I work as a paralegal by day, so when I visited Sidebar [4] on Whiskey Row (129 N 2nd St.) after work I was all fired up for some legal themed noshing. I was also all fired up for Sidebar's burgers. In particular, I had my eye on the Ambulance Chaser, a big fat daddy with certified Angus beef, smoky barbecue, cheddar, smoked bacon, tomato jam and tobacco onions. After working with lawyers all day I like to continue my slow suicide attempt by stuffing my arteries with meals like this:
Imagine my shock when the best part of our meal turned out to be--on my honor, your honor--the salad. My dining companion and I split a chopped kale salad ($8), and it was a revelation. Kale is a little coarser than the usual salad greens offered, and the rough texture of the leaves was matched with the subtle sweetness of dried cherries. The taste was tempered with a citrus vinaigrette, sprinkled with crunchy almonds and snowy parmesan shreds.
Of course, we still had hamburgers (according the the salad statute, if you eat a salad before your meal all other bad nutritional choices are canceled out.) the Ambulance Chaser ($12) and the Court Reporter ($12), with onions, avocado and chipotle-honey aioli. Sidebar's burgers are luscious things on buttery buns, meticulously put together by burger scientists, probably. We also had a few cocktails, but my favorite remains Sidebar's most popular drink: The Kentucky Maid, bourbon, simple syrup, lime, mint and cucumber.
When I return to Sidebar, hopefully I will be a little less guilty and just get that magnificent salad. And I can't wait to return.
Photo: Elizabeth Orrick and Kaelyn Hillerich