Editor’s Note:
Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”.
Food Quality: 5
Service: 5
Business Meeting: 5
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4.75 out of 5
So, I’ve got good news and bad news. I always do the good news first, so here it is: I’ve found a great new spot to eat lunch. The bad news is that it’s nowhere near where I work or live. However, for those of you who haunt the Riverwood Plantation area, Ironwood Tavern is one to add to the list.
My wife and I found ourselves with a sitter and no appointments one afternoon, and Ironwood had been on our list for a while. While I was hesitant to make the drive, I was certainly glad we did. This nondescript spot in the Publix shopping center, near the Greenbrier school compound provided a menu and flavor well beyond what I was expecting.
We were promptly greeted and had an excellent server. The only disjointed part of the experience was that the ambiance made us feel a bit like we were in a sports bar, but the menu, food quality, and prices felt more like upscale dining. However, the atmosphere was not so off-putting as to make it unacceptable as a stop for business colleagues or clients. Just the big TVs everywhere made you wonder what kind of experience you were in for.
We started with cheese bites, and that was a great call. This wasn’t your freezer mozzarella sticks. These were squeaky cheese curds excellently breaded and served in a good portion for two diners. It hit the spot while we waited for our entrees, but the wait wasn’t long at all.
The wife is a pizza connoisseur and opted for the wood-fired pepperoni with a nice basil garnish added. An excellent touch is that you can see those sliding pies in the wood oven from the dining room. The small pizza met her demanding palette and provided leftovers for another meal as well.
My mind wandered all over the menu before settling on the green jacket burger. Which I suppose means, I’ll need to return to try the other tantalizing options. But this proved to be one of my favorite burgers around. It’s hard to catch up with the likes of Farmhaus and Whiskey Bar in the burger category for me, but they are right up there.
The Green Jacket means the meat is topped with pimento cheese and bacon, but there’s an excellent twist. The cheese spread has a bit of spice, and the bacon is candied for a dash of sweetness, making them nicely offset each other and the beef. I only wished the bacon had been a smidge more plentiful to get a little in every bite.
Ironwood Tavern is a gem hidden in one of the corners of our community. But with a friendly staff, a varied menu, and some great food, it’s worth the drive no matter where you find yourself when the lunch bell rings.
Ironwood Tavern
5117 Washington Rd Ste 1,
Evans, GA 30809
www.ironwoodtavern.com