Smashburger UK

The benefits of living within walking distance of the Kingston Centre in Milton Keynes have vastly improved over the five years of us living here, meaning that we no longer have to drive to areas such as the Centre or The Hub to eat out. Italian, Mexican, Portuguese and American restaurant chains are now on our doorstep with the most recent Smashburger opening its first UK restaurant in Milton Keynes on the 25th May.

Whilst burger chains such as Five Guys, Shake Shack, Byron Burger and McDonald's are already established American/American-inspired chains in Milton Keynes with the latter also having a restaurant at the Kingston Centre; Smashburger has promised to deliver a new breed of burger.

The 100% British beef burgers are smashed, seared and seasoned over a hot buttered grill to seal the flavoursome juices to hold their taste.

My burger of choice was the Stilton Stack accompanied by the sweet potato Smashfries and Smash sauce. The burger included a sweet chutney,  rocket, onions, smoked bacon and Stilton filling. 

The unique way of cooking the burgers using the “smash” method meant that the burgers are much thinner than those I've eaten elsewhere. The flavour was evident and unlike other burgers it tasted less fatty. My only reservations were that the burger seemed slightly too flat when eating in the bun with the other ingredients and more stilton in the stack would have been ideal, though it's all down to personal preference. The soft, fresh brioche bun was great for dipping in the mustard mayonnaise tasting Smash sauce with a good size portion of sweet potato Smashfries accompanying the meal being a yummy plus.

My friend opted for the SmashChicken burger with spinach, cucumber and goats cheese on a multi-grain bun and despite being a healthier option looked and tasted great. The chicken was a decent size and was complimented by the goats cheese. Given, my friend Yvette works in nearby Nandos, specialising in chicken; her thumbs up goes to show the quality of the SmashChicken.

The hand-spun shakes are to die for made with Haagen Dazs ice cream creating a great quality milkshake. My oreo flavoured milkshake with chunks of sprinkled oreos on top was like a piece of heaven and this alone will ensure my next visit.

Plenty of staff were on hand to cater for the vast amount of customers attending the opening night with the queue almost going out the door and a Dj stationed under the stairs playing tunes to give the restaurant an ambient atmosphere. The manager even attended our table to check everything was ok with our meal, which was a nice touch.

Smashburger are set to expand their chain across the UK with restaurants due to open in Brighton and Bath in the Summer with prices similar to those of other burger chains. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.