A blustery day at the Butcher Block

Entranceways framed with railroad ties. Old glass bottles hidden in a brick wall. Along with its rustic decor, the Butcher Block restaurant in Plattsburgh, New York, offers a number of appealing dishes for meat-lovers, and an even nicer salad bar.

Upon arrival, my guest and I were immediately seated in a rustic wooden booth. With tree branches adorning the hallways, I felt as if we were in a state of the art hunting camp. Chandeliers made from deer antlers hung above our heads, and across the way, Bambi was staring straight into my eyes. Perhaps it was a bit strange, but enchanting none-the-less.

Our server, professionally dressed in the classic black and white couture, took our orders right away. We both decided on the Butcher Burger. While we were waiting for our meal, we foraged at the salad bar. The salad bar was seemingly never-ending. At the start of the line, are about 10 different kinds of homemade breads. Next door, was a huge brushed steel bowl heaping with whipped butter—now, this is the real deal. Moving right along, we came to a grand array of vegetables—the usual house salad assortment complete with pickles, pepperoni, olives, cottage cheese, and real bits of bacon. With a smidgen of pasta salad on the side, I moved to the soup of the day: a rich potato cheddar. We made our way back to our cozy little booth, and delved in. Everything was crisp and green, and just as tasty as the times I’ve been here before.

Just as we were finishing our thick and creamy potato cheddar soup, our waitress arrived with our burgers. With the shuffling of plates and bowls to make room, our burgers soon sat before us. Served with a handful of potato chips and a sliced pickle, the half pound of fresh angus beef, smothered with Swiss cheese, lay sizzling on a hard Kaiser roll. Though the salad bar had pretty well filled me up, I enjoyed every bite of the hamburger.

It did take an unusually long time, 25 minutes, to get the check—or even the waitress's attention. When the check came, however, the bill was reasonable. A lunchtime meal for two can range anywhere from $20 to $40—depending on desserts and beverages. They also offer baby back ribs, shrimp scampi, an Italian chicken burger, and fresh haddock broiled in lemon butter with fresh parsley and served on rice, among others—all including the complementary salad bar.

The restrooms are also a notch above the rest, as they are very clean. Despite the rather long wait for the check, The Butcher Block is recommended as one of the better places to eat in Plattsburgh.

What's your favorite dish at the Butcher Block? Let us know!