Denny’s goes upscale when the Big Burger Show is in town

By Ken Hoffman   –   Chron.com

Photo: Denny’s Honey Jalapeño Bacon Sriracha Burger is 1,000 calories of tasty goodness.

This week, I reached out for a Honey Jalapeño Bacon Sriracha Burger, part of the new “Big Burger Show,” at America’s 24-hour diner – but we love it most at 3 a.m.

The Big Burger Show has a cast of six premium, not-so-cheap burgers made with never-frozen beef patties and upscale toppings. But the two new, breakout stars are the Honey Jalapeño Bacon Sriracha Burger and the Bacon Gouda Burger.

The Big Burger Show runs until May 29. For review purposes, and because I wasn’t hungry enough to try both, I went with the Honey Jalapeño Bacon Sriracha Burger.

The rest of the Big Burger Show lineup: Denny’s Slamburger (it’s got an egg and hash browns on it, yum), Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger, Bourbon Bacon Burger and Double Cheeseburger.

All the burgers in the Big Show come with your choice of wavy-cut french fries, hash browns, seasonal fruit or dippable veggies.

The recommendation is hash browns. Denny’s fries just aren’t crispy enough. Some advice: You know how long you cook these fries? Double it. And make the oil hotter. Or something. Mushy fries just don’t cut it.

And stop putting red onions on burgers. Raw onions are like high school coaches’ sons – it doesn’t matter if they’re any good, they’re making the team.

My Honey Jalapeño Bacon Sriracha Burger was a mouthful to say – and took a lot of work to finish. It’s a big hot mess of beef, sauce, cheese and toppings. Instead of lifting the burger to your mouth, it’s smarter to lean in and eat it over the plate.

The levy just broke! Run for it!

Denny’s, which usually pushes its low-fare menu, is swinging for the fences with these burgers. They’re freshly made to order and these burgers are the real deal and good stuff. They don’t taste like typical chain-diner burgers.

I normally don’t think Denny’s when I’m craving a big burger, but maybe I should, while the Burger Show is in town.

Oh, by the way, if these 1,000-calorie burgers don’t fill you, Denny’s has a new Cake Batter Milk Shake for dessert – only 1,300 calories.

And with that, you’re done for the day … until dinner.