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Mark Mendaros didn’t always start in the burger business. But we think New York is all the better for his joining, as his expertly thin and griddled patties started a bit of a revolution here a few years back. If you haven’t guessed it already, Mendaros is behind Smashed NYC, a burger shop that specializes in all things caramelized, seared and smashed. Now the pandemic pivot has spawned multiple burger stands all around the city, including two in our very own market hall, Time Out Market New York, Dumbo, and Time Out Market New York, Union Square. And now that May marks #BurgerMonth, Mendaros is grilling up limited-time patties that mustn’t be missed.
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Available at Smashed Express at Time Out Market New York, Union Square, and Mendaros, and featuring his executive chef, Fredy Cetina, has launched two limited-edition burgers to celebrate the month. First up is the birria burger ($18), a creation that pays homage to Cetina’s Mexican heritage. Naturally, it all starts with the birrira. Chef Cetina keeps it traditional, slow-braising beef in a rich adobo of dried chilies, garlic, and warm Mexican spices until incredibly tender. A bit of a beef boom: the birria is layered over two smashed patties, slathered with salsa verde, and topped with red pickled onions. And that leftover braising liquid? That becomes the consommé, served on the side, ready for a dip and eat.
And to add a little luxury for your next week, Smashed NYC will also be selling the sovereign smash ($35). Described as a “love letter to French fine dining,” the burger starts with an A5 Wagyu house-ground patty, seared to a perfect medium rare. It is then topped with a 13-year-aged white cheddar, a slow-braised compote of caramelized sweet onions with Herbes de Provence, and the pièce de résistance, a quenelle of truffle sturgeon caviar. But before you take a bite of the house-baked brioche bun, swiped generously with roasted bone marrow, the burger comes with a showstopping finish of fresh black truffle.
The birria burger is on the menu now through May 10. As for the sovereign smash, you can take a bite of luxury from May 11 to 17. As a note, the birria burger is available at multiple Smashed locations. However, for the caviar burger, you can only find it at Time Out Market New York, Union Square.