(8) Nicky D's, 1605 Farm Road 1187, Crowley vs. (1) Fred's Texas Cafe, 915 Currie St., Fort Worth
So hard to be objective when it comes to Fred's, a Fort Worth institution and our defending champ. But we went in with an open mind -- which all but snapped shut when we took one bite of the Diablo burger and got that perfect marriage of beef and dusky chipotle spiciness. We've had Diablos in the past where the chipotles dominated the marriage, but in this instance, it was an equal partnership that also made room for the other family members -- especially the Swiss cheese, pickles and onions. We'll say this much, though: Nicky D's, which may be even funkier than Fred's (if such a thing is even possible), did manage to put up a fight. Since we went for the spice at Fred's, we tried another fire-eater at Nicky D's, the Cajun Pepper Jack burger. The patty did its best, but the spices shouted it down, and we had a hard time noticing the other toppings. We can see why Nicky D's inspires a loyal following, and we recommend it to Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (the walls are literally covered with posters, album covers and scads of memorabilia). But in this David vs. Goliath battle, the little guy's competition was just too tough. The winner: Fred's
