Tucked away in Cahaba Heights, Blackwell’s Pub offers a juicy burger called “The Gambler” to those customers who enjoy taking a risk. “The Gambler” is a burger made up of whatever the chef decides to create that day. You don’t know what you’re getting until your waiter sets it in front of you.
“The Gambler is something we’ve come up with in the back [in the kitchen] on the spot,” says Tyler DeStefano, owner and executive chef. Toppings include everything from pico de gallo with bacon to jalapeños with macaroni and cheese; it all depends on what the chef feels like using for that order.
Even though no pairing of ingredients seems weird or unusual to the staff, they still try to surprise their customers with delicious, yet unusual burgers. “We’ve done some crazy different [burgers]-like once we used pancakes as the buns on a Morningwood burger,” says DeStefano.
Another creation includes a burger topped with cream cheese, jalapeños and grape jelly. “The cream cheese, jelly and jalapeños definitely didn’t look or sound like it would taste good, but it was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had for sure,” says Whitt Thompson, customer of Blackwell’s.
It may not sound like a regular good ol’ burger, but you have to trust the chef. “Some people are scared,” says DeStefano.
These concoctions are not designed for the “Classic” burger eaters, they are meant for people who enjoy opening their minds to what a unique burger could be like.
However, for those of you who like to stick with what you know, Blackwell’s offers the “Blackwell Burger,” the signature burger topped with onion rings, blue cheese crumbles and Swiss; the “Bacon Burger;” or the “Pimento Cheese Burger.”
All the burgers begin with freshly ground beef and then built from there. Their jelly is also freshly made in house every day.
You can start your adventure by trying Blackwell’s famous “Gator Bites,” which are fried alligator bites, as an appetizer. Not to sound like a cliché, but the gator slightly resembles chicken.
So, if you’re ready to step out of your comfort zone, or just stick with the signature Blackwell Burger, head toward Blackwell’s Pub for a night of fun and adventure.
Photos by Leslyn Bantley