The Beetle Review

The Beetle Bar and Grill, 2532 West Chicago Avenue Bujdoso

1

The Beetle Bar and Grill Review

by Allyssa Bujdoso Saturday at 6 p.m. is the perfect time to cozy into a table at the Beetle in Ukrainian Village. The exposed brick and hardwood floors add warmth to the dining area, despite its proximity to windows with views of charmingly gritty Chicago Avenue. Bathed in the glow of streetlights, your dining experience takes on a tinge of noir and feels vaguely familiar in a comforting sense.

From the moment you enter, you’ll feel right at home.

The menu is dense, with sparse decorations and virtually no embellishments, so the newspaperlike columns describing the food take a back seat to taking in the enticing ambiance of the place.

While the beer selection is seemingly sprawling, appearances can be deceiving. For all the listings of bottle and draft, domestic crafts and imported crafts alike, many were out of stock, which does nothing for business in the middle of the weekend. After I struck out on the Founder’s Reds Rye, and then the Breckinridge Autumn Ale, as well as the Great Lakes Oktoberfest – all of which were clearly listed without annotation or mention of shortages — our server suggested I try the Shiner Oktoberfest.

The beer was adequate but not spectacular. The “caramel malts” noted on the menu and bottle were so subtle I wondered if they were there at all. Was that caramel-y? I came away with a sense that I should have steered clear of what the bar was most likely trying to get rid of, since Christmas season is upon us.

Cheese curds seemed to be a favorite amongst fellow diners, but I was a first-timer when trying them. While waiting on their beer-battered arrival, I pondered the difference between cheese curds and mozzarella sticks. But once they arrived accompanied by a side of chipotle mayo and I

2 2 tried my first curd, that all changed! The beer batter was just a light enough breading to add the perfect amount of crunch, without leaving your mouth full of dusty crumbs. It blended perfectly with the Wisconsin white cheddar curds while melting in your mouth, with a slight spicy kick from the chipotle mayo. The savory and spicy mixed together were enough to leave us contemplating a second order while waiting on our main course.

After the beer debacle, something simple seemed the best choice for the meal. I went with “the Trucker,” a burger on a gourmet bun with waffle fries and of course a pickle. This was no easy choice, because each burger has its own persona and attitude. “The Trucker” is topped with smoked bacon, a fried egg, and aged cheddar cheese. When it arrived, the presentation was excellent, the fries looked neat, and even the bun-to-burger ratio was perfect. There was no excess of burger competing with a mismatched bun size, no toppings spilling off, and it smelled like the arch nemesis of a hangover, smoky and sweet all at once. It was a smell of substance that made your mouth clench with anticipation of the first bite, while you rushed to get your hands around the whole thing.

“The Trucker” was what every hamburger should be like. The bread wasn’t too sweet or covered in grease, making it soggy. The burger was cooked to a proper temperature of medium, not too pink as to be off-putting. With the bacon, cheese, and egg (yolk and all) compliment each other in a balance of strong and delicate notes that register even on a smoker’s palate.

Despite the beer problem, this was an excellent meal with decent service. The soundtrack, culled from indie and cult movies, added to the dining experience, but wasn’t so loud that it was intrusive or inhibited conversation. This is important because the Beetle is a bar and grill, and it was nice not having to compete with the din of the bar while chatting in between chews.

The Beetle Bar and Grill, 2532 West Chicago Avenue Bujdoso

3