Two four-ounce patties, smashed on the flat top so the edges go lacy and crisp. White American cheese, house-made pickles, our own burger sauce, all of it on a griddled potato bun. Served with fries. That is the whole burger, and we do not think it needs anything else, but you can add bacon, a fried egg, grilled onions or grilled mushrooms if you disagree. There is a Kids' Smash Burger too.

On Smashburger Night we run two builds off the same two smashed patties. The Loaded Cheeseburger gets cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms and peppers. The BLT Cheeseburger gets bacon, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli. Both come with fries, both are $15, and both are worth saving room after for Creme Brulee Cheesecake or Limoncello Cake. Follow @FiretenderOBX to catch the next one.

A smash burger wants a cold lager, and we have the original. Firetender is the home of the Weeping Radish Taproom, North Carolina's first microbrewery, back in Manteo where it started in 1986. Corolla Gold, their Munich Helles, is the pairing we would put money on. If you want more hop to cut the richness, go Radish IPA. Not sure? Order a flight and work through all four. And if you cannot choose between burger and pizza, the Smash-Burger Pizza settles it.