My girlfriend was not home and I was jealous of the fact that she and her friend headed over to Eros Cafe, so I decided to stop into Mulberry’s Bar & Grill in Elmwood Park. I’ve driven by a few times and I’ve had drinks at the Underpass before it closed down, but now it was time to try something new. The phrase bar & grill makes me think of typical bar food… pizza, burgers, fries, fried appetizers, salad, but Mulberry’s is different.
The outside is quant and simple with a dozen or so tables for eating under the stars or sun. Walking inside, you’ll notice a nice, open space with a few televisions. The bar is not the center of attention Mulberry’s. The tables are spaced out with ample room for you and your party. The tables are situated to get a good look at the game on the TV or the karaoke (but I’ll get to that). I took a seat at the bar and was greeted by Barbara. The tap selection of beers left something to be desired as the restaurant seems fancier than your typical bar and grill. I noticed the bottles of beer and the same deal, but I can always find something. Hopefully the beer menu will improve as times goes on. I checked out the small and intimate menu and was shocked at the unique selections for a bar & grill.
Goat Cheese Fritters and the Primavera sandwich were my choices and I was hungry! The breaded and deep fried goat cheese with caramelized onions and a honey drizzle were so good. The cheese melts a bit, softens up and the crunch was spot on. Chatted a bit with the manager, Rob, a guy who loves pizza and he told me all about their menu and some of the inspirations for it. Don, a trained pastry chef, and the Chef of Mulberry’s is the genius behind the menu. I was halfway into eating my primavera sandwich which consisted of grilled bread stuff with grilled eggplant, vine ripe tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, zucchini, goat cheese and a balsamic reduction, but I had to tell him how good the sandwich was. It was sweet and fresh and simple too. The rest of the menu is similar.
I really like Mulberry’s and I’m always on the lookout for a down to earth, simple and elegant local, continental-cuisine, bar and grill and I think I may have found it. Check it out for yourself and make sure you try one of Barbara’s signature martini’s on Martini Nights every Wednesday. The Cucumber Melon is pretty good and it’s not fruity at all. In fact, Mulberry’s has a jam packed events calendar with Karaoke nights, live music, football promos and more.
If you want to get in on the good food and drink, head over to Mulberry’s website and you can also check ‘em out on Facebook and Twitter. But don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter as well to keep up with Bergenation wherever ya are.
