Flaming S’mores, Anyone?
Making summer memories at The Burger Dive
Tonight I fulfilled every child’s dream. I ordered dessert first — a Flaming S’mores shake at the downtown Burger Dive. It is more than dessert. It’s a show. The shake is flambéed right at your table with a literal torch.
I am mesmerized as server Maria March carefully moves the hissing flame shooting out of a large propane canister back and forth over a small pile of marshmallows. Perched safely at the edge of the retro chrome table is a stainless-steel malt cup filled with ice cream goodness that lets off a sweet and toasty aroma.
“When we first opened the Burger Dive over 15 years ago, we started with the basic chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla and strawberry shakes,” co-owner Brad Halsten says. He credits his wife and business partner, Andi, for masterminding the flavors on the shake menu.
Maria turns off the propane and immediately the fire dissipates. She drops a spoon inside the cup and slides it toward me, along with a straw. With the spoon, I lift a couple of charred marshmallows to taste smoky sweetness and bite into welcome gooeyness. As I stick the straw into the cup, I savor the distinct flavors of graham cracker, chocolate syrup and vanilla.
Explaining the origin of the shake, Brad says, “Andi saw a similar shake made at a restaurant in New York City, and she always wanted to play with fire at work.”
I am usually too full to have a milkshake after eating the restaurant’s award-winning 2016 World Food Champion, the I’m Your Huckleberry Burger, or the Spicy Tuna Burger, as portions are beyond generous and accompanied by more-than-ample fries. I know, I am supposed to have a burger with my shake, but I just can’t do it. I believe ice cream should be saved as the grand finale of a meal. Over the years, the Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Mint shakes have been my regular choices, but I am very curious about the Roasted Garlic Salted Caramel and Strawberry Balsamic shakes and look forward to trying them at my next visit.
“The garlic shake started ironically as a joke,” Brad says. “Some ladies came in frequently and got garlic burgers and garlic fries. They jokingly suggested a garlic shake. We tried it, and it worked.”
Over the years, he adds, “We have put our own unique twist on things” from the shakes to the burgers. The Iron Maiden Burger, dressed with guajillo barbecue sauce and roasted poblano peppers, bacon and cheddar chipotle mayo, will be the newest addition to the menu.
A year ago, the Halstens opened a second Burger Dive, at 1603 Grand Ave., with son, Brendan, managing both operations. The Bob’s Big Boy statue of a cartoonish caricature of a cheerful, chubby boy with a pompadour hairstyle welcomes the guests (delete: here) at the midtown Billings location. The neon sign of a beer dispenser and the black-and-green neon clock, along with tie-dyed T-shirts for sale, continue the retro vibes found at the restaurant downtown.
The true diner feel dominates the space on North 27th Street, with red-and-white checkered floors, yellow-painted walls, counter seating with views of the grill, and a Blockbuster sign. Both restaurants have good old-fashioned friendly service and award-winning burgers. And, just like I discovered, cold, rich shakes that are so delicious, you really should eat them first.
