Meat Me At The Crossroads

Consider the metaphor of the crossroads. Often it's seen as an area of uncertainty, where one must make a choice that can lead to an unforeseeable future. But while you may not know where you're going, where you are is perfectly clear: you're at the crossroads.

This certainty of the situation is embodied in the form of beef and beer as soon as you find Mike's At The Crossroads in Cotati, California. The mural behind the bar conveys the business proposition in no uncertain terms:

One Mean Burger. Don't say nobody warned you. The food is honest and to-the-point: burgers, for which all the ingredients were grown and raised in the area. Far a while the guy in charge of the place wouldn't serve fries, because they make things too much like McDonald's; even now they're only available Friday thru Sunday. All of the burgers include cheese by default. The philosophy is that they're not going to charge you extra for something they know you want; in fact they charge an extra five cents to take the cheese off.

Main Course:

The Krush Burger, side of potato salad, paired with a Lagunitas IPA. This 1/2-pound burger is topped with grilled mushrooms and onions in a Zinfandel glaze; tender, flavorful, and juicy, and well-met by the hoppy and lightly-sweet IPA. Excellent.

To let things settle, I strolled through the adjacent CD shop. That's one place where I can enjoy myself while having no idea where I'm going...