Posts Tagged ‘American’

Brews Brothers Pub

Sunday, February 16th, 2014

Before I walked into Brews Brothers Pub located on the far west side on Junction Road, I was envisioning a huge space, a comprehensive menu and walls filled with TVs. I was wrong on all accounts.

However, sitting in the recently opened establishment, I realized it’s similar to many strip-mall restaurants/bars I’ve visited in smaller cities and suburbs, and if you keep that in mind, the place meets all expectations.

Capacity is only 80, the bar only serves beer and wine and really the only items on the two-sided menu are burgers. Let’s start with the Brothers’ Original Burger ($5.39). It’s pretty plain, but the nice thing is you can add some “extras,”  such a fried egg (49 cents), a brat patty ($1.79) or even pulled pork ($1.29).

The other 11 burgers, all made with 4.5-oz patties, have more excitement to them. The Weston Burger ($6.89) comes with bacon, cheese and BBQ sauce. The bacon was some of the best I’ve had on a burger, but the sauce was too tangy. Next time, I think I’ll try the Philly Cheese Burger ($6.39), which includes grilled peppers, onions and provolone cheese.

The special of the day was too tempting to resist. Called the Bourbon Burger ($6.39), it was topped with bacon, cheese, onion straws and a bourbon mayo. Again, the bacon was awesome, and I adored the slightly sweet mayo on this overall satisfying sandwich.

All burgers are served a la carte (hence the empty-looking basket in the photo above). Side choices are fries, chips, shoestring fries and sweet potato fries. I had an order of hand-cut fries ($2.39), which were a little soggy. I would have enjoyed dipping them into bourbon mayo if that was available.

A larger side item is Pub Grub ($5.29), consisting of hand-cut chips topped with beer cheese, chopped bacon and chives. Super delicious, but the cheese could have been more melty to make it easier to spread around the plate; instead, the cheese had solidified into several large clumps.

Regarding the beer, you have two pages of beers on tap, available in pints and 20-oz glasses, from which to choose. The beers come from all over the country. For reference, I had the New Belgium Snapshot ($6 pint), the Boulder Nitro Shake ($5) and the 3 Sheeps Baaad Boy ($6).

Brews Brothers is open every day for lunch and dinner, and it has happy hour from 4-7 p.m.

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See more photos on our Brews Brothers Flickr set.

Brews Brothers Pub on Urbanspoon

Funk’s Pub

Saturday, January 18th, 2014

Funk’s Pub took over for Namio’s in Fitchburg at the end of summer. Despite essentially being the same restaurant as its predecessor, save for the music stage near the entrance, Funk’s seems to be an upgrade, though I know that doesn’t make much sense.

The new owners kept the same staff, including the chef, in the transition. The menu–which I wrote about positively in my Namio’s review–saw a few additions that were made just this past week. Meanwhile, the crowd sure has picked up. It was always dead at Namio’s, but it’s nice to see more patrons now, and I suspect it has to do with the live music.

And before, when I didn’t recommend Namio’s to watch a game, I think Funk’s is just dandy if you can belly up to the bar where many flat screens await you.

I previously enjoyed the steak burger, so I ordered it this time in the Mexicali Jack ($9.99; you also can get it with chicken), which comes with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, avocado, lettuce, tomato and raw onions. First, I enjoyed the grilled ciabatta bun–I could have eaten just that. The steak was as delicious as I remembered, and the whole ensemble is definitely worth ordering.

You’ll usually find a daily special, and on one occasion I devoured a Bashful Camel ($9.99), filled with a wonderfully creamy coleslaw that had bits of jalapeno in it over juicy pulled pork, with BBQ sauce that had a small kick to it. This sandwich should permanently be on the menu because it’s that good.

Salads, sandwiches and wraps make up the balance of the menu. The sandwiches and burgers come with a side of hand-cut pub chips, sweet potato fries or fresh-cut fries;  go for the chips, which have a great fried taste to them.

Since it’s a bar, you’ll find standard bar appetizers, and the cheese curds ($6.99) are a safe bet. For dipping sauces, the chipotle ranch sauce is the best; avoid the bleu cheese and the garlic aioli.

Funk’s is open every day for lunch and dinner, and it serves breakfast on the weekends.

Funk's Pub on Urbanspoon

Bassett Street Brunch Club

Sunday, December 29th, 2013

There are so many interesting things about Food Fight’s Bassett Street Brunch Club. First, the name: Brunch Club? Also the fact that it’s located inside the new Hampton Inn & Suites, since we have so few restaurants in hotels in Madison.

I liked the concept and feel a lot. To get there by car, you enter the hotel parking ramp–there’s otherwise no nearby parking. Then, you’ll walk through a contemporary lobby where you may see non-hotel guests, especially students, hanging out. Finally, you’ll find large windows inside the restaurant that let you watch traffic on busy Johnson Street. I mention all these things because they’re so unique.

The food could use some work. Many items were on the cusp of being great save for a few faults. Take the Tempura Fish Tostadas ($11.95) of the entree selections, for example. The fish itself was dry but topped by the flavorful and spicy chipotle salsa. Meanwhile, I felt like I was eating mostly bread in the Sausage Bahn Mi ($9.95) of the sandwich selections. The sausage was decent but there was so little of it–just look at the photo to see what I’m talking about. I chose the tater tots as my side, and I liked that they were crispy and topped with a sprinkle of cheese.

The Fried Chicken and Donuts ($5.95) among the appetizers also was a mixed bag. The fresh and perfectly sweet dough balls clashed with the way-overcooked chicken. Speaking of doughnuts, you’ll find a varied selection each day. I had a strawberry glazed ($1.50, half-off after 8:30 p.m.) that could have been more strawberry in flavor.

I did enjoy the Shrimp & Grits ($11.95) off the “Brunchy Items” menu, which was rich, creamy and topped with an egg, a nice addition. The Savory French Toast ($8.95) was well-battered (with Parmesan and herbs) and moist, and I would definitely get it again.

The restaurant also has a sizable drink menu. The Brunch Club Bloody ($6) is quaffable–I liked the pickles it came with–but it was average otherwise. I would recommend the Mimosa ($5), the B.C. Old Fashioned ($7) for its hazelnut-infused bourbon and the B.C. Julep ($7).

Bassett Street Brunch Club is open every day. It has happy hour in the morning, when you can get $3 mimosas.

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See more photos on our Flickr set.

Bassett Street Brunch Club on Urbanspoon

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