Restaurant experiment: Universal Joint

Universal Joint

906 Oakview Road at East Lake Drive

Decatur, GA 30030

404-373-6260

http://www.ujointbar.com/

Dave and I had never eaten in the Oakhurst area, so we decided to give it a try one Sunday afternoon.  And since we were in the mood for bar food, Universal Joint fit the bill.

There’s no parking lot, but street parking wasn’t an issue.  The patio looked great for warmer days; since it was chilly that afternoon, I suggested we eat inside.  There were TVs showing some NFL game.  I would say that Universal Joint has a family friendly/sports bar personality.  Our waitress was welcoming.  I thought she had a kind of spacey demeanor but Dave didn’t think so.  She was on the ball though.

UJ offers standard pub grub like wings, quesadillas, nachos, and burgers.  We both got burgers; I selected the blue cheese burger.  I forgot exactly how much it was, but something around $9.  The burgers come with your choice of fries or tots.  Salad requires an extra cost.  Never much of a tots kind of person, I went with fries.  There were so many of them that I couldn’t finish them and had to get a to-go box.  They weren’t bad: very hot and thick but at least not wedges because we all know how I hate wedges.  The burger’s bun was kind of sticky.  Or maybe the outside of the bun was very moist and then clung to my fingers.  Odd.  Dave was pleased since he requested his patty rare, and it certainly was on the raw side.  I got medium-well and it was a little more on the medium plane but that was okay.  The burger was pretty good but nothing super out of the ordinary.

I’d liken Universal Joint to Rojo in Birmingham: a neighborhood joint that doesn’t have the best food in the universe but is a staple for the area.

Restaurant experiment: BurgerFi

BurgerFi

1520 Avenue Place in Emory Point facing Clifton Road

Suite B-140

Atlanta, GA 30329

404-665-4400

http://burgerfi.com

We basically went to BurgerFi because we needed to eat quickly in the area, and Dave had tried it before and said it wasn’t bad.  And parking is free at night in the deck or something along those lines.

I thought the name BurgerFi had to do with wireless internet, so I was pleased that free wifi (password protected) was available.  While researching for this post/visiting the official website, I learned that the “Fi” in its name referred to “fication.”  Like BurgerFication.  I kinda like that name more, actually.  Society as a whole has definitely been burgerfied.

After internal debate, I ordered off the secret menu.  I questioned the secrecy of said menu, as it was printed on the paper menu but absent on the board.  There were free rubber bracelets by the register, so I snagged some to take home to remember my experience here.  My selection ended up being the All The Way Burger: “Lettuce, tomato, diced onions, pickle, American cheese, and BurgerFi® sauce.”  The woman working the register was a challenge.  She didn’t speak very clearly, and she ended up confirming each component of the burger with me.  What was the point of ordering a pre-designed burger if you have to repeat all of its ingredients?  She wasn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.  They also don’t ask you how you want your patty cooked but that’s to be expected with these burger places.  Dave and I also ordered a side of fries to share.  You can also request them limp or extra crispy, limp making me laugh.  The regular size is plenty for two people to share.

The actual burger was fine.  I wasn’t sure what to expect after the exchange with the employee.  It’s kind of in the style of Shake Shack, and the BurgerFi sauce appeared to be a ketchup/mayo blend.  Diced onions can fall out of the burger easily, but they do provide more coverage over the burger, more onion surface area.  I liked that.

When bad teenybopper music started playing, we took that as our cue to exit.  Leaving, we were unsure about what to do with our trays.  There was a trashcan nearby but it didn’t seem like a likely candidate for tray placement.  Finally, Dave asked an employee what to do with the trays, and he said people usually put them by the napkin dispenser by the door.  Um, how is anyone expected to discern that?  No signage, not a one.

And with that, I had  been BurgerFied.

Restaurant experiment: Grindhouse Killer Burgers

Grindhouse Killer Burgers

1842 Piedmont Avenue NE at Wimbledon Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30324

404-254-2273

http://www.grindhouseburgers.com/

I have to admit that the memory of eating at this joint isn’t entirely clear since I’ve slacked and too much time has gone by.  Oh well.

I do remember the parking lot.  It’s very small and confusing since you can enter on one side and travel in your vehicle to the other side, but if you enter on the other side, you can’t drive over to the first side.  Try to go at off-peak times since I don’t know what else to do when that lot is full.  Shades of the Yeah! Burger parking lot for sure.

I was trying to determine if Grindhouse Killer Burgers has anything to do with the Quentin Tarantino movie.  It doesn’t appear to, but it seems like it could have been straight outta the movie.  The props/decor are reminiscent of the southwest U.S.  Just like that movie!  If you never saw it, you aren’t missing much.

Dave and I as usual took forever to decide.  We planted ourselves in front of the big giant menu to consider our options.  Grindhouse has more of a Tex-Mex slant, as the menu is dotted with chili, pico de gallo, and burger names like “Apache Style” and “Gringo Style.”  The cheesy poofs tempted me sorely.  Fried pimento cheese blobs?  Yes yes.  Not this time, but maybe in the future?

Dave and I waited in the line, as there is a sign telling you to enter the queue here, or somesuch.  Mad props to the cashier girl who turned to us to take our order, effectively giving the smackdown to some folks who did not listen to the line sign and tried to cut in front of us.  Zing!

I decided to build my own burger, adding bleu cheese ($0.50)  to a $6 double (1/4 lb. each).  Freebie toppings I selected included lettuce, tomato, raw onion, and pickle.  The “fresh toasted potato bun” was noteworthy in its sturdiness and hearty taste.  The menu says toasted, but I didn’t recall the bun being crispy.  No wimpy buns here.  The main star of this burger show was the beef.  The beef tasted like “dry aged chuck and brisket.”  Just pure beef.  The default temp is medium, and I seem to recall that my patties were around that range.  Certainly not rare or well done.

We shared some crinkle cut fries ($1.99).  I normally don’t really care much for crinkle cut, but these actually weren’t too bad, better than I expected.

Grindhouse is a totally solid contender in the Atlanta burger squad.  I see that it doesn’t get quite as much love on Yelp, but it’s still fine by me.  If you want ground up meat in burger form, this is the house for you!

Restaurant experiment: Mugshots Grill and Bar

Mugshots Grill & Bar

1919 Kentucky Avenue, Suite 101 by the Rave Theater

Vestavia Hills, AL 35216

205-824-9030

http://mugshotsgrillandbar.com/

I’d been wanting to try Mugshots Grill and Bar since someone told me about their peanut butter burger this summer.  Intrigued, I put Mugshots on the list since I do love me some burgers and all.

Eventually, the time to try Mugshots had finally come.  It was a Friday night, and Dave and I were famished; burgers seemed be the cure.  It was a nippy night.  The place was quite crowded, so we were stuck at a two top right by the door.  Lovely.  I kept my coat on and coped as best I could…wish they could have turned up the heat a little to compensate.  The patrons were a mix of families enjoying a meal together and young adults cutting loose after the end of the work week.

I opened up the menu.  It’s typical bar/grill/what you’d expect in the Applebee’s vein (wings, pasta, sandwiches).  They do have some more unique burgers, like a 1000 island one and a 1.5 pounder.  There were no questions in my mind about what I was getting.  The peanut butter burger, natch.  Its official name is “Anthony’s Peanut Butter Burger.”  For $8.59, this half-pound of seasoned beef on a sourdough bun can be yours.

Our server girl didn’t ask how we wanted the burgers prepared.  We weren’t sure if that was her mistake or if you don’t have a choice about the doneness of the patty.  I also don’t think I was asked about if I wanted smooth or crunchy peanut butter as the menu says you have the choice, but luckily I got smooth which is what I wanted anyway.  I decided to go for the extra bacon to jazz it up a little.

Here’s the burger with the beer battered fries.  I’m no expert on beer battered fries.  Dave was critical of them, but I was fine with them.  Nice and seasoned, though a little too chubby for my tastes.  The burger’s bun was quite sturdy and thick, almost a little sweet.  A refreshing change from the usual.

As odd as it was, the peanut butter and the beef patty actually went well together.  Who would have thought?  Mugshots apparently.  Peanut butter and bacon are all right in my book as well.  Part of the appeal was definitely the fact that you are consuming something wacky and uncommon.  The downside was that the meat was very well done which didn’t help matters.

I would eat the peanut butter burger again!  Probably not the city’s best burger, but a fun one, no doubt.

Restaurant experiment: Rogue Tavern

Rogue Tavern

2312 2^nd Avenue North between 23rd and 24th Streets North

Birmingham, AL 35203

205-202-4151

http://roguetavern.com

I had suggested Rogue Tavern to Joni and Laura as one of a few dining possibilities for our Artwalk adventures.  As we had parked closer to Rogue Tavern than the other destination, we ended up opening the doors to Rogue Tavern and taking a look-see.  All of the tables appeared to be full.  Not promising.  A passing waiter informed us that there were tables in the back, so we headed to the back.

“Does this place remind you of a prison?” I asked my companions who ended up agreeing with me.  The high concrete walls, the small windows set at a high level with metal bars, the beams overhead encircled by barbed wire-like vines all contributed to the penitentiary atmosphere.

The bad thing about sitting outside (extreme humidity not included) was being exposed to smokers from the main dining room wanting their nicotine fixes.  One such fellow was smoking near the fans which of course blew toxins to our table.  Ew gross.

Another bad thing was our waiter.  He was just very slow and non-attentive.  We kind of gave him a pass but not really because it was Artwalk.  He seemed like a nice enough guy, but nice doesn’t always cut it.

The beer list is pretty extensive, if that’s your thing.  I didn’t order anything, but Laura and Joni both selected drafts from a whole page of ’em.  One glass of beer was matched to its brewer, but the other beer did not match.

I went with the Rogue Burger which seemed like a safe enough bet for a bar-grill.  The menu described it as “Angus beef grilled and topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.”  This was $8.95 and came with fries.  The cheese was not cheddar or American as I had expected.  Noticing the lack of onions in the description, I made sure to request onions with my medium well cheeseburger.  Laura too ordered a burger, and Joni went with a salad.

After an eternity, the food came out.  Laura, who had also ordered her burger medium well, commented that the patty was more like well done.  I had to agree.  I was surprised that my onions came out sauteed because I had wanted and had expected raw onions.  Then I worried that I was going to get hit with a ridiculous saute fee.  The fries were fine but nothing remarkable.  The burger was also just okay.

Laura and Joni decided to split a bread pudding.  This of course took lifetimes to appear, and when it did appear, it was brought by a kitchen gal who was very apologetic.  I kind of got the feeling that the BP wasn’t worth the wait.

Joni told the waiter to put the bread pudding on her tab.  Of course, it ended up being placed on my tab.  Gah.  To Rogue’s credit, I was not charged extra for the sauteed onions.  Whew.

Okay, not the best dining experience ever, but I was in quality company, and then we got to check out art at Artwalk and nosh on Steel City Pops to soothe away the stress of Rogue Tavern.

Restaurant experiment: Melton’s App & Tap

Melton’s App & Tap

2500 North Decatur Road at Scott Boulevard

Decatur, GA 30033

404-634-9112

http://www.meltonsappandtap.com

Melton’s App & Tap is one of those places I’ve passed a zillion times but have never patronized.  Now I am happy to say that I finally have.  Laura had raved about the cheese puffs for so long, though unfortunately I remembered her recommendation too late, as I was eating my sandwich, as it happens.  Alas.

Even though it was on the later side of a Friday night for dinner, there were still parking spots to be found in the lot and seating to be had in the restaurant.  Dave was in a burger mood, and as for myself, I ordered off the seasonal food menu, snagging the French dip sandwich ($9.50), described as “[t]ender slow-cooked roast beef, sliced thin with melted provolone cheese on a French roll. Served with homemade au jus and steak fries.”  As for the tap part of its name, Melton’s has a decent number of drafts to pick from.  Not huge, but beer fans will find something on tap or in a bottle that will please.

I totally glossed over steak fries while reading the menu.  I just saw “French dip” and that was good enough for me.  Being no fat fries enthusiast, I wasn’t stoked about the impending potatoes, and if I had performed more fry research, I would have noticed that waffle fries were the other kind of fries being served and could have requested a substitute.  No matter, since the steak fries were not as of tremendous girth as I had expected, and Dave generously shared his waffle fries with me.  It was all A-OK.  Well, I would have liked the au jus to be a tiny bit stronger, but I’ll take it.  Mmm, hot beef.

Fun fact: two restaurants in LA argue about who invented the French dip in the early 1900s, and its creation may have been spurred by a customer complaining about the bread being not-so-fresh.  [Snopes]

Melton’s has two sections: the entry section has booths and a bar, and the other section, which I did not explore, seems to have had darker lighting and tables instead of booths.  I’d hazard a guess that one section used to not be part of Melton’s  and then eventually it joined up as part of an expansion.  The crowd skewed older and I saw a family or two, though there seemed to be younger folks from the nearby colleges.  Our waiter kept an eye on us and deftly removed cups and plates without seeming obtrusive.  I dug the neighborhood, relaxed vibe of the place.  If you want apps or taps and are in Decatur, GA, swing by Melton’s!

Restaurant experiment: Waterfront Ale House

Waterfront Ale House

540 Second Avenue at 30th Street

New  York, NY 10016

212-696-4104

http://www.waterfrontalehouse.com

I’ve seen many a movie at the nearby AMC Loews Kips Bay in the olden days (er, a few years ago), but I’d never noticed the welcoming casual pub at the next corner.  Dave and I ended up here for a post-work meal since we both were in the mood for burgers.  Even though it was a Friday night, we managed to snag a table in the eating area; the bar in the front was teeming with happy worker bees buzzing. 

Waterfront is smart in that they put the condiments on a shelf behind the tables, saving space.  Nevertheless, I was too close for comfort to the tables adjacent, especially one table of a couple and a girl being boisterous.  The two of us started off with pints of the beer of the week, which happened to be a Smuttynose Winter Ale for $5.  Eh, it was all right.

I ordered the burger with blue [bleu as noted in the menu] cheese.  Earlier I had to squash the temptation to steal some of the waffle fries the table next to us were munching on.  At $11.95 each and $1 extra for cheese, the burger wasn’t ultra cheap but par for the course in Murray Hill.  There were a bunch of specials listed on a big blackboard, but I ignored them and went for the burger.  Dave also was in the burger zone but made a last-minute switch to chili.  Strong menu, even with a fair selection of barbecue.  Chili could be in a larger size, but that was to be expected.  Salty blue cheese.  Chuck cooked as requested.  Nice.  Except the pickle was too garlicky and why on earth was there a radish on the plate?  Anyway, I was satisfied at the end.

The waffle fries could have used a little more salt, but I contented myself with dousing them in the malt vinegar which was an option on the condiment shelf.  If you’re a mustard lover, you’re in luck as there were around four different options you could choose from, and there were also British steak sauces and Tabasco varietals.

The dessert board announced Bailey’s cheesecake, so I made sure to save enough room for that goodness.  And oh, the goodness.  The graham cracker crust was sugary, and the filling was smooth and rich, though adding more of the sweet Irish cream may not have been a bad idea.  Dave’s dessert consisted of an order of wings.  I ate one and thought my tongue and lips were going to disintegrate, that hot.

Leaving Waterfront, I didn’t have the urge to smack annoying bar patrons (frequent in this neighborhood), always a plus.  Great meal to cap off a busy week!

Restaurant experiment: Schiller’s Liquor Bar

Schiller’s Liquor Bar

151 Rivington Street at Norfolk Street

New York, NY 10002

212-260-4555

http://www.schillersny.com/

I’m working my way through the Keith McNally establishments…Schiller’s Liquor Bar at least is easier to get into than Minetta Tavern.  The brother and I went on a delightful spring afternoon to the eatery on a sunny Lower East Side corner.  The restaurant had a couple of the floor-length windows open, very springy.  I heard Schiller’s can be a madhouse during prime times, but being a midweek lunch, there were no issues with space.  The decor is pretty neat, like French bistro meets American soda shop?  Something along those lines.

We were told to sit anywhere we’d like, so I plopped myself down at two top by an open window.  Hooks above my head were home to my bag for the duration of the meal.  Our cheery waitress gave up tap water in the form a big clear glass flask.  The  drink menu was appealing, but I just stuck with water since it was mid-day and drinks were not dirt cheap ($11).  Breakfast served until 4pm, nice.  Apparently Schiller’s is well-known for their brunch, in case you were wondering about that.  And the name confuses people, I’ve noted.  I say I’m going to Schiller’s Liquor Bar, and they think I’m going to a regular old bar, but I’m going to a restaurant/bar.  Tricky tricky.

My stomach was a little  grumpy, so I decided to go with the trusty old cheeseburger ($12) with blue cheese; there was a typical selection, like cheddar and American and maybe gouda.  I was leaning towards the macaroni and cheese with bacon ($11), but I went with the burger and the brother thoughtfully ordered the mac and cheese so we could sample.

Immediately I noticed that the blue cheese certainly was blue.  In fact, it was so blue that it was kind off-putting, but not enough for me to forgo the burger.  No, of course not.  Good sturdy sesame bun, patty cooked exactly medium well, fresh components (veggies).

Fries were excellent (slender, fried well done, and no need for additional salt) though I suppose you have to expect that from a restaurant related to Balthazar and Pastis.

The macaroni and cheese featured literally, cubes of bacon.  They were just that thick.  Oh, oily goodness.  And the cheese crust at the top of the baby iron skillet (placed on a doily!) was a bonus.

I guess I’m saying that the entrees are not massive because I had room for dessert.  Or maybe I’m saying that the desserts sounded too tasty to pass up?  Either way, I selected the warm apple crumble ($7.50).  It came out in a little bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  Perhaps a little more apple than crumble but thumbs up overall.  Very tart apples were used in the creation of this dish, I can note.  Crumble could have been a little sweeter to counteract sour, but that’s enough backseat baking from me.

The bathrooms are worth a whirl.  Tip 1: The first door is funny!  Tip 2: Once past the first door, don’t go into the emergency exit as I nearly did and witnessed someone else nearly do.

Restaurant experiment: Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park

206 East 67th Street between Second and Third Avenues

New York, NY 10065

212-717-8181

http://www.phoenixparkny.com/

Stacy’s new go-to bar was our go-to for dinner as we wanted a solid meal which meant for me, a welcoming burger. Phoenix Park is divided up into several room and even has an outside area but that was full so we resigned ourselves to a back room. It was pretty empty at the onset but filled up rather quickly.

The fries were excellent! Just the way I want ’em: crunchy, slender, salty. Mad praise for the generous white onion quantity. The patty was cooked slightly freakishly because I ordered medium well, and the beef was charred on the outside and then verging on medium or even medium rare on the inside. Oh well. Overall, the package worked.

The paper menus on the table declared PP to have been open since 1998. How ancient. Hah!