Out to Eat: Dinner and a view at Ranch and Roost
Attached to Big Lost Meadery on the edge of Lake Lorraine sits Ranch and Roost, a rustic, Southern style restaurant. It’s a great place to enjoy some locally-sourced grub, with smashburgers made from fresh-ground beef and Southern style fried chicken sandwiches.
My friends and I decided to get dinner there for the first time on Oct. 4, and I was immediately drawn in by the farmhouse chic interior. I took note of a sign near the entrance: apparently, most of the walls were made from antique doors taken from an old barn on the north side of Lake Lorraine.
Longhorn skulls, deer heads and greenery decorated the walls and ceilings. Seating consisted of high-top tables and wooden benches, all tastefully arranged around a large bar along the back wall. The bar offers specialty mead from Big Lost, sourced from breweries all over the Midwest.
We chose a wooden table near the back that boasted a beautiful view of the lake through glass doors. I decided on a mushroom and Swiss smashburger — minus the mushroom, gross — and a large order of loaded garlic parmesan fries to share with my friends.
One of my friends ordered a classic smashburger and a side dish I’d never heard of: tater kegs. They’re tater tots packed with cheddar cheese and chives, made from potatoes cut and fried in the restaurant. My other two friends ordered chicken sandwiches with pepper jack cheese, bacon and fried onions.
The restaurant is a little on the pricey side. A hamburger with any toppings is around $13, while the price of chicken meals range anywhere from $11 to $19. I was a little astounded when my meal of a burger, fries and fountain drink came out to $30, but when the food arrived I saw the portions were large and felt better about paying the hefty check. My only gripe was that the tater kegs were almost $7 while the order came with only six of them.
We tucked into the kegs and garlic fries first, splitting the load between the four of us. The fries were well-seasoned, but I noticed the parmesan stuck to the paper bottom of the dish so there was little on the fries themselves. The tater kegs, on the other hand, were mouthwatering, especially dipped in a little ranch. The crispy outside coupled with the melty cheddar inside made for a satisfying crunch.
The smashburgers, cooked medium rare and sporting soft sesame-seed buns, were double-stacked and a little difficult to eat with toppings sliding out all sides. I enjoyed the Swiss cheese and the smoky taste of bacon on mine and ended up finishing the whole thing. My friends and I found the burgers decent overall, but we agreed they weren’t anything special.
The chicken sandwiches were “cactus-style,” drizzled in a chipotle adobo pepper sauce. I’m not the biggest fan of spicy peppers, so the sauce ruined the sandwich for me. The heat completely overpowered the taste of chicken, mushrooms and honey mustard.
My friends who like spicy food enjoyed the sandwich, but it’s definitely not something a spice-adverse person should order. We washed our food down with glasses of restaurant-made sweet tea. It wasn’t as sweet as I expected it to be, but still pretty yummy.
Traditional American food coupled with Southern spices and stacked smashburgers make Ranch and Roost a fine choice for dinner with friends. The establishment has a nice atmosphere, friendly service and satisfactory food. Though it’s not the place for a cheap meal, I’ll definitely hit it up again when I’m craving those tater kegs.
