Dallas Voice (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 28, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, February 17, 2012 Page: 37 of 56

truck.
"Quiet" describes the overall experience.
Large mirrors are separated from the body to
minimize wind noise as the aero body slips
through air without causing a
stir. The chassis absorbs bumps
without drama, steering is tight
and power is always at the
ready, Cruising beyond 80mph
was easy. I even took down a
pickup truck on a hilly two-lane. Four-wheel
anti-lock disc brakes, electronic brake force dis-
tribution, brake assist, and electronic stability
control quiets the mind's fears.
Like Jay and Gloria's house on Modern Family,
the overall sense of the Quest is understated
quality. The seats feel and smell like they could
be in a Bentley, padded materials cover even the
rear doors, the leather-wrapped steering wheel
'12 QUEST LE
Nissan. 260 horsepower, 3.5 liter
V619/24-MPG city/hwy.
As-tested price: $43,715.
feels expensive, and the woodgrain and silver
finishes on the center dashboard are nicely
styled. My partner and I found ourselves really
enjoying a long drive, ready to head out into the
vastness of America to find our-
selves again, knowing full-well at
any time We could stop, flip the
seats, and find ourselves finding
ourselves.
As everything about the Quest
is tech-laden and high quality it comes with a
price tag that only a loaded modernist can af-
ford.
Base prices start at$27,750, but our well-
equipped test model came to $43,715. Still, you
won't find a luxury SUV so well equipped with
half the interior space for less. Minivans aren't
cool, but the Quest is a fab choice for any alterna-
tive family. ■
DRIVE-BY TASTING: Carl's Jr.
I'm not ashamed to admit to being a virgin. Truth
is, I was saving myself.
Oh, not for marriage. Sex? God, no — that boat
left the dock, like, 30-plus years ago.
No, I mean that I hadn't eaten at a Carl's Jr. Not
until this week.
Strange, maybe — the one on Lemmon Avenue
has been there since early last year, and the chain
first made entree into the Metroplex market in late
2010. And I didn't let the paint on In-N-Out Burger
dry before standing in line for their "animal" burger.
I'm not sure why I waited. I just knew I wanted it to
be at the right time.
And the right time was after running on a treadmill
do get a stress test. Hungrifiying, that.
I stuck to one item on the menu: the steakhouse
burger with a single patty (though the doubles and triples weren't that much more expensive). I was curi-
ous how a fast-food joint would tackle something of a specialty burger.
As is usually the case, the one handed to me through the drive-up window did not look as mouthwa-
tering as the picture menu, where the meat glistened with moistness and fat, the onion strings sat atop
the burger like a coronet encircling the head of a new monarch, the blue cheese sprinkled like rose petals
before a marriage bed.
No, my version was flat, the onions mashed down, the cheese lopsided favoring one side of the bun.
But that didn't really matter: It still tasted good.
I'm a peculiar onion eater: I hate raw onions on burgers, and cooked ones in spaghetti sauce or piz-
zas. But caramelize them in soup, or deep-fry them in string form, and I love 'em. That's what Carl's Jr.
does, and it's an improvement worth respecting.
Even pressed like a corsage in a yearbook, the onions still retained some crunch, and the blue cheese
— while hardly the veiny, aromatic treat of an aged Maytag — melded well with the meat (overcooked,
as all fast-food burgers are, but still satisfying) and the surprisingly crisp, fresh lettuce. The tomato, as we
have come to expect, was mealy and pale, but it hardly mattered. At under four bucks, it sated my grum-
bling belly as only bad-for-you burgers can.
Yes, I'm no longer a virgin at Carl's Jr. But I was glad I waited. When you need a meal to hit the spot,
you don't wanna miss.
Recommended: Yes
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02.17.12
dallasvoice 37