Buster's on 28th
My cell phone really likes the new bar that opened in my neighborhood last Tuesday. It stayed there after we left on Friday. It sat at the bar all of Saturday, and I had to drive it home on Sunday morning. I should check it for new phone numbers - there was also a really cute pink Motorolla Razor sitting there, too.
I can't blame it for wanting to stay. Buster's on 28th features Delerium Tremens - "The Best Beer in the World" (and I can't disagree). We had Juicy Lucys with Marzcapone and Blue Cheese. Unlike most Jucys, the cheese doesn't stay inside the patty. Rather, as it cooks, the cheese seeps through the beef, and infuses the meat with cheesy goodness. Purists may argue that this sort of cheese infusion is not in keeping with the presentation of a "traditional" Jucy Lucy, in the common manner of Matt's Bar or the 5-8 Club. However, I suspect that purists will be unable to make the arguement successfully while their mouth is full of this delicious, wonderful burger. It has a rich, wonderfully earthy flavor and comes standard with lettuce, tomato and onion. We ordered grilled onions, carmalized with perfection such as I've rarely seen. It's served on a fresh bun from The Baker's Wife - the bakery next door. The bakery deserves its own review, for it is also full of yummyness. The French Fries were well-done and crispy, obviously cut from real potatoes, and they did not seem as though they'd ever seen the inside of a freezer. These were happy, free-range potatoes.
Honestly, I barely glanced at the rest of the menu. I mean, who cares? They've got Jucy Lucys! So I should investigate that. I'm sure it's on the webpage. But the deserts caught my eye: Carmel Pecan Pie a la Mode, $6. I'm inspired to go back and try it some night. The burger was quite filling.
Busters on 28th was, until recently, the "Lakeside Lounge." I'd never been inside that incarnation of the pub, but it struck me as though it was a smokey, dank neighborhood watering hole - even after the smoking ban. The new bar is clean and fresh, but they've retained the classic elements of the neighborhood bar. I imagine that the staff must have done a considerable amount of scrubbing during the period where the bar was closed. They also added a new outdoor seating area on the sidewalk in front with an array of colorful beer-logo umbrellas. (I love the pink elephants of the Delirium Tremens umbrella!)
Dinner for two, including beer and tip, came to about $35. It also greatly exceeded my expectations. I did not expect to find a gourmet restaurant in place of a dark old bar. I was so pleasantly surprised, I forgot about my phone as we wandered off down the street to look at a house we might like to buy. The house features a commanding view of Lake Hiawatha, and dangerous proximity to my new favorite bar. Oh, I will be back. You should check it out, too.
I can't blame it for wanting to stay. Buster's on 28th features Delerium Tremens - "The Best Beer in the World" (and I can't disagree). We had Juicy Lucys with Marzcapone and Blue Cheese. Unlike most Jucys, the cheese doesn't stay inside the patty. Rather, as it cooks, the cheese seeps through the beef, and infuses the meat with cheesy goodness. Purists may argue that this sort of cheese infusion is not in keeping with the presentation of a "traditional" Jucy Lucy, in the common manner of Matt's Bar or the 5-8 Club. However, I suspect that purists will be unable to make the arguement successfully while their mouth is full of this delicious, wonderful burger. It has a rich, wonderfully earthy flavor and comes standard with lettuce, tomato and onion. We ordered grilled onions, carmalized with perfection such as I've rarely seen. It's served on a fresh bun from The Baker's Wife - the bakery next door. The bakery deserves its own review, for it is also full of yummyness. The French Fries were well-done and crispy, obviously cut from real potatoes, and they did not seem as though they'd ever seen the inside of a freezer. These were happy, free-range potatoes.
Honestly, I barely glanced at the rest of the menu. I mean, who cares? They've got Jucy Lucys! So I should investigate that. I'm sure it's on the webpage. But the deserts caught my eye: Carmel Pecan Pie a la Mode, $6. I'm inspired to go back and try it some night. The burger was quite filling.
Busters on 28th was, until recently, the "Lakeside Lounge." I'd never been inside that incarnation of the pub, but it struck me as though it was a smokey, dank neighborhood watering hole - even after the smoking ban. The new bar is clean and fresh, but they've retained the classic elements of the neighborhood bar. I imagine that the staff must have done a considerable amount of scrubbing during the period where the bar was closed. They also added a new outdoor seating area on the sidewalk in front with an array of colorful beer-logo umbrellas. (I love the pink elephants of the Delirium Tremens umbrella!)
Dinner for two, including beer and tip, came to about $35. It also greatly exceeded my expectations. I did not expect to find a gourmet restaurant in place of a dark old bar. I was so pleasantly surprised, I forgot about my phone as we wandered off down the street to look at a house we might like to buy. The house features a commanding view of Lake Hiawatha, and dangerous proximity to my new favorite bar. Oh, I will be back. You should check it out, too.