“It is the Americans who have managed to crown minced beef as hamburger, and to send it round the world so that even the fussy French have taken to le boeuf hache, le hambourgaire.”
— Julia Child
Bones Roadhouse Bar and Grub
Bones Roadhouse is located 4430 Pleasant Valley Road, which is at the corner with Leisure Lane in “downtown” Pleasant Valley. If you have been around for a few years, you will remember this as the location of Lilly Mae’s place, were people gathered for simple, but delicious burgers.
Bones is owned by Bill and Sherry Miller and they, too, serve up delicious burgers, and much more. I have been there a couple of times, once the food was spectacular, the other time the cook and server got into an argument and forgot to serve the food hot. It probably would have been just as good, except for the delay.
The Millers assured me that doesn’t happen any more.
My foodie friend Russ Salazar wanted me to try it again, so one early afternoon we met there just to do that. I like to eat lunch after 1 p.m. no matter where I am, because the crowd is gone and you know your food is prepared fresh for you.
The menu is fairly simple: cheeseburger with fries or onion rings; one-half pound ranch cheese burger on a Hoagie roll, with fries or onion rings; BLT with fries or rings; fat daddy hot dog with fries or rings; black bean burger with fries or rings; pastrami and Swiss plain or with fries or rings and Philly steak sandwich alone or with fries or rings. They also have poppers and mozzarella sticks, along with a basket of garlic fries, onion rings or regular fries. Maybe regular is the wrong word. They still call them freedom fries, which makes me smile.
The two of us decided to split a half-pound cheese burger with fries and a fat daddy hot dog with onion rings.
Both Were really good and served piping hot. The fries and onion rings were also very good, both crisp and tasty. Neither were over salty.
The burgers are served with Bones’ sauce, lettuce, tomato, raw or grilled onions and a choice of cheese. We opted for Cheddar and raw onions. The fat daddy is a half pound (Miller’s) dog with a natural casing, which is split and grilled (yes!) and then served on a roll with melted Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and Bones’ sauce.
The food is messy, as it should be, so everyone gets handed a roll of paper towels along with their meal (kind of like I do at home).
Bones has a “U” shaped bar and lots of tables for seating; four TV screens for sporting events and a pool table. About eight months ago they obtained a full liquor license and now can pour your favorite drink.
Food is served from 11 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The bar is open from 11 a.m. until everyone leaves during the week and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Wednesday they add tacos to the menu. Call 530-644-4301 for more information on events, etc.