It had been years… maybe close to 9… since we had eaten at Eddie Merlot’s. It’s not that we didn’t like it; we simply can’t afford to spend that kind of money when we go out. Enter Twitter. Executive Chef Matt Nolot and I started interacting, and a few weeks ago he invited Jon and me to judge his staff’s chili cook off. What a great experience! We sampled over 16 chili concoctions and had the honor of selecting winners in three categories: spiciest, most unique, and best traditional. Honestly, all of them rocked. So many interesting combinations, including duck lentil chili, which was my favorite. But the best part? We got to hang out in the kitchen with Matt and his staff, watching the hustle and bustle of a truly busy kitchen on a fully booked Saturday night.

After our judging duties were over, we joined our friend JJ at the bar for a cocktail or two. That’s when we discovered the Eddie’s Lounge Menu and returned the following weekend to give it a try. Because price has been an issue for us, we were pleasantly surprised to find $7 to $14 price points. We had a hard time deciding what to order. Here’s a glimpse of the menu.

Eventually, the three of us decided to order three different Gourmet Prime Burgers and an order of Parmesan Truffle fries ($4) to share. While the menu does offer a build-your-own-burger option, we opted for three pre-assembled on the menu.   JJ ordered the Devil in Blue Jeans ($13), served with charred jalapeno pesto, barbecue sauce, smoked Gouda, and onion straws. Jon opted for the Napa Valley ($13), served with red onion jam, Tomato Basil relish and Boursin. I chose the Eddie’s Strip Burger ($14), served with shaved prime New York strip, grilled onions, Peppadew peppers, and Gruyere.

All were ordered medium rare and all were wonderful in their own right. The Strip Burger was a little bit dry, but I loved the tangy Peppadew peppers combined with salty grilled onions. Both the Napa Valley and Devil in Blue Jeans burgers were fabulous—tender, juicy prime meat; it melted in our mouths. The Napa Valley featured an interesting combination of salty and sweet flavors, with the red onion jam and tomato basil relish. The Devil in Blue Jeans won all of our hearts and was deemed the best choice. The charred jalapeno pesto packed just the right amount of heat and was tempered by the smoked Gouda, giving it a very rich, full flavor.

And the Parmesan Truffle fries. Whoa. I’ve never had them before, anywhere, and can’t stop thinking about them. Totally addicting. We all noticed the strange pre-taste phenomenon that occurred—you can taste the truffle oil before it even hits your tongue, offering an extremely pleasing culinary experience.

I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other Lounge Menu items like the Barbacoa Beef Tacos ($7.50) and the Chicken, Mushroom, Gouda Flatbread ($8.50).

Kudos Eddies! We will be back.