QUEENS — A burger showdown is on the menu in Forest Hills.
Twist and Smash’d, which offers burgers and 'twisted potatoes,' is opening this Friday at 72-06 Austin St. just weeks after Bareburger, a popular burger joint, expanded its location across the street.
Another burger joint, Cheeburger Cheeburger, sits just one block away on Queens Boulevard, and many of the neighborhood's pubs also churn out burgers and fries.
But Twist and Smash'd hopes to attract customers with its concept of gourmet patties served with potatoes cut with a special slicer and served on a stick, the owners said. For the beef-averse, they have options like a crab burger and chicken tenders and waffles on a stick.
Brianna Cano, one of the owners of Twist and Smash'd, said she is “ecstatic" about opening her new restaurant in Forest Hills.
"We think this neighborhood will enjoy it,” she said Friday morning.
The restaurant will offer a variety of its signature "smash’d burgers," including chipotle chicken, beef and short rib. There will also be a crab burger and a vegetarian option, made with black beans, carmelized onions, avocado and mango salsa.
Cano, who said she saw twisted potatoes for the first time during her family vacation in Ecuador a couple of years ago, noted that customers will have a choice between organic Idaho potatoes and Japanese sweet potatoes for their fries.
The restaurant, which will be open from 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. on Sundays, will also offer a number of breakfast dishes, including scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese and chicken tenders wrapped in a waffle and served on a stick with maple syrup.
Cano said Twist and Smash'd will use locally grown ingredients and offer diet-friendly options, including whole wheat wraps and lemonade instead of sodas.
Patrons can eat inside or sit on the outdoor patio. They can also grab their food to go, Cano said.
