Smashburger sets out winter menu

Smashburger founder Tom Ryan likes to say you start out creating a new restaurant menu with 110 percent of the menu items you need, and you end up getting about 85 percent of it right.

When he opened his latest restaurant, Tom's Urban 24, about three months ago with co-founder Rick Schaden (former Quiznos CEO, Consumer Capital Partners co-founder, Smashburger board member), the menu was intentionally large, partly because the concept was to bring all of what America likes to eat all in one place. But they were also seeing what people would like. When the restaurant opened, there were distinct breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night menus that could only be ordered during the set breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night hours.

Now, there is one menu from 10 p.m. - 4 p.m. and a dinner menu from 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. And in a concession to those looking for more of a diner feel during the dinner hours, there's always some sort of egg dish available at any time of day. This past Monday, Tom's set out its winter menu. Here's a look at the new dishes:

 

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN DIP. 

W/ cucumbers, tomatoes, grilled flatbread. Tasty, though you can see some of the oil is settling

COLORADO CALIMARI

W/ green and red chiles, grilled lemon, sauces (green chile ranch, voodoo, remoulade

URBAN COWBOY EGG BAKE. 

Slow roasted tender carnitas, red chile, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, charro beans, baked. Topped with 2 fried eggs. Served w/ a flour tortilla. This is what you should order if you want to soak up your liquor before going home late at night. Delicious and huge, it could feed one NFL offensive lineman, 2.5 normal Americans or 3 Cherry Creek ladies watching their figures.

TOM'S FILET MIGNON POT PIE. The puff pastry topper is pierced to reveal a hot, soupy mix of roasted vegetables, mushroom shallot gravy, tender filet mignon (that has been pan seared, though you wouldn't necessarily know it.) There's also a TRUFFLED LOBSTER AND SHRIMP POT PIE (not shown, but it'll have some red garnish on top) with truffle gravy.

LOBSTER AND SHRIMP TACO PLATTER. Butter poached seafood, slaw, cilantro crema, chipotle sauce, each served on 2 blue corn tortillas, the better for lifting to your mouth for clean eating. You can't see it here, but it comes with Mexican rice and charro beans, so it's not a completely cold meal. W/ grilled lime.

BLUE CORN CRAB ENCHILADAS. Again with the charro beans and Mexican rice. The stuff on top is salsa verde, tomato, sour cream, queso fresco, cilantro, green onions.

STRANAHAN'S WHISKEY BBQ RIBS. W/ sweet potato waffle fries, crisped to perfection, and an Asian peanut vegetable slaw and Stranahan's whiskey sweet bbq sauce. That's a lot of food.

ANGUS OPEN-FACED MEATLOAF PLATTER. Toasted sourdough. Swiss and mushroom shallot gravy. With mashed potatoes and braised Tuscan kale.

FRIED CHICKENLOOPER, now with ... CORN CAKES! The Chickenlooper was on the menu previously as a take on chicken and waffles with a nod to Gov. John Hickenlooper, but the new version has sweet corn pancakes. The covering on the chicken is matzo bread. Served with syrup and butter.

I should mention, there's also an NY STRIP STEAK AND EGGS PLATTER, but BL started devouring it before I got a picture. Lots of spice and seasoning to that steak. And there's an URBAN SUPER PHO, added to the menu for those who didn't like the more Americanized, urbanized, pho options already on the menu and wanted more spice. I guess I ate that before taking a picture. It's got egg, shrimp, chicken, duck, with the more traditional additions of basil, cilantro, mint leaves, chile slices and sprouts.

FRIED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH ASIAN VINAIGRETTE. There used to be a version made with brown butter. This one has some peppers, sweet flavoring. Kinda smells funny, but it tastes good.