Hang out
The new burger kid on the block in the all-singing-all-dancing foodie Grey’s Quarter in intu Eldon Square.
Decked out
Wooden tables, brick walls, oversized lamps and a touch of retro diner-chic in here. It’s the stuff of teen weekend dreams; a place to hang out, drink shakes and eat big patties. City-central means it’s a good place to take five when the shopping bags get heavy and you need sustenance.
Sip
Your shakes are a cut above – made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream – choose from chocolate, strawberry, Oreo and chocolate Oreo. Indulge in a more grown up wine or prosecco if that’s your thing, or play with Coca Cola Freestyle touch-screen soda fountains, offering over 100 different fizzy combos.
Food matters
The ‘smash’ in these burgers comes from the starting point of what’s essentially a meatball being ‘smashed’ onto a griddle to cook – so your burger is more misshaped rather than a pre-made, perfectly round burger. They’re thinner, but still juicy. You’ll find some nice combos such as juicy, grilled and crispy chicken breast sandwiches, a garlic-grilled portobello cap mushroom vegetarian burger and interesting sides like garlic and rosemary smash fries and crunchy veggie frites.
We ate
We sipped on a fruity and flavoursome strawberry shake (£4.50) as we waited for the main attraction. First up was the Avocado Club burger (£6.75/£8.25). This looked the business; the splayed burger on an open bun with fresh greens, crispy bacon and just-right avocado that made for a nice combination which didn’t go all mushy as you ate. The sweet potato fries (£3/£3.50) were also lovely – nicely seasoned and crisp and a nice alternative to regular fries with the vague notion of being healthy. Our chum close the classic Cobb salad (£8.85) – a mighty bowl filled with fresh greens, blue cheese, sharp cheddar, fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes and onion, topped with an extra of crispy chicken. A well-made gathering of fresh and filing flavours. Fair to say, Smashburger smashed it in the burger stakes. It’s an easy-breezy kind of place, cheery staff, relaxed atmosphere and good value for what felt like quality ingredients – and a handy spot should you be overcome by family shopping fatigue.
