At one point or another, most people have the desire to chow down on a really good burger. When hit by the occasional urge, I seek out the tastiest off-the-beaten-path burgers, favoring mom-and-pop establishments over local chains and corporate franchises. “Boo-Boo”, a burger aficionado and a fuzzy cuddly muscle-bear of a man, had worked up a good appetite at the gym before joining me one recent afternoon for a late lunch at Redwing Bar and Grill.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit I have a long history with the Redwing, North Park’s iconic neighborhood bar. I remember when lovely Sarah Critchlow bought the place in 2006 and began making improvements – upgrading the plumbing, building a new bar on the patio – freshening yet maintaining the casual low-key vibe; wood paneling and mirrors, tile bar and vinyl stools. But most importantly, Sarah revived the plucky grill tucked in the corner of the bar and created a menu of lip-smacking good pub fare.
“Hello, stranger. Long time no see.” Traci greeted us with a touch of Oklahoma twang in her voice and a smile on her face. She’s the sort of bartender you meet once and becomes an instant life-long friend. I introduced Boo-Boo before we ordered a couple of beers and perused the bill of fare.
Boo-Boo selected a tall can of watery lackluster Pabst Blue Ribbon ($4.50) – cheap, but seriously, that stuff’s nasty – while I savored a large cold mug of Sculpin India Pale Ale from Ballast Point Brewing Company ($10.50); definitely not cheap (“Are you kidding me?” Boo-Boo exclaimed. “I can get a 12-pack of PBR for that price.”). The light-bodied golden amber IPA, 7 percent alcohol by volume, has a fruity nose with apricot, pineapple and citrus notes, a malty presence in the mouth, with a quick bitter sting in the finish. Smooth, easy to drink.
The menu offers appetizers like fried pickles or green beans, French fry or tater tot filled baskets, fresh salads with house made dressings, sandwiches, burgers and wings. The “special fare” includes breaded calamari or Texas toothpicks (sliced onions and jalapeños battered and fried), fire braised pork ribs or a Southwest Chicken Salad.
I had been bragging about the burgers and Boo-Boo needed to be convinced, so he personalized The Standard with bleu cheese and bacon ($9) while I opted for a sandwich, the Pot Roast Melt ($10.75). A good burger begins with a good patty, and Redwing offers a 1/3 lb. patty of ground brisket, chuck and sirloin cuts of Angus beef deliciousness. The perfectly grilled patty, served on an artisan Sadie Rose bun, is topped by sliced tomato and red onion, crisp lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles and pungent bleu cheese. Boo-Boo opined the flavor of the juicy burger was “fantastic”, but was almost overpowered by the bacon. “More smoke, less salt”, he explained. The melt is a crunchy Italian roll stuffed with pot roast so tender you can cut it with a spoon and melty strings-on-your-chin provolone cheese. Sides of rich au jus and a sinus-opening horseradish cream sauce for dipping complete the presentation. Sumptuous.
Ivis (pronounced EE-vis) the diligent grill master, doesn’t say much while preparing tasty food in the efficient kitchen. But there really isn’t any need; the mouth-watering aromas and quality results do all the talking. Eat this, hungry readers. You’ll be glad you did.
Redwing Bar & Grill
4012 30th Street
Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
619-281-8700
