Sliders reborn

I've noticed the re-emergence of "sliders" on menus of all kinds. I had them at a 5 star hotel made with Kobe beef-homemade ketchup and at a bunch of independent mom & pops and even at Chili's. Whats up...is this a retro thing or just a marketing fad? BKK

Hooters has them now. So do a lot of bars in my area.

There is only one real slider...good ole white castle!!

It probably got started following the release of the film, Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle.

I think a marketing fad. The Tap House, a west coast chain (160 beers on tap! Wewt!) had an amazing buffalo slider on the menu about 2 years ago. Ground buffalo, crisped up Prosciutto, crisp cold lettuce. Was wonderful. Unfortunately now off the menu.

I've seen them now all over the place on menu's. It's entered to popular lexicon and no longer is meaningful as any single establishments "signature" burger.

Right on. The slider I had at Chili's was a regular patty cooked and then cut into quarters...bunch of cheaters. At least the others were made with mini patties.

I have to agree with Californiaguy, there's really only one true slider, and that's a White Castle (okay, Krystal's is maybe a second). All these other joints are doing 'mini burgers', and juicing them up with deep fried hoitytoity, sloppy sauce and 'grilled whatevers'.
Sorry, unless it's that small patty with the holes in it, properly seasoned and steam grilled on a bed of onions, it ain't no slider.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

It probably got started following the release of the film, Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle.

I think that this is the correct answer, though I was eating them in Nola way before the film came out. There was a Krystal's at the end of Bourbon St and the corner of Canal.
I'm sure that this news will make more folks decide that they need to visit the city before the next hurricane.

mark

Bennigans is the only place, besides white castle, that I can remember serving sliders before this new sliders fad hit. They called them burger bites though. No Krystal around me, but I know they did too.

I think I've asked this before, not sure if I got an answer. Having only Krystals in my area, what is the difference between Krystal and White Castle????

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

I think I've asked this before, not sure if I got an answer. Having only Krystals in my area, what is the difference between Krystal and White Castle????

GOOD QUESTION. I've never been to a Krystals though. We need someone who is familiar with both.

I think WC's are moister and less "bready" the Krystals.

I can drive by a Krystals and can't drive by a WC to this day.

The first, "best" answer here is about the most concise I could find:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080109185151AAPDdVq

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

The first, "best" answer here is about the most concise I could find:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080109185151AAPDdVq

There are a couple of slight problems with that Best Answer: I always get my Castles with mustard and no pickles, and White Castle is not just in the Midwest. White Castle restaurants are in New York, New Jersey, Misouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, too.

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

I think WC's are moister and less "bready" the Krystals.

I can drive by a Krystals and can't drive by a WC to this day.

"Moister" as in steamed as they both are(?), so the best I can gather is K has mustard WC doesn't. I thought it was something "major".

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

I think WC's are moister and less "bready" the Krystals.

I can drive by a Krystals and can't drive by a WC to this day.

"Moister" as in steamed as they both are(?), so the best I can gather is K has mustard WC doesn't. I thought it was something "major".

The alleged, and incorrect, lack of mustard aside, there's more. Krystals make me ill. Castles don't.

I think the resurgence has a lot to do with the Denny's chain from an article that I read some time around 2000. About 1998 or so, Denny's added a nostalgic Miniburger entree to their menu. Their's was made using much smaller,grill,toasted dinner rolls then the standard slider size, topped with two standard,overlapped patties,real grilled onion and mustard and cut into individual burgers prior to serving. The burgers were plated with onion rings. These weren't real sliders, but it developed the interest that many other chains took notice of from what I gather. If standard slider/dinner rolls can be described as 8/package(2ea. of square of 4 rolls), these rolls would be the equivelent of 12/pkg (2 ea. of 6 rolls). I also hear that they have been dropped off the menu in some areas for being too time intensive recently

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

I think WC's are moister and less "bready" the Krystals.

I can drive by a Krystals and can't drive by a WC to this day.

"Moister" as in steamed as they both are(?), so the best I can gather is K has mustard WC doesn't. I thought it was something "major".

The alleged, and incorrect, lack of mustard aside, there's more. Krystals make me ill. Castles don't.

Then maybe there's a difference in the meat also. Beats me, I get the general idea though.

I sure wish they'd plan a few down this way. Both Steak & Shake and Krystal's are dribbling in, but no WC.

I saw frozen Bubba Burgers "Sliders" at Lowes Foods in SC.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

I think I've asked this before, not sure if I got an answer. Having only Krystals in my area, what is the difference between Krystal and White Castle????

I think the biggest difference is the bread. Krystal's seem to be more like a soft, almost undercooked dinner roll, whereas White Castle are the usual burger bun but maybe baked a little longer. Standard toppings a White Castle vary. In Canton, it's just onion and pickle.

jeepguy, haven't seen Bubba sliders here in Daytona, original Bubbas are great I always buy em.

OK..first post here. According to the respective websites, both White Castle and Krystal have a location in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Trying to remember from when I lived in Florida, but I don't recall Krystals being steamed over the onions like WC. I thought that Krystals were simply fried on the flat top grill, but I could be wrong. I've found that for the most part, WC seem to be more moist (or greasy), and I feel that WCs taste better than Krystal, but that's my opinion. Here in Michigan, WCs come with onion and pickles only, though you can request mustard and ketchup, if you prefer. Though I normally like mustard and ketchup on a burger, adding either one to a WC slider is like sacrilege....I remember them in the Chicago area in the 70's with onion and pickle only, so like them the same way now, as a purist sort-of thing. Maybe if somebody is driving through Bowling Green, KY and gets REALLY hungry, maybe they could stop at Krystal and White Castle both and let us know the true difference.

Hey,A2Mich...welcome aboard....hope you enjoy Roadfood.com!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

I think I've asked this before, not sure if I got an answer. Having only Krystals in my area, what is the difference between Krystal and White Castle????

They come in different colored packages!

I could die a happy man if I never see "trio of sliders" on another menu. Kobe sliders are a total waste..

In Nashville, I have seen a White Castle/Churchs Chicken combo. Are they owned by the same company?

Interesting setup but no, they're not.

Brad

Now it seems all the chains are getting in on the "slider action" - Applebee's, Chili's, even Ruby Tuesday has "sliders"- but they offer nothing like a real slider. Come on- chicken, turkey and even salmon are not burger material - let alone a slider!
I only remember WC from when I lived in Daytona Beach (back in the day)but I do remember buying a sack or two back then- you could feed a small army with that many!
Now I make my own- and put them on potato rolls- those rolls are just the perfect size and , yes, I steam the small patties while they are sitting on grilled onions and place the buns on top of each one. My husband thinks they are quite good.

Alton Brown deconstructed the slideer and did an excellent job of making them at home...it does require some prep and is not really one of those spur of the moment projects. He used an electric grill, rolled out ground beef onto a sheet pan and cut the squares from that. bkk