When I moved to Charlottesville in 1967, I asked around about the really important things – where to meet women, where to catch fish, and the best places to eat.
I found out on my own the best place to meet women, which was where I worked – Leggett’s Barracks Road. I met a cute little honey there named Nancy and we have been married for over 50 years. As for fishing, my advisors sent me to Albemarle Lake to catch big bass. For the best places to eat, I was told to try Tony’s Tavern, Jack ‘n Jills and a hamburger joint called Riverside.
One evening after a fishing trip, I went to Riverside, squeezed into a small table, and ordered a couple of hamburgers, some fries and a cold beer. Almost before I could pour my beer into a glass, two burgers and a huge mound of fries were on the table in front of me. They were two of the best burgers I had ever tasted. As it turns out, they were smash burgers – a Riverside specialty.
Nancy and I ate at Riverside North this week (we both gained 2 pounds) and enjoyed their smash burgers, still made the same way and “smashed” on a grill top.
I talked to the cook there about the process. He says he takes about a quarter pound of ground chuck, flops it on a hot grill, then smashes it with his spatula so that it cooks quickly. The juices and grease are dispersed but sealed into the grill top for extra flavor. The burgers are done within minutes, and they are delicious.
We don’t often eat at Riverside, but each time we do, it’s a real treat and a “smashing” experience.