The Smashburger Experience

I was going through a few days worth of pictures and found a few from our weekend away in The Cities, and remembered that I forgot to talk about our trip to Smashburger.   When we arrived at my brother’s house, he wasted no time in telling us about the Smashburger that had opened just two weeks earlier.   The name “Smashburger” conjured up instant deja-vu, and I know I’d heard about it.  I assumed I had heard about it over at A Hamburger Today, and I think I assumed correctly.  Anyway, it was quickly decided that we would head to Smashburger for one of our meals.   So we did just that and found a no-frills burger joint that I truly wondered if they would meet my expectations.

Upon first walking in the door, we were greeted by a sign showing us a very no-frills menu.  I want to say there were only five different burgers on the menu (and one chicken option), but there was also  a notice saying that any burger could be changed up to the way you want it.   There were also Smash Dogs, Smash Salads, and of course, the Smash Sides- which is really what I was there for.  I wanted some Smash Fries- “Tender and crispy fries tossed with rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and other herbs for a great savory taste.”   We got in line, and as the place was packed, quickly decided that two of us would snag a booth, while the rest waited in line to place our order.  The order is taken at a counter, and then a number is given to place on your table, so the food comes out to you fresh and piping hot.  The crew came back to the table, and we all waited rather impatiently for our food.

I had ordered the St. Paul Smashburger, which had grilled onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and somet kind of sauce on it.  When it arrived, I was greeted by a rather large looking burger, and a gorgeous cone of Smash fries.  The burger looked fantastic.  Smashburgers are made by some kind of “smash method” where a ball of meat is placed on the griddle, cooked for a while, and then smashed with the spatula to maximize the crispy outside of the burger.  And my burger was definitely crispy on the outside.

Honestly, the burger was delicious.  To me, a burger out really needs to be something special to capture my attention, and this one had my attention.  The topping combination was good, but it was the crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside burger that really had me going.  The browned, caramelized bits of burger were so incredibly tasty.  The whole thing was lip-smacking and finger-licking, although I did have a hard time finishing it.

The Smash Fries were as delicious as I expected.   The herbs and olive oil really made for some spectacular fries.  My only complaint is that they were slightly on the greasy side, and I wasn’t able to finish my order.  Being that they were french fries, I obviously expect some grease, but these were just a tad over that line of the perfect amount of grease, and too much grease.  They weren’t swimming in it, by any means, but I thought they could have probably stood a touch more drainage before adding the herbs.  Regardless though, these are so tasty, if we had a Smashburger nearby, I would seriously drop in just for an order of these fries as a snack.

We also all sampled the milkshakes.  I had the chocolate, the kids had vanilla, and both were duly sampled.  They were delicious, and as it turned out, they should be, since they are made with Haagen-Dazs ice cream.  I really thought the chocolate was way better than the vanilla though, but maybe side-by-side was not the best way to sample the two shakes.

Overall, our Smashburger experience was a rousing success.  The kids loved their dinners as well.  Zander said the chicken strips were about the best he’d ever had, and he surprised me by really loving the Smash Fries as well.  Abigail ordered off the adult menu and really enjoyed her burger topped with Smash Sauce and pickles.  In fact, the very next day Zander asked if we could go back to Smashburger again, which is unusual for him.  I suspect the next time we’re out visiting, at least one meal will be Smashified.    The Smashburger we went to was located in St. Anthony, MN, although according to the website, two more will be opening up in the Minneapolis area this year.  While the company is still small and slowly sprawling, I suspect it will be a huge success.  The food is delicious, although the menu is small and no-frills, it obviously works, because what they do put out is of an excellent quality.  Our family definitely recommends Smashburger if you can find one near you.