Jar

Deciding on a restaurant for a special occasion can be a difficult process. What reviews do you trust? How do you accommodate everyone that will be attending the dinner? The list goes on of different issues to address when picking a place where you hope lasting memories will be made. For my birthday I decided on Jar as the memory-maker. Unfortunately, the only memory I made was not to come back.

Jar does a lot of things right. The staff is very welcoming and accommodating; our server had been there for quite a while and directed us through the menu like a pro. The décor of Jar has been considered by many to be a modern take on 1960’s cool, a la Mad Men, and it lived up to the billing.

Comfortably cushioned chairs on rollers, the soft lighting, and the lack of exciting flavors in each plate tempts one to take a nap in between courses, why not the whole meal. I don’t mean to be so cynical; Jar does offer delectable treats like their pudding dessert but once our server informed us of what Jar stands for, Just Another Restaurant, I realized that the place definitely lives up to its name. For someone who has been to a number of great steakhouses and feels they know a thing or two of how a steak should be prepared and cooked, the Kansas City Steak was a huge disappointment for me. Undercooked and lacking proper flavor, it tasted like just another steak. The lamb shank was decent but not memorable, again not much flavor. I can’t actually remember what other entrées we had. Picking up on a theme? Boring and forgettable, that’s what you’ll find at Just Another Restaurant.

I enjoy going out to fine restaurants. They truly are a treat and not something I get to do everyday. That being said, I expect greatness. I expect such a magical experience that I dream of the next time I will get an opportunity to return to that restaurant. Unfortunately Jar is not one of those restaurants. Live and learn they say, and I was reminded of a valuable lesson (among others) on my birthday; looks can be deceiving.

- Jesse

Wurstküche

Leave your hankerchiefs at home. This is a different kind of sausage fest.

Located in a growing section of downtown, Wurstküche could be taken as a wurst enthusiast’s dream or nightmare. A self-labeled wurst enthusiast myself, I was curious to see how their traditional bratwurst measured up and whether their specialty items added anything new. As I approached the ominous entrance of massive brick wall and sliding wood panels, fear immediately enveloped me. Was I entering a restaurant or traveling back in time to a 1980s Lower Manhattan meatpacking sex club? I swear I saw Al Pacino cruisin’ by. The front room's architecture is quite cold, unwelcoming, and claustrophobic.


Ein Bitburger, Bitte!

My saving grace as I grumbled through the cramped ordering area was the sight of juicy wursts on the grill and beer taps behind the counter. The beer selection here is quite extensive and favors Belgian varieties. As the warm and welcoming bartender handed me my Bitburger with a twinkle in his eye, I threw back a few sips of the cold brew, and my foul mood soon began to melt. This 21st century take on a Bavarian beer garden was beginning to grow on me and I hadn’t even taken a bite of anything. It is amazing what good beer and service can do for your psyche.

Further down the dark dungeon hallway in search of a seat, I was surprised to discover an open room that looked straight out of Bruegel’s The Peasant Wedding. I opted to eat outside on the charming patio, spacious enough for one to relax and enjoy the late afternoon breeze.


Communal tables, my kind of place.


And there's a bar!


The charming patio.

Once the food came I quickly realized what all the fuss was about this place. Though the alligator wurst was dry, overly spicy and a bit of a disappointment, the bratwurst and Belgian fries more than made up for it. Wurstkuche definitely nailed the traditional brat. It may have been the best of my life. My apologies to my aunt back in Wisconsin and her beer-soaked brats. The Belgian fries gave you everything you could ask for, not too crispy, not too soft, and the ketchup and mustard relieved the dipping sauces of their duties. Certain novel ideas may be better served as just ideas.



Alligator & Pork, Smoked Andouille Sausage
w/Sauerkraut and Spicy Peppers


The Classic Bratwurst
w/Carmelized Onions and Sweet Peppers

The Belgian Fries
w/Thai Peanut and Chipotle Aioli sauces

That is Wurstküche in a bun, new meets old. It tries to satisfy all tastes on the spectrum but it may be better off catering to its strengths.

- Jesse