The Also Not Affiliated With Anyone’s Corporate “Mammal Style” Burger at Bingo (Photo by Jay Paul)
Bingo offers a fun night out in Scott’s Addition at 2900 W. Broad St., with junk-food-inspired fare, a full bar, a wine list and a varied selection of brews. From the smooth and light Black Lager to tart and effervescent goses, Bingo’s house-brewed output shines when paired with its upscale bar food.
The pimento cheese features two ice cream scoops' worth served with Ritz crackers, and it might actually be my favorite pimento cheese. Neither shredded nor diced; the cheese instead is a hybrid of the two, and that tiny textural detail makes all the difference. It doesn't hurt that the not-too-sharp, not-too-mild cheddar is surrounded by the pleasure of Duke's mayonnaise, giant bottles of which sit on the shelves in the open kitchen.
The Also Not Affiliated With Anyone’s Corporate “Mammal Style” Burger features a special sauce, a ketchup and mayo concoction that needs to be dribbled over every bite of the crisp tater tots it's served with.
The Oysters Dutra (reminiscent of a po’boy) comes in second place with a chunky chow-chow (think pickled slaw) that rounds out the mild and sweet flavors of the fried oysters.
However, my catfish plate came out a bit burnt and was bland, and the tartar sauce didn’t energize the taste.
Unfortunately, the tot-chos also missed the mark, for similar reasons. While the salsa is flavorful, it isn’t enough to punch through the blank canvas of the tots, melted cheese and sour cream.
The vegan stuffed jalapeños were a tad too sharp, and I missed the balance of cow’s milk cheese to mellow the bite of the pepper. Vegans, might I suggest the pickle “corn dog,” a house-made dill pickle that is breaded, fried and served on a stick. It pairs famously with the house-made spicy mustard.
After realizing my dinner mates and I had ordered nothing but fried foods, we were aching for a bowl of green chili pork soup or a chopped salad from the menu. The lesson? You eat, you learn, you come back again.