Smashed YXY has everything you want in a burger

Since I started the burger rankings, Smashed YXY has been the most requested place by readers.

I had thought, based on the name, it would be a smashburger, my second favourite form of burger after Oklahoma-style onion burgers (which you have to try making with this recipe). Traditional smashburgers are formed into a ball and pressed down into a thin patty, creating a crispy layer on the grill. Topped with cheese, you’d be hard pressed to find a better burger.

Let’s get the bad part out of the way first. Smash YXY, as the name would imply, does not offer a traditional smashburger. The patty, as you can see is thicker than a smashburger, and mine at least did not have much crispiness on the outside.

Now the good news — it’s a great burger, the best I’ve had so far. The beef is well-cooked and flavourful, the cheese is real cheddar and not processed, and you’ve got a sturdy bun that holds it all together.

I like that it’s not trying too hard. You won’t find any onion rings or other toppings (though you can certainly order one with it). It’s letting the meat itself do the heavy lifting, which the best burgers do.

One suggestion for the team is to put the cheese on earlier when cooking, or cover it with something, so the cheese melts more into the burger.

It was interesting to note that some of their photos on Facebook show a much more traditional smashburger style of thin patties. Maybe this was just one that didn’t get enough frying? Or maybe I’m hallucinating…

We don’t include the fries in our burger rankings, but they were excellent. Not over- or undercooked, they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a sizable portion size. Easily some of the best I’ve had.

I’m giving them an 8.5. It’s an excellent burger that easily jumps to the top in the territorial rankings (at least so far!).