Round One: Nicky D's vs. Fred's

(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.