JCW’s brings its fat burgers and thick shakes to Provo
The beefy burgers and towering shakes at the brand new JCW’s diner in Provo (other locations are in Lehi and American Fork) are not for the faint of heart. If you’re the type who counts calories, then save JCW’s, the realm of the self-proclaimed “burger boys,” for that reliable once-a-month stealth fast food jaunt. And if you don’t need a Get Out of Jail Free card to grab a burger and fries, then move JCW’s to the top of your list.
You can dine in, drive through or phone ahead for takeout at JCW’s, which is the new tenant at the old location of Training Table in Provo’s Plum Tree Shopping Center on University Parkway. The premises have undergone a major remodel and the new restaurant is clean, spacious and was jammed to the gills on a recent Friday shortly after 6 p.m.
Even during what was clearly the peak dinner rush, however, we didn’t have to wait long to place our order at the walk-up counter. There are multiple registers, so you won’t feel like you’re bottlenecking the entire flow of hungry burger cravers as you gawk at the impressive array of options. Frankly, standing at the counter, I almost had the feeling that if I didn’t immediately see the exact type of burger I wanted on the menu board, I could just concentrate for a couple of seconds and it would magically appear.
There are almost as many flavors of shakes to choose from. If you like to consider all of your options when eating out, then you might want to spend a couple of minutes perusing the menu at JCW’s excellent website (www.jcws.com) before heading to the restaurant itself. (I rarely feel more sheepish than when I have to keep waving people ahead of me in line because I can’t make up my mind.)
When you eventually do place your order, you get a number, and then pick up your food at the counter as soon as it’s ready. There’s a large island to collect ketchup and other condiments, as well as napkins and utensils, and the usual array of self-serve fountain drinks.
We tried the Avocado Bacon Burger and the JCW Mushroom Burger. The burgers are hot and fresh, and the kitchen staff doesn’t skimp on the toppings. We also enjoyed a Hot Pastrami Sandwich from the menu of hot sandwiches, and sampled several of the sides, including the chicken fingers (generously sized, with crisp, tasty breading), fries (fat and sassy and made from whole potatoes) and onion rings (savory and not greasy).
JCW’s is already well-known for its whopping shakes, and our eyes nearly popped out of our heads when we saw what’s considered a “small” — the “large” ones must be served in pitchers. The raspberry cheesecake shake nearly convinced us to order seconds, even though we had to run a serious double team just to get to the bottom of it.
The peach cobbler shake had an excellent peach flavor, though the “cobbler” was apparently nothing more than a handful of crunched up Nilla Wafers cookies. It might have worked better if we’d had the patience to let it sit and soften up the cookie part until our burgers were finished.
There’s a lot of competition locally for the attention of burger-and-shake lovers, but JCW’s, which already has a loyal following in the north end of Utah Valley, seems poised to extend the borders of its culinary empire.
Where: 396 W. 2230 North, Provo
Prices: Burgers and sandwiches $3.29 to $7.99, salads $2.99 to $7.49, shakes and sundaes $2.99 to $5.39
Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday
Info: www.jcws.com, (801) 374-5297