Poole's retap or Scoring in the Back Bar

Retap at Poole's I was so good the first time I had to hit it again. I took a buddy with me just like last time. We tried to get in the front door, but were blocked and told we needed to go for the back door. We both nodded, slightly confused, but eager to score, we followed directions. Once around back we got what we wanted. I have to say it wasn't as good this time. My buddy enjoyed it, but he is on a cold streak and just happy to get anything. I am better fed, so I can be fussy. I think I enjoy it more on the front side. It is warmer and a little bit friendlier. Some people like it to be cold and difficult to find, but me I like it easy... The Back Bar is just what it sounds like a bar on the back side of Poole's. It has a seperate entrance, a different atmosphere, but the same menu. Anything you can get at Poole's you can get at the back bar. I like the home town bar feel of Poole's. It is just the way I want a bar to be. Raucous, busy, full of TV's and people. The burger was different this time and I just can't put my finger on why. Maybe it is because last time I got a three cheese cheeseburger, I dont know. The meat didnt seem to have the seasoning that it did last time. Still an excellent burger, but only 3 out of 5 this time. It was a little under done. That might be it. I also went back to Mason's. Nothing to add. Great burger in a simple place. I went aroun 4:00pm and was the only person in the bar. Seems like there isn't more than 3-4 tables busy any time that I have been there. It must be full of after work drinkers to keep the place open. It is fairly close to an industrial section, maybe it is hopping at lunch too... I desperately need a burger place in the Canton or Belleville area. I am there often and have had no luck with burgers. Please don't say Culver's. Give me some ideas. I have about a dozen places to try on the East side, thanks

Whahappened?

Quick update. Woodstock has gone out of business.

Box Bar - Plymouth

I joined friends for some rowdy conversation and a burger at "the Box" last night. Enjoyed the friends more than the burger. It looked great. Nice looking homemade bun, a perfect slice of onion, but the burger is a perfect circle. Wait, is that a good thing? It is cooked right, nice and juicy...Oh wait, no juice. None. It is full of long grains of meat and no juice. It might have been made from fresh meat at one time, but it wasn't today. Bummer. Nice bar, great beer list, the wait staff put up with my friends and I. Heck, she may have been laughing with us, not at us, but the burger was a dud. If you have to eat it, load up with toppings, chew fast and drink one of the great beers they have on tap. Better yet, head down to Northville to Poole's, they make 'em fresh every day.

Wheat and Rye and Bigg Burger

Tried a couple of new places this week. Wheat and Rye in Romulus and Bigg Burger in Livonia.

The Wheat and Rye is a bar near the airport in Romulus. Nice bar. Good menu with lots of specials. We got there for lunch and they have a half pound burger for $3.25 if you purchase a beverage. I was good. I had a Coke. There were conferences that night. Anyhoo... Nice fat burger on a large bun. Very flavorfull beef flavor, no spices detected. Like way too many bars, though it had a slice of crappy cooking onion, which killed my taste buds on the first bite. I got past it but it was by far the overpowering flavor. It would be a good bar to hand out in. Lots of screens good service. I will try the burger again. It was above average and worth a try.

Bigg Burger is a new fast food joint on the bend of Five Guys or Fatburger, in that it has a simple menu with fries, burgers and shakes. They cook it as you order, so you wait a bit, which is good. Their fries have skins on the end, are cut thinner than Five guys and are salty. I didn't check, but I would guess it was peanut oil. They offer a lot more free toppings. The usual condiments plus a blue cheese mayo and a garlic herb mayo. Fresh veggies galore including; tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts. Grilled onions, grilled mushrooms and more. There was an extra charge for bacon and guacamole. A single cost about $3.25 and was probably about a quarter of a pound patty. It was $5.89 for a single burger with cheese, a small fry and a regular soda. Good and juicy. I will try a double next time as the temptation to put a hundred different toppings on is strong, because they are all free! Very comparable to Five Guys, I liked it better than Fatburger. Nice, fresh toppings nice flavor on the burger. Some seasonings, but really overwhelmed by the relish, mayo, tomatoes and onions I put on mine. next time I will get a double to have more of the burger taste. I would put the fries a close second to Five Guys. Really nice flavor. I didn't eat mine until I got home and they should have been terrible, but they still tasted pretty good. I will definitely be back.

Remembering Sparky

Sparky Anderson lived my boyhood dream. His career was baseball. He surrounded himself with friends, and he just had a joy about himself that I am envious of.

Quick story(obvious lie). I lived in Florida from 1993-1999. From 93-96 I had a job that allowed me to sneak over to practices at Joker Marchant in Lakeland. I used to put my quarter in that egg-yolk yellow box get my Free Press, park my carcass amongst the Detroit retirees and just breathe baseball. I loved it. I went in one day and decided to sit behind home plate. I was enjoying Trixie's(Dick Tracewski) banter as he harasses the half asleep infielders into taking some ground balls, when up pops that white hair right in front of me. He starts talking to me about "the boys" and says "Hey, little feller" to a boy who has walked up to see the field up close. Sparky then says it was nice talking to me, winks, points over the boys shoulder and then drops a ball at the boys feet and tells him to get it quick. I am not sure who had the bigger smile, the boy, me or Sparky. That's what made him great. He enjoyed that moment as much as I did, maybe more. I need to find that joy. We all do.

Mr. Joe's Reopening

My buddy John invited me to see the U of M vs. Notre Dame game at Mr. Joe's. I hadn't been there since they had reopened. My first thought was, "Wow, if I brought my wife into Joe's now she wouldn't try to run away when she saw the inside." They cleaned off years of smoke and grime put in a new floor, some more big screens and built a step up section so that you can see a little better. The best news is that they haven't changed the burger. They are more food, but swear there will be no change in the burger. The pickle jar is gone from the table, though.

New link

A quick story about the Lindell AC for those who not lucky enough to visit before it was torn down for a bus terminal.