturbing! Wed Apr 30 13:57:41 -0700 2008 3632255 78030 dcandohio 2 3644420 That, dear friend is why they are called sliders......... They slide in and unfortunately they ummmm.... slide out just as fast. Wed Apr 30 14:31:12 -0700 2008 3644309 151072 currymouth 3 3648637 Yeah, I know...I just wasn't gonna just say it! Thu May 01 18:31:36 -0700 2008 3644420 78030 dcandohio 1 3645915 Jfood thinks that WC was one of those comfort foods growing up. And for $0.08 you could watch the ladies process the burgers on the griddle right before your eyes. Some onions spread nice and evenly, then the square wholly burgers placed neatly on top, followed by both sides of the bun. Steamed all the way through, then add a pickle and some ketchup and into the 5-sided boxes. Jfood was a purist in those days, no cheese, no fries, just a six-pack for a couple of quarters. The bag in the left hand, the burger in the right and a short walk home after school. Four bites and onto the next one. Today jfood lives a fair distance from WC and it is a rare treat. But they still bring back tose great childhood memories when life was a lot simpler. Thu May 01 04:52:54 -0700 2008 3632255 11290 jfood 2 3646086 And that is why they are what they are. That and drunken college kids.....LOL DT Thu May 01 06:22:28 -0700 2008 3645915 11291 Davwud 1 3648930 I'd definitely say that White Castle burgers are my favorite fast food burger. There's no fast food place I'd really go to as a "destination" when out of town, other than the great W.C. (Duluth's outlet closed shop about five years ago). There is definitely something special about them, which I can't really put my finger down on. Maybe it's that you can eat six or even eight of them without feeling guilty. Or the really soft bun. The company's slogan is something like "What you crave" and the big cases of multiple burgers you can get are "crave cases", and I can definitely understand why they call it that. I've never had the frozen version. Frozen burgers seem a bit odd in the first place, anyway. Thu May 01 20:37:09 -0700 2008 3632255 105609 tvdxer 1 3649154 I tried WC a few years ago and since then have become somewhat of a closet addict. I'm moving to San Diego where I can get all the In 'N Out and Jack in the Box tacos, but my heart will be mourning my White Castle cheeseburgers and jalapeno cheeseburgers! Thu May 01 23:59:40 -0700 2008 3632255 73398 SungSook 2 3649249 As much as I love WC's, I would trade in my WC for a Taco at Jack in the Box anyday! I miss them so much. Fri May 02 04:10:54 -0700 2008 3649154 10147 michele cindy 1 3652873 To me, WC is like a Krispy Kreme doughnut. I couldn't eat them everyday (and since neither chain is in Canada anymore, I couldn't if I wanted to). But on those long car trips through the US, they make a great treat. Sat May 03 08:30:48 -0700 2008 3632255 48210 KevinB