Most days I eat lunch at my desk. Leftovers or a sandwich when I'm organized, a quick salad or tacos when finding some thing to wear and making lunch in the morning seems like passing health care reform. Recently I was invited by Bourbon Steak to try out the new lunch bar menu. (Yes, I'm wicked lucky). Given the fact that I don't often have business lunches at luxurious spots around town, I wasn't sure what to expect. And, I'll be honest, I was thinking, it's a recession: oh my. Instead, what I found was true foodie bargain.
Find a bar stool and order the lunch special. For $21 bucks you get a non-alcoholic drink (try the very retro and very delicious concord grape soda), a burger of your choice (beef, turkey, falafel, salmon, or boneless baby back pork ribs), a side (duck fat fries, onion rings, or mixed greens), and, if you are interested, lively conversation about seasonal drinks with Duane the mixologist on the bar.
It's not hard to imagine that the burger, with cabot clothbound cheddar, secret sauce, and a house-made pickle, was my favorite bite, and among the best burgers in town. Here's what did surprise me: the turkey burger, topped with jack cheese, roasted peppers, and arugula, was just as tasty. It was juicy (the chef mixes cheese right into the burger patty) with a tiny kick (jalapeno?). You don't often find baby back ribs tucked in a bun, but Bourbon does it well, adding delicate bread and butter pickles on the side. Stuffed? Wait, there's more. I can't decide if I would recommend the fries, which came with three sauces (my favorite was the sour cream and onion), onion rings, or the lightly dressed greens. All were good, and I suppose it depends on what you are craving that day.
More? The bar menu ends with dessert, a Bourbon Steak brownie, which is to say an elegant array of chocolate with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and chocolate shavings.
It will be hard to go back to sandwiches at my desk, so I'll probably celebrate my January birthday in December, with lunch at Bourbon Steak.
