I’ve just sat down at Barefoot Bernie’s Bar and Grille in Hagerstown, Maryland. This place is pretty cool for a hotel bar. They put the Ottawa/Pittsburgh game on for us, which is cool. Speaking of hockey, Cale and I were just chatting about who the hell to cheer for now that both the Canucks and Leafs are out. Gotta back Ottawa because their Canadian and Anderson is on fire. Although its stupid (cause they’re down 2-zip) I think I’m feeling the Rangers too.
Onto the burger. We all just ordered the “loathing burger” inspired by Hunter S Thompson. They’re pairing it with a local brew: Flying Dogs – Gonzo Imperial Porter although I opted for the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.
Burger arrives. Pretty awesome presentation. Mine is falling over which I love. You can tell the patty is hand made with its jagged edges. There’s an onion ring on it, mushrooms, lettuce and tomato which I set aside after the first bite. (Had to give it one shot with the toppings). The applewood smoked Gouda is surprisingly good. The burger meat itself is very tasty and thick. I ordered medium rare, but it comes med to medium well. I’m actually surprised again at how good it is while being over cooked. The bun is the one aspect that really disappoints on this burger. As many of you know, I can go on and on about the importance of the bun, so I’ll save you that rant.
Although its brioche, which I like, it’s overly sweet and flavorful, almost like corn bread. It’s also yellow and cakey on the inside. This totally detracts from the experience and steers away from the quality of the beef. New bun, more cheese, cooked med rare, this could be a contender.
The IPA was quite good. Had a really nice bite, but still refreshing with this meal. The staff we’re great and the place was welcoming. If they master their bun I’ll be back.
The Barefoot Bernie burger gets 3 beers out of 5.
