We have bad news and we have good news. We’ll start with the unfortunate kind. While the retro-themed restaurant Red Robin has a substantial list of burgers to choose from, one in particular caught our eye — yet not for the right reason. In what sounds like a promising culinary creation, the Smoke and Pepper burger hints at delicious bites to come. Smoke, heat, and anything meat-related is the stuff we are about, and when a burger is topped with melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, dill pickles, and black pepper bacon, we have the components that indicate a good time. In addition to this promising selection of toppings, Red Robin’s burger is slathered with Smoke and Pepper ketchup, which takes typical ketchup to the next level by enhancing the condiment’s usual tangy sweetness with smoked and seasoned depth.
According to our team, which took the task of sampling Red Robin’s burgers, expectations failed to meet reality. Instead of an earthy, smoky flavor reminiscent of freshly cracked black pepper coupled with a texturally satisfying crunch from the dill pickle soldiers, and rounded out by a melty layer of cheese, this lineup simply got lost in the shuffle. The anticipated smoky heat went missing somewhere in the ingredients, and while the seasoned ketchup added some dimension of flavor, the bacon on the sampled burger failed to deliver the promised black pepper taste. The shining star of this burger was, unexpectedly, the pickles.
Unleashing flavor to make mouth-watering burgers
Now for the good news: Perhaps it was this particular burger that was sampled, for SomethingNew on YouTube gushed about their burger, giving the meal a strong 9.5 out of 10 score after digging into their order. Along with the burger, SomethingNew munched on Red Robin’s fries, and though it was suggested that BBQ sauce or mayo might enhance the overall burger experience, the tender patty and smoky flavor of the sizable burger this many ate drew accolades from the reviewer.
A fleet of copycat recipes has also cropped up online, so if you’d rather take matters into your own hands, you can assemble your own smoky burger creations at home by doctoring meat patties with smoked sea salt, black pepper bacon, and extra sharp cheddar cheese. Layer dill pickles and lettuce on top of your burger and serve this beauty on a toasted Ciabatta to send your homemade creation out of the park. This is an ideal kind of meal to let friends and family assemble to their liking — no disappointing trips to a restaurant required.
