I was intrigued by a Facebook post a few weeks back by H-Wines Restaurant, owned by French expat Steve Hari. It was about their Thursday special ‘Smashburger and Tallow Fries,’ and having had a hankering for an interesting burger combination, the beef tallow fries drew me in; then the thought of pairing the burger with a wine. Well, it fired my ambition. I immediately went to my schedule and had reminders installed. Good burgers are hard to find, and when there is wine available at proper establishments, the chances for a unique burger experience are unlimited. I’ve found that the best burger and pairings with wine, when done right, are built on balance of the best of both worlds of combining the rich and savory beef and cheese patty; and as opposed to a red wine with tannins that are a little more supple than average, but is still aggressive enough to penetrate the fat enhancing its flavor. It’s heaven. After all, it’s the fat that brings about the more memorable tasting experiences.
Hari owns H-Wines, an intimate little wine bar, and the accompanying Restaurant next door, and if there is one thing I learned from Steve, it’s that he presents quality, and makes every effort to make his customers feel right at home. The restaurant is a cozy place birthed with a heavy influence of French hospitality, even though the building has a feed store and antique history. Montgomery is blessed to have a historical district with supportive business owners, willing to work together for the fulfillment of customer joy. For instance, on the 2nd and Last Friday’s of each month, H-Wines Restaurant and Texas & Beyond team up to ‘Unwind and Unleash,’ for Beginner Dance Classes. $10/Person/Class with Bachata 7-8pm, and Salsa from 8-9pm. The art on the walls is surreal in nature with bird and peacock headed human figures worth the cost of a moderate luxury car. But most go for the wine and food, and the welcoming ambience that H-Wines and the Restaurant offer.
I was greeted by Jolene, a name not inspired not by the Dolly Parton song, but by the combination of her parents’ first names of Joe and Arlene. She’s a 2024 Montgomery High graduate who looked like she was readying herself for Paris Fashion Week later this month. I asked for the Thursday special with a few slices of bacon, since I was feeling adventurous, and I wasn’t disappointed. With the recent wine and food festival, I had lost the weight I gained, and was ready for something exceptional.
H-Wines Restaurant’s Smashburger comes with a house seasoning on the beef patty that is proprietary, but it was the Cilantro Lime Sauce that really brought it to life. I even asked for some on the side, since it is great for dipping, even with the fries. Brandon, the burger chef, put together an awesome sandwich, with its sweet and savory aspects that will have you scheduled every Thursday for lunch at HWR. The patty is not as smashed as others, which allows for more juices to be retained, adding all the more flavor. I also asked for crispy fries, which takes a few minutes extra but is well worth the wait. In biting into the burger, you get all those flavors of the beef, cheese, bacon, veggies, and the sumptuous sauce, that will have you craving for more. It’s a much different experience than just supping on a run of the mill chain burger. You can taste and appreciate the difference counting yourself amongst the lucky to be experiencing it.
I got to thinking about pairing the burger as I ordered, and with the thought I remembered about a Syrah I once tried, thinking about its potential with a burger. Steve suggested a ‘L’O de la Vie,’ which is favored for its fruity summer berrie profile, and its smoothness along with the tannins that were lively allowing for a nice structure without being overtly dry, yet enhanced the sweetness of the meat. On the palate, I loved the dark fruit aspects which yell summer, with a wonderful finish that pleasantly hung around, anticipating the next bite with that cilantro lime sauce.
For me it was a Smashburger, Fries, and Wine that were a healing combination, seeing as the medical year I’ve had. I thought I was OK back in March only to have that thought yanked from me in April, but my confidence has since been restored with H-Wines Restaurant’s Thursday special.
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Publisher: Community