WHERE BURGER/BREW COMBO QUALIFY AS HOUSE SPECIAL.Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic They call the house hamburger here the Country Club burger, subtitled ``The Mother of All Hamburgers.'' Ironically, this restaurant, now called Country Club Brewery and Restaurant, used to be the Northridge location of Hamburger Hamlet, and this giant burger ($7.25), well over a half-pound of juicy ground chuck, is probably the best item on the menu. I probably like it because it has bacon and avocado stuffed in there along with grilled onions. And this 10-ounce hunk of beef patty is further enhanced by sliced tomato, double Cheddar cheese, mayo and lettuce. Add a hefty portion of thick fries and a couple of slices of fresh pineapple on the plate and you have a worthy burger meal. Of course the notion that beer is brewed here - that's what it says on the menu - steers you to choosing one of the house brews as an accompanying beverage. I picked the rich, dark Stoney ston·ey adj. Variant of stony. Mountain stout (glass, $3.25), which worked well. But if you have indecision, there's the option of a sampler of four ($6.25) which may have a delicious pumpkin ale (topped with whipped cream) or an apricot-flavored brew, also a pale ale and a wheat beer. Sometimes there's an amber house brew called Red Madness available. As for the remainder of the food served here, it runs from mediocre to average. The Texas Boat ($7.95), one of the promising-sounding stuffed potato boat items, this with tri-tip, mushrooms and a cabernet sauce, arrives as a disappointing mish-mash of burnt meat, slippery institutional mushrooms and a potato that might have been in the oven too long. Ahi tuna in sandwich form ($8.50), listed as rare on the menu, and served on something called focaccia that would make any true Italian wince, plus the brave idea of pairing this with pepper jack cheese Pepper jack cheese is a derivative of Monterey Jack that combines spicy hot peppers for a zesty flavor. Spicy, delicate and buttery, pepper jack cheese is semi-soft and open textured with a slightly tart flavor. Pepper jack cheese can complement most meat, especially beef. , is a rather dry, overcooked disaster. Mediterranean chicken ($10.95) reads alluringly on the menu as an olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. and balsamic-marinated breast flavored with roasted garlic and fresh herbs then topped with sauteed mushrooms and spinach. Returned one evening as inedible, it came back hardly improved and was left largely uneaten. The blooming onion A blooming onion or onion blossom is a food dish consisting of one large fried vidalia onion which is cut to resemble a flower. It is served as an appetizer at several restaurants, such as the chain Outback Steakhouse. ($4.95), though not as good as Outback's, is here a bloomin' marvel, compared to other items. Soups, for example, are institutional in looks and taste, sort of industrial cafeteria quality. So what's good? Well it's a pretty big menu and there may be a dish or two that could leave better impressions but haven't been tried, but of those that have, the tri-tip sandwich ($7.95) on a garlic cheese roll with the meat sliced thin and thankfully not left too long on the fire, is at least passable pass·a·ble adj. 1. That can be passed, traversed, or crossed; navigable: a passable road. 2. Acceptable for general circulation: passable currency. 3. . And beer-battered shrimp ($12.95) presents decent crunch and a couple of dipping sauces to add flavor. A simple steak, a New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of stripper Stripper Slang for an individual homeowner who strips the equity out of his or her home through mortgage refinancing. Proceeds are generally not re-invested, but spent on consumer goods. Notes: Most people get rich by saving and investing wisely. ($13.95) promised as juicy and well marbled mar·bled adj. 1. Made of or covered with marble: a marbled façade. 2. Having a mix of fat and lean: a well-marbled beef roast. Adj. 1. , may live up to those promises, but won't have any steak fanciers tearing down the house. Forget the desserts unless you're a candy freak. Snickers
Snickers is a sweet bar made by Mars, Incorporated. and Oreo cake wedges are among those showcased on a tray of samples that's supposed to make your mouth water. But it's fairly late at night and the samples don't look that great anymore, if they ever did. Anyway, what would you expect in a sprawling, free-standing, coffee shop-looking place? But give them the benefit of the doubt, with the thought that maybe the served dessert version will be better. Sorry. Even the Reese's peanut butter cake A butter cake is a cake in which one of the main ingredients is butter. These cakes are considered one of the quintessential cakes in American baking. They find their origins in the English pound cake, which traditionally used equal parts of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs to ($3.95) comes up tired and stiff. At Country Club, it seems that it would be wise and safe to stick with a burger and a house brew for now. THE FACTS The restaurant: Country Club Brewery and Restaurant. Where: 19530 Nordhoff St., Northridge. When: Open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, for dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Recommended items: Country Club burger, sampler of brews. Children's menu: Four items with fries (grilled cheese sandwich A grilled cheese sandwich, (also known as cheese toasty or toasted cheese sandwich) is a form of toasted sandwich that consists of two slices of bread and at least one slice of cheese melted in between. , chicken fingers, cheeseburger or corn dog corn dog n. A frankfurter that is encased in corn bread batter before being baked or fried, usually served on a stick. ) at $2.95 each. Tomato and cheese pizza ($3.95) and sundae ($1.95) are also available. All served with a soft drink. How much: All starters, salads, sandwiches, pastas, potato boats and pizzas under $10 each, entrees from $10 to $15, desserts $4. Full bar. All major credit cards. Wine list: Tiny, seven-label list of familiar brand names, understandably brief where beer is the specialty. Look for reliable Fetzer, Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu and Beringer bottlings priced at $13, $15 and $18 plus a split of Mumm's Napa sparkler spar·kler n. 1. One, such as a highly polished metallic surface or a virtuoso performer, that sparkles. 2. Informal A diamond. 3. A firework that burns slowly and gives off a shower of sparks. for $6.50 and glasses of the same still wines from $4.50 to $6. House-brewed beers and ales run $3 and $3.25 a glass and $8 or $9 a pitcher. Reservations: Only taken for parties of seven or larger. Call (818) 773-4677. Our rating: One and One Half Stars for food; Three Stars for service. |
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