Jake’s Take

Due to an intense bout of rain that came our way, we forewent our original plans for Burger Bounce and instead found a place more local to where I’ve recently moved to. In Westport Plaza, you can find a restaurant named the Trainwreck Saloon nestled into the groove of the surrounding architecture. Given the time of year this took place, it was situated directly across from a small gathering filled with lederhosen and the oompahs of polka music in celebration of Oktoberfest. We had little time to enjoy any of this while we were running to the comfort of the interior away from the rain. The outdoor awnings being latticed planks of wood with no cover only mimicked sanctuary, as we quickly found out.

Keeping our appetizer option simple, we got an order of their hot honey shrimp to start. We got six large, breaded shrimp delivered on a bed of lettuce. Given my father was with us this time around, we each got two of the shrimps to try, and they were pretty good! The honey complemented the breading well, sinking into the crumbs and truly feeling as part of the dish instead of an additive. I wasn’t sure what the hot part of the honey was supposed to be, unless it was just the actual temperature of the appetizer itself, though. I was expecting spicy heat, and I would’ve detected it too because I have notoriously low tolerance for the spicy (even if I can’t help myself despite that). Even still, these were great, and I wouldn’t have minded having a whole plate of them all to myself!

For the burger, I had to celebrate Oktoberfest in some fashion. And so, I got their Brat Burger. Fantastic meat, first of all. I mean, this wasn’t a burger disguised as traditional German bratwurst, the actual meat of the patty WAS bratwurst! I was just pressed into that traditional burger form. The toppings fit nicely, with a creole mustard and Swiss cheese bringing out the flavor of the meat even more. And I’m a sucker for pretzel buns; they’re second only to ciabatta at this point in my life. The one complaint I had was the sauerkraut. This is an acquired taste for a reason, and I do like it if it goes with the meal. And don’t get me wrong, it does go with the Brat Burger, I can tell. But there was way more of it than I was expecting, it had a bad habit of overwhelming the other elements of the meal. By the end I basically had large lumps of the stuff and had to scrape bits off just so everything was more balanced.

My Take

While Jacob leaned fully into the Oktoberfest spirit, I went a different route and ordered the veggie burger, and I’m genuinely glad I did. Veggie burgers can be hit or miss, especially at restaurants where they sometimes feel like an afterthought, but this one absolutely wasn’t.

What stood out most was the flavor. The patty itself was well-seasoned and satisfying, not bland or trying too hard to imitate meat. It was good on its own. Everything worked together nicely, with a lettuce/coleslaw type of concoction on top of the patty and a soft bun that held it all together without overpowering the burger. It was one of those meals where you’re not picking it apart bite by bite, you’re just enjoying it.

I paired it with sweet potato fries, and they were a solid win. They had a great sweet potato flavor, were cooked just right, and struck that perfect balance between crispy and tender. No sogginess, no overdone crunch, just exactly what you hope for when you order them.

Between the cozy interior, friendly service, and a meal that hit the spot on a rainy day, this turned out to be a really enjoyable Burger Bounce… even with the nasty weather outside.

With Love,

Mindy