Smashburger.

Yesterday, I attended the Smashburger / Arlington "Preview Day."  The following is my honest, after-first-bite-thought:  

"That is one good hamburger."

It is juicy and served hot. The two top requirements of a good hamburger, in my opinion. I also liked the hearty, not-greasy bun, and the real dill pickles. I would put it up there with M&O Station Grill hamburger -- and that is saying something. 

It's hard not to like a juicy, all Angus beef burger. But add good french fries, thin-sliced, and very crispy, and a real ice-cream, chocolate milk-shake, and you get a very good lunch.

Smashburger started in Denver and by the looks of their "locations" map has moved northward and southward kind of along the Interstate 35 corridor. They have one location in Addison, several in Houston, the one I visited in Arlington. They are moving into the Fort Worth area now. Look for one near TCU soon.  Smashburger is one of the companies that is satisfying the current demand for a quality hamburger in a stylish, counter-service setting. Smashburger's menu also has a few salads, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and assorted side items like fried pickles (yes, I liked them, too).

Is Smashburger the place to take the kids everyday for a cheap meal?  No. But, for an as-good-as-you-can-get hamburger, the price is fair. Under $10 for a 1/3 pound burger, a big order of fries and a drink.

My thanks to the Smashburger folks. I wish you well.

http://www.smashburger.com

The Winspear Opera House / Dallas

I'll say this for our friends to the east. They don't do anything in small scale and low budget.

The Dallas Arts District, east of Stemmons and south of Woodall Rogers, has been doing a lot of building and expanding in the last few years. The Myerson is twenty years old, but the Wyly Theater is new, as is the Winspear Opera House. Under construction is a 3,000 person outdoor ampitheater, and a five acre park that will cover the Woodall Rogers Freeway for a block. This is serious development given the times we are in, but I am happy for them and will be one of those who frequents from time to time.

I visited the Winspear last night with a friend and I liked it. It is large enough for a big-city audience, but not so large that operatic voices get lost. The acoustics seemed very good, at least from where I was sitting. It is a much more attractive building on the exterior than the Myerson, which is next door, and inside, it is what a good opera house is these days: comfortable, well-designed for sound, and light on ornamentation. The chandelier-effect lights  in the hall's center are reminiscent of the Metropolitan Opera and a nice touch.

We saw the final performance of Donizetti's, Don Pasquale, which I will not critique because I am not qualified to do so. I enjoyed it, especially the main character's voice and acting. The Don Pasquale role is the lead role and was performed by Donato DiStefano. He was the show.

The Seven/Eleven Building just east of the Winspear has five restaurants on the ground floor of the building, all with indoor and outdoor seating. That's a pretty cool place for a light dinner and drinks before or after the show. They also have valet parking. I parked a block away for $2, but I'm a cheapskate when it comes to parking.

My only disappointment is not being able to take the train to and from Fort Worth. The time schedules with the train and the opera were too uncertain to be comfortable.

500 Places to Eat Before it's Too Late.

I like to listen to the radio while I am working on the house. This afternoon, I stumbled onto the Rick Steve's Travel Show while he was interviewing Jane and Michael Sterns, authors of the above mentioned book.

Like many readers of this blog, the Sterns like to taste local fare when they travel, and not taste the normal chain restaurants. As they said today, one could travel from coast to coast and eat virtually the same meals every day. But Why?

This couple has made a living for thirty years doing something they love, traveling and eating. They have a word for the kind of place they are looking for. They call it, Roadfood.

Everyone likes to get out on the open road once in a while. My wife and I just returned from such a trip. I wish I had bought this book before we left.

Some information on the Sterns taken from their website:

The Sterns have won three James Beard journalism awards for their monthly column in Gourmet magazine, which takes readers to the best restaurants in small towns and cities all around the country. They are weekly contributors to "The Splendid Table" on Public Radio.

http://www.roadfood.com/

(The website looks very helpful, by the way)