Smashburger - Bacon Cheeseburger (4 stars)

5597 Spectrum Dr
Frederick, MD21703
Phone:  (240) 215-3314
Website:  http://smashburger.com/

International chain, mostly in the United States and a few other countries

Time of Visit:  June 3, 2015 at 11:45 pm

My Order:  Bacon Cheeseburger

                     Smashfries
                     Classic Green Tea

I had a coupon for $2 off a meal, so I decided to visit this location for lunch.  I had the bacon cheeseburger with the standard toppings, plus Smashfries and a drink.

Burger Rating = 3.9 (Four Stars)

Presentation, Overall Rating 4

The food came out on a tray with the burger open so you could see everything.  The fries were in a wax paper lined paper container alongside the burger.  You receive a standard, labeled cup for your drink.  It was a really nice presentation that showcased the burger well, a 4.

Meat, Overall Rating 4

They cook their burgers using the smashed technique which helps build a nicely flavored crust.  Mine burger was cooked all the way through with no pink .  It wasn’t very juicy but it wasn’t too dry either.  They use fresh meat for their burgers and mine had a great texture.  It was a good burger with really good flavor, but not perfect, a 4.

Bun, Overall Rating 4

Their standard bun for this burger is their egg bun.  The bun used was a sesame seed bun that fit the burger nicely.  It was a good, firm bun that held up well in the sandwich, and wasn’t tough or dry.  It had a good flavor and went well with the burger, a 4.

Toppings, Overall Rating 3.5

Applewood smoked bacon:  I like my bacon crispy and while it was cooked through, it just wasn’t quite crispy enough.  It did have a really good flavor and it was arranged so that it covered most of the patty.  I’ll give it a 4.
American cheese:  The cheese was well melted over the patty and provided a nice creaminess.  A little stronger flavor would have been better, but this cheese was really well done, a 4.
Mustard:  Good yellow mustard, but a little too much in relation to the other toppings, a 3.
Ketchup:  Pretty standard, but it blended well with the other toppings, a 3.
Red Onion Slices:  These were fresh and had a good crunch to them, but there wasn’t quite enough of them, 3.
Pickle slices:  These were good pickles that blended well in the burger, a 4.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 4

The burger maintained its integrity all the way to the end and everything seemed well distributed.  While there was a bit too much mustard, the flavors blended well and made a very tasty sandwich, so I’ll give it a strong 4.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

You have to look for this place to find it.  It’s located in a small strip center across the main road into FSK Mall.  It’s not easy to spot.  The parking is limited but adequate, unless you’re there during busy times.  You could park in the main mall lot, but you would have to cross a pretty busy street to get to the shop.

Facilities

This building is pretty new, so there are no structural problems.  There are several places to sit inside and a few outside tables.  The restrooms were easy to find.  I have to give a small minus because several surfaces needed to be wiped down and they hadn’t even suffered the lunch rush yet.

Staff and Service

Like a lot of places these days, you order at the counter and then they bring your food to you.  The menu is on the wall behind the counter and easy to read.  There are several standard combinations, plus you can build your own if you like.  Plus, there are options other than burgers.  The young man at the counter took my order quickly and even asked if I wanted any variations to my standard burger.  You get your own drinks at the drink station, which was easy to find and operate.  The food is cooked to order, so I had plenty of time to visit the restroom and then get my drink.  There was still a couple of minutes to wait until the food arrived.  After eating, you just leave your items on the table and they will clean it up for you.  After I sat down, they started to get busy and getting the tables cleaned off took a little long.

Sides

Smashfries:  These fries are tasty.  They are the shoestring style fries and they were cooked to a nice crispiness.  They are then tossed in olive oil, rosemary & garlic.  These are probably some of the best fries I have ever eaten.
Classic Green Tea:  This is pretty standard iced green tea that has been lightly sweetened.  Pretty good and quenches your thirst while eating.

Value

I had a $2 off coupon, but the normal price for this meal would have been $11.07 plus tax.  This is a little more than I like to pay for lunch without table service.