Smashburger - Windy City Burger (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:  July 22, 2015 at 11:45 pm

My Order:  Windy City Burger

                     Smashfries
                     Sweet Iced Tea

In addition to their regular menu, Smashburger also offers in their restaurants a burger with some of the local flavors.  They will frequently select one of these burgers and offer it in all their stores for a limited time.  I received an email stating that they would be featuring the Windy City Burger, their Chicago burger, in all their restaurants, so I thought I would try it out.  I figured the only other way I could try it would be to take a trip to northern Illinois.  The burger was good, but not as good as others I have had here.

Burger Rating = 3.52 (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 metal 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 3

The burger was cooked all the way through with no pink, but needed a bit longer sear to develop a good crust.  It was neither 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, but needed that flavorful crust and could have been better, so a 3.

Bun, Overall Rating 3

For this burger, they used a pretzel bun, which seems to be the rage at several places right now.  This bun seemed a little bit for the burger, plus it seemed really dense.  The effect was that I often experienced an excess of doughy bites while eating.  Maybe it would have been okay for their larger sized burger, but on the regular size it was a bit much, so only a 3.

Toppings, Overall Rating 3.6

Sharp Cheddar Cheese:  This was more of a thick cheese sauce, but it was very good.  It had a good sharp flavor that came through while eating the burger.  It could have been spread a little better over the patty, so a 4.
Haystack Onions:  These were pretty crispy when the burger came out to the table, but unfortunately quickly lost their crunch in the moisture of the burger.  I’ll give them a 3.
Gulden’s Spicy Brown Mustard:  I really like this mustard and more places should offer it for their burgers, however, there was a bit too much of it and it made the parts of the burger slide around too much.  It was a really good addition to the burger though, 4.
Lettuce:  Good lettuce, but the leaf was too big.  They should have used two smaller diameter pieces instead to give more texture.  Pretty good though, so a 4.
Tomato Slices:  These were good, juicy slices, but they didn’t match the size of the patty well, so you didn’t get a good bite of tomato in each bite, a 3.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 4

Because there was a little too much mustard, I had to readjust the burger many times while eating it to keep it all together.  The flavor, however, was great.  The mustard and the haystack onions provided a great flavor and the fresh veggies added a nice contrast, although the bun was a bit too big.  Overall, I think I’ll give it a 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

I had really good service.  My order was taken quickly and was brought out to my table promptly.  They were around a couple of times to check on me and later to pick up my tray when I was finished.

Sides

Smashfries:  I still really like these fries.  They are one of the reasons I come to this place.
Sweet Iced Tea:  This is pretty standard iced tea, nothing special, but good.

Value

My meal cost $11.07 plus tax.  That’s more than I like to pay all the time, but not bad for the occasional meal.