The Monarch

For many years the term “bar food” has been used as a derogatory term conjuring up images of soggy fries and burnt hamburgers, but with the rise of the Gastropub that has started to change. It seems that people are embracing the melding of good alcohol selections and quality, upscale comfort foods and I for one couldn’t be more pleased. Wichita is slowly catching on to this trend with the likes of Public and The Anchor stepping up their game. The newest addition to

Smoke Sausage and Cheese: Not Your Typical Appetizer

this restaurant genre is The Monarch, located on the traffic circle in Delano.

The interior is spacious with plenty of seating both inside and out on the patio that faces Douglas. There is plenty of local artwork adorning the walls and the light fixtures made out of old bicycle rims are quite impressive. TVs, a pool table, and an internet juke box ensure that patrons will be able to keep themselves entertained during a night of partying.

The Monarch’s menu is small and focused, which is a nice departure from some bar and grills that offer a mind numbing array of food selections. I was also quite excited to see that the menu is built around in-house smoked meats. This allows The Monarch to offer some unique dishes,  although they do offer the obligatory Wichita restaurant appetizer, hummus.  At least it’s jazzed up with peppers and served with naan bread. The other apps include decadent items such as stuffed burnt end mushrooms, loaded sweet potato tots, and a smoked sausage and cheese tray. Sandwiches are the  focus of the main course menu, but a couple of soups and salads are available as well including a hardcore chef salad that comes with ham, brisket, turkey and duck bacon. Yes, you read that correctly, duck bacon. Calling this thing a salad probably violates some USDA guidelines, but I’m not going to turn them in for creating such a thing of beauty.

Not An Ordinary Brisket Sandwich

To start off our meal we ordered the sausage and cheese tray. I really wanted to order the stuffed ‘shrooms, but I was outvoted at our table. The tray included two types of sausage, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and naan bread. The sausages were high quality with a good smoked flavor. I would have liked to see more exotic cheese selections, but overall it was a good appetizer. For our main dishes we were faced with several tantalizing sandwich choices, but eventually we decided on the The Monarch and Chicken Caprese. I went with a side of homemade potato chips and Steph ordered the sweet potato tots. The Monarch featured smoked brisket, sautéed onions and peppers, and provolone cheese served on a tasty baguette. The brisket was nicely done with good smoke flavor and fairly tender. Overall I really liked the sandwich, it was nice change from your typical brisket sandwich that consists of two slabs of white bread and BBQ sauce. Steph’s Caprese sandwich was an impressive combination of smoked chicken, pesto, tomatoes, and provolone. Oftentimes it is hard to keep a smoked meat like chicken moist for very long, but The Monarch did  a nice job of pulling it off. The homemade potato chips were spot on and the sweet potato tots were solid as well.

The Monarch is a nice addition to the Wichita dining scene, especially since they are one of the few places you can get good food late at night. Its unique, yet unpretentious food menu makes it an attractive place for causal American dining options. The only real issue was the fact they did not have any high chairs. I know its supposed to be a trendy bar and grill place, but you could at least have a high chair for those terrible parents such as myself who have no qualms taking their children to bars, albeit at reasonable hours of the day. Perhaps they could commission a local artists to make some out of old PBR cans?

Jack’s Coffee Shop(Proudly Taking the Dive Restaurant Concept to Eleven)

Way down on south Hydraulic and 61st street sits a rather suspect looking structure that lacks any visible sign of being a dining establishment save for a  neon “Open” sign and a small banner on the west side of the house bearing the name Jack’s Coffee Shop. For those in know this happens to be a “restaurant”(I use this term quite loosely)  that serves gigantic burgers from 11am to 2 pm Monday through Saturday.

Don’t Worry It’s Safe To Go Inside

Everything about this place is a well calculated assault on your general expectations of what a restaurant should be. First of all, the name really has no bearing as to what goes on inside, as I saw no evidence of Jack nor anything resembling coffee on my visit. Most coffee shops have Wi-Fi and pastries, this one had an old bed frame and exposed electrical outlets. Jack’s has certainly taken the minimalist approach to interior design, which is evidenced by the concrete floor, mismatched furniture, unfinished plywood counter, non-existent light bulbs, and lack of paint. The exposed kitchen

Communal Bowl of Chips

concept leaves nothing to the imagination as everything from the generic hamburger buns to the small flat top grill is in plain sight. And in one corner sits an old bed frame and dresser. While waiting for our food, my party hypothesized as to the reasoning for having such furniture in an eating establishment. Possible explanations include: Covering up a hole in the wall, a prize for the 10,000th customer, or perhaps some type of tax loophole for a multi-purpose room. Anyway, this place is a dive and a damn good one at that. In fact it is probably the diviest dive I have had the pleasure to visit.

Our order was called in about 30 minutes prior to arrival, which is highly recommended as the large meat disks take some time to cook and the grill can only handle a few patties at a time. Don’t worry about forgetting the menu, your choices are hamburger or cheeseburger.  Upon taking a seat, a plastic bowl of communal potato chips were brought out to the table. A plastic tub of pickles and another with pickled jalapenos and carrots were also

Paper Plate Perfection

made available to us. I have to say that the  jalapeno and carrot combination was unexpected, but they proved to be tasty. When our burgers came out, I quickly understood why this place remains open. Before me was one massive cheeseburger and a bun that was woefully undersized to handle such ground beef girth. Our burgers also came with a paper plateful of grilled onions that were shared between the three of us. The only other fixings were generic bottles of ketchup and mustard. Armed only with a plastic fork, my strategy for consuming this burger was to attack the exposed flanks of meat first to get things more manageable before moving onto the bun covered section. Overall the burger was okay. It was

Tubs of Condiments

slightly overcooked and I don’t believe any seasoning was used on the patty. The two cheese slices and excellent grilled onions helped  balance out the meat. For the price this meal is hard to beat. You get copious amounts of chips, a 3/4 pound burger, and a drink all for $6.50. The pop selection varies from day to day, so be prepared to be flexible in case they are out of Pepsi Max.

For those who like to live out on the edge of the dining scene Jack’s is a place to check out. A lunch here is one of the most unique experiences in town. At this point I probably don’t need to mention it,  but they only accept cash.

Public at the Brickyard

Finally I have found what has been missing from the Wichita dining scene, a good Gastro Pub. For some reason the combination of a good environment, beer selection, and well executed food has eluded diners until now. Located in the subterranean abyss of the Brickyard Bar in Old Town, the newly opened Public is fairly impressive.

The basement that houses Public is deceivingly roomy and nicely decorated. It feels like you have walked into someone’s upscale man cave.  There is a good sized bar, shuffle board table, and an area that has plush chairs and a large television.

Brisket Tacos: BBQ Meets Mexican

The menu at Public is small, but  packed full of unique offerings that utilize local food sources. Yoder Meats, Delano Bakery, and La Tradicion Tortilleria are a few of their suppliers. The appetizers include their house made pickles and black bean hummus, there are also several salads, upscale sandwiches, pizzas, and ribs. We tried to order the pickle plate, but unfortunately they were still brining, so we must wait until next time to taste the famous pickles.  For our lunch Steph went with the ultimate blue collar fusion food: brisket tacos. I decided to try the Prairie Sliders with a side of garlic and rosemary fries.

Two decent sized sliders greeted me when my plate was brought out along with an ample serving of fries. I was impressed with how delightfully juicy my burger was and upon further inspection

The Perfect Burger Plate

noticed something that I have not seen in a restaurant burger for quite some time: a nice pink center. Yes these particular burgers were perfectly cooked, something that is hard to find in this age of food borne illness hysteria. The patties had a nice supporting cast of cheese, onion, and bun that left me not wanting to add any other condiments. These were easily some of the best burgers I have had in a while. The crispy fries were good paired with the rosemary and garlic, although some the clumps of garlic were hard to stomach. The brisket

Here is What a Properly Cooked Burger Looks Like

tacos were fairly impressive in their own respect. Tender and moist brisket was piled onto two corn tortillas with cheese and cilantro on top. A nice smoky salsa was served on the side. The accompanying side of black beans was a nice change from the obligatory taco accompaniment, refried beans.

If you are in need of a cold beverage on your visit, Public has you covered. There are several signature cocktails as well as a small, but impressive list of craft beer choices.

Public has the perfect combination of atmosphere, food, and beverages that makes me wish I could live there or at least remodel my basement to resemble it. Whether you are looking for a happening place to get some dinner before hitting the town,  a place to watch sporting events, or just taking the family out to lunch, this is your place. I hear they also have a very good brunch on the weekends that features unique specials.

http://www.publicoldtown.com/

Big B’s Beef

Previously published in the Wichita Eagle:

Wichita has many types of food in our city but there are still plenty of cuisines we are missing. Big B’s Beef is aiming to fill one of those voids by providing a Chicago style option.  Big B’s Beef , who just recently opened, is located close to 47^th and Seneca in SW Wichita and is owned and operated by a family that came to Wichita from the Windy City. The menu has traditional Chicago style food including Italian Beef and Sausage, a Chicago dog, and Gyros. Sides include hand-cut fries, onion rings, fried mushrooms, and a soup of the day. Big B’s sources all of their meats and breads either locally or from Chicago.

The “Beef” Sandwich

On our visit we decided to try the Poor Boy, the Italian Beef Sandwich, and the Chicago Dog with a side of fries. The Poor Boy is a 100% Angus beef patty on a grilled French Hoagie with garlic butter, B’s own red sauce, grilled onions, and provolone cheese. The sandwich was delicious. The meat had great flavor but was a bit over done. The red sauce was a great compliment to the meat and a nice break from ketchup. The Italian Beef sandwich also had great flavor and the beef was extremely tender. We however made the mistake of ordering it without peppers and the sandwich appeared to be too simple. Make sure to get the peppers. The star of our lunch was the Chicago dog which comes with a side of fries. It included an all beef Vienna dog in a poppy seed bun and topped with onion, mustard, green relish, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. This was probably the best hot dog I have ever eaten. The toppings were all fresh and accentuated the flavor of the beef hot dog. The bun also was great. A trip to Big B’s Beef requires a Chicago dog. The side of fries were hand-cut and thick but could have been more crispy.

The Perfect Hot Dog

Big B’s Beef has several tables set up for dining in but also has a drive-thru and will deliver to close-by businesses. The staff was friendly and we enjoyed the young girl who was eager to take our order and double checked to make sure she asked all of the right questions. We enjoyed our meal at Big B’s Beef and now we have a much shorter drive to enjoy some authentic Chicago style food.

http://www.bigbsbeef.com/

Taste and See

Taste and See may be one of the best kept dining secrets in town these days. Tucked away in the old Wichita Mall on Harry St., Chef Jason Febres offers Wichitans his Latin Fusion cuisine in several unique dining experiences.

First there is the restaurant itself that is open M-F for lunch and Th-Sat for dinner. The restaurant features an open kitchen area, so diners can sit back and watch as their food is prepared. Secondly there is the “Ultimate Dining Experience”, a high-end and intimate monthly dinner with specialty themes and menus chosen by the Chef. Lastly is the “Chef’s Table”, which is a weekly five course meal with a menu chosen by the Chef, for 16 people or less. Taste and See also offers mixology and cooking classes.

Chicken Spring Roll with Tahini Peanut Sauce

We took advantage of a very good Groupon offer recently and booked ourselves two spots for the “Chef’s Table”. Finding Taste and See is a bit tricky if you aren’t paying attention, just look for a small banner hanging above the entrance.  Once inside we were ushered into a conference room, complete with large table and office chairs. At first I wasn’t sure if we were there for dinner or to watch a powerpoint presentation, but judging by the silverware and glasses I figured we were in the right place. After everyone was accounted for and had full glasses of wine, Chef Jason came in and briefed us as to how the evening would unfold. He explained his thoughts on cooking and his personal cuisine style. He also emphasized that he liked to serve small portions with big flavors, something that he thinks is missing from many restaurants in town(I tend to agree with him). On this night we would be served a five course dinner that highlighted his Latin Fusion cuisine. While he and his sous chefs prepared our meal, we would be able to watch the action thanks to a large projection screen in the conference/dining room.

The first course was a light chicken spring roll with chives and a Thai peanut sauce with tahini and pineapple juice. The

The Real Cubano=Real Good

spring roll was good, but what really made this dish was the wonderful peanut sauce. I love traditional Thai peanut sauce and was hesitant as to how this Latin version would compare, but there was no need for alarm, because it was very good. We were left hoping that the rest of the meal would be just as creative and tasty. The second course was a small portion of the restaurant’s popular Real Cubano. This version of a Cuban sandwich was taken to 11 with the thin and crispy bread, tender pork, ham, and tangy sauce.  Any sandwich that employs multiple pork products is pretty hard to mess up in my book. The third plate was actually served in a glass, and was one of the best things I have eaten at a restaurant recently. The dish was described as a  deconstructed maki roll with sushi rice, sesame-lime

Top Dish Honors for Deconstructed Maki Roll

marinated tuna, and plantain straws. It was the simplicity of this dish that I really enjoyed. Just three high quality main ingredients packed with flavor and texture. The “main” course was a small KC Strip with chimichuri sauce served over a bed of  plantain and black bean paste. The proverbial icing on the cake was the fried egg placed on top of the steak. This dish had several different flavor profiles and textures going on, but they complemented each other nicely when eaten together. The plantain paste was slightly sweet, while the

Not Your Typical Steak Dish

chimichuri sauce offered some heat to balance it out. This was another great dish that left me wanting a whole bowl of the plantain paste. And what kind of dessert would you serve to finish off this wonderful meal? How about the rich chocolatey kind featuring Brazilian chocolate sauce and a splash of Irish creme. It was another excellent dish that featured a smooth, pudding-like chocolate sauce with bits of cookie mixed in. Marshmallow creme and some Irish creme topped off the dessert. The only complaint I had was that it was served in a tall shot glass, which did not allow the diner the ability to lick it clean.

A Decadent Finish to Dinner

Being able to watch your food prepared for you was a neat experience, even if it was a bit uneventful. I kept waiting for the chef to walk in and fly into some type of Gordon Ramsay-esque tirade, but it was not to be on this night.  After our dinner Chef Jason came back to check on us and make a little small talk. He was very personable throughout the whole evening.

Steph and I were both very impressed with our dinner at Taste and See. The service and food were both excellent, and for the price I wouldn’t expect anything less. The whole dinning service lasted about two hours, but that is not uncommon for a multi-course dinner. If you don’t want spend $55 a person for this experience, the regular restaurant is always an option.

http://www.tasteandseeict.com/

Bionic Burger (Home of Six Million Dollar and Calorie Burger)

Bionic Burger is right up there with Nu-Way when you talk about iconic burger places in Wichita. They have been in operation for over 30 years and currently have four locations in the area. Luckily for us, the newest location on East 21st near Woodlawn is rather convenient when we are in the mood for a fast and tasty meat disk.

The menus at all four Bionic locations are essentially the same and quite expansive for “just a burger place”. They offer several different burgers, plus a who’s who of classic comfort foods including: a pork sandwich, hot dogs, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, chili, o-rings, etc. Shakes and malts are also available in case you have any room for dessert.

The Epic Burger Combo

The Six Million Calorie Double in All Its Glory

On this visit I was feeling bold and decided to go with the Six Million Dollar Burger along with some of their fresh cut fries. I was under the impression I would be getting a half pound cheese burger with some veggies, instead I unwrapped a monster. Apparently when my sister had placed the order at the drive thru, she had ordered a double, leaving me with the most intimidating 1lb burger I had ever laid eyes on.

The first order of business was to bisect this mass into edible pieces. Once that was accomplished I was able to enjoy this pretty solid burger. The patty, while a bit thin for my liking, was properly seasoned and surprisingly juicy. Plenty of gooey cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes were icing on this protein based cake. Sadly the bun was not quite up to the challenge of supporting all of this deliciousness. After a few bites, it quickly deflated and broke into pieces, no doubt the victim of too much grease and the basic principles of physics. I pride myself in being able to finish just about anything I order at a restaurant, but it was not happening on this day. I doubt whether the bionic man himself would have been able to finish off this bad boy.  Did I mention the burger came with a far too generous serving of delicious fries? These thick-cut, crispy fries were top notch.

For a quick burger you can’t go wrong with Bionic Burger. Their large portions and tasty food is tough competition for any fast food joint in town.

http://www.bionic-burger.com/

Fat Tony’s Grill and Sports Bar

With the beginning of football season comes the beginning of sports bar season as well. Although I lack any concrete proof, I imagine that the period from September through January is probably a sports bar’s best season. Wichita has a good selection of local sports bars and it seems like everyone has their favorite. Fat Tony’s, located at 417 E. Douglas, is a somewhat recent addition to the scene, but with their giant TV screen and food challenges they are trying to separate themselves from the rest.

Your Basic Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

The first thing you are drawn to at Fat Tony’s is the large projection screen at the back of the building that displays life size sporting action. Other TVs line the adjoining walls, making it rather challenging to concentrate on any one game or even the person sitting next to you. Glancing over the menu, all seemed rather mundane with the typical offerings of burgers, salads, sandwiches, etc offered, until I came upon the food challenges. The three challenges include: A 9 pound burger with all the fixings and a pound of fries that must be consumed in 45 minutes, a wing challenge with Tony’s signature nuclear sauce, and a five pound Philly cheesesteak with a pound of fries that has to be eaten in 30 minutes. All of these feats seem a bit daunting given the time restraints, but I’m sure that some highly trained eating athlete could pull them off.

Steph and I were both in the mood for a burger, so we went with the basic half pound burger with cheese. The small kitchen is set up in the middle of the dining area,  giving patrons the opportunity to watch the cooks in action. One thing I did catch was the bag of frozen fries that the cook pulled out and dumped into the fryer. It was a bit disappointing to see them cutting corners like that.

I was happy to see that our burgers had not been overcooked when they arrived. There was still a bit of pink in the middle, which is hard to get in a burger these days. The patties were moist, but could have used some additional seasoning. All in all I would have to say it was a slightly above average burger. The fries could not overcome the fact they had been pulled from the freezer bag, as they tasted rather industrial.

Fat Tony’s passes the litmus test for a respectable sports bar. Decent food, obscenely large and numerous TV’s and plenty of cold beer. Plus they are one of the few places in town that offers eating challenges.

http://www.fattonysgrill.com/

River City Brewing Co.

Brewpubs are currently enjoying a great deal of popularity and success in the US, as more and more people opt for tasty craft beer paired with comfort foods . River City Brewery, located in the heart of Old Town on Mosley street, was one of the  first restaurants to open as part of the revitalization of Old Town that took place in the early 90s.

The interior of River City is a nod to the age of the building that houses it. Wooden floors and exposed brick make it feel like you have stepped back into Wichita’s cowtown days, that is of course until your eyes fix upon one of the several TVs or

Your Basic Mac’n'Cheese

the stainless steel brewing apparatus.   The menu at River City offers no surprises, it features salads, sandwiches, pizza, steak, mac’n'cheese, and burgers. The main attraction here are the several varieties of craft beer made in-house. There are 5 standard brews available year round as well as special brews and a Firkin Thursday event that offers unique and sometimes disturbing beer flavors.

On our visit, we both started off with the Harvester Wheat beer. It was a good American wheat that was comparable to some of the better wheat beers on the market. I also tried the Rock Island Red, which is River City’s take on the American amber ale. It was a decent tasting amber, although I preferred the Harvester Wheat over it .

For dinner I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Pizza. This pie panders to those who cannot get enough of the iconic Buffalo wings and must have them in pizza form as well. It comes with chicken tender pieces, the classic Buffalo sauce, mozzarella, and blu cheese. The only thing missing would be some celery sprinkled on top. Steph ordered a bowl of the broccoli mac’n'cheese. Despite a fairly crowded dining room, our food was delivered before I had a chance to finish my first beer. The pizza was served just as advertised, with generous toppings and a tangy Buffalo sauce with just the right amount of kick to it. The crust was crispy and tasted fresh. With a lot of stiff pizza competition in Wichita I would say this particular pie was about average. The pizza was good sized and I struggled to finish it all by myself. We were less impressed with the broccoli mac’n'cheese. The sauce was runny and not very cheesy and there was nothing done to jazz

The Buffalo Chicken Pizza

up the dish. It tasted fine, but was lacking anything to make it stand out from mac’n'cheese you could make at home.

We were lucky enough to have some live entertainment on the Friday night we visited in the form of two gentlemen and their acoustic guitars. The set started out with some promise, but after a medley of America songs and a valiant, yet unsuccessful attempt at Gimmie Shelter, I was rather eager for out check to arrive.

River City is a good place to sample some solid craft beers and enjoy a televised sporting event, but don’t go expecting to be blown away by the food.

AVI Seabar and Chophouse

Tucked away inside the newly remodeled Broadview Hotel at Douglas and Waco is AVI Seabar and Chophouse. Although this upscale eatery has only been open since late last year it has already undergone a menu revamp, received mixed reviews, and been subject to rumors of closure.

Refreshing Cocktails

The interior of AVI can be described as modern industrial perhaps? High ceilings and exposed duct work is fashionable these days. A large fireplace in the center adds a hominess feeling to the restaurant. Although there were plenty of tables available on the main level, Steph and I were taken to the more intimate second story for some private dining.

Since it was a special occasion we decided to kick off the meal with some $8 cocktails. Steph ordered the Orange Julius while I opted for the Mint Julep. Both drinks were quite refreshing and contained a decent amount of alcohol.

The menu covers all the typical bases with salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, as well as some poultry and pork dishes. Some of the highlights include a cheese and charcuterie platter(this may be the only restaurant in town that has sweet, delicious charcuterie on the menu), a croque monsieur sandwich, a smoked duck

The Extravagant Salmon Wrapped Scallops

breast, and salmon belly wrapped scallops. I was pleased to see that some actual French inspired dishes were on this menu. If there is one cuisine type that Wichita is really lacking in, it would be classic French. While most dishes will run you about $15-$30 there are several in the $8-$15 range. Since AVI is billed as a seafood and steak place, we figured we should at least try one on these proteins, so Steph went with the extravagantly named Salmon Belly Wrapped Diver Scallops. Once I saw that a smoked duck breast was on the menu that was the end of the decision making process for me. Duck breast is one of my favorite splurge dishes since it is a meat that is difficult to obtain fresh around here, unless I take up duck hunting.  The scallops were served with creamed spinach and “griddle potatoes”, while the duck came with roasted asparagus and a parsnip puree.

Duck Breast: Overcooked, But Still Delicious

While waiting for the meal, some homemade roasted garlic bread was brought to our table. Whole cloves of garlic baked into the loaf made it an impressive pre-dinner bread offering. Both of our main dishes received high marks for presentation, although I immediately noticed that my duck was overcooked. Due to the low fat content of duck it really shouldn’t be cooked past medium rare, but this breast looked to be on the high end of medium. Despite this error, it still tasted wonderful. The meat was tender, the skin delightfully fatty, and the smoky, sweet flavor was perfect. Bonus points to AVI for using apple wood to smoke the duck. The asparagus and puree parsnips were good as well, although a larger portion would have been nice. The parsnips tasted very similar to mashed potatoes. Luckily the scallops did not suffer the same fate as the duck, they were cooked perfectly. The tender salmon belly was a good accompaniment for the scallops. While we were not impressed with the griddle potatoes, the richness of the creamed spinach complimented the delicate scallops nicely.

Overall our experience at AVI was positive. We did not have any problems with the service like some have complained about in the past. Hopefully they have smoothed out the operation and will be able to remain in business. When looking for a special occasion restaurant keep AVI in mind.

http://www.360wichita.com/Restaurants/Steakhouses/AVI.html

Timbuktu Bar and Grill: A Family Friendly Dive Bar

All Are Welcome at Timbuktu

Previously Published in The Wichita Eagle:

Sometimes you just need a good cheeseburger and beer to reaffirm that all is still well and good in the world. Luckily you needn’t travel to a city in western Africa to find such a place, just head out to Andover. There you will find Timbuktu Bar and Grill, a small town institution since 1982 that’s known for their hamburgers and friendly atmosphere.

Taking advantage of the temperate weather on the evening of our visit, we bypassed the dim indoor dining area and went straight to the back patio. Complete with tiki hut, play area for kids/inebriated adults, safari themed wall murals, and plenty of seating this patio is a sight to see.

The small menu consists of your typical bar food selections. Appetizers include nachos, corn fritters, stuffed jalapenos, fried mushrooms and chicken wings. Several sandwiches are also offered including grilled cheese, chicken fried steak, and pork fritter. The main attraction at Timbuktu is the famous half pound burger or for those with something to prove, the double one-pounder. The bar menu is limited to a handful of tap beers and a few canned selections, but they are served in throwback frosty mason jars.

Fried Pork and O-Rings

On our visit we ordered a cheeseburger and pork fitter sandwich. All sandwiches come with chips, but an upgrade to onion rings or curly fires is strongly recommended as both were quite good. The pork fritter sandwich consists of a generous fried cutlet of pork loin, raw onions, and pickles. I substituted fried onions for the raw and applied ketchup and mustard. The sandwich turned out to be pretty good. I was happily surprised that the pork remained moist and tender despite its exterior crispness. My wife ordered the famed burger with fried onions and cheese. A jalapeno relish is also available if you like some spice with your burger.  It was nice to see that the beef patty was hand formed and thick. While the burger was a touch overdone the fried onions and cheese helped make it satisfying. It was not the best burger either of us has had, but we would definitely order it again.

The Famed Half Pounder

Simplicity is the key at Timbuktu and after thirty years in business they continue to make it work. With daily drink specials, occasional live music, and a weekly biker night there is something for everyone at Timbuktu.

 

http://timbuktubarandgrill.com/