Business owner Tommy Oh — owner of Jugo Life and new smashburger pop-up, the MF Burger Shop — first had the idea to create and sell smashburgers about a month ago.
“I was thinking about doing it, then I did a month of R&D and recipe testing,” he says. “I was just trying to find the right ingredients that I like.
“For smashburgers, you want a fatty beef,” he adds. “Wagyu is the fattiest beef that you can get, so I decided to use that.”
The MF Burger Shop did its first pop-up several weeks ago; the pop-up is in the space adjacent to Jugo Life in the Ala Moana neighborhood. Oh wanted the pop-up’s concept to be simple.
“I wanted to make a burger that I feel like I can eat often,” he says.
The shop’s first pop-up was for walk-in orders only. Now, the business posts details about its next pop-up on Instagram with pre-orders open for customers. Pop-ups have been around once a week, according to Oh, who says he originally intended for the smashburgers to be a late-night concept.
Right now, the menu features two dishes — MF wagyu smashburgers ($15) and beef tallow fries ($6). All smashburgers feature double wagyu patties, American cheese, grilled onions, raw onions, pickles and a secret sauce.
To ensure freshness, smashburgers are always made to order when customers arrive to the pop-up. Check in at Jugo Life at your designated order time, then you’ll be directed next door to the pop-up. Limited seating is available.
The beef tallow fries ($6) are made with locally made beef tallow, resulting in an ultra-savory side. Oh recalls trying beef tallow fries on the Mainland. When doing R&D for his shop, he did a taste test to compare fries cooked in regular oil versus beef tallow, and said “there was a noticeable difference.”
“I saw other places on the Mainland doing it (beef tallow fries),” he says. “Even though it costs more, it tastes a lot better.
“For me, I’m going to make the food I want to eat; I care about quality,” he adds. “If you want a good, simple burger, give us a try.”
Follow the MF Burger Shop on Instagram for details about upcoming pop-ups.
CONTACT
MF Burger Shop
1232 Waimanu St., Honolulu
Instagram: @mfburgershop
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
