After my maiden foray into burgers, I wanted to expand my expedition to the area surrounding Worcester, and I ended up…in Shrewsbury. I know what you’re thinking; that I didn’t quite wander off the beaten path too far. However, with Worcester Foodies, we have been metaphorically handcuffed to having to choose restaurants in Worcester proper. So being able to stretch my culinary legs and expand to the surrounding areas in Worcester County, is slightly liberating.
With that being said, we are all guilty of having favorite meals, or favorite restaurants, or favorite drinks at certain places. I am as guilty as anyone else when it comes to this. One of my personal favorite places is Jimmy’s Tavern and Grill. Located where the old Bugaboo Creek used to be in the White City Plaza, this restaurant has always provided me with a comforting meal, while being a great value and always having consistent service and products…all things that make a restaurant great! If you haven’t been to Jimmy’s, you will find yourself in a comfy, warm environment that still has a similar feel as Bugaboo Creek, with a lodge-like feel with a massive stone fireplace in the dining area and other décor that is somewhere between log cabin and local pub.
With being one of my favorite go-to places, I am quite familiar with Jimmy’s menu and what is good. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Some personal favorites include the fried pickles from the appetizer menu, the Thunderbird chicken sandwich and their decadently rich, buffalo chicken mac and cheese (out of this world!). However, when I’m craving a burger, it’s tough to choose a better burger on the menu than the “Jimmy” Burger ($10.99). This burger is served with bacon strips, cheddar cheese and to top it off, a fried egg! All burgers are served with their house made seasoned fries.
The burger is a nice, thick, juicy patty which is cooked slightly past medium (a little bit more than I prefer). However, the patty was still juicy and contained plenty of flavor and texture. Bacon on anything is great, but when it’s on a burger, it provides a great smoky, pork taste to the dish. The cheddar cheese is neutral enough that it doesn’t take center stage over any other ingredients, while still knowing that you have a slice of cheese on your burger. The best feature of the burger in my personal opinion is the fried egg. With a slightly runny yoke that breaks upon your first bite, provides a smooth and unctuous nature to the burger. When it’s combined with the bacon, you have a cross between a breakfast sandwich and a delicious burger…the best of both worlds!
With only 6 full-fledged burgers on the menu, there’s not a ton of choices. However, from experience, I know that you can’t go wrong with any of them. Once again, the perfect burger can change your life, however so small it may be. It might simply bring a smile to your face, or raise your spirits from a funk that your work has caused, to having a fully life altering experience where you found the one meal you could eat every day for the rest of your life. Food in general makes us happy, but a burger can be comforting, memorable, and delicious. Where will my burger quest take me next? I guess you will have to wait to find out. Until next time…