Burgers (beef or lamb), fried fish, fried chicken and the best fries are some of the highlights of Thoroughfare on Main Street in Yarmouth so aptly named as Yarmouth Main Street is thoroughly  a thoroughfare of eateries and shops.

The smash burger and fries with the best little packet of Heinz ketchup

Maybe this should be perceived as both a fry-joint and burger joint.  More to the point, this is a cunning alternative to running a full-scale restaurant–one that was brilliantly conceived with extraordinary food pre-pandemic at the Garrison by chef and caterer Christian Hayes. The fast but fabulous fare at  Thoroughfare helps pay the bills for this enterprising chef to offer his talents on the most efficient food group known to man: the burger joint.

There’s no indoor dining. Not yet but one day soon.    And on the chilly rainy day last week I ventured on the 15 mile trip from Portland to Yarmouth.  I could have ordered my lunch online,  but there was only a 15 minute window from order to pick up so I decided to take my chances at the walk-up window.  After all this is in downtown Yarmouth Village–how bustling could it be?

The store front; order window is at far left

I waited a mere 5 minutes for my order to be passed through the window: the smash burger and salt and pepper fries. I had my own drink in my cup holder in the car (club soda) though I was tempted to try any of the milkshakes.

Since the tables and chairs outside were wet from the rain I had no other choice but to perch my food  inside on  car seat armrest.  At best this is a risky operation –I could just see it falling off to the floor, my smash burger fat andsprawling on the car mats.  . I had a towel in the car, which I placed over the seat.

The burger is served in one of those boxes like you get at McDonalds and the fries are held in a cone.  I went for these first and they were terrific: crisp and soft within and perfectly, generously  seasoned with salt and pepper.  But it was the first taste of my burger (two thin patties in a nondescript roll packed to overflowing with shredded lettuce, melted cheese, pickles–housemade?– and mayo.  Ketchup on the side, though it didn’t need any.

Read carefully to get the intended pun

They had this remarkable,  so pleasing taste of being cooked on the grill, the charred exterior displaying these two thin patties to perfection.

Eating a burger like this with all that stuff on it goes fast: the roll begins to fall apart from the weight of what’s inside and one needs a box of napkins to wipe your fingers and mouth from all the dribbles. But it was sure good as were the fries. I should have ordered a soda or milkshake because the half-flat contents of my bottle of sparkling water had seen better days.

Chef and owner Christian Hayes enjoyed brief celebrity when his restaurant The Garrison opened pre-pandemic.   It had a brilliant run and I enjoyed one of the best meal ever in the state of Maine. But he’ll be back one of these days and in the meantime his $10 smash burger (not sure why it’s called that) should keep the culinary gremlins at bay.

Thoroughfare, 367 Main St., Yarmouth, ME Order online https://www.thegarrisonmaine.com/