THE BLUE OX LYNN MA

It's Saturday night and we find ourselves at The Blue Ox 191 Oxford St Lynn http://www.theblueoxlynn.com/. An upscale casual dining experience and our personal favorite restaurant.

Once again we were joined by the lovely Diane and the equally lovely Steve. As an added treat we brought along my cousins Colleen and Karen who represent the Metro West branch of the family tree.

First and foremost pretty much any night you go to the Blue Ox you need a reservation. On a weekend night it's a must. We were greeted at the door by a smiling staff who remember us as regular patrons and always make us feel welcome. Our table for six was ready and waiting.

A cocktail is always in order and there is no shortage of great flavored beverages. My personal favorite is Gina's Killer Margarita. Karen opted for a beer. When we are dining for a regular dinner entree we usually have a wine from the fine list but tonight was all about the burgers.

Karen ordered the signature  Blue Ox Burgers - two ¼ lb. burgers stuffed with gorgonzola dolce
topped with applewood smoked bacon, tomato, lettuce, grilled lemon & thyme aioli, served with seasoned fries.

Juicy and flavorful, the cheese hits the pallet first and at the same time the juices are running down your hands. Once again Karen being totally unselfish handed her bacon over to her appreciative husband.
The order is split into 2 patties to ensure proper cooking due to the cheese embedded in the beef.

I ordered  the “Sin” Burger - applewood smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, truffle aioli, lettuce, tomato, also with seasoned fries. We all know the old saw "Lynn, Lynn the city of sin...", hence the name.

Well cooked prime beef with an amazing mix of flavors with every bite.

Here's where we have an issue. When we set out to taste burgers we were thinking of old fashioned pub burgers. The Blue Ox takes the burger flavor experience to a whole new level. We may have been mistaken to put this burger in this category. All the meals at The Blue Ox are known for awesome flavors, from delicate to bold everything makes your taste buds throw a party in your mouth. The burgers were too high end to really compete with the average pub burger.

However, the meal on the whole, from apps to desert is an experience not to be missed. Waitstaff is very friendly and attentive and well versed in what they sell, from drinks to food. The manager even sent over six glasses containing a coffee liqueur that the bar staff blended in house for us to try with desert.

We are very lucky to have a good upscale restaurant here in Lynn that rivals those in town Boston.

SPUD'S RESTAURANT SAUGUS MA

This Saturday night found us along the marsh in Saugus at Spud's. http://spudsrestaurant.net/.

Diane and Steve were waiting in the foyer and we arrived at our reservation time of 6:30 PM. This is actually the one of closest places to our home. It is a clean and inviting place with a homey feel. A good size dining area with a bar and more dining tables in the rear with windows facing the marsh. Flat screens too to enjoy a game. It's a local place and seems to cater to an older crowd with a good menu of comfort foods.

The staff was friendly and attentive. We had asked for a table which was a bit small. The booths seemed to offer more room.

The menu has a good selection of dishes and a number of different burger choices. I didn't notice one "appeteasers" choice was "Spudachos".  Hand cut potato slices, fried golden brown and topped with melted cheese, bacon bits and fresh scallions. Thankfully Steve noticed and ordered them. Totally different and totally addictive!

Karen went for the Bacon and Blue Burger.

 She lovingly took the bacon and passed it over to her appreciative husband. The burger was cooked to order and piled high with crumbled Blue Cheese. Served on an untoasted Kaiser roll with lettuce, pickle and tomato. She liked the fact there was no onion as she usually takes it off due to the strong flavor.She felt the burger was good but a lesser quality beef. The Blue cheese was plentiful and lasted till the last bite. However, because it is has a  pungent flavor it started to overtake the taste of the whole burger.

I had the Bacon Cheddar Burger.

Also on a Kaiser roll and served with lettuce, pickle and tomato. Crisp bacon (doubled by the donation made by my beautiful bride) and a good melted cheddar. Cooked to medium rare and juicy. I chose to add a bit of  ketchup and eat the lettuce and tomato on the side.

Overall, a great local spot with home style cooking. From burgers to prime rib. Nightly specials as well and a great staff. We will be back and I'll probably be getting the meatloaf dinner!

ROLLY'S TAVERN ON THE SQUARE LYNN MA

Tonight, along with Diane and Steve, Karen and I went to Rolly's Tavern on the Square. Another local spot in Wyoma Square in Lynn. It's located at 338 Broadway. www.rollystavern.com
It's a clean and bright place and very busy. Mostly a younger crowd fills it newly renovated interior with a large bar side and a dining area. A call ahead insured a reservation and we were brought right to a table. It's a sports bar with plenty of video screens filling the walls. A playoff game was on and it was clear most people were there to watch the game. It was a bit loud (as expected) and conversation at times was strained.  The dining area was full but the server was attentive and friendly.

We all decided on burgers and the menu listed more than a half dozen choices. All at the $10 and less price.

Karen ordered the Blue Cheese Burger. A seeded toasted bun with an 8oz chargrilled Angus beef patty. The Maytag blue cheese was either sliced or melted down. It was almost tasteless. The burger was well cooked however the roll was somewhat overdone and dry. Lettuce, tomato and onion came with it and Karen chose to remove the onion.

I had the Rolly's Burger. A 8oz Chargrilled Angus beef patty on a seeded toasted bun. I added bacon and cheese. Burger was cooked to order (Med Rare) but not very juicy. Roll was also dry. Bacon was crisp and,well, there is not much you can say about bacon. For me it's always good.

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Over all the meal was good but not great. Service was great and ambiance was upbeat.

We agreed when we return we will try some of the other entrees from a pretty extensive menu for a local spot.

LAZY DOG SPORTS BAR LYNN, MA

The first stop on the January Burger Crawl was in Wyoma Square in Lynn. The Lazy Dog Sports Bar at 328 Broadway. www.lazydogoflynn.com

It was a cold night and parking was scarce but upon entering the door and through the curtian we were greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere. We were accompanied by my sister Diane and her husband Steve. We had to wait for a table to open up because the place was full. Even seats at the bar were all taken. After only a few minutes the server came over and led the four of us to a table of 8 saying they didn't want us to wait any longer which was a nice gesture to some newcomers.

After some beverages and appetizers we got down to the burgers!

There was only one type of burger on the menu but you can add to it for a small charge.
It's called the "Lazy Dog Burger". A 9oz charbroiled beef pattie on a toasted soft bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. And under $10.

I opted to add cheese and bacon.

The beef was cooked perfectly and was thick and juicy. It had plenty of cheese and a good portion of crispy bacon. I didn't add any other condiments and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was filling and I actually left some of the fries on my plate.

Karen had the same but wanted Blue Cheese.

 They didn't have any crumbled Blue Cheese to cook with the burger but she got a side of thick Blue Cheese Dressing  and used it to improvise. She was happy with the taste and generous portion size. It paired well with the cold Sam Adams Seasonal  served on tap.

Overall, a warm and friendly place where the locals go for good food and drink. A big draw are the multiple screens for sporting events and Keno. The staff was very accomodating and friendly. Delivery of the meal was quick and hot.

We will be back as they are known for great steak tips and that would be a good item for a future months fare.

LET'S GET STARTED!

Karen and I decided to blog about our adventures in dining. We love all kinds of foods from burgers to filet mignon.
We are currently working on a monthly theme and using our Saturday meals to explore new tastes and old friends.
This month (January 2013) we are going to try 4 different burgers from 4 different spots local to our home in West Lynn, MA.
 Karen will be trying Blue Cheese burgers and I will try Bacon Cheese burgers.
As much as we enjoy travelling to great places and sampling great food, we love to be able to frequent local places to keep our local economy strong.

So......lets get started!

DISCLAIMER:
This blog is only the opinion of the writer. We receive no compensation for any opinions expressed in the blog. If the opinions are good or bad they are strictly our own.