Burger with my brother from another mother (09/11/2021)

 Burger with my brother from another mother (09/11/2021)

Here's something you might not know about me... my name is Dan, I have a half brother in California. His name is Dan also. California Dan knows that I'm all about the burger. When he found out that my wife and I would be visiting he thought he'd give himself a challenge to cook a burger even Dasburgereater (me) might enjoy. Tall order. 

His focus was intense. Everything was fresh and hand picked by him. No room for error. His counter top had perfectly cut tomatoes, onions etc. The patties, well they looked just right. My guess, 1/3 pounders. CA Dan uses a gas grill. I only harassed him a little about that. You still need to be on your game when it comes to timing. The seasoning will still shine.

Did they turn out? Sure did. Juicy, flavorful with just the right amount of everything on it. I did have to cut it in half because it was just that big!

Rate it: 4.5 of 5

CA Dan stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. There was no doubt. Was it the love and care added? Was I influenced by his charm? Maybe it's his name that got me? It was one of the best homemade burgers I've had. You know I've had plenty.

The Chef:

The Burger:

Burgers I didn't blog about but, worth mentioning.

Yep, 2019 is gone by, fast. Faster than expected. I try to make good notes, reminders of my experiences while dining out. A lot of the time, I find myself only remembering the food or the venue. Sometimes I have a deep memory of exactly how it went down. That being said, I will make mention of a couple of burgers that I had but didn't write about.

A&W (August 2019)
There's an A&W in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It's classic small town USA. They have pictures of the local team they support and pictures of the establishment from back in the day. The food is A&W. The atmosphere is Up North Wisconsin. Like a fast food version of a Supper Club. Grandma and grandpa bring their grandchildren and sit in the booth for a sit down meal. No drive thru and eat in the car experience. If it were Summer, they'd be outside at a picnic table. Always good food at a decent price. Definitely miss the car hop days.

Morty's Pub (September 2019)
While on one of my adventures during the past year, I stayed in the town of Bayfield, Wisconsin. There are plenty of places to eat. Some are fancy. Others are only open for breakfast and lunch. The main strip of businesses offers a couple of popular venues to go for a beverage, sandwich and your favorite sport on the big screen. Morty's was on the "best of" list for most folks that reviewed the food around town. So I tried it out. I can't recall turning to my wife and saying "this is really good, you need to try it". I also don't have any real negative memories. I'd say that it was okay. I'm not going to rate it. Just saying, it wasn't the worst or the best I've had. The venue was a lot of fun. The crowd had gathered for a game. Pretty sure it was Packers vs Bears.

Wait, a Patty Melt? that's not a burger!-Birchwood, Up North (08.2019)

A Fall tradition, pulling the pier out for the season. It's one of those events you don't look forward to for a couple of reasons. It's a lot of work and it also means that the warm season in Wisconsin is coming to an end. It's a family project.
Part of the day's events is lunch at the bar that's down the road a piece. The same place we go to pull the boats out. They have a boat launch that is public access.
We usually grab our favorite beverage, shoot some pool and grab a bite to eat. I usually get the burger. This time I thought I might try the Patty Melt. Why not? It' and open face burger on rye. (less carbs!) They always do right with their burgers and other food.
The melt arrives. Looks good. Tastes even better! Now I'm really glad I decided to go with the melt.
Rate it:
4 of 5
Dang good stuff. Funky place on a lake. Up North. Always great eats.

Snug in the woods. (not my photo)

Quaint throwback in Plymouth-Chester's (07.21.2019)

Each year my brother and I make sure we attend at least one race event at Road America in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. We also include at least one night of tent camping at Long Lake State Park in Fon du lac County, Wisconsin. A chance to hang out, watch races during the day and cook over the fire at night. Often, as is common during Summer in Wisconsin, the weather doesn't cooperate with what is planned. The night at camp was challenging. Storms with gusting wind, rain and thunder passed through several times during the night. The morning offered sunshine and the opportunity to cook breakfast. Then, off to the races! Within 45 minutes of our arrival, another storm came through. This was a big one. The sky blackened. Temperatures dropped. Winds picked up to the point where a Port-A-Potty got flipped. We decided to split.
As we left the area, we passed through the city of Plymouth. Near the edge of town is Chester's. It's one of those places I've always wanted to stop at but, never had a real need. This day, I needed to get some food for lunch. Perfect.
A double cheese burger. Sounds good. We pulled in under the canopy. A young lady approaches and takes our order. Anticipation.
The food arrives. Nice and hot, fresh. Great overall taste. I will go as far as maybe saying it had a "classic" taste to it. Maybe the type of cheese or the bun? No matter, good stuff.
Rate it:
4 of 5
Prompt service. Decent prices. Fun venue. Small town all the way.

Old school. (not my photo)

AJ's Not Bombing-AJ Bombers Mayfair Collection (06.2019)

Well, I'm way behind on my blog. The season has been very busy. A lot of burgers to write about. That's Summertime in Milwaukee.
06.2019
AJ Bomber's was my Burgers With Brothers choice. I wanted to try the Big Boy Tribute.
Marc's Big Boy was a family restaurant in the Milwaukee area back when I was younger. By the late 70's maybe the early 80's, the Big Boy was no longer available. Then, recently, AJ Bombers got the rights to share a burger that pays homage to the Big Boy. It had been more than 45 years since I had a real Big Boy. Would I recognize it? I didn't have to pay for it in the old days so, I would just scarf it down, with a shake, of course. I've seen pictures of what the original looked like. The photos were taken at an angle to make the sandwich seem huge. Back then, relative to my person, it was huge.
When it arrived, I did my normal burger snob stuff. Pinched off a piece that was condiment free. It was fine. Not heavily seasoned. Then, the combination of just the burger and bun. Better. Finally, I got to chomp a bite of the complete ensemble. I liked it. Does it scream Big Boy on spec? I have to believe they have done everything they could to replicate the experience. (Dave Marcus talks about the recipe)
I don't regret the choice. I'm not running out to tell Milwaukee and the world to get it while they can either. It's a decent burger. I think that daily, several other venues serve a similar burger. Nostalgia gives this one a bit more value.
Rate it:
4 of 5
AJ's does burger well. Price is in the ballpark. Service can sometimes be a bit challenging. Glad I did it. Glad to share with my brothers.

Peninsula Pub, Bailey's Harbor WI

What a weekend! Door County has so much to offer when it comes to food & drink.
Saturday evening we went to the Door County Brewing Tap Room & Music Hall. The seating arrangements make it impossible not to meet other people. Well, the people playing Sorry at the other table may have been a bit preoccupied. We sat with a couple from Indiana. They spend a lot of time in the Door and because of that they got some inside information about tasty eats around the peninsula. They suggested the Peninsula Pub, if we wanted a great burger.
The following night, we did just that.
The Pub offers the "Burger of the Day". No altering that burger. They also offer the "Build Your Own" variety. I didn't read the fine print and just ordered a Cheddar Burger with and order of Onion Rings.
The burger arrived exactly as requested. No nothing on it. Just a burger, cheese and a bun. I didn't think it was worth requesting all the other additional toppings. Just me and the cheese burger, intimate, right?
It was cooked just right. Seasoned a bit more than I like but, once my taste buds adjusted, it was all good. Served on a Kaiser roll, a nice compliment to the burger.
The onion rings we yummy, of course. Did I mention that the onion rings are served with a small dish of the Pub's Cajun Ranch Dressing. (additional yum!)
The rating:
4 out of 5
I was sort of set back by the stripped burger I ordered. I would think that staff might ask if you really want it without anything on it.
Flavor was decent. Service was fun. Dave is the guy with the personality.
The bar doesn't feel like it's in the middle of a tourist destination. I liked that.

Bayside Inn, Fish Creek WI (Repeat visitor)

I don't know why but, anytime I stop in Door County, I end up at the Bayside Inn on a Friday night.
Traditionally, Friday night is Fish Fry Night. That tradition must be someone else I was thinking of.
Cheddar cheeseburger for me!
The place was packed as usual but, a bit more this past Friday because the Brewers were on the televisions. We lucked out and found a small booth in the far back of the dinning area. No view of the game so I was sneaking a peek around the corner each time the crowd was cheering.
The food showed up pretty quick. I'm guessing the cook wanted to watch the game also.
As usual, the burger was nicely seasoned and cooked nearly perfect.
Looking back at my blog, I don't see a previous entry about Bayside. We were there last June and I just wanted to note that.
Atmosphere at the Bayside is always genuine. You get to chat with locals as well as folks from Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana etc. Just about every person we've met there is pleasant.  Last year we met a family that camps each year, it's become a multi-generational event. Because the weather wasn't so great, they decided to hang out at the Bayside for awhile.
Price makes it an outstanding value.
The ratings:
4 out of 5.
Not the best burger I've ever had but, damn good and consistent.
Sure, I snitched a bit of the fish fry, it was tasty.

Kon Tiki, Tucson AZ-Taste of Paradise

Kon Tiki is a throwback to a time when folks in the U.S. were fascinated with all things Polynesian. The menu reflects it. The food is named to make you think of the Big Island. (The Big Kahun, Monkeys On A Stick) They serve Tacos and burgers as well.

Keeping with tradition, I asked the people I was with my standard question, "Should I get the burger?" The Tiki Burger w/Cheese.
Seasoned nicely with a fresh and slightly sweet bun, which I like. It could have been more on the rare side for my liking.

Did I mention that I think burgers should be priced at around $7.50? Well, this came close. A half pounder w/fries for $8.25!

This review was not at all influenced by the Mai Tai that I had.

The bar & restaurant really have great "tiki" decor and playing some Les Baxter or anything close would have created the ideal scene. Instead the music being broadcast was current pop. Keep in mind, it was the lunch hour. Maybe the night time is different.



My Take:
Burger & bun were very good. Fries, delicious. Love the Tiki lounge theme. Very well done. Price made me happy. Different music, burger not as well done
4 of 5.

Parkside 23-Anniversary dinner

Parkside 23 is one of those places I've been wanting to go to for some time. The curb appeal is really something. Outdoor seating wasn't an option because it was cool with a chance of rain. Maybe next time.
You already know how classy I am so, this won't be too surprising... I went for dinner with my wife to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary and had a burger. (Loser!) She's cool with that. Actually, it might put some flags up if I didn't order a burger.
The menu has quite a few interesting dishes to order. Brats, bacon & mac. How good does that sound? Maybe it should be on a burger?
It's always best to go with the basics. Parkside really only offers one burger. Simply called "Burger with cheese". That is fine with me. I won't have to take away all the extra stuff to get to the meat.
The burger arrives. Fresh fries (peel on potato) bun shining from a buttery touch, vegetable accessories on the side-tomato, pickle, lettuce. A little cup of ketchup on the side. I ordered medium rare with cheddar. It was a little more towards rare but, not a lot.
I cut a little chunk to get the taste. Nice. Butter, onions and seasoned without fear. I tried the onions by them self, exceptional. All of the flavor came together when I added the tomato and lettuce (both very fresh and crisp)
4 of 5
Price was relative to modern pricing on burgers, scene was okay-we had a corner table, a little more private

3 Burger Weekend (or as I call it heaven!)

It wasn't my intention to have three different burgers in one weekend but, let me tell you how it happened.
Junior's Custard Milwaukee, WI
Hunger and nostalgia drove the first burger. Now called Junior's Custard, the food stand that's been at the intersection of 60th & Appleton Avenue in Milwaukee has been a custard stand serving Jumbo Burgers since 1950 when Elsa & Karl Kopp opened their first stand. Will Junior's deliver the same quality Jumbo burger? I had to find out. The lot was empty when I arrived. I thought maybe they weren't open yet. The menu is quite different than the days when it was Kopp's or Robert's. Chicken, Fish, Gyros, Rubens etc. I went straight for the classic, Jumbo cheeseburger. When it arrived, I so ready to eat it. I sat in my car and had the first bite. Pretty decent. I wasn't having the nostalgic taste bud reaction that I thought I would. It was different. Was it because of all the anticipation? I decided to wait until I got to a place where I could sit and just enjoy it. Not much of a difference. The burger was okay. The bun, a bit dry. The seasoning was alright but didn't really do much for over all flavor.
2.5 of 5
Price was fair. Restaurant was clean and staff was pleasant. Not amazed with burger. Actually not as Jumbo as I recalled.

Trocadero Milwaukee, WI
The next experience was truly unexpected. Dinner and the theater. We decided that Trocadero, Milwaukee would be a nice place to dine at. Their menu offered choices for all of us. Little did I know, they had a burger on the menu. Was I silly to order a burger at a place that serves Sordfish or Marengo Chicken & Lobster sandwiches? Not at all. Everybody knows that I've passed up some delicious menu items to test the burger. No regrets. The cook/chef wasn't afraid to season the patty or to cook it to near perfect for my likings. My choice, Au Poivre Burger.
4+ of 5
Pricy, Excellent flavor, Not embarrassing to eat a burger while others have the fancy stuff.

Within 24 hours, I was sitting for the third and final burger experience of the weekend.

Red Dot Wauwatosa, WI
I went straight for the Classic with cheese. I've been to Red Dot for a burger before. It was quite good. (will I have to look at my own blog?) This was per-meditated. I came seeking a burger. A burger I got. Simple and tasty.
4 of 5
Price is appropriate, scene is swell, staff took good care of us.

Factory Food (04.04.2015)

I've always wondered what happens inside of the Cheesecake Factory. A stand alone structure, usually near a mall of some kind. You might think that upon entering, you would find yourself in a Willy Wonka like environment of cheesecakes. It wasn't.
The decor is sort of like a set from Raiders of the Lost Arc. We were seated immediately in a booth in a really neat little room off the main floor. (did they know who I was? I doubt it.)
It's hard to believe how many different dishes they serve at any given time. The cocktail and wine list was even more vast. Fresh bread and refreshments to get started.
I got the Factory Burger. The description seemed closest to a regular burger. My only concern was the bread/bun. The sample piece at the table was tasty so, what the heck.
Medium rare, as usual. The burger arrived. Hold it, it wasn't a round patty? Trust them. First bite, these folks aren't afraid to season their food. Black pepper and grill flavors mixed with sauteed onions and a fresh tomato. The bread was interesting, a little crunchy. The salty edge of the bread sort of tied everything together. So, I'm not complaining.
Cooked the way I like. My only thing was the shape of the "burger". To my taste buds, this was something slightly different than a burger. I can't put my finger on it. Was it the shape or bread?

The rating:
3.5 of 5
I would almost like to call this sandwich something different than a burger just for the fact that it is elongated. Overall, I liked it. I'm not sure if I would go back specifically to have a burger. The fries were tasty and just enough quantity. Price was the same as it is all over these days. (old guy talking)

Rumpus Room - 3rd Time is a Charm? (03.27.2015)

I think it's always an added challenge to return to one of the places that I gave a glowing review. It has been some time since I was at Bartolotta's Rumpus Room. My last review on the Rumpus was a bit whiny. Must have been a bad day.
It was a Friday evening, sort of cool outside. The plan, Firefly in Wauwatosa for appetizers and a celebration for Jim Gehrke, Rumpus Room for dinner and Slim Jim Phantom's Rockabilly Circus at Potowatomi Casino Northern Light theater.
All went smooth. Keeping our schedule, we arrived at the Rumpus Room and were able to grab a spot at the bar. I ordered my burger. Medium rare and all the extra stuff on the side. I prefer to add my own amount of condiments. (talk later about that choice) We ordered drinks and only moments later, our food arrived.
I did my usual and decided to snag the burger with their name on it. Rumpus Burger. $12.50. I'm pretty sure that price had not changed since the last time. If so, maybe a $1 difference. Everything was as I remembered. Yummy. The only thing that may have boosted the flavor, just a little more cooked. Pretty red. Still, tasty.
Considering every place I go these days, including some "fast food" places charge me $10 or more dollars for a 1/3 - 1/2lb burger this is still a great value. The venue is always wonderful. The inside of the restaurant is really something else. Being downtown is always a different energy. Not something you get from a food court or stand alone chain.

The rating:
Still rocks! I would just order medium well maybe.
4 of 5
Price, venue and consistent quality and service.

Winter oasis with fries on the side at the Huntley Dairy Mart

It was a cold Sunday morning in February. Wind chills were to be in the sub-zeros. My friend Curt and I were headed to St Charles IL for a auto parts swap meet. The journey would take nearly two hours each way. One of the great things about driving down the road with Curt, he's always looking for an adventure. Interesting buildings, stuff for sale along the way and food. We knew that we would be heading home in the early afternoon so, we made note of the different restaurants along the roadside. There was the usual places, Burger King, McDonald's, Culver's, a Hot Dog place and one place that grabbed our attention, Huntley Dairy Mart. The Dairy Mart looked like it might be closed for the season. They opened their doors in 1955, a day when little drive-ins could make it without having to worry about the McDonald's directly across the street.
It was our lucky day! They were open for business, on a cold winter day! A small heater warms the metal building that's attached to the main building. The menu is incredible. What don't they make? I went classic, Double Cheeseburger and fries. Curt got a Tuna Melt and some Cream of Broccoli soup. It took a couple of minutes to cook up but, came out fresh and hot. To my surprise, the burger is hand-packed. I was guessing they used a frozen patty. I won't say the flavor was off the chart but, it tasted like a burger made fresh and cooked on a griddle. (I'm more of a flame broiled fan) Fries were plentiful and tasty. Curt's Tuna Melt got high ratings also.
I can't remember exact prices but, I didn't feel like it was expensive and once I started eating money didn't matter.
Did I mention that people were stopping in for ice cream? 11 degrees outside, people still have to have their Huntley Dairy Mart ice cream.
I wiped the grease off my face and hit the road back home. By the way, just down the road is another favorite place of mine in Richmond, IL the Dog N Suds.

Here is my take:
I'd go back, if I'm in the area.
Price for what you get, perfect. The scene, especially on a cold winter day, cool place.
3.5-4 stars

Duke's in Malibu (Not so legendary) 11.2014

It's the second full day of my visit to California. Heading up to Malibu from Anaheim. Through L.A. and up the CPH1!
I'm meeting my niece, who now lives in California, for lunch a Duke's. Duke's has come a long way from back in the days when the surfing crowd were the only inhabitants of the waterfront.
Valet only parking. I think that's because the parking along the highway is premium, limited.
The building is beautiful. There are three sections. Outdoor casual, indoor casual and indoor upscale. Upscale is the dinner level of visit. We opted for outdoor casual. The view of the homes along the shore and the ocean itself, beautiful.
She a selected Pulled Pork sandwich and I got the Charbroiled Cheeseburger.
When the food finally arrived it looked really great. Although her Pulled Pork looked more like a piece of Tuna.
Turns out, the Pulled Pork was tasty.
My burger was tasty enough. My buds were really on high alert. Duke's is supposed to have great meat and fish.
Rated:
3.5 of 5
Staff messed up order and didn't really seem to feel bad about it. Burger was tasty but, not flavorful. Maybe order some fish stuff. The view is awesome. If I lived near by or was staying down the road, I would hang out in the Barefoot Bar and enjoy a couple of drinks. The indoor lounge area has a spectacular view also.

Red Dot (Tosa) Hits the Spot!

11.06.2014
The plan for the night was to hit a couple of art exhibits and then head home for some grill time. Specifically, burgers on the grill. As you might guess, because of this entry, we never made it to our home grill.

Turns out, that's okay because we decided to check out the Red Dot in Wauwatosa. It's been on the list of places to go for some time. The big draw was the idea that they serve French-Canadian cuisine. Poutine, a crazy mix of fries, cheese and gravy. I don't blog about Poutine. I blog about burgers...

Using our fancy phone and the internet, we research the menu as we headed West from Riverwest. They list quite a few burgers. Now I'm interested! The Classic seems like the correct one to select. A burger, bun and some veggies on top of the patty. Or should I go for the Bacon Cheese Burger?

When we got there the place was hopping. While waiting we noticed chalkboards with specials listed. The one board listed something called the Gordo Burger. Time to go big or go home! This puppy has a burger topped with pulled pork, caramelized red onion, roasted garlic and lettuce.

Gordo it was. The smokey flavor of the pork really bumped the taste buds to a different place than I expected. The patty itself, pretty good. I always snitch a piece without any stuff on it to get the true taste of the burger. From there, game on. Everything together. The combinations of garlic, caramelized onion and buttered bun just melded with the pork and beef. Hold on, was this a pulled pork sandwich with a burger or a burger with pulled pork? The pork was on top so, it's a burger. Really yummy.

Rate It:
3.5++ of 5
$11 was fine. Burger proper was fairly tasty. Maybe a little seasoning to the patty. All the items on it were done perfectly. The bun had great flavor and seemed to be very fresh. Atmosphere was pretty decent. The bar was cramped. The dining area, although we were in the middle of the room, had a cozy feel. I plan to return when the patio is open again.

Strip Mall Food-Damn Right! A trip to Tom & Eddies

I'm pretty sure it was a mall. Strip variety, I guess. No matter. Modern food experience for sure.
Captive in Lincolnshire, Il for a car show and wondering what to eat? Hmmm.

The first night was Real Urban BBQ, same strip mall. That's how I found Tom & Eddie's. Well, it found me. Again, a sign in the window that said something about awesome burgers. Good taste in everything they make.

Lunch it is! I got the Classic with just the simple stuff. American Cheese, Onions, Pickles. A little ketchup and brown mustard (the stone ground stuff).

The kitchen is open for viewing. The staff has such a rhythm. Great entertainment while you wait. Grabbed the burger when it came and headed over to the Beer Market to eat with some friends. The Beer Market doesn't make food so, bring your own! Forgot the fries so I had to run back and get 'em.

The burger was pretty darn good. No, very darn good. Not excellent but it really had good seasoning and was moist. Cooked almost exactly the way I wanted it.

Being honest, I'm not a fan of the build your own burger. It feels like I'm ordering a latte' or something. It's hard to recall when a burger just showed up ready to eat. Throw back stuff I guess.

Let's rate it.
3.5+ of 5.0
The restaurant itself wasn't much to talk about. Clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. Burger and fries were a decent value.

Made the call @ Port of Call (NOLA)

There was all kinds of information on the internet about best burgers around New Orleans. One place that stood out from the crowd was Port of Call. A short walk from where I was staying. I passed it a couple times while out on a run. Smells are always free! There was always a crowd waiting outside. I finally found an opportunity to go for it.

It didn't feel like a burger place inside. You walk through a bar to get in to the back room where there is a combination of booths and tables. The kitchen is right off the dining area so wait traffic runs back and forth past you the whole time. Not that it bothered me, just saying. There's no fries on the menu. Just potatoes. Big baked potatoes with crazy piles of toppings if you so wish.

I ordered my burger medium rare, cheddar cheese, onion, tomato and lettuce. It was a substantial burger. The 1/2 might be after cooking, it was thick. Medium rare to me is a fair amount of pink maybe a splash of red. This was pretty much red. I think that's where the flavor dropped off. Not bad but, I think with just a little more heat and the rest time before serving this could have been a good one to right about. It also seemed a bit void of seasoning. The roll was tasty and the toppings were fresh.

Rating: 4 of 5
Overall price and atmosphere were okay. Again, maybe my expectations were too high and mal-adjusted my buds. I was glad to see a place that wasn't afraid to serve their meat cooked fairly rare.

Port of Call, NOLA

The pleasure was all mine, Roosevelt NOLA (03.15.14)

I don't know why but, I go to a fancy restaurant and order the burger. This time wasn't any different. I guess it has to do with standards they hold for steak/meat. We ate at the Lounge rather than the full restaurant. A little more casual. We had a booth which made it cozy. The menu offers small plates and entrees. The burger falls into the entree category. 

The burger: I didn't understand dry aged meat, before I had this one, sorry. I now know that the process helps to tenderize the meat and concentrate/increase flavor. I can tell you, it worked. The burger cooked perfect medium rare, had flavor on it's own. If that wasn't enough, the braised onions had such a sweet edge that, combined with the roll/bun really made it work. The egg thing made me a bit apprehensive. I can now say I've had an egg on my burger and liked it. Maybe it's a one time thing? I'm not sure yet.

The fries, delicious. No need to dip in anything.

The menu describes what I enjoyed as the Lounge Burger. Priced $21

dry aged cox farm’s beef/ nola blonde braised onions / aged white cheddar / sunny egg / bacon / arugula / hand cut fries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_aging

The price was/is shocking but, I have to say that I'm not feeling stupid or sucker punched. Most steaks don't taste that good. The scene really did add to the experience. Live music began shortly after we finish. 

Rated: 4.5-ish. Overall, great stuff. Pricey for a dressy-casual setting (I do have to remind myself, it's also NOLA not MKE). The server was very attentive. I won't go back for another but, you should if you can.

http://therooseveltneworleans.com/dining/fountain-lounge.html

Return to the the Rumpus

My burger consumption is possibly cyclic. I found myself back at the Rumpus Room, downtown Milwaukee having a burger. Go figure. It was Gallery Night in Milwaukee's 3rd Ward. Part of the evening would be visiting Gallerie M at the Intercontinental Hotel just a couple blocks from the RR. I should also mention, we had some gift cards to burn up before the end of the month.

My choice, the Rumpus Burger. As described: Half-pound Angus patty on a Sciortino's bun with your choice of cheese, lettuce, red onion, pickles and house-made Russian dressing 12.50 
Being a more pure burger kind of fella, I removed most of the extra stuff. Especially, the Russian dressing & lettuce. The lettuce was shredded and a little wilted from the dressing and warmth of the patty.  That left me with what I came for... a burger on a bun with a little cheese and onion.

I didn't look at my previous experience at the Rumpus Room. I remember it being rather good. I'm not sure if I can say the same for this time. Tasty, yep. Top notch, I wouldn't say so. It also seemed like they may have changed up the fries. Sort of skinny and lacking the french fried potato flavor.

3.5 of 5
For the money, I start expecting something that has almost a sirloin edge to it. The burger was just a burger. Truthfully, not one of the best. Things always go down a little easier when you are using gift money to buy stuff. I'm not sure if it was help enough. Nor do I think charging less would make it better. Overall, it's a delightful place to go. Great drinks and good eats. Just not this one time.

The fish that got away...

Call it a risk if you must, I ordered a cheeseburger at a fancy restaurant that is known for seafood. The menu includes steak and the restaurant group is know for quality meat and top notch chefs. That's why I took the gamble.

I ordered med-rare and for the most part, it was. My first bite let me know that the chef might not really care to cook a burger. An over abundance of salt and seasoning made it difficult to taste the meat. Maybe it was cooked on a grill that had not been cleaned and the seasonings from the previous dish was still present? I kept eating. Hey, it's a burger. By the time I finished, I was even less impressed. The bun was pretty good. I'm not going to say it was one of the best I've had.

Later, while I talked with friends about the experience, they said to me "really? a cheeseburger?" My reply was "sure, why not? does a chef at a restaurant that specialty is seafood only know how to cook seafood? a quality beef, grilled. not too complicated"

What I learned from this experience, don't tell your friends that you ordered a burger at a high-end restaurant that is know for seafood. ;)

Overall, the restaurant was really nice and the atmosphere and staff were wonderful. The people I went to dinner with enjoyed their seafood dishes. They too felt as though for the restaurant group and price the dishes were only very good.

I don't care to bash any particular restaurant so, I won't name names. This blog is mostly for my record. I'll know which place I went to. If you read these blogs please, always understand, they are my opinion, tastes etc.

My experience:
Location, atmosphere and staff were great. Price, not bad. Food, so-so. I went in expecting more. Maybe that is where I went wrong.
3.0 of 5.0