John Paul Suarez claims his smash burgers are so good that he’s converted even vegans.
SAN ANTONIO — Smashing some burgers at this Southtown strip, you’ll find John Paul Suarez of Just Eat SATX on the curb of Near Dark cooking up some good eats for his neighborhood.
“I’ve been lucky and blessed that these people gravitate, and the food’s good.”
Like his set-up, Suarez keeps his menu simple, but tasty.
He has the candied smasher, which is a smash burger with a cream cheese spread, and candied jalapenos.
Then the “Esse SA cheeseteak.”
“Like what up esse – you want an esse cheesesteak?” he said.
Suarez toasts bolillo bread, slaps on some bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, thinly sliced ribeye, and tops it all off with an avocado crema.
But at the heart of it all is his “double smash daddy baddy.”
It has siracha, mayonnaise, bread, and buttered pickles, with onion on the flat top, grilled, a lot of meat and seasoned smashed, cheese, and fresh cut fries.”
Don’t forget the side of fresh-cut fries, drizzled in that siracha sauce and microgreens.
And while the sizzle and smell draw you in, for Suarez, it’s the people that keep him fired up.
“It’s not just a job for me, I love coming to work every day and doing this,” he said. “It’s a kitchen, your secrets are safe here, like a barber’s chair, you can talk about anything here.”
Suarez started this all by mistake. A buddy asked him to help in a kitchen four years ago…and since then, he’s never stopped serving.
Now it’s a sizzling passion he will never let go.
Suarez dreams of having a food truck someday.
For now, you can find him outside Near Dark in Southtown and the R&R Tavern off Northwest Loop 410.
Just check his Facebook or Instagram for where he’s going to be.