The following is a sneak peek from our January 2023 issue.
(From left) Eazzy Burger co-owners Alex Graf and Chris Fultz, Culinary Director Russell Cook, and General Manager Dale Richardson
On a petite flattop grill with a tiny flame, Chris Fultz, Russell Cook and Dale Richardson served up 300-something burgers during the dead of summer at the inaugural pop-up of their latest dining venture, Eazzy Burger.
The trio, along with Fultz’s better half, Alex “Orange” Graf, would taste the beefy creations and offer insight as playful riffs on the classic burger unfolded. Another ingredient, more sauce, less sauce — hell, more cheese!
“Trial by fire, literally,” says Fultz, pitmaster and co-owner of the barbecue palace ZZQ. “It was invaluable in terms of what we learned and how we tweaked things every subsequent pop-up.”
Those experimental R&D moments marked the public’s introduction to Eazzy Burger. With a grand opening on Dec. 17, the sustainability-focused, patty-forward project is the result of a collaboration between ZZQ and its sudsy neighbors at Ardent Craft Ales.
Given that they’ve shared a backyard space and mini campus for years, the union between these Scott’s Addition pioneers feels natural. Like old friends, ZZQ and Ardent have a history marked with bouts of nostalgia and coupled with a deep-seated trust. Before solidifying ZZQ as a brisket destination, Fultz served as pitmaster-in-residence while hosting biweekly pop-ups in Ardent’s beer garden.
Reflecting on the growth of the neighborhood since opening his business there in 2014, Tom Sullivan, co-founder of Ardent Craft Ales, was looking for a way to add another layer of depth to the brewery. He didn’t have to look far.
“For me, it’s the idea of this community, and then the community that’s at Ardent and the Venn diagram and where they overlap, and how can they be more, how can we serve better and continue to do what we’re doing and reach more people?” Graf says.
We’re giving people something that not only tastes great, but they can feel great about eating.
—Chris Fultz
A feeling of approachability and ease echoes throughout Eazzy Burger, from its offerings to the company’s branding featuring two Z’s, a reference to its smoky sibling.
Its owners describe Eazzy Burger as a cool, family-friendly joint, somewhere to stay a while, and Graf says she’s excited to break free from the “rules” of Texas barbecue a bit, such as the traditional serving line and the motto that when it’s sold out, it’s sold out.
“I’m looking forward to not imposing as many requirements upon the guest,” she says. “We want it to be easy.”
Inside Eazzy Burger
The menu is a mix of classics with unexpected additions. The foundation for every burger is 5 ounces of dry-aged black Angus, a blend of brisket, chuck and short rib sourced from Maryland’s Roseda Farm, served on a buttered and toasted La Bella Vita brioche bun.
Eazzy Burger’s namesake channels nostalgia, featuring lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion and Eazzy Sauce. A sinful Southwest-inspired option, the chile relleno burger is adorned with American cheese and a griddled poblano pepper stuffed with Oaxacan queso, shoestring onions, salsa verde and housemade crema.
Non-beef offerings consist of the pollo diablo, a fried chicken thigh sandwich with pickles, a tangy chisos slaw, Eazzy and Diablo sauces, or a play on a fried fish sandwich where tofu is subbed for the protein then topped with coleslaw and a pickle-ranch sauce dubbed Not a Fish. The burgers are joined by another classic backyard offering: hot dogs, such as the Texas chili-adorned The Whole Enchilada. Accompaniments include fries — regular or blanketed with cheese — fountain pop from Stubborn Soda, and a soft-serve machine swirling vanilla, chocolate and twist.
Marrying the familiarity and accessibility of fast-food classics with an ethos of sustainability, Eazzy Burger aims to ease any potential eater’s remorse. The family-run farm they have partnered with practices regenerative ranching and agriculture and soil and land management; packaging is either compostable or recyclable.
“We’re giving people something that not only tastes great, but they can feel great about eating,” Fultz says.
Easing some of their pre-opening jitters, Richardson, a former manager from the opening crew of ZZQ, has returned. And while ZZQ possesses a certain one-of-a-kind magic, the goal for Eazzy Burger will be to replicate.
“It’s always been thought of as a prototype site or beta site to test and refine and tweak,” Fultz says. “At this point in time, we do think we want to do a few more of these in the area and maybe the state.”
Replication also entails discussions about how to move forward and establish a model based on longevity for both the business and the planet.
“We are going to be talking about compost and recycling and using regenerative beef and being good stewards of the environment. … This will be the origin story of Eazzy Burger,” Fultz says. “This isn’t greenwashing — it’s at the core of who we are.”
