Gourmet Comfort Food @ Burger Bar and Bistro
This post on Burger Bar and Bistro ran as our first review in June 09. We've received several recent requests for a write up on this burger-licious venue, so we decided to re-run it in case you missed it the first time around. Since June, they have done a huge renovation with additional seating and an expanded bar. They have also added thin crust pizza to their repertoire to round out their perfect pre-movie menu. Seriously folks...it's a darn good burger. Read on...
Looking for a good pre-theater eating spot, we decided to try the reputed master of comfort food, Burger Bar and Bistro in South Norwalk. We were a large group, including six children, so we opted for the spacious outdoor seating. We grabbed the menus from buckets placed mid table, and I watched as my husband and every child old enough to read grinned with delight.
The menu is a burger lovers dream... organic hamburgers boast toppings like cilantro pesto, guacamole, goat cheese, smoked bacon, and truffle essence, while the hot dog lover can enjoy a free range frank, turkey, or corn dog. An extra $7 will upgrade you to a Kobe burger, and the beer menu had a nice variety of hoppy, domestic and Belgian choices along with the classic Pabst Blue Ribbon.
We opted for the Disco Fries to start, with warm Brie and white truffle oil. They were thin and salty, and the sweet potato fries were no slouch either. My husband’s irresponsibly delicious burger arrived in all it’s decadent beauty with a fried egg, spicy Mexican ketchup, bacon, and fries. By this I mean fries between the buns, not on the side, and did I mention the height? The bread was white, fluffy, and tasted freshly baked.
One of our friends was starting the South Beach diet, so he ordered a Cobb Salad that came with perfectly grilled chicken and a light creamy dressing. Not being a huge beef fan, I ordered the vegetarian burger, and while I’ve had many a mediocre veggie burger, this one has a wonderful crisp exterior with whole pieces of edamame and peas in a moist, pleasing patty. I could have eaten two of them.
All of the kids' items come in crowd pleasing white boxes jammed with French fries, and the homemade Mac and Cheese was available with peas and ham. My eight year old gave it two thumbs up. The squeeze bottle condiments added to the kitsch, as well as the Connect Four games handed out to occupy the group while we waited for our food. And we DID wait for our food. The service was leisurely, but definitely worth the wait.
Burger Bar and Bistro 58 North Main Street, South Norwalk, 203-853-2037
Norwalk, comfort food, kid friendly
Reader Comments (7)
I'd suggest that if you want to attempt this burger for lunch, skip breakfast. And don't plan a lot of strenuous activity for the afternoon. A nap is the perfect dessert for this dish.
Great review! We concur the food was delish and the company equally as pleasing!!
Organic burgers? Just found the menu online and it sure does say that. Please tell me where they get their meat from. Is it local?
This is one of my favorite burger spots too....and a fab location for dinner and a movie right next door! My recollection is that the beef was organic as well......
We used to eat here often but the service and the quantity of the food seems to have wavered with the expansion. Disco fries used to be a huge portion, easily split between two or three. Not so anymore. When Dana, the owner, was around often, the dining experience was better. Now the atmosphere seems to favor a younger, drinking crowd.
I love the burgers there, they are great. My one complaint is if you are planning on going to a movie you'd better get to Burger Bar 2 hours before. The service there is very slow. It's a hamburger! You should be able to order, eat, get to a movie in under an hour.
I found myself in the area yesterday and decided to stop for a bacon-cheeseburger and onion rings. I really liked the burger. It had a good flavor, perfectly cooked to the MR I asked for and the bacon was also tasty. The cheese was a non-event and the roll held it all together but did not move the needle at all, pretty bland. The onion rings were lacking in my opinion. The crust was so thick and crunchy that you could not taste the onions, it was like eating fried dough, just not to my liking. Looks like the fries are the way to go vs. the rings.