108-50 Queens Blvd. • Forest Hills 718.997.8600
By Teresa Barile

This 50's retro- style "burger joint" sizzles and shakes with fabulously juicy burgers and 378,000 varieties of frosty milk shakes…really! Cheeburger Cheeburger, located on Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills, is the first of its kind in New York City and is part of a franchise that began in Florida 22 years ago. The concept includes a fun, family restaurant, lean, 100% Angus beef burgers that are never frozen and cooked to order, crispy fries, onion rings and thick, custom-made shakes made with Edy's Premium ice cream.

Some of you will feel nostalgic when you see the 50's diner-style interior with pink walls and pink neon lighting that illuminate the sparkling clean dining room full of art deco tables and chairs. The service also sparkles with a cheerful and efficient staff, overseen by owners George, Socratis and Christos, who opened Cheeburger Cheeburger on June 3rd . This themed restaurant offers far more than the best burgers, fries and shakes. It boasts an extensive menu that features delicious salads, chicken dishes, sandwiches and more, all made fresh, on the spot. They like to call it "N.F.F." meaning "Not Fast Food." Indeed a brief wait is duly rewarded.

Here's how it works: First choose the size of the burger you want to tackle, from the classic "Beginner" burger at 5.5 ounces to the most popular "Semi-serious" size at 7 ounces. Next, is the "Serious," the "Delirious," and the famous "Pounder," which is actually 20 ounces (pre-cooked) of exceptionally lean, 100% Angus beef that is always fresh, never frozen, and hand formed so that no two burgers look exactly alike. If you can finish this 20-ounce burger, your picture will be taken and mounted on the "Wall of Fame" with other happy diners. Only their specially baked Kaiser roll is strong enough to hold onto these burgers. But wait, there's more…you can top your burger with your choice of one of 9 cheeses that includes cheddar, bleu, pepper jack and Swiss. Next, choose some toppings from a list of 27 savory additions, and they're all included in the price of the burger. Since every burger is cooked to order, there's a brief 10-12 minute wait which passes quickly while you sip on old-fashioned root beer, cola, cherry cola or vanilla cola, served in whimsical, glass mason jars with straws. You can even shake up your own soda at your table, just ask for the flavors on hand.

When it comes to cheeseburgers, I'm somewhat of a purist, so I chose only pepper jack cheese and pickles on my burger, which allowed me to really enjoy the flavor of the high quality meat. You'll need both hands and your elbows to handle these burgers and thank goodness there's a roll of paper towels on every table to mop up the juices on your chin. My dining partner took the opposite tack and asked for "the works" and this skyscraper-sized burger provided lunch the next day as well. Cheeburger Cheeburger's delicious French fries and onion rings are made from fresh Idaho potatoes and colossal onions that are hand cut and fried till golden and crispy, never greasy. The patented batter for the onion rings is a closely held secret and both the fries and rings are offered in small, medium and large family sized portions which are meant to be shared. The combo basket provides the best of both and keeps everyone happy. Five delicious sauces are available to dip your fries and rings into, including chili-lime, Texas horseradish, creamy jalapeño and creamy cheese sauce.

These sauces are also great condiments for Cheeburger's delicious chicken fingers. These hand-cut, real chicken strips are crispy and crunchy and served 5 to a basket. My Bleu chicken is one of my favorite sandwiches here, made with their super tender, grilled chicken breast, which is always fresh and never frozen, smothered in a combination of melted Swiss cheese and creamy bleu cheese all on specially baked round bread that toasts up just right ($7.99). A classic chicken melt is also served on tasty round bread and the grilled chicken breast sandwich is piled onto their famous Kaiser roll with your choice of cheese and toppings ($7.49). If you need more comfort food than this, then only a classic grilled cheese or BLT sandwich will do.

What goes better with these traditional American sandwiches than a frosty shake or malt? With at least ninety flavors of ice cream and the ability to combine them to your liking, there are 378,000 possibilities. Some of the most popular shakes start with Oreo ice cream, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter cup and Snickers. Whether you order a half size or regular size, it is served to your in its cool, metal mixing cup and poured into an old-fashioned malt glass with two straws. If you're still counting calories as you read this article, please be advised that Cheeburger Cheeburger also serves banana splits for dessert. Fear not though, a number of fresh, enormous salads are available, my favorite being the grilled Portobello and chicken served over a mound of fresh greens and vegetables.

Cheeburger Cheeburger offers a 10% discount to Senior Citizens Mondays to Thursdays. You can place your order online, even from your office, and pick it up on your way home, as the subway is just on the corner. You can even choose your pick up time. The retail case sells gift cards, Tshirts, caps, mason jar glasses, and their secret blend of seasonings to put on fries. Cheeburger Cheeburger is open seven days a week from 11am to 11pm Sundays through Thursdays, and they stay open until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights. This is a perfect spot to hit either before or after a movie at the Midway and it's a great venue for a birthday party for kids of all ages. Visit any day for lunch, dinner or an oldfashioned shake. See what sizzles and shakes at Cheeburger Cheeburger.

www.cheeburger.com