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D.C. welcomes yet another burger chain into the mix when Smashburger opens its doors in Dupont today at 10 a.m. This is the Denver-based joint's first location in the District and second overall in the Metro area after opening in Fairfax last October. The new patty slinger on the block joins an already crowded burger scene with Five Guys, Shake Shack, BGR the Burger Joint and Black & Orange all serving up the hot beef in Dupont as well. Like all Smashburgers, the D.C. spot features its own special regional creation, the Capital Burger, exclusive to the D.M.V. (it debuted with the Fairfax opening last year). "We wanted to do something more modern than thematic," Smashburger founder Tom Ryan says. While most of their other exclusive burgers feature a regional specialty (i.e. remoulade in New Orleans, cheez wiz in Philly), Ryan wanted D.C.'s version to be more emblematic of the people rather than the place. "I didn't want to put a crab cake on a burger," he said. Instead, the Capital Burger features grilled onions, aged Swiss, baby arugula, Applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes and mayo on a brioche bun. Ryan says it's sophisticated. More burger standouts include the Truffle Mushroom Swiss (truffle mayo, sauteed baby portabellas and aged Swiss on an egg bun-- Ryan calls it "the best $6 burger you can buy"), the Avocado Club (avocado, bacon, ranch, lettuce, tomato and mayo on multi-grain-- "it's unctuous," says Ryan) and the Spicy Baja (jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo on a chipotle bun). Alongside the burgers, the menu features chicken sandwiches done piccata style (AKA flat-as-a-pancake), crazy-big salads, Haagen-Daz milkshakes and sides including fries, "Smashfries" (with rosemary, olive oil and garlic), sweet potato fries, haystack onions (done in chicken-fried steak batter) and veggie frites (flash-fried green beans and carrots).  There's also a so-called "secret menu" with such covert items like fried pickles and a PB&J milkshake. The D.C. Smashburger is one of the chain's smallest locations (the fact sheet says seating for 47, but that would be an awfully tight squeeze). And while it looks and feels a whole lot smaller than the Fairfax spot, it's not out of place among other fast-casual spots in Dupont. Smashburger's invasion of the D.M.V. doesn't end with just DuPont and Fairfax-- a Gaithersburg joint is set to open next month, followed by locations in Falls Church, Tysons and Bethesda coming soon after. Smashburger Dupont (1739 Connecticut Ave.) is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Smashburger | 1739 Connecticut Ave | DC | smashburger.com