If there’s one thing I’m thankful to the food gods for, it’s that we moved past the horrible trend of absurdly towering monstrosity burgers that included 37 bespoke ingredients and required two hands and an unhinged jaw.
Smash burgers, the far superior burger form in both taste and eatability, finally took their rightful place in the burger world. (See how many of our Best Burger picks are smash burgers? I rest my case.)
Alberto Montellano saw smash burgers’ potential a few years ago, while he was working at Tacos 1986 in Los Angeles doing their Smorgasburg pop-ups. “I fell in love instantly,” he says. “My brain literally was like, ‘I need to take this to San Diego.’”
He started researching all the different smash burger joints across L.A. to pinpoint what made each one of them unique. “In Tijuana, that’s how the taco culture is,” he explains. There might be a taco shop or cart on every corner, but every single one has that special thing. If he could pinpoint what made each burger stand out, maybe he could put together a menu of the Greatest Hits, or at least his take on them, and open his own burger business in his hometown of San Diego.
At the time, he only knew about E.L.E. (Everybody Love Everybody)’s smash burgers in San Diego (“shoutout to them, we love them”) so he knew there was a wide-open market here. (Today, the burger scene is much more crowded, but he’s not worried about it. They’re carving out their spot. But I’m getting ahead of myself.)
He asked childhood friend Geffrey Beasley (both of them were born and raised in the South Bay) if he’d be interested in launching a smash burger concept. Beasley said absolutely, but with a caveat—they both needed to work in professional kitchens for a while to learn the ropes of the food industry.
“We knew how to cook,” says Montellano. They just needed to figure out the business side of things.
So they worked at Dog Haus, FireBirds Chicken, Lou & Mickey’s, and Pizzo’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar (still working at the latter two, Montellano says). When they felt ready, they launched Big Dawg Burger as a part-time pop-up.
Big Dawg’s burgers are Oklahoma-style smash burgers, meaning they mix thinly shaved onions directly into the meat before smashing the patty onto the grill. It gives the patties tons of flavor, and that’s before they create their signature burgers like the Hickory Bacon Burger. It’s Montellano’s ode to the legendary L.A. diner The Apple Pan, known for its original Hickoryburger that’s been a staple since 1945. He’s confident they nailed it.
But he says what really makes them really stand out are the Amish burger buns from Sadie Rose Bakery in Oceanside. They toast each bun to order, but then take an extra step to steam it—another Tijuana trick he learned from watching hot dog vendors. “They’re nice and very soft,” he promises. It makes the buns warm and soft, but not too chewy or crumbly. It’s the perfect finishing touch, and something he doesn’t see anyone else doing.
After three years of pop-ups at breweries, collaborations with other small businesses like an oxtail burger with You Chill We Grill, and figuring out how to run a business (“we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into with the taxes and stuff,” he laughs), they hope to eventually do Big Dawg Burger full-time and open a brick-and-mortar.
Check where Big Dawg Burger will pop up around San Diego next by checking Instagram at @bigdawg_burger.
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Beth’s Bites
- After 13 years in the heart of Kensington, the beloved Village Vino is closing its doors. The beloved wine bar and retail shop will stay open until November 15, giving wine club members and the wine-loving community a few final days to pick up the last few bottles and say their goodbyes.
- I love a bargain, and I also love Korean fried chicken. Luckily for me, bb.q chicken launched a $1 wings promotion at all six of its San Diego locations from November 10 through 21. Every Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., just pop into any San Diego location—Vista, Sorrento Valley, Convoy, College Area, National City, Otay Ranch—and get one signature flavor for $1 each (personally, I’m partial to Secret Sauce).
- Cardiff café The Waverly is celebrating five years of cute brunches (I mean, does anything sound more adorable than funfetti pancakes?) and a European-style dinner menu with plates like cavatelli with white sausage ragù and grilled barramundi (Asian sea bass) with grilled onions, yogurt, herbs, and Moroccan spice. Join the party on Thursday, November 13 for an evening of cocktails, bites, and a prix fixe feast that kicks off at 6 p.m.
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