Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

NEWSLETTER
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Going to chez Wendy’s

Wendy’s
1725 K St. N.W.
466-4735

Ladies, imagine this: the boy from down the hall finally asks you out for dinner on Saturday night. All week you obsess over what to wear – black pants, cute skirt, that new off-the-shoulder top. You engage in endless discussions with your friends about where he is going to take you – a casual dinner at Caf? Asia, a romantic dinner at Al Tiramisu or a dinner to show you what a baller he is at the Caucus Room. Finally the special day arrives, you have your cutest (but not too cute) outfit on and that boy of your dreams (at least for the week) knocks on your door. A short walk out of your dorm and over to 17th and K streets, and you two are on your way to a high-quality dinner.

Where is this restaurant to impress? Why, it’s Chez Wendy’s, an upscale dining establishment. Just a few blocks from the White House, this eatery has been a favorite of the power elite for wining and dining associates. Your date must really like you if he is taking you here. Not only is there the walk there and back, perfect for hand-holding, but there is also the fine dining you will be treated to.

Wendy’s serves American food. Dave Thomas opened the first restaurant of the nationwide chain in Columbus, Ohio. Named after one of his daughters (the sophisticated Gwendalyn, of course), Thomas devoted himself to bringing the best quality gourmet food to his customers. Because Ohio is a center of beef production, Thomas could provide his customers with the choicest beef, served in his signature square patties – a close second to the finest cut of beef, the Kobe filet.

Because of Thomas’ success in the heartland, he took his quality cuisine and sprinkled it across the country. Now, from east to west, girls just like you are wishing they could be taken to Wendy’s on a Saturday night.

Start with one of Wendy’s gourmet salads, each of which the chefs create with great care. From ensuring the mandarin chicken salad has the perfect amount of oranges to including the Caesar salad’s dressing on the side, no details are overlooked.

If you don’t like fancy salads, try the chicken strips appetizer -fried, all-white-meat chicken that will transport you back to your days of sipping lemonade in Southern country clubs.

Choosing your main course will undoubtedly be difficult. The triple bacon cheeseburger is so savory, you’ll want to forget table manners and scarf down the three large grade-A beef patties stacked high on freshly-baked rolls. But you won’t want to gross out your date, so go for the more dainty single burger. The square patty is skillfully layered with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles, as well as ketchup and mayonnaise. These garnishes are only the freshest produce, but you may also order the additional bacon and cheese, if you so desire.

Other main courses include the grilled chicken fillet, chicken club, spicy chicken sandwich, chicken strips and chicken nuggets. For the more health-conscious, the grilled chicken sandwich is the best choice. Each is served with the same fresh garnishes to create a decadent feast.

For the classic meat and potatoes, order a side of French fries to complement your burger. They conveniently come in a variety of sizes, from small to the intimidating “great biggie.” If you would rather go the non-fried route, the baked potato is an option. Served with your choice of butter, sour cream and chives or broccoli and cheese, this delicious dish will surely leave you satisfied. These sides can be ordered a la carte or included with an entr?e as a “combo,” which are numbered one through eight to create the most efficient service for patrons.

But even with a combo, prices can be pretty steep – around $50 to $60 for each entr?e (well, maybe if you move a decimal to the left … ).

While Wendy’s does not have the wine list of competitors such as Smith & Wollensky’s or the Prime Rib, the restaurant does offer a diverse beverage menu including Coca Cola Classic – which is also offered in a diet selection – root beer, orange soda and the very rare, aged Mr. Pibb. Yes, Wendy’s can quench any thirst.

The dessert menu is small. So small, in fact, that there is only one dessert dish offered, but what a dish it is. The Frosty dessert lies somewhere between soft serve ice cream and a milkshake. Served only in a chocolate flavor, the Frosty is arguably the most well-known dish served at Wendy’s. If the date is going well, hope that your companion will order one Frosty and two straws.

Even if you have your own Frosty to dunk your fries in, all romance is not lost. The chic surroundings will make you feel as if you’re at a bistro, instead of on K Street. The almost-exposed kitchen, the colorful carpet and the minimalist d?cor make Wendy’s perfect for a little romance. The only thing to focus on, other than the savory food, of course, is your date.

A successful first date at Wendy’s and you know you won’t be dining at J Street or Thurston Dining Hall anymore – the second date will surely be somewhere hot like the Bellagio. All the girls will be jealous, all the guys will be green with envy and you will be living the good life while your date hits up the super value menu.

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