By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Sometimes, you just need to change things up. That’s how Burger Barn’s head chef Shawn Spears explained the change for the restaurant formerly branded the Trail Town Bar & Grill. It wasn’t that the menu or the food were bad, it just wasn’t what fit the neighborhood – or the culinary direction the community was pushing the restaurant in.
“We wanted something more modern, quicker,” Spears explained. They’d already added noodles and hibachi chicken to their menu – items that have survived the transition with their quick prep time. Now they’ve added a number of sandwiches including – as the name suggests – a variety of specialty burgers.
“I wanted to have a menu that’s more fun. Something exciting. Something we could bring to the public if they just want to come in for a quick lunch,” Spears explained. “So, we’ve got 20 plus sandwiches this time around.”
But quick doesn’t mean frozen or processed. Spears orders in fresh produce from local farmers, and drops in on local farmers markets to stock his kitchen. Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen.
“We’re making all the sauces from scratch,” he said. “Everything’s really from scratch.”
That freshness and quality was something he said he really wanted to focus on with his return to the restaurant and the rebrand.
Helping him in maintaining that standard, Spears noted, is general manager Jordan Abell. Abell, who had previously worked with Spears at Trail Town, had – like Spears – left to explore other opportunities before returning to help with the rebrand. Abell, who originally hails from central Kentucky, said he loves the small town feel of Olive Hill.
Spears said they’re looking at things to keep the feel of the restaurant fresh in other ways too. This might include adding seasonal or special items to the menu. For instance, Spears said, they were considering a hot wing challenge – with sauces so hot you would have to sign a waiver to participate.
But while events like that, and UFC fight nights, are fun ways to engage with the community, Spears knows the real draw of any restaurant has to be the food.
We had a chance to sample some of that food last week, and the dishes pleased every member of my rather picky clan.
When Spears invited me to come try some items from the new menu, and to bring along three guests, I first thought of inviting a couple of foodie and chef friends. Folks who could help me dissect the menu and the dishes we tried. Folks who could get really analytical with me.
Then, I decided the real test would be the picky eaters in my own family.
I asked my wife, who has a grown-up palate but is a much less adventurous eater than I am, what she thought of the idea, and she was willing to gamble that the kids would be good. Our five year old is fickle. He might try something new and love it. He might decide he’s only eating brown things today and even things he’s eaten before with relish are “yucky.” The fourteen year old was going to be the real trick. A connoisseur of chicken nuggets and peanut butter sandwiches, he’s a little like Mikey from the old Life cereal commercials. If it’s outside his comfort zone and he still eats it, it’s bound to be good. Unfortunately, he backed out on eating with the family, but my father-in-law – who is less picky while maintaining just as much discernment in his tastes and preferences – jumped in as our pinch eater.
The verdict, from everyone, was positive. And though the restaurant is rebranding itself as a burger and sandwich joint, only one of us actually had a sandwich. My wife had a barbecue chicken sandwich (which I also sampled) that came with a rich and delicious barbecue sauce coating. I had the chicken parm, which was cooked to perfection. The marinara sauce was thick and just the perfect amount of chunky – enough so you know it was made from real veggies but without large chunks of tomatoes. The perfect sauce for scooping up on a fork with the extra breading. The double panko crusted chicken breast stayed crispy under the blanket of sauce and cheese, and after eating my fill I still had enough left to take home for a sandwich before bed.
My father-in-law’s baked steak and mashed potatoes earned his seal of approval as well, and we were all impressed with the child’s cheese pizza our son got as well.
I asked Spears about that after we finished eating, and he explained that the from-scratch philosophy applies to their children’s menu as well. Everything on there is real, fresh food that you can feel good about giving your child. And, he said, you don’t have to be a kid to order it. If you want a small, personal, lunch pizza they can accommodate that, with any of their toppings.
While they have a menu, with set pairings, any of those things can be changed to appeal to a customer’s dietary restrictions or preferences. They even have vegan items on the menu.
While my wife took advantage of the restaurant’s flexibility, getting her dressing on the side, I decided to order mine exactly as suggested. This meant with broccoli, one of my least favorite veggies. But, with the sauce and the size of the chicken breast, the vegetable choice worked remarkably well. It was light in flavor – much lighter than I generally expect from broccoli, which can get sulfurous when overcooked – and cooked through without getting mushy. It was a great addition, and it made the dish much less heavy than other sides, like pasta, which often accompanies the dish.
He explained that they blanche it, shock it in cold water to stop the cooking and keep the color, then they sauté to order. It’s seasoned simply, so that it accentuates the flavors of the vegetable without being “confusing on the palate” Spears noted.
“We’re keeping our sides simple… and we’re giving them options,” Spears said.
Whether it’s the toppings on your pizza, or a side you want to swap.
“Just let us know what you want,” Spears said.
Our clan did just that, and as far as we’re concerned, Spears and his staff delivered.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
