So what happens to those cranky kids who whine until mom agrees to drive through McDonalds for a Happy Meal of a burger and fries? Earlier incarnations of those whiny kids in Kansas City might have pleaded for burgers at Winstead’s original restaurant on the Plaza, or maybe even Wimpy’s on Troost. The kids grow up, eventually. And, though they later find themselves saddled with problems that loom far larger than the ones that plagued their collective youth, they still crave those burgers. Enter BRGR (4038 W. 83rd, Prairie Village), and other such establishments, that have found a way to harness the iconic burger for those of us who have grown up. Gotten older, anyway.
BRGR’s décor is well-suited to the sophisticated comfort food that the restaurant serves. The place is wide open and bustling with activity — including the kitchen at the back. Upon entering, the main dining area is to the right and to the left is a smaller cove with tables for dining amid the bar area. It can get loud and busy in here, even during a weekday night — an utter blessing for those with kids roughly 6 and under. Most of the waitstaff is dressed whimsically in a sort of auto mechanic garb, with the “brgr” where a mechanic’s name would be emblazoned. This is somehow charming, and in no way detracts from BRGR’s serious approach to food. There is precedent for this, in town. Oklahoma Joe’s serves fine barbecue from a kitchen that literally shares building space with a gas station.
A number of local spots — chains and otherwise — try to do this upscale burger thing. BRGR is one of the more complete restaurants of this sort. Having previously sampled burgers from the menu’s extensive selection, we vowed during one visit to check out some of the less “obvious” offerings Appetizer fare is solid. We sampled the Fired-Up Chicken Wings ($8), a plate of five full wings seasoned with a flavorful (though not spicy) dry rub, and a Cajun butter. It’s hard to find the full wing, these days; most places opt for those sadly diminutive “drummies.” These were a little smaller than the freakishly large, locally famous version served at the Peanut, but still good-sized, and crispy outside and moist inside. We also opted for Fried Little Asparagus ($8). It turned out that there was nothing “little” about these generous spears of asparagus, served in a crispy and lightly seasoned batter that allowed the fresh taste of the asparagus to prevail. I confess to shaking just a bit of salt on the fried spears, which were perfectly cooked — not overdone and mushy like some versions served as sides at many restaurants that seem like they were dumped from a can.
One can’t miss non-burger option at BRGR is the Wedge (Salad) ($2.50, $8) (can be ordered sans bacon). It was the best version of this steakhouse salad classic that I have had, anywhere. Atop a dense, crunchy iceberg wedge, were tomatoes, superb blue cheese dressing with a wealth of blue cheese chunks, a drizzle of olive oil and (oddly) walnuts, which themselves seemed to put this salad into another stratosphere. Why haven’t other places thought to throw on some walnuts? Such a simple touch.
Sandwich options abound outside of the traditional burger realm. One friend sampled the Portobella Mushroom ($8) (from the described “Not-So-Burgers” section). This sandwich of marinated, grilled and flavorful Portobello mushrooms was on tasty, buttered ciabatta slathered with a light herb spread and watercress salad. Another dining companion had never tried Kobe beef, and wanted to see how it compared with the American burger she had eaten her whole life. Kobe beef comes from cattle fed a special diet, pampered and raised in Kobe, Japan. She ordered the Kobe Beef Sliders ($10), three thick sliders served on truffle brioche buns with oven-dried tomatoes, onions, provolone and “special sauce” (tasting prominently of BRGR’s house-made ketchup, a rich condiment that had a slightly smoky flavor — though kids and select adults who eat here may request the more mundane and familiar Heinz version). Our companion wanted to order the sliders “well-done,” which our waitress wisely advised against. Though they compromised on “medium-well,” the sliders arrived in the ballpark of medium rare to medium. Candidly, it seemed wrong to cook the superior Kobe beef anywhere beyond that. This same waitress exhibited solid menu knowledge, paced the meal well, and was sweet and patient with our kids — even when our tired 2-year-old napped all through one dinner with his little head on the rustic table.
At the end of the day, though, this is a burger joint — albeit a rather fancy one. BRGR serves half-pound burgers of Certified Angus Beef, ground fresh daily. On one visit, I had the Out-N-In Burger ($8), stuffed inside with fontina cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions, topped with the same “special sauce” served atop the Kobe sliders. These are quality burgers. “Grown up” burgers. I ordered mine medium, and it was just slightly charred on the outside, and had a little bit of pink on the inside. Another good “stuffed” burger, aptly listed within a section of “historical burgers,” was the Jucy Lucy ($8), mixed with Worcestershire sauce and stuffed with American cheese, on a Kaiser bun This rendition emanates from a burger battle that has its roots on one street in South Minneapolis where two different bars claim to have invented the sandwich — of distinction for putting the cheese within instead of atop the burger. Any burger on the BRGR menu can be upgraded to a bison or Kobe burger for $2. A fried egg can be added for a buck. An over-easy fried egg enhances many burger options, and just about anything else, for that matter.
Bag chips will commonly do for an outdoor cookout or barbecue, but not at a place like BRGR; nor would basic, run-of-the-mill fries suffice — although they exist, here. BRGR Fries ($2.50), were perfectly fine and crispy — maybe slightly thicker than McDonald’s fries — and will be satisfactory for kids (and most adults). But three other side options were noteworthy. My favorite was the Truffle Tater Tots ($4), a gourmet version of this treat that may obliterate one’s ability to eat these from the freezer at home ever again. Sweet Potato Fries ($2.50) were dusted lightly with sugar, cooked to a crispy finish, and could almost be eaten for dessert. The Onion Rings ($4.50) were large, thick-sliced onions with a crunchy, well-seasoned batter. A good approach is The Combo ($7), which affords the opportunity to sample three different options from the “Fries, Rings and Tots” section.
During our last visit to BRGR, I was struck by the diverse clientele that filled the place: two young professionals in business suits, six middle aged men attired in nostalgic collegiate motif, a family with two children under 5 — perched atop high chairs and slurping milk, and dipping fries in the ketchup that had surely not been made in-house. BRGR is about reaching across generational lines on the basis of the comfortable food on which we can all agree. Burgers. Fries.
And all that other stuff.
Food:♦♦♦ ½
Atmosphere: ♦♦♦ ½
Service: ♦♦♦½
Out of four stars
