Smashburger

Burger #X 1: Added burger 1: Smashburger – The BBQ, Bacon and Cheese Burger 6.99$ 

The inside of Smash Burger.  Not my picture.

It’s been a week and a half again and I seem to be great at procrastinating.  It’s not that that I have just been putting it off.  I have been busy, I swear. I mean what with school starting this week for my second semester of grad school I have been putting in as much time as I can at being social, looking for a new job and interviewing, getting outside in the warm weather, training for my half marathon, cooking, reading my own book I haven’t finished, and trying not to be single I may have gone on a date or 20.  I have no idea where I’m going to fit grad school and homework into my social life…I think I have to borrow a quote from someone I met this summer…damn my first world problems!  

It has a diner feel to the inside.  Not my picture.

Ok onto the review.  If you have been bored enough to follow me this far, I really feel bad for you, I mean, you’re following a mechanical engineer writing a food blog.  I guess you could just really be fond of burgers…yup, I’ll go with hoping that’s the case, so let’s do this!  We are up to burger #20 of the year and my declining health.  Smashburger has done two things for me during my quest.  I’ve added my first burger place to fill up the 5 that have gone out of business this last year and it’s the first great burger that is a chain I’ve had.  I added Smashburger onto the list because I’ve heard good things about it and they recently opened a new one in Blue Ash.  It was busy the day I went for lunch with 5 of the most random gathering of people in my party.  I had 2 fellow mechanical engineers, a gourmet food sales person, and a pediatrics doctor.  Tell me that isn’t a weird group?!  Like I’ve said before my burger quest has inspired countless others to join me or do something similar and get out of their element. 

The menu at Smashburger changes depending which location you go to, usually based on sports teams like the buckeye burger with fried pepper rings, haystack onions and cheese.  I’m sure it’s the same burger anywhere else just with a different name.  Our party went for a try one of everything option and share, which is the best way to do any meal, except maybe a first date, that could be creepy.  Our appetizers/sides, which there are plenty of options for a chain restaurant, were fried pickle chips, veggies frites, and smash fries, we had both regular and sweet potato fries.  I love fried pickles so that was a plus.  The veggie frites were original for a chain and surprisingly tasty, I mean have you ever had flash fried asparagus, carrots and green beans?  The last thing we had were both versions of the smash fries which are coated with olive oil, rosemary and garlic.  These were phenomenal!  If you go there, you have to get the smash fries.  I will say as much as I rave about sweet potato fries, this time regular fries won.  

My burger was pretty awesome!

The burger I tried was the bbq, bacon and cheese burger.  I know, I know, my motto is if it needs ketchup, it’s a bad burger.  I will say that I just wanted the bacon, so I had them put the bbq sauce on the side and ordered a side of the smash sauce just to try it on my fries.  First I have to say that the smash sauce is just a weird colored tartar sauce, so I didn’t like it, but have at it Cincinnati, I know you love that stuff on your Big Boy burgers.  The meat for the burger is fresh beef that isn’t frozen like the crap restaurants/chains that won’t make it on this list.  Also, you don’t get a choice of how it’s cooked, it’s coming cooked thru well, but the meat is moist and well flavored and not too greasy.  The bacon was one of the better ones you will have at a chain too. 

Overall I will put this as my second favorite chain burger joint under Culver’s in Wisconsin.  I won’t compare it to the Culver’s in Cincy because that’s NOT what I remember from home.  I wish I had traveled to the West coast to try some of those chains we’ve all heard of like Big Kahuna Burger in Pulp Fiction and In-and-Out burger in Big Lebowski.  Make sure you try the smash fries as well.  It’s busy during lunch so make sure you have enough time.  For your amusement, I added my favorite burger conversation in a movie. 

http://youtu.be/x6TjN5cmEaA 

Jules: Big Kahuna Burger. That's that Hawaiian burger joint. I hear they got some tasty burgers. I ain't never had one myself. How are they? 
Brett: They're good. 
Jules: Mind if I try one of yours? This is yours here, right? 
[Picks up burger and takes a bite] 
Jules: Mmm-mmmm. That is a tasty burger. Vincent, ever have a Big Kahuna Burger? 
[Vincent shakes his head] 
Jules: Wanna bite? They're real tasty. 
Vincent: Ain't hungry. 
Jules: Well, if you like burgers give 'em a try sometime. I can't usually get 'em myself because my girlfriend's a vegitarian which pretty much makes me a vegitarian. But I do love the taste of a good burger. Mm-mm-mm. You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? 
Brett: No. 
Jules: Tell 'em, Vincent. 
Vincent: A Royale with cheese. 
Jules: A Royale with cheese! You know why they call it that? 
Brett: Because of the metric system? 
Jules: Check out the big brain on Brett! You're a smart motherfucker. That's right. The metric system. What's in this? 
Brett: Sprite. 
Jules: Sprite, good. You mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down? 
Brett: Go right ahead. 
Jules: Ah, hit the spot.