Smashburger - Pequannock, NJ

For my brother-in-law Jude, a Smashburger aficionado...

Where:
Smashburger

500 NJ RT23 Pequannock, NJ
(973) 513-7085
https://locations.smashburger.com/us/nj/pequannock/500-nj-23.html

What:
The Triple Double

Build:

Two (2) beef patties, (approximately 3oz each) two slices of American cheese, and one slice of aged cheddar along with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and Smash sauce on a toasted egg bun.

Comments: 

You'll need to travel far and wide to find a burger this good for $4 bucks! If not for one flaw, this burger would be a perfect 10. 

A few things to note:
The 3 slices of cheese are not all "slices" - the top and bottom are covered with slices of American cheese as advertised, however the "melted aged cheddar" in between the burgers is actually more of a cheese sauce; which was fine, and actually delicious. 

I have to commend the folks at Smash for their use of white onion. The onions were as crisp and sweet as can be which is a refreshing change from the bitter red hybrid onions we've seen far too often. The tomatoes were a deep red and very meaty and the thick cut dill pickles added enough acidity to contrast the richness of the meat and cheese perfectly. I would have loved to see crisp iceberg lettuce, but the leafy green stuff worked okay on this burger. The Smash Sauce was tasty as always and not overdone. 

The only issue I encountered was the "eatibility" of the burger. The egg bun, (which seemed to me to be a potato bun masquerading as an egg bun) was very tasty, but it's size was not sufficient enough to handle the burger with toppings. 

Bottom line: 
The burger is delicious and a great value, but things will get messy, very messy, making it impossible to eat this burger while driving.

Smashburger's Triple Double receives an 8.4 out of 10 on the BC rating scale.

Criteria & ratings for the Triple Double:
Meat flavor 10
Juiciness 10
Size 10
Freshness 10
Burger to bun ratio 5
Bun type 8
Overall taste with selected condiments 10
Eatibility 5
Temperature 8

I ordered this burger to-go and it was still excellent. I've got to try it again and eat it fresh at the restaurant.

Sunset Pub and Grill - July 26th, 2017

See the BC burger rating scale defined after the review!

Where:
Sunset Pub and Grill
425 Beaverbrook Rd,Lincoln Park, NJ 07035
(973) 694-8700
http://www.sunsetpubandgrill.com/

What:
The Build-Your-Own Burger

Build:
10-ounce burger patty, caramelized onions, American cheese on a brioche bun.

Comments: 

If you're looking for decent food with a fun atmosphere, look no further. The Sunset Pub and Grill delivers on both.
I enjoyed a huge burger cooked to perfection while dining al fresco this summer...

...That being said, the burger meat was so darn tasty I'm going to have trouble describing it. In fact, it was SO good, that I'm afraid I'll never taste one that good from the Sunset Pub again. Forgive my cynicism, but I'm afraid when it comes to consistency, I've got zero confidence in most restaurants, and that's why I keep thinking, this awesome burger may have been a fluke. 

I enjoyed the burger on my first trip here in September of 2016, but this one proved to be even better - much better.
It's the meat – it was that delicious, savory, succulent, meat. I didn't get the opportunity to ask what the blend or fat content was so I'll have to make yet another trip back to find out. I can tell you this, the patty was a perfect thickness, the grind was coarse and loosely packed, and both the fat content and temperature of my burger were nothing shy of perfect. The meat was absolutely delicious.

The brioche was quite good also – not the garden variety, Americanized brioche improvisation we've been forced to accept at most restaurants.

Keep the burgers coming because the Sunset Pub & Grill received a 9.4\10.0 on the BC rating scale.

For those of you wondering how I arrive at my burger ratings, this is the scale and rating criteria I've been using for years...

BC Rating Scale:

Epic-Crap-Fail 1.0 - 2.9

Won't be back 3.0 - 5.9

Might try again if convenient

AKA: "as long as it makes a turd" 6.0 - 7.9

I'll definitely be back 8.0 - 8.9

Keep the burgers coming 9.0 - 10

Criteria & ratings for the Sunset Pub & Grill:
Meat flavor 10
Juiciness 10
Size 10
Freshness 10
Burger to bun ratio 9
Bun type 8
Overall taste with selected condiments 9
Edibility 9
Temperature 10