Organic Arugula Truffle Mushroom & Swiss Burger
What makes the item a winner:
1. The arugula: Organic arugula offers a peppery flavor that complements the earthy taste of truffle and mushroom.
2. The truffle-mayonnaise: Because of the high cost of truffles, Smashburger captured the flavor with all-natural truffle oil. The oil is then mixed with mayonnaise to get the rich, earthy flavor into every bite.
3. The Swiss: Aged Swiss cheese is melted over the burgeras it grills.
4. The patty: 100-percent certified Angus beef patties are smashed, seared and grilled to order. Searing locks in juices and flavor.
5. The cremini: The little mushrooms, miniature versions of the portobello, are grilled to order with the burger.
The story behind the item
Being a fast growing, fast-casual concept with a limited menu does not make it easy to add items to the lineup, but Smashburger, the Denver-based better burger chain, found a way to keep the menu fresh.
The Organic Arugula Truffle Mushroom & Swiss Burger debuted last summer and offered customers a new take on the 350-unit chain’s standard menu selection.
“We’ve been growing so fast and we’re entering new markets so we are new to people, but we also want to bring new and fresh ideas,” said Tom Ryan, founder and chief concept officer.
He and the Smashburger culinary team also have a mission to keep menu offerings contemporary, novel and cutting edge, while at the same time being sensitive to how many permanent items they can
offer, he said.
The Truffle Mushroom & Swiss Burger is one of eight standard burger options on the menu. Truffles, an edible fungus with an earthy flavor, are popular in fine dining. They can also be expensive, so the Smashburger team uses all-natural truffle oil, which is infused into the mayonnaise and served on the burger along with cremini mushrooms and aged Swiss cheese.
Looking for ways to step up the level of offerings and be “food forward,” Smashburger added organic arugula to the burger this summer, Ryan said. The lettuce is only used when it is in season, however.
The rollout included public relations and social media as well as billboard and radio advertising.
“Tying news around the product — it performed very well for the system,” Ryan said.