I know it's the season for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but I've recently been cheating on this fall favorite with Salted Caramel Mochas.

But, honestly, how can you choose between these two?

The Pumpkin Spice Latte:

Espresso, pumpkin-flavored syrup and steamed milk. Topped with sweetened whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices.

The Salted Caramel Mocha:

Espresso and steamed milk, blended with mocha sauce and toffee nut flavored syrup. Topped with sweetened whipped cream, caramel sauce and a mixture of turbinado sugar and sea salt.

Both hot drinks are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up on cool (and rainy!) days.

I've made a weekly ritual out of stopping by Starbucks on Saturday afternoons, and the Salted Caramel Mocha has pulled me away from my usual Pumpkin Spice Latte. I wish the drinks weren't so expensive and calorie-laden because the seasonal nature of the beverages means I'm limited in how many opportunities I'll have to drink them, and choosing which one to order is already difficult enough ...


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I love a place where I can get a good burger with exactly the toppings I want, and Five Guys in Mayfield Heights is a place where I was able to do just that.

The Five Guys menu is pretty basic, allowing your to customize your order with whatever toppings you choose. There isn't anything really special about the toppings, but there is a good variety of items from which to choose. I really enjoy a good hamburger - and a customizable hamburger - but making them is sometimes just too much work for me, so like the Five Guys will do all the work for me, and fast.

The meal is made fresh when you order, but it's also made quickly, so you won't waste a lot of time drinking extra calories before your meal comes. And apparently you can order in advance, online or via text message. Five Guys has a help page for online ordering if you want to check that out.

I liked the atmosphere of the place. Casual, reminiscent of a diner, with praise from restaurant critics and media covering the walls. Maybe that was propaganda influencing my subconscious into enjoying my meal more. But boy, that burger I had was super good.

I just looked at the nutritional information and WOW I can't believe how many calories I consumed in one meal. It was a good meal, but it's not going to be a meal that I eat on a regular basis.


Five Guys Burgers and Fries
FiveGuys.com

View Five Guys Restaurant in a larger map
1237 S.O.M. Center Road, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Phone: 440-442-6700
Fax: 440-442-6774
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl