Fatburger's open kitchen allows customers to watch the grilling with the works

Since its inception in 1952 in Los Angeles, Fatburger has been known for its exceptionally hefty burgers, and was particularly popular with the late-night musician crowd. (The restaurant even made TV talk show host David Letterman's Top 10 list of things he would miss most about leaving Los Angeles.)

The new Beijing shop isn't exactly the late show of the late Lovie Yancey's La Cienega Boulevard eatery, but customers in the capital hardly mind the 11 am to 9 pm operating hours.

Decorated in 1950s retro style and located across the street from the Kempinski Hotel, Fatburger is already packed after only a few weeks of operation and customers are raving.

Jerry Darwin, who swears by the Fat Fries, glowingly remarks: "Fatburger has been home for me since it opened."

Larry King, originally from Nigeria, another Fatburger fan, said: "It's the best burger you can find in the city of Beijing."

Rudy Sulistio opened the Beijing franchise on March 15. "Fat Rudy", as customers like to call Sulistio, usually orders the Double Fatburger with Fat Fries and a Coke.

Fatburger grinds its beef, imported from Australia, into eight-ounce patties every day.

The open kitchen allows customers to see their burger being made in front of them -without the smell. "We don't want you to smell like a teppanyaki restaurant," Sulistio commented.

The open kitchen allows customers to watch the grilling of the patty to the assembly of the burger with the works-tomato, onion (grilled or raw), lettuce, relish, mayo, pickle and mustard.

As for the Fatburger itself (60 yuan for the meal with fries and a drink), it tasted fresh and balanced with the lettuce and tomato, not unlike the California-based In-N-Out Burger chain.

If customers don't think their burger is "fat" enough, they have the option of adding: cheese (5 yuan), bacon (5 yuan) and egg (5 yuan).

The verdict? Sandra Majinda of Botswana and Keith Charles of Antigua, recent Fatburger visitors agreed, noting that what you see in the poster on the wall is precisely what you get.

The fries could easily be the best in Beijing. Made to order, customers get the choice of either Skinny Fries or Fat Fries, both made from Idaho potatoes. How fat is the fat fry? Almost one inch wide.

Delicious sides included the onion rings (20 yuan), made with Fatburger's own batter, the rings were deep-fried to a nice golden color - crispy on the outside and piping hot on the inside.

If you think you can handle it, take the Triple Fatburger challenge. If you can finish the humongous three-patty burger, a staffer will take your photograph and hang it on the wall in their Hall of Fame.

Whether for a lack of stomach space or fear of looking silly when biting into such a big burger, no one had completed the task at the time of our visit - even Fat Rudy himself couldn't finish his Triple Fatburger (80 yuan) despite some initially promising monster bites.

Watch out for milkshakes made with real ice cream to come out soon, as well as a Fat Mobile delivery service.

Those with lighter tastes can check out the O'Brien's counter within Fatburger, where spouses and friends of Fatburger lovers can enjoy healthier salads, soups and sandwiches.