Like its fast-casual competitors, the Clearwater Smashburger has diners build burgers at the counter. Credit: Meaghan Habuda

Smashburger might not be new to everyone in the region (there's one nearby in Sarasota, after all). But the menu of the "better burger" brand, which soft-launched last week in Clearwater, offers everything from veggie frites to Butterfinger milkshakes — so how does one choose?

Hosted inside franchisee Craig Tengler's first Pinellas County Smashburger at 5300 E. Bay Drive, a Monday media tasting helped answer just that. Smashburger Vice President of Franchise Operations Rod Boyer, who says their gourmet burgers aren't for the faint of heart, spearheaded the preview event, showcasing the Denver-based concept's varied selection of fast-casual sides, sandwiches, salads and shakes ahead of its grand opening in Clearwater.

Tengler says he and business partner Tom Jones got excited about Smashburger after meeting its co-founder, Tom Ryan, many years ago. Jones and Tengler's territory covers locations like Tampa, St. Petersburg and The Villages; they're able to go as east as Winter Haven and as south as Naples while scouting buildings for the 32 outposts they plan to develop next.

Smashburger, formed in 2007 by parent company Consumer Capital Partners (also behind chains like Tom's Urban and Live Basil Pizza), has more than 370 locations spread out over eight countries, Panama and Kuwait included. According to Boyer, the international brand operates about 25 to 30 restaurants outside the U.S. and will debut to its ninth and 10th countries in the first quarter of next year.

Rod Boyer, vice president of franchise operations for Smashburger. Credit: Meaghan Habuda

"There was a gap in the middle for a really high-quality, great-tasting, fresh-ingredient burger. We set out and said, 'OK, what does that look like?'" Boyer says of Smashburger's beginnings. "So we interviewed burger lovers. We asked them, 'What do you like?' It took quite a bit of time until we were able to really open and grow."

As he tells it, burger buffs have shaped quite a bit of what's on the menu.

Standard French fries were offered before people requested something different: Smashfries, featuring an 80/20 blend of olive and canola oils, rosemary, thyme and other fresh spices, plus garlic salt. Red onion is what folks interviewed by Smashburger preferred, which is why it tops the Classic Smash alongside American cheese, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, kosher dills from Chicago's Schwartz Pickle Co., and Smash Sauce (mayo, mustard, sweet relish, lemon juice). Diners nearly rioted after the fried pickles and Buffalo & Blue Cheese Smashchicken (crispy chicken, Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce, lettuce, tomato, mayo) were phased out during a menu refresh, so those items were brought back. And on and on.

The BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar Smashburger features haystack onions, so good that they’re offered as a stand-alone side. Credit: Meaghan Habuda

The name Smashburger speaks to the process used to make each certified Angus beef burger. The patties are smashed on a flat grill, heated between 375 and 400 degrees, to sear in their juices.

"When we smash the beef on the grill what we find is it creates meat candy on the bottom. That's butter seared on the bottom, creating a crust, which keeps all the flavor in. When you look at it, it's almost like a pancake," Boyer says. "Because we smash it down, it seals itself to the metal, so you can't just grab a spatula and turn it, or you will hack the sear off — that's where all the flavor is. You literally have to have a nearly razor-sharp spatula to cut this thing off the grill and turn it. Then you place the cheese on it."

In addition to the Cuban-style Medianoche, a regional burger exclusive to Tampa Bay that has smoked ham, aged Swiss, pickles, red onion and mustard, the tasting highlighted a number of Smashburger sides, unconventional selections among them. Try the crunchy veggie frites — fresh carrots and green beans flash-fried for 40 or so seconds in beef tallow — for a lighter option, or thinly sliced haystack onions. Served with Texas Petal Sauce (or horseradish) for dipping, the onions are the star of their own side, but also make an appearance on the popular BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar Smashburger (barbecue sauce, applewood-smoked bacon, aged Cheddar).

For dessert, there are eight kinds of shakes and malts. Credit: Meaghan Habuda

While the lineup's burger builds can be topped with any protein, there's also a dedicated meatless combo. The Avocado Ranch Black Bean Smashburger is made with egg and cooked on the same grill as the other burgers to create that signature sear, so this one's vegetarian-friendly depending who you ask. Four salads, including the huge and colorful Cobb, are on hand, too.

Best way to finish a meal here: order one of the shakes made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

Us at CL? We're following the lead of those hungry patrons who came before us. They enjoyed the salted caramel and Oreo flavors (which were offered for a limited time at one point) so much that Smashburger incorporated them into its permanent menu. Thanks, y'all!