VegasChatter

The soft open menu didn’t list any of their famous shakes we’ve heard so much about but after asking we were told Blueberry Panshake, Coffee Bean, Chocolate, and Vanilla were available. Our bartender Daisy Lee (more on her later) highly recommended the Blueberry Panshake which we jumped on only to find out there was a temporary shortage of pancakes. Yes, real pancakes are a main ingredient in the shake. We let it slide since it wasn’t on the menu anyhow and "soft opening" remember?

Not wanting a shake without the ‘cake, Daisy then recommended the Bloody Mary ($12). We aren’t really fans so we started to pass until we got a look at our neighbor’s drink which looked hella good. She explained how most everything is organic, made in house and the tomato paste taste is minimal. We tried it. Twice. Check it:

That’s real bacon swimming in our Bloody Mary. The drink brings some serious heat so if you don’t luv spicy, this drink’s not for you. The heat (and extra vodka – thanks Dais’) brought the tomato taste level down to our liking. Getting us Bloody haters to order two – that’s a solid drink.

The hostess had pointed out the Mac & Cheese Nom Noms appetizer ($5) when we were seated and since we luvs m&c we just had to try those. The (two) bite size bits are elbow macaroni, panko, and artisanal cheeses in a fried shell. These bad boys blew away the fried mac and cheese we last had at Johnny Smalls. The macaroni was perfectly cooked and the cheese was neither too hard or oozy.

The soft menu offered three burgers: an angus, a bacon, and a turkey burger. We opted for the Standard: Ground angus, beefsteak tomato, and red onion on a brioche style bun ($9). After being overwhelmed by the number of cheese choices, we ponied up an extra buck for Block Cheddar.

Before ours arrived, those Bloody Mary neighbors bit into their i♥bacon burger, which we wanted to dive head first into, and proclaimed “that makes you wanna slap your mama!” We interpreted that as a rave review given that a fine burger can make you do crazy things. We otherwise don’t condone slapping your mama.

That burger was top to bottom fantastic. From first bite, the bun was soft and fresh, the lettuce and onions cold and crispy. Then we bit into a hot, juicy patty that gave us flashbacks to the perfect backyard burger myth we’ve always tried to perfect but never, ever came close to. This is a patty that if we could somehow serve at home would have our buddies gather round the grill asking what the secret seasoning was. Did we flip or flop? Is that cheese imported from a secret island?

Our only (minor) complaint was that the patty was so juicy, it soaked the bottom bun which then tore apart prematurely creating a bit of a mess. But it’s a burger after all, not a tea and crumpet affair in our Sunday best. We dealt.

The restaurant was pretty happening for having only just opened. We estimated 25 customers buzzing around the room which has some leather booths, a few dining tables, but mostly bar stool height table seating as well as plenty of seats at the full bar which will have five flat screen TVs. Pretty much the entire staff from the bartenders, managers, chef, and busboys checked in on us to insure our meal was up to snuff and mention their favorites from the fry menu (mozzarella fries).

Daisy Lee was of course our favorite. First of all the name combines two of our favorite Hazzard characters but her sports know how based on Xbox skills had at us at X. If she’d challenged us to a game of Madden 11, we might’ve just fallen off our bar stool. Great meat (the burger, people, the burger) plus great service equals dudes are gonna love.

Granted it was the first day of school so everyone was excited about their spiffy, new clothes, but if the staff keeps up the friendly, the kitchen continues to pump out quality, and the pancake batter is re-stocked, we’re gonna luv burgers long time.

Just so you know: When we walked in, we were told the limited menu was half off but at the end of my meal, we were told it was free (as was everyone else's). We only had to pay for our second bar drink but we assure you, no one knew we were from VegasChatter and it was a complete coincidence we walked through there right as it opened. Honest.