Mystery Diner: Plainfield burger restaurant is 7th heaven

A Plainfield restaurant understands the power of sevens and good food.

Seven days a week. Seven wonders of the world. Seventh heaven.

And at Backroads Burger & Bar in Plainfield, customers may choose from 17 different burger designs, seven different protein choices and seven different buns.

And that’s not all!

Backroads Burger & Bar also offers hearty appetizers, Irish-themed entrees, a children’s menu, sandwiches, wraps and some really tasty sides.

But whatever you order, you definitely should add the “Big Arse Pretzel” for $21. This is a pound and a half of the best pretzel anywhere.

It’s buttery crisp on the outside, soft in the middle and generously seasoned with crunchy salt. It reheats well without any compromise in flavor or texture.

If you like dipping sauce (although this pretzel doesn’t need it), this pretzel is served with beer cheese, honey mustard and “Arse Sauce” (creamy Parmesan Buffalo sauce).

The Crazy Curds for $13 was another good starter. They were bursting with cheese, well-salted – and they still tasted amazing when reheated.

I must add that the appetizer servings are so generous, you could make a meal out of them.

For instance, the order of five Southern-fried chicken tenders and one side of your choice for $14 is an entire meal unto itself – and you even could split that into two meals if you weren’t particularly hungry that night.

The tenders were large and juicy, crunchy on the outside and super tender on the inside. They reheated fairly well the next day, too – a little drier than initially served but still delicious.

Now onto the burgers. All three featured brioche buns.

The bourbon barrel burger for $12 came generously topped with sharp cheddar cheese, house-made bourbon glaze, applewood bacon, shredded lettuce and sautéed onions. This meant each bite had a bit of burger and each of the toppings.

The tater tots were crispy on the outside and soft and potatoey on the inside.

The schroomer for $16 came with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, sautéed onions, mayonnaise and shredded lettuce. The burger was well-seasoned and not overcooked. The mushrooms and onions were caramelized perfectly.

The fries were great, too. The extras reheated nicely, something fries usually don’t do.

The backroad burger for $17 came with smoked Gouda, pulled pork, applewood bacon, sautéed onions and house-made barbecue sauce. The burger was cooked perfectly and that is no small thing.

I have a friend who always says the best way to assess the quality of a restaurant is by the quality of its burger.

The side salad we ordered with the burger was also very good. The lettuce was especially crispy, and the vegetables were very fresh.

The Swiss Mountain cake for $9 is the perfect end to the meal.

This enormous tri-level cake is actually a rich Guittard Swiss chocolate cheesecake topped with a white chocolate mousse and a layer of moist dark chocolate cake. The cake was covered with butter chocolate icing, and drizzled with white chocolate and dark chocolate curls.

Backroads Burger & Bar offers dine-in (reservations strongly recommended) and carryout options. I’ve enjoyed both, and the food is consistently outstanding either way.

I will be back.

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at Shaw Media. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff when ordering or picking up the food. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a story.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Backroads Burger & Bar

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: 13717 US-30, Plainfield

INFORMATION: 815-733-6054, backroadsburger.com