by De'Quan Washington

Created on: September 26, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

If you ever find yourself riding down City Line Avenue in the Bala Cynwyd Area and you need something quick, cheap and delicious to eat, I have all the top spots for you. In this review, I will cover two of my favorite places.

MEXICAN FOOD
If you want the best burritos, tacos, and nachos in the area, you have to go to Qdoba Mexican Grill. Located in the Bala Cynwyd Shopping Center, it provides a great atmosphere to enjoy some interesting new-age Mexican food. When you enter the restaurant, you notice all of the food is located at the back of the store and the seating is in the front. As you make your way to the serving counter, the wonderful aroma of delicious meat and vegetables surrounds you. Once you reach the serving line, you are greeted by a warm group of people who will complete your order. First, you choose what you want, then you select your toppings like cheese, pico de gallo, or guacamole and finally you top it off with one of their signature salsas (verde, roja, and fiery habanero). What sets Qdoba apart from a lot of other fast and cheap restaurants is that the food is fresh. You can see your meat being cooked in the background and you can tell by the color and smell of your vegetables and sauces that they are made of fresh ingredients.

Recommended Choices: Queso Burrito, Chicken Taco Salad, 3-Cheese Nachos, Chicken Burrito, Fajita Ranchera Burrito

BURGERS and FRIES
Another great joint in the Bala Cynwyd Shopping Center is Five Guys. If you love juicy, fresh burgers with a whole load of fries, this is the place for you. Five Guys has a similar setup to Qdoba in that the seating is located in the front and the actual food is in the back. The food is so good and nationally acclaimed that it has a Zagat rating, which is surprising since you can have a filling meal for under ten dollars. What sets this place apart from other burger joints are the topping choices you are provided with. You can get anything from cheese to A-1 steak sauce. Also if you add a side order of fries, you will most likely get more than you can handle. The servers dont just give you a normal packet of fries, they cover the whole bottom of the bag with them. Personally, I like the fried onions and jalapenos along with all the other traditional burger toppings. The burgers are cooked perfectly and surprisingly filling despite their small appearance.
Recommended Choices: Little Cheeseburger with your choice of toppings and Cajun Fries

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