SMASHED or regular burgers?
It’s one of the great debates of our time.
Up there with Pepsi or Coke, Trump or Biden, Missionary or …
Sorry, I took that too far.
For decades I was in the traditional camp, but following intensive therapy I have been coming round to the trendy smashed variety.
You know, where they squash the patty on the grill with a spatula, releasing untold hallowed flavours.
Two Stacks in South Fremantle is firmly in the smashed camp.
Operating out of a beautified shipping container on South Terrace, it’s street food with a trendy smile.
It’s situated beside Running with Thieves, along with another a couple of shipping container-foodies selling ice cream and bagels.
On a gorgeous sunny Saturday, over the long Anzac weekend, the mini-food strip had a lively buzz with loads of folk milling about and music playing in the background.
It felt like a happening enclave where people stopped to talk about the state of the world as they licked ice cream and ate cream cheese bagels.
If you don’t want to take away your burger, there is a cute little alfresco in front of Two Stacks.
The menu is small with a handful of burgers including the Classic Smash, Chipotle Cheese Smash, Out-N-In, and BBQ Onion Smash.
But they change it up regularly, so things don’t get stale.
Most were self-explanatory, but the Out-N-In came with beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard and stack sauce
When I visited, there weren’t any chicken burgers and only two sides–fries and loaded smashed fries with American cheese, grilled onions and pickles.
I didn’t mind, as places with small menus tend to do one or two things really well.
My Chipotle Cheese Smash ($17.50) was an indulgent number. The double cheese and chipotle mayo had a decidedly rich tang with the jalapeños and mustard adding a spicy reprise.
It was just the right level of heat and didn’t overpower the smashed patty, which was juicy and had plenty of caramelised flavour and delicious gnarly bits.
Keeping things in check was the sweet red onion. A highlight was the potato bun. Super soft and light, it didn’t bog you down and was incredibly fresh.
A very enjoyable burger that wasn’t over-the-top and could be eaten without a lobster bib.
My 12-year-old kids wolfed down the Little Stack ($14.50 each). We were worried it would be too small, but it came with a decent-sized cheeseburger and portion of fries, and a little tub of tomato sauce.
The cheeseburger was high quality and the chunky fries had a lovely crispy coating and fluffy innards.
The lady behind the till was chatting away to folk and give us a warm “Goodbye”. It was clear this was an eatery that was engaging with locals and becoming part of the South Freo upholstery.
There was a bit of a wait for the food, but it was busy over the holiday weekend.
Two Stacks execute the simple very well and it has a nice friendly vibe. I may not be fully converted to the Church of Smashed, but I have one foot in the greasy pulpit.
Two Stacks
309A South Terrace, South Fremantle
twostacks.com.au
by STEPHEN POLLOCK