1587 Howell Mill Road

Lunch: M-S 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dinner: M-Th 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., F 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Saturday: Open all day 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Closed Sundays

By Jeff Romig

I’ve eaten countless Krispy Kreme doughnuts in my 31 years.

For as long as I can remember, I believed the only way to eat an original glazed Krispy Kreme was hot and fresh.

When the hot sign is lit, that’s the best time to get your fix.

But thanks to Chef Richard Blais, I’ve had a paradigm shift.

Blais has taken the traditional goodness of a hot, fresh Krispy Kreme and flipped it on its head.

While any given meal at Blais’ Flip Burger Boutique won’t necessary begin with the Krispy Kreme milkshake, it should certainly end with the liquid version of America’s best doughnut.

It’s as amazing as it sounds. I promise.

As for what to get before you order your milkshake, Flip also reinvents the idea of what a burger can be.

The top and bottom of each burger is a buttery, delicious brioche bun, while the middle is your choice of 15 or so different options from new takes on the traditional beef variety as well as nontraditional takes like a Shrimp Po Boyger, a Cuban and a Breakfast burger.

My favorite is the Steak Tartare burger, which is a wonderful mix of chopped rare steak, garlic, capers and Worcestershire topped with a smoked mayo.

And you can’t go wrong with a side of Vodka-battered onion rings and an old-school bottle of Cheerwine or Sundrop.

But if that’s not your style, I guarantee with all the choices offered on a daily basis, you’ll find something you’ll love.

I recommend going early because lines are consistently long and there are no reservations.

But even if you have to wait, it’s more than worth it as the food and atmosphere are truly a blast!