I’d like to consider myself a fairly healthy eater. But eating healthy isn’t always possible, and sometimes part of me really craves a good burger and french fries. Tuesday night was one of those times, so I gave in to my dinner-time desire and headed to Jeremiah’s Tavern on Monroe Ave.
From the outside, Jeremiah’s wood siding and bold-faced marquee make it look rustic, yet inviting. But stepping inside, you’ll find a dcor that could adorn the walls of any small-town restaurant located in a strip mall, sans the obscene amount of bauble on the walls of chain restaurants like Applebee’s.
The clientele draws from a local fan-base, and many of the customers were regulars of the after-work crowd, with dress shirts freshly untucked and top buttons undone. That isn’t to say that the Tavern suffers from a lack of customers. The dart boards were occupied during my entire meal and the bar offered standing room only.
I was greeted by a friendly hostess who showed my dining partner and me to a table. Almost instantly, we were greeted by our waitress, who brought our attention to the appetizer and dinner specials, including sausage and lentil soup, a Carolina pulled pork sandwich and Jeremiah’s “World Famous” chicken wings.
I decided to try these so-called “World Famous” wings. We ordered the “hot” version over the “catatonic” or “bee sting” varietals. On such a cold and rainy night, the spicy version was the right choice to combat the weather. But I wouldn’t deem the wings worthy of their “World Famous” title. They were slightly over-cooked and the hot sauce, while palatable, was watery.
After taking the time to use the wet naps that were brought to us alongside our wings, I ordered the Black Bean Burger – a southwest twist on the traditional veggie burger. Aside from being topped with spinach, tomato and guacamole, I had my choice of sides – macaroni salad, curly fries or steak fries. To null my hankering for sodium-based junk food, I chose curly fries. My dining partner chose the Classic Burger.
Our food was delivered quickly, and I could barely see the edge of my burger sticking out from under the mountain of curly fries on my plate. By the time I got to my burger I was close to being stuffed, but was delighted by my main dish. The southwest flavor was perhaps a bit bland, but it paired well with the strong taste of the guacamole and the leftover essence of curly fries. My dining partner’s burger was cooked perfectly – juicy and slightly pink in the middle.
But perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the evening came with the delivery of the check. I opened the bi-fold to find that the entire meal, with drinks, an appetizer and two entrees cost a mere $20.
Fischer is a member of the class of 2008.
