Denver-based Smashburger debuts in Durham; win free entree coupons

Smashburger aims to reinvent the casual hamburger experience with an array of upscale burgers presented with flavorful, healthy toppings. The Denver-based chain, which last week opened its 256th location at Durham’s Pavilion East at Lakeview shopping center on Erwin Road, also serves grilled chicken sandwiches and salads that are superior to most fast food joints.

Smashburger invited a a few dozen people to try its signature sandwiches last Tuesday night, a sort of test run before officially opening on Wednesday. Friendly servers visited tables in the bright eatery to deliver unsolicited but welcome servings of crispy french fries with garlic and rosemary, and thin haystack-style onion rings, both of which were well seasoned and appealingly crunchy. The “veggie fries,” unbreaded carrots and green beans, described as a healthier option, were tasty but glistening with grease. Sides range from $1.99 to $2.99.

The thing that makes a Smashburger different from dozens of other chain options is the way they are prepared. Starting with certified angus beef that is never frozen, burgers begin as loose balls of meat that are placed on the grill atop a pat of sizzling butter. A proprietary tool then is used to, yes, smash the meatball into familiar burger form.

The result is a crisp sear on a burger unafraid to show its shiny curves. Fat imparts essential flavor in beef, and tender egg buns are the ideal conveyance. The 1/3-pound Smash is $5.99 and the ½-pound Big Smash is $6.99 (add-ons, like bacon or avocado, are $1 each).

Classic Smashburger 

The first combination offered to guests was the Classic Smash, with American cheese, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion – plus, of course, secret housemade Smash sauce. More adventurous choices include the BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar, with its tangy-sweet cranberry barbecue sauce, and the Carolina Chili Burger, a regional specialty with well balanced ingredients served on a pretzel bun. The Truffled Mushroom & Swiss, with its distinctive flavor coming from a mayo-based spread, was a favorite at our table.

While the vegetarian Avocado Ranch Black Bean burger generated mixed reviews – it got a solid thumbs-up from me – there was strong consensus that that grilled chicken sandwiches were very good. In fact, they were better than the burgers. Chicken sandwiches are $6.99 each. (Salads were not sampled but sound tempting from the menu descriptions; they are $5.99 each, with optional grilled chicken for an extra $2).

The meal was capped off with a sample of Smashburger’s thick and creamy milkshakes makes with Haagen-Das ice cream ($3.99 to $4.29). The sea salt caramel was slurp-worthy but too sweet. Asking your server to customize a slightly less syrupy version would be well advised. 

Smashburger has offered Eating My Words readers a chance to win a pair of coupons for free entrées at the Durham location. To enter, follow @Smashburger online and enter a comment below by 12 noon Friday, March 21, stating which menu item you are most curious to try. A winner will be selected randomly.

At PDQ Fresh Tenders, the chicken has never seen a freezer or microwave

This post first appeared in Indy Week on Feb. 6.

Folks who favor fast-food chicken may not realize just how foul their fowl really is. Chopped into unrecognizable bits and processed with sundry unpronounceable additives, these peculiar morsels often are frozen in great blocks for carefree transport around the globe.

Photo by Jeremy M. Lange

Problem is, according to watchdogs, that consumable called "chicken" may contain only about 50 percent real bird. And it may have been thawed and refrozen into even weirder blobs before cooking, or otherwise mishandled in settings less pristine than your junior high science lab.

Not so at PDQ Fresh Tenders, the North Carolina-based casual dining chain that proudly declares itself a freezer- and microwave-free zone. A play on the phrase "pretty darn quick," the name officially stands for People Dedicated to Quality.

Beasley's Chicken + Honey certainly has nothing to fear from this competition, but PDQ's fried chicken tenders earn their signature status on the menu of the new North Raleigh branch. A bite into the lightly battered portions reveals whole breast meat that remains moist under the crisp, well-seasoned coating. Most diners order them with Cajun-spiced French fries that only hours before were whole potatoes.

Grilled tenders are an option for calorie counters, but they're not as tasty. Those who don't dig the carb-heavy options can graze on lighter salads and sides, such as coleslaw dressed with fresh blueberries and pineapple juice-marinated Granny Smith apple slices served with a portion-appropriate scoop of Heath toffee dip.

PDQ wants customers to know that it relies on whole and fresh ingredients, most of which are methodically rotated through its large walk-in chiller. Lean breast portions are kept in prominently date-stamped cartons alongside Butterball turkey breast slices sourced from Garner and Mt. Olive. Items produced in-house, like an array of sauces and salad dressings, bear both the production date and the name of the employee responsible for each batch.

The accent on accountability is bolstered by order-takers who enthusiastically explain the company's mission to first-timers. To ensure quality, workers discard cooked chicken and fries that have gone unclaimed for 10 minutes and cater to customer requests based on available ingredients: Hold the lettuce, add the house-made candied almonds. There are no breakfast specials or vegetarian options other than chicken-free salads.

Meals also are served through a take-out window, where friendly staff wish you a nice day. Transport takes a modest toll. The fries and crispy chicken steam a bit in go-boxes, and croutons in the grilled chicken salad have a tendency to go a little soft.

The Caesar salad was the one meal that proved disappointing. A big bowl of freshly chopped romaine lettuce came with a generous portion of grilled chicken and grated parmesan—and a small cup of sharp dressing that would have made Caesar's wife gasp. It's surely better with a different sauce (the honey mustard and bleu cheese both were good for dunking fried tenders), but neither the house-made lemonade nor PDQ's creamy shakes erased the bitter aftertaste.

Soft-serve Hood brand ice cream might seem to violate the no-freezer rule, but batches are produced daily and the results are appealing. Prefer something bubbly? PDQ's dining room features a Coca-Cola Freestyle soda station, a high-tech gizmo that not only turns the average soft drink aficionado into a mix master with 100-plus flavor combinations, but also automatically reports and orders syrup refills that look like printer cartridges. Made a mess? Clean up at the community hand-wash station stocked with Yardley's English Lavender soap.

While pricier than McDonald's or Taco Bell, a PDQ meal is no more expensive than one served at Panera or Chipotle, its obvious competition in the fast-casual market. If you like a little community commitment with your meal, know that PDQ regularly hosts fundraisers that benefit local causes. You just might find a high school principal or other local do-gooder helping out in exchange for a generous 10 percent of sales.

In addition to the North Raleigh store, which launched in December, PDQ will soon open eateries in Wake Forest, Cary and Durham.

This article appeared in print with the headline "Try a little tenderness."

Leftover grains and grillings yield savory breakfast quiche

Mix of leftover ancient grains, grilled chicken and
asparagus combine for a quick quiche. 

I craved something decadently Southern for breakfast and considered my options: perhaps creamy grits with gobs of melted cheese, or farmer's market eggs cooked to a soft sunny-side-up with crisp strips of just-fried bacon, perfect to discharge golden streaks over buttered toast.

But the combined weight of calories and a fridge filled with leftovers made me feel guilty. Inspired by Maria Speck's Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, I had about 2 1/2  cups couscous steamed in vegetable stock with a handful of golden raisins; about a cup of farro, simmered in water and whey from homemade labneh; and a za'atar-coated chicken thigh and asparagus, remains from a delicious grilled dinner.

Combined, I realized I had the makings of a Middle Eastern-inspired quiche. From inspiration to letting it cool just enough to serve, it was on the table in about an hour. I served with this a dollop of za'atar-spiked labneh, but a spoonful of thick Greek yogurt would be just as nice.

Za'atar Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Quiche with Couscous Crust

Use a ramekin to gently press couscous mix into edges.

2 1/2 cups cooked couscous
1 cup cooked farro
1 tsbp. melted butter
Vegetable oil spray
1 grilled za'atar-seasoned chicken thigh
12 spears grilled asparagus
5 eggs
1/4 cup cream
salt, pepper
Labneh or Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend room temperature couscous and farro in medium mixing bowl; add melted butter and stir to combine. Transfer to two-piece tart pan coated with vegetable oil spray. Spread evenly with a spatula, then press lightly with a small ramekin, working from center out, to cover fluted sides of the pan.

Cover gently with parchment paper and pie weights (I use a mix of beans and rice), and bake about 15 minutes or until firm and lightly golden on edges. Remove and set on a cooling rack. Lift off parchment and weights then leave undisturbed for 10-15 minutes or no longer warm to the touch.

While you wait, chop grilled chicken thigh into small dice. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Distinct bits of couscous and farro form a delicate crust.

Arrange asparagus spears in a pattern, tips toward crust, trimming to lengths as needed at center. Scatter diced chicken between spears then slowly pour in egg mixture. Use a spatula or small spoon to coax egg mixture into any bare spots.

Return to 350 degree oven and bake 12-15 minutes, or until eggs are just set. Remove and let cool on rack for about 10 minutes. If crust has not pulled away from edges, lightly slide the tip of a sharp knife around the circumference to loosen before freeing base from the tart pan.

Lift slices with a flexible metal spatula. Serve immediately with a dollop of labneh or Greek yogurt.

*Note: Za'atar spice blends can be found in Middle Eastern markets and some grocery stores. I am particularly keen on the variety sold by Savory Spice Shop, which has a store in North Raleigh.