One of the things that I really enjoy about the restaurant is the nonchalant atmosphere, even at peak dinner hours the restaurant doesn't have dozens of people waiting to seated, overcrowded patrons, or blaring obnoxious music. On the contrary its easy to just walk right in get a table and get served in a matter of minutes. When our waiter handed us our 50's themed menu, I started too peruse looking for something tasty and filling. One of the things that quickly caught my eye was a Bison Burger, a burger that up until then I have never found the opportunity to try. When the burger came out, it looked divine. The patty had a thin crust with tasty bits of char, and a warm, juicy center with a good amount of pink. The sunny-side up egg's yolk ran down the burger adding the extra 'something' to make it AMAZING. The lean bison meat didn't gush forth with juice like most beef-based burgers, but it was plenty moist and had just as much flavor, similar to grass-fed beef. Although the flavor was rich and savory, it didn't taste heavy like most half-pounders. The superior quality of the meat and excellent grilling technique were matched by toppings with bold, complimentary flavors. Working together, the toppings brought sharp flavors to the burger, without any one ingredient overpowering the others. Some roughage—lettuce, onion, tomato, and a pickle spear—were served alongside the burger, but I decided to leave them off to fully appreciate the combo of meat + cheese +egg+ heat. Of course you can always opt out and order of their extensive vegetarian menu (which is really their entire menu). Golden west also features live music and events, lots of local promotion and of course, a lengthy micro-brew list along with the classic drinks. (bloody marys are apparently the bomb there)
Overall, smushed inside of Hampden, Golden West is an eclectic gem able to satisfy all types of diners. Meat lovers, vegetarians, and even vegans can find fresh, local and well made food. Let me put it this way, a room full of 6 girls including: a liberal hippie, conservative carnivore, and the dreaded picky eater, can all agree that Golden west is a go to place for a night out.
Here is the site! http://www.goldenwestcafe.com/
