The hamburger, with its plump patty resting between a fluffy bun and never-ending line of personalized accoutrements, is the pink or burned heart of American food.
And now, it’s cute.
Miniature versions, known as sliders, have become a pop culture pigout, landing on menus everywhere from Jack in the Box to the Yard House.
“A hamburger is very personal. You don’t share your burger,” said Carlito Jocson, executive chef and a partner of Yard House restaurants, which has locations in Riverside, Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga and Rancho Mirage.
But sliders, on the other hand, are geared toward sharing.
“They’re fun; they’re friendly; they’re finger food; they’re shareable,” said Darren Tristano executive vice president of Technomic, a restaurant consulting firm based in Chicago.
He said sliders first appeared in the White Castle fast-food chain, but the trend of mini food started about five years ago in high-end places.
They started in the bars at places such as the Ritz-Carlton and evolved into more mainstream casual dining in bars at restaurants like Claim Jumper. Read on.
