If you're driving west on Tenth Avenue in Lake Worth, you probably wouldn't spot Mike and Mike, a new sports bar that -- unlike the ESPN radio talk show Mike and Mike in the Morning -- isn't so well-known just yet.
Boat House, a well-known breakfast spot at 3801 Tenth Ave. N., in
May. Since then, they've been priming the place to become the new locals' sports bar (there aren't many in the area) but also the
spot to find gourmet bar food. No, that's not an oxymoron, or so they
insist.
concept, but for Goss, it's what will set them apart. With the help of
Bizaare Ave.'s executive chef, he is ready to be "the place" to go for
gourmet grub -- minus the astronomical tab at the end of the night.
down at a booth or belly up to the bar and you're quickly greeted with
your own bucket of fresh-fried, wafer-like salted potato chips. The
thin-cut, golden discs are just the right mixture of crunch and grease,
still slightly warm with a few chewy-center skipovers. I have no
problem envisioning myself washing it down with 99-cent drafts, $5
pitchers, and $10 buckets any night of the week.
up: tackling the eight-page menu, which is nothing short of what you'll
find at most well-rounded bar/restaurant types, with a few exceptions.
a breakfast menu for the early birds, a crowd Goss said he couldn't
kick. For just $5.95, regulars can get the biscuits and gravy special,
served with two eggs and home fries. Feeling a little sweeter? Ask for
the French toast with "secret syrup," a viscous, buttery molten bath
coating two large slices of French toast and served with two eggs, two
slices of bacon, or two sausage links, all for $3.95.
menu features soups, salads, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches as well
as tacos and dinner entrées. There's even a side dish list a mile long,
with everything from bacon cheddar fries to chipotle macaroni and
cheese -- even your very own homemade bread loaf. Each week will also
feature several entrée specials.
off the appetizer menu, which has the usuals like chicken
tenders, mozzarella sticks, potato skins, nachos, and quesadillas.
difference? They're homemade, never frozen, says Goss. Every menu item
includes ingredients that are bought locally and never premade.
when you get the mozzarella sticks, I'm literally back there pulling
the fresh mozzarella and frying it to order," says Roth. Same goes for
the buttermilk-battered chicken tenders, served alongside his own blue
cheese or ranch dressings. Even the tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole
are Roth's creations -- nothing store bought or prepackaged. Sounds labor-intensive, right?
one thing you won't find on most menus: the Monte Cristo spring rolls.
A citrus-marinated, slow-roasted pork rolled with ham and Swiss cheese,
then flash-fried to order in a crispy rice-paper wrap, served with a
Mojo aioli. A sucker for anything fried and accompanied with a
fresh-whipped dipping sauce, I find them a savory departure from the
frozen, too-oily, or nearly flavorless spring rolls you find at many bars. Think Mexican-style Cuban wrap, minus the pickles.
course, what would a sports bar be without wings? At Mike and Mike,
however, be prepared to put your chicken-chewing to the test. The
restaurant has set aside a wall dedicated purely to those who choose to
participate in the "Wall of Flame."
who can eat a dozen of our hottest wings will have their picture taken
and will be up there on that wall," Goss said of the secret wing sauce
you'll have to sign a waiver to try. "It won't be easy. I don't ever
want to make it up on that wall."
you're in the mood for, Mike and Mike has a little bit of something for
everyone -- and everything is bar-food-priced, despite the attention to
detail. Burgers still cost you $7.95, an entrée salad with chicken no
more than $14.95, and a 12-ounce rib eye $15.95.
sure to swing by Mike and Mike on January 15, when the restaurant will host its official grand opening. Celebrate with them and enjoy a
laundry list of various food and drink specials.
