Tag Archives: Burgers

Smashburger Raleigh Giveaway!

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I’m happy to share that the news that the new Smashburger location in Raleigh’s Falls Village Shopping Center is offeringe Triangle Explorer readers a chance to win two FREE dinner entrees. To enter simply leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite burger topping or milkshake flavor. You can also enter by sharing this post on twitter using the hashtag #ExploreSmashburger. The winner will be randomly chosen next Friday January 30th at 3pm and notified via email.

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About Smashburger
Smashburger has a wide selection of fresh, never frozen Certified Angus Beef burgers “smashed” on a 400-degree flat grill to sear in the juicy flavor and served on toasted artisan buns. They have more than just burgers too, offering tender grilled chicken sandwiches and fresh-tossed signature salads, and handspun Häagen-Dazs shakes. They also offer a variety of irresistible sides including rosemary and garlic–seasoned Smashfries, Haystack Onions and Veggie Frites (flash-fried and seasoned carrot sticks and green beans).

To learn more about the Smashburger experience you can read my full review of their Durham location here.

Smashburger – Raleigh
6679 Falls of Neuse Road – Raleigh, NC (map)
Website: http://smashburger.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smashburger
Instagram http://instagram.com/Smashburger
Twitter: @SmashBurger

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Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar – Seaboard Station Raleigh

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Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar ~ Raleigh, NC

I am forever on the hunt for a great burger. As luck would have it there is a Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Seaboard Station right across the street from my office in downtown Raleigh. Seaboard has seen a surge of activity over the past few years and is quickly becoming a hotbed of dining activity with the addition of Bad Daddy’s, Kimbap, Seaboard 18, Brew Coffee Bar, and a bakery on the way. I don’t take advantage of working so close to Seaboard so I recently made point to stop by and check out Bad Daddy’s along with my wife to feed my cravings for a tasty burger.

Backyard Chicken Nachos

I usually don’t get appetizers, but it just so happened on the day I visited I had just completed a 20 mile run training for the City of Oaks Marathon. I arrived a bit tired, but very hungry and ready to eat! After speaking with the owner and listening him describe their new backyard chicken bbq nachos I  knew I had to give them a try. This app is a twist on traditional nachos with tortilla chips tossed with pulled bbq chicken, diced tomatoes, black beans, pineapple, red onion, cheddar cheese, queso, corn slaw, and drizzled with ranch sour cream and bbq sauce. It was quite flavorful and I enjoyed the seasoning of the chicken and sweetness of the bbq sauce and pineapple. The nachos were a meal in itself and I had to make sure I didn’t completely fill up before my burger arrive.

Bad Ass Burger

I usually get a regular cheeseburger when I eat out, but Bad Daddy’s is known for their specialty burgers and I was pretty ravenous from my run and decided to be a little adventurous. I ordered the “Bad Ass Burger” which comes with a 10 oz beef patty topped with lettuce tomato, pickle, american cheese, horseradish mayo, and a helping of buttermilk fried bacon on brioche bun. I’m a stickler for good buns and even with all the toppings I found the brioche bun did this burger justice. I loved the burger and the slight kick from horseradish mayo. The buttermilk fried bacon was a bit of an indulgence. Ultimately I had to take a few pieces off and eat them on the side to make the sandwich a little more manageable, but I enjoyed the flavor it added to the burger and was glad I tried something new. Bad Daddy’s has almost 20 different specialty burgers along with a “make your own” option so there is something for everyone. Burger prices range from $8.95 – $13.95.

Surfs Up Tuna Burger

My wife opted for the “Surfs Up” Tuna Burger. It consists of a tuna patty marinated in ginger, lime & soy, with wasabi mayo and peanut soy asian slaw on a whole wheat bun. She also picked sweet potato fries as here side. She finished the whole thing and promptly declared it delicious. I think she was worried that the wasabi mayo would be hot, but she found it to be well balanced and just the right compliment to the tuna. While neither of us had salads that night we were glad to see there was a nice selection on the menu for people looking beyond burgers. Salad options ranged from giant chopped salads – greek, asian, and chicken for $11, to “make your own” salad options in small and large portions ranging from $6-$9.

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Drink Specials

In addition to the extensive burger and salad menu there are also several great weekly deals at Bad Daddy’,  including a special $10 beer & burger night on Mondays and $3 NC Drafts on Wednesdays. They have several local drafts on tap including several of my favorites from Raleigh Brewing Company. They also feature a “beer of the month” and had a special for $4 pints from Double Barley Brewing out of Johnston County the night we visited.

Seating Area

I had a nice time visiting the Seaboard location and think Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is a great place to grab a burger, salad, local beer for lunch or dinner. Although my Virginia Tech Hokies are not doing so well this year I plan on heading back soon to for a burger & beer and to watch some football. There are several tv’s within easy viewing from the bar and seating area, but they aren’t overwhelming or distracting if you are there just to eat. I also found the atmosphere to be more laid back and quiet than other burger places. A big plus in my book is the multiple seating options with a bar and booths or tables inside, and a nice outdoor seating area with string lights illuminating the patio. The next time you are in Raleigh and have a craving for a good burger I recommend you give Bad Daddy’s a try.

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar – Raleigh
111 Seaboard Avenue
Raleigh, NC
website: http://baddaddysburgerbar.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bdseaboard
twitter: @BadDaddysBurger

ShiftZen

This week’s review is sponsored by ShiftZen – An independent Durham based software company that offers web based restaurant scheduling software to get your staff online and employees on time. For more information visit Shiftzen.com

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Smashburger Comes to Durham!

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Smashburger Grand Opening – Wednesday March 12th!
If you’ve followed me on the blog for a while you have probably realized I have a fondness for great burgers. So I’m excited to share the news that 
Smashburger, the nation’s fastest growing “better burger” restaurant, is gearing up to open its very first Triangle location Wednesday, March 12 in Durham’s Lakeview Pavilion East shopping center (2608 Erwin Road), located across from Duke University Hospital and down the road from Duke University. 

The Durham Smashburger location is being opened by local residents and area franchise owners Ketan and Jayshri Patel. The community is invited to come out for opening day, where they can be one of the first to taste the 100-percent Certified Angus Beef burger burgers, celebrate with fun onsite activities and help raise money for Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. (The Patel’s are donating 10 percent of total proceeds from opening day through Sunday, March 16 to the organization.)

Smashburger Sides

The Food
Smashburger brings juicy burgers that are smashed fresh, served delicious, along with chicken sandwiches, black bean burgers, salads, Haagen-Dazs shakes, tempting sides and regional menu items specifically crafted to please local’s palates throughout the Triangle. The Durham Smashburger, will feature the Carolina Chili Smashburger, a 100-percent Certified Angus Beef burger topped with layers of melted American cheese, beefy chili, chopped yellow onion, Duke’s mayo and coleslaw on a pretzel bun.

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More than just Burgers
Customers can also enjoy a selection of tender grilled chicken sandwiches and fresh-tossed signature salads, along with a variety of irresistible sides including rosemary and garlic–seasoned Smashfries, Haystack Onions and Veggie Frites (flash-fried and seasoned carrot sticks and green beans). The restaurant will also serve a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including handspun Häagen-Dazs shakes, root beer floats in frosted mugs and beer, including local craft brews.

Smashburger Chicken Club

The Smashburger Approach
At Smashburger, the secret is in the smash. It starts with 100-percent fresh, never frozen Certified Angus Beef that is smashed on a 400-degree flat grill to sear in the juicy flavor. To further the “better burger” experience, the delicious burgers are served on toasted artisan buns and topped with a selection of the freshest produce, real cheeses and highest quality condiments.

Smashburger Shakes

More Information
This is the first of several Smashburger restaurants the Patels will open in the Triangle area. I’ll be checking out this first location next week so check back for my review and more pictures of their menu items. Additional information on the timing and location future Triangle stores will be announced in the coming months. To learn more, visit www.smashburger.com and follow them at www.facebook.com/smashburger or on Twitter and Instagram.

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Bull City Burger & Brewery in Durham – A “Must Go” for Burger Lovers!

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If you are looking for one of the best burgers in the Triangle then you need to get yourself over to Bull City Burger and Brewery (BCBB) located at 107 Parrish Street in Downtown Durham (Map). BCBB has been open a little over a year but for some crazy reason I have only recently had the opportunity to eat there. Actually, these photos are from my visit back in April for my Birthday. I’ve been back since and have been meaning to post this review for some time but one thing lead to another and I am only now getting around to sharing my thoughts on this great place.

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BCBB serves lunch and dinner seven days a week and offers ample seating with approximately 90 seats inside in addition to 50 seats of outside patio dining. The interior has an old fashioned looking stamped tin ceiling, with warm LED lighting, and natural light spilling in from large front windows providing a great view of the sidewalk of Parrish Street. The dining area features open seating with communal style picnic tables made of reclaimed wood. Or if you prefer, you can grab a stool at the bar and order / eat your food there. I enjoyed sitting at the bar. It has a large mirror along the length of the bar wall behind the taps and glasses providing a great view dining room and steel fermenters in the brewery situated behind you while sitting at the bar.

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BCBB is not your run of the mill burger joint.  The food served there is high quality – from the burgers all the way down to the toppings.  The restaurant can be best described as “farm-to-fork,” as they work closely with local pasture raised beef farmers supplying beef with no hormones added and antibiotic-free meat. This is a HUGE plus in my book. It is important to me that not only do the burgers taste amazing, but that I know where my food is coming from and what it has and doesn’t have in it. These burgers are locally sourced and made of high quality beef. The beef is grinded daily to make their hamburgers and all-beef hotdogs.  BCBB also works with other local farmers growing produce to be used in their burger toppings, such as tomatoes, cucumbers for pickles, and lettuce.  In fact, most of the items on the menu are produced on-site including the house made buns, sauerkraut and bacon.   They do not use artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils.

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With all the great offerings on the menu, I have to admit I am pretty traditional when it comes to what I want on a burger. I just want quality beef, cheese and some pickles along with mustard and ketchup all situated on a fantastic bun. In addition to the traditional burgers offered, BCBB also has an extensive specialty burger menu for those looking for something extra special. Like the The Over Easy with bacon and fried egg, and the Green Monster with Gruyere Cheese, Raw Onion and Roasted Poblano Peppers.  They also serve all beef, hotdogs, chili, and a non-meat three bean burger. Their fries are equally amazing and come two different ways. You can get “dirty” fries done in peanut oil, or “duck frites” made using duck fat and fresh rosemary. Both are amazing! You can view the full menu here.

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BCBB is also a working brewery and they brew their own beer. They usually have eight beers on-tap at any given time rotating seasonally throughout the year. Beer is available by the pint, pitcher, sampler and Tower of Beer Power in the restaurant, as well as to take home in growlers and kegs. I love the idea of samplers when it comes to beer. This allows you to try three or more different beers in small four once pours for $1.35 per sample. On my visit back in April I selected four beers to sample: Bryant Bridge Gateway Golden Ale, Full Frame “Reel” Amber Ale, Parrish Street Pale Ale, and the “Stonewall” Jackson Brown Ale. I was very pleased with all of the beers I tried and think BCBB doesn’t get as much attention as they deserve regarding their well crafted brews. It is my opinion that they are some of the best beers made right here in the Triangle.

The is beer is indeed awesome, but the folks at BCBB take wine seriously too and feature a great selection of estate grown wines from around the world, which are served on-tap via the Enomantic self serve wine dispensing machine.

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So, while it has taken me a while to share my thoughts on BCBB, let me close by saying this is place is a “must go” on any foodies list. It is a double whammy offering the best in locally sourced burgers and some of the best beer made in the Triangle.  You can read more about Bull City Burger and Brewery on their website or follow them on facebook and twitter for updates to their menu and details about future events.

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Free Burgers for a Year! Anniversary Golden Bull Search at Bull City Burger & Brewery in Durham

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Flight of Beer Samples ~ From left to right: Parrish Street Pale Ale, Pratt Pilsner, Bull's IPA, & Youngen Horny Barley Wine.

Bull City Burger & Brewery in Durham is celebrating its one year anniverary this month. To help them celebrate they are holding another “find the golden bull” contest like the one they did to mark their grand opening back in March 2011. The owner has hidden 5 small golden bull figures around Durham. Each day they post a clue about where they are hidden. If you find one of the golden bulls you win a free burger a week for the next year! You read the contest clues and rules here.

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The Bar at Bull Coty Burger & Brewery

Sadly, I have yet to eat one of their burgers but I hear they are fantastic. They use locally sourced meat that is hormone and antibiotic free. They also brew their own beer onsite and serve up some incredible “dirty” fries. I stopped in Bull City to sample some of their beers (pictured above). You can sample 3 or more of their beers for just $1 each and full pints are only $4.22.

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Seating at Bull City Burger & Brewery

Seasting consists of chairs at the bar and large community tables on the main floor where groups can sit together. You place your order at the counter and are given a number to display on your table and a server will bring you your food. Bull City Burger has been well received by the burger loving crowd and plays a strong role in the ongoing revitalization of downtown Durham. To learn more about the menu and beer offerings check out their website and facebook page. Check back here soon for a full review of their burgers as I plan to eat there early next month and get some additional photos!

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