Tashmoo: Burgers and Beer ... Are Good Here

This week's restaurant review a no-brainer after this week's cocktail review.

Following , several commenters criticized the piece for reviewing a drink in a place not known for that drink. While I am not looking to take sides on that argument (though, I think if a drink is offered, it should be good regardless of whether or not that is a place's specialty), I took to heart Bobrow's comment on the DeHart Street restaurant's burgers, specifically that they are good. We aimed to see if he was correct.

As Bobrow said, is a handsome place. Wood facades, a narrow, cozy dining area, relaxed atmosphere with a kitschy painting of a horse admiring a celestial "Michelob" bottle cap floating in space hanging above our small table in this spiritual sibling of and (they're all owned by the same people)

The menu was limited but had everything expected from a bar: chicken sandwiches (which, for Thursday, were being offered with a side of choice for $6), wraps, even a few entrees like Chicken Francaise. But, we were there for burgers. Several choices included the California burger, which comes with a side of mashed avocado, and the "Design Your Own Tashmoo Burger," which comes with an unlimited amount of anything you want, for $9. I asked our waitress what that included, to which she mentioned "bacon, sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, cheese" and so on. That's a good deal.

Being carb-conscious, my friend ordered the California Burger without a bun and with a side salad instead of the usual fries. I designed myself a medium-cooked burger with sauteed onions, mushrooms and swiss cheese. And, oh fine, I got a side salad, too.

I would have missed the toasted kaiser roll my burger came on, as it was the perfect complement to the juicy 10 oz. patty of beef, which tasted like it had been cooked at a backyard barbecue. The onions are flavorful and plentiful, the mushrooms fine (though obviously from a can). The thick slice of tomato was useless–pale, flavorless and the consistency of a slice of apple. The salad was a typical side salad, better than many, but not the best. My friend had to scrape off a sea of raw onions from hers, though I did not mind it as much.

So, has our pleasing, simple dinner changed the opinion about Tashmoo? No, but it has enhanced it. Sometimes, I, too love a good Bloody Mary, and it's a shame to know I won't be getting that here anytime soon. But, I also enjoy a cold glass of Stella Artois ($3.50 during Happy Hour on Thursdays), too. And, with a hearty burger, I'm a happy diner.