First off, thank you all so much for the kind words, the positive energy, and the heartfelt prayers for my dad, MJ and me. I wish I could tell you that my dad's situation has taken a miraculous turn for the better, but the last hospitalization seems to have taken a huge toll on his psyche. We fearfully await how this new chemo will effect my dad. Although it's tough to stay focused on the day-to-day sometimes, verses like Romans 5:3-5 help me forge on - "...but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Going out for a burger doesn't hurt either ;).
Touted as having one of the best burgers in town, Black Sheep Lodge is a neighborhood bar situated on the ever bustling South Lamar. BSL is proud of their product and openly boasts this on one of their windows..."The No. 1 Burger in South Austin." Well now, I couldn't just let this claim stand without trying it for myself. Ok...truth be told, the burger that generates all the buzz is their Black Buffalo Burger (a half pound Angus chuck patty spiked with Frank's buffalo sauce and topped with blue cheese, mixed greens, tomato, onion, and pickles), and maybe it's my pedestrian palate, but I don't do blue cheese. I've tried. It just doesn't sit well with me. However, I thought that their namesake burger would be equally spectacular, so that's what I went with.
The Black Sheep Burger also starts with a half pound Angus patty and comes dressed with mixed greens, tomato, onion, and pickles. As tempting as their made-from-scratch condiments (jalapeño aioli, curry ketchup, chipotle mayo, and beer mustard) sounded, I decided to keep it simple and only added a slice of cheddar cheese and a few squirts of regular ketchup.
So how did the burger measure up? Sorry. No fireworks. It had a surprisingly refined taste for one being served in a bar. I know I shouldn't be so quick to make assumptions, but I was totally expecting a dirty, greasy diner-style burger. This one was clean and filled with quality ingredients. However, when it came to the cornerstone of the burger (the meat patty), the outer charring was nice, but it was incredibly dry. I tried adding more ketchup to no avail. I wanted the juices to flow, for the bun to become saturated in glorious beefy liquid, but it never happened.
Can't believe it happened again...MJ out-ordered me. That beauty you see above seated next to the fluffy, golden tots is the Carnitas Sandwich - slow braised pulled pork and homemade spicy slaw served on a freshly baked whole wheat bun. The sandwich just made sense. Sweet pork, sour slaw, and just a little bit of heat...Tasty (any Candy Crush fans out there?).
Although my burger left a little to be desired, MJ and I had a blast sitting in Black Sheep Lodge's pet-friendly outdoor patio overlooking South Lamar. We were amazed as we watched the KU fans pile in to cheer on their Jayhawks. With an abundance of big screen TVs, a noteworthy selection of beers on tap (as well as bottled), pool & darts, and a congenial waitstaff, it was clear to see why Black Sheep Lodge is such a cool place to hang out and throw back a couple of cold ones, bum some free Wi-Fi, or just do some people watching if that's more your thing.
Katie | Healthy Seasonal REcipes says
Oh boy Min. My heart goes out to you. I guess they call it comfort food for a reason. Lots of hugs coming from me my dear!
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
I'm really sorry things are still so tough with your Dad. I don't think any words are enough, but you are obviously supporting each other and keeping faith in the things that matter to you. Getting burgers in is definitely a good strategy too...especially when they look like these ones.
Hungryman says
Kari, thank you for your kind words. As difficult as this situation has been for me to process, I'm thankful for each extra day I get with my dad. Even when we do nothing but watch Korean dramas, I consider it time well spent.
And I firmly believe there's some sort of emotional healing power in burgers. I may not have the research to back it up, but it works for me :).
Ellie@Fit for the soul says
Hahahaa I love how you transitioned into the burger topic! 😉 But in all seriousness, God bless you guys and your dad with hope, strength, and joy in the midst of this trial. Ahhh....life can be so cruel sometimes, and that's one of the reasons I can't imagine walking through it without the Lord. You know what I mean?
And PS, that carnitas burger sounds amaaazing......totally drooling over here.
Hungryman says
Yeah...not exactly the best segue into my burger review ;). And yes, I know exactly what you mean - Christ is enough. He provides a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Hope life brings you to Austin sometime soon. We'd love to be able to hang out with you and of course take you out for some incredible eats!