THE ULTIMATE “FILLING” STATION

A Taste Of Fatboy And Skinny’s In Leesville

Story And Photos By Angie Kay Dilmore

Take a step back in time and FILL UP on some of the best burgers and fries in Southwest Louisiana at Fat Boy and Skinny’s, located in an old-time gas station in Leesville.

Burgers come in two sizes — a 2/3-pound “Fatboy” or a 1/3-pound “Skinny.”

That’s your first decision. Fries come in regular or Cajun spice. I recommend the Cajun variety for a kick to accompany your burger.

With 22 add-ons and condiments to choose from, figuring out how to dress your burger will be your hardest decision. The menu lists tasty toppers, including four different kinds of cheeses, chili, bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms, coleslaw, sauerkraut, A-1 sauce, barbecue sauce and Louisiana hot sauce.

I’m pretty simple when it comes to hamburgers. I like mine with ketchup, mustard and pickles. Period.

Randy Lewis and Mike Sterling opened Fat Boy and Skinny’s in 2010. They chose the location (303 S. 5th St., also known as Highway 171) because they wanted to build a burger the way burgers were made back in the good old days — fresh and delicious. They wanted the setting to match their mission.

“We wanted a real burger, not a fast food burger,” says Lewis. “We create our burgers completely fresh every single day; hand-pattied, with fresh cut fries.”

Lewis and Sterling grew up together in Leesville. Sterling is a general contractor and more of a silent partner in the business. Lewis is the general manager of the restaurant. He left Leesville for many years; lived in Florida; and worked for Outback Steak House. He helped develop other chains, such as Bonefish Grill and P.F. Chang’s. That’s how he garnered restaurant experience.

Lewis was a design developer when the market crashed in 2008. Fort Polk was booming at the time, so he moved back home. “A little restaurant seemed to be my best hope for the future.”

The old corner gas station had not filled a gas tank in many years and had served numerous types of businesses – a Direct TV satellite company and a tile store, among other things.

When Lewis and Sterling inquired about the property, they discovered the building is on the National Register for Historic Places. So they restored it to its original form. Everything they’ve added for the purposes of their restaurant is temporary. They strive to remain true to the vintage theme.

Much of their kitchen equipment is antique. They use a 1963 fryer. Their toaster and freezer date back to the 1970s. Of course, the freezer is only for storing ice cream, never beef.

Speaking of ice cream, their milkshakes are as fresh as their burgers. They’re hand-dipped and mixed to order on a vintage spindle, in the flavors of chocolate, strawberry or vanilla.

When Fat Boy and Skinny’s first opened, they only served burgers, hot dogs and fries. More recently, they’ve added fresh-sliced turkey and ham, club sandwiches and BLTs, Frito pies and grilled cheese.

Do you have an exceptionally large appetite? Fat Boy and Skinny’s offers a food-eating challenge. Down a 1.5-pound burger, 2 pounds of fries, a 44-ounce milkshake, and you’ll win a shirt, hat and gift certificate and earn your photo on the wall of winners.

Fat Boy and Skinny’s is open 10:30-8:30 daily; it’s closed on Sunday.