Staffer: Emily Martin
Job title: Senior Account Executive
The meal: OG Smash Burger ($10): two beef patties, American cheese, housemade pickles, and Monster sauce on a brioche bun, and an order of french fries ($4.50) with garlic aioli at Monster Smash.
What was so good about it: “Smash burgers are controversial, especially in this town. If you’re going to be calling it a ‘smash burger,’ then I need it to be paper-thin. I don’t even really want to know if it’s beef anymore, it’s so smashed to hell, and that’s exactly what these guys are doing. The beef gets so crispy, especially on the edges, that you start to wonder if they used the deep fryer. Then they put a slice of American cheese on top of each patty so it gets all melty. The meat and cheese are practically becoming one; it’s super slutty. This makes for a really rich burger, but the housemade pickles save it all—really tangy, really bright. Share the fries with a friend because you’re going to feel disgusting. Lights out.”
TRY IT: Monster Smash Burgers at Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St., 503-232-8538, belmont-station.com. 10 am–10 pm Sunday–Saturday.