by Steven Doyle
Last month Uptown’s Ketchup Burger Bar took on a new patina replete with a name and menu revamp. The popular burger haunt located at 3208 N Hall, just off McKinney Avenue, now has a sleek sexy atmosphere along with a fun bar menu made up of burgers and wings, along with the new name The Sir. The restaurant is still owned by Yaser Khalaf (Souk, Baboush), and is now joined in partnership with brothers Niko and J.D. Ybañez and their friend Ben Scott, a recent contestant on television’s “Bachelor in Paradise”.
The consulting chef is Souk’s Norman Grimm who was looking for a great product at a very affordable price point. The burgers range from a simple cheeseburger, loaded with some pretty terrific bread and butter pickles, to a more outrageous PB&J version with peanut butter and jelly along with bacon and jalapenos. Sounds a bit out there, but excellent in its execution. There is also a loaded burger with a fried egg, and seriously eggs are the perfect burger condiment, apple smoked bacon and fried onion rings.
The wings are all made in house. That sounds like a no brainer, but you would be shocked how many frozen versions exist on what should be more elevated bar menus. The wings are deliciously sauced with your choice of Classic Buffalo, Ranch, Guava BBQ, Harissa, Apricot, Sweet & Sour, Lemon Pepper or Mango Habanero. These are big and meaty, and very sharable.
There is also a nice selection of fries, all hand cut and seasoned in various ways.
Chef Grimm sent us a note to alert us to a nifty Wednesday special for “back of the house workers”. Look for a free shot of Fernet or Jameson on the nights you pop in for a bite.
Had their sweet potato fries with my bleu cheese bacon burger. Very good!