Waterford

The E List team member, Pam, gave us the heads up about Smashburger. You’ve probably passed it in the strip of shops across from the Crystal Mall. Ignore the unlikely location and garish signage, and head straight in for a burger, just the way I like it: smashed thin with crooked, caramelized, crispy edges. Like most of the burger chains these days, they offer plenty of toppings and special concoctions, but I like a plain old cheeseburger (American, please) on a toasted egg roll. Multi-grain or Udi’s gluten-free are available, too. While it has the look and feel of an upscale chain, there are a few critical things that set it apart: craft beer and a selection of wine is offered, as are ginormous fresh salads that can easily feed two. I passed up the flash fried veggies (tempting) for a heap of onion strings (irresistible). For those that like a skinnier patty (moi) with the right ratio of burger to bun, this one is for you. With so few options for decent edibles around the Crystal Mall, now on my monthly run to Target, I’ll skip my usual popcorn and head across the street.
p.s. I summoned all my willpower to skip the Peppermint Crunch milkshake, but word is the Haagen-Dazs milkshakes are fantastic.

Smashburger