Professional Review

A1: Professional Review

We all love music. Even if you aren’t a part of the class of Classic Rock aficionados that opened B-Side Grill, a rock-tinged eatery in New Paltz, New York, you probably, in some form, love music. And that’s where B-Side has found its niche in the community––a spot drenched in music and serving good food.

Located right on Main Street, it’s an easy walk from campus, and one that I made Friday evening for dinner with a few friends. Stepping into the restaurant, one immediately gets a sense for the atmosphere, and can’t help but be absorbed into it. Decorating the walls and ceilings are an array of 7 inch and 12 inch records that span the 20th century Rock genre, with easily dozens of gems and deep cuts that music fans can have fun finding and pointing out. From Bob Dylan, to James Brown, to The Rolling Stones, they include a wide breadth of artists. Who knows? You could even find someone you’ve never heard of, and maybe end up with a new favorite musician.

 

Despite it being a Friday night, and relatively crowded, we were able to get a table almost immediately upon walking in––lucky timing, I guess. Even if there is a wait, which isn’t unheard of on weekends or especially busy nights, the wait is rarely ever longer than 10 or 15 minutes. It’s not a large building, but restaurants in New Paltz rarely are, and there’s certainly enough space to comfortably seat large groups. No elbow-bumping or claustrophobic dinners to be found here; the tables are long and the booths are spacious.

The music playing through the speakers is largely what you would expect from the decor that fills the space. Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who and Closer to the Heart by Rush are just two of the songs I remember hearing as I ate. This brings us to the food. The food is inexpensive and uncomplicated, but that is not to detract at all from the quality and the taste.

I ordered Da Cheeseburger: a classic tomato, lettuce, and onion on a patty with some cheese. Obviously, the level of juice coming out of that burger will depend on your personal choice of preparation, but as someone who prefers medium-rare, I can say that I was more than satisfied with the juiciness of the cheeseburger. The sesame seed bun was fluffy and large––thankfully avoiding everyone’s least favorite burger pet peeve of the bun being too small for the patty, leaving you with a greasy flying-saucer sort of thing to hold onto. Both the patty and bun are perfectly to scale, and at only $10.99, absolutely make for a worthwhile burger.

Next, a personal favorite of mine, I ordered a side of their mozzarella sticks. Nothing fancy, but only because elegance is not required for melted mozzarella cheese encased in a crispy shell of deep-fried breadcrumbs. All that’s required are taste buds and a side of marinara sauce.

 

When it comes to drinks, you have a pretty broad array to choose from: water, lemonade, soft drinks of the Coke variety, alcohol for those over 21, and milkshakes and smoothies. The milkshakes can be made from any of the ice cream flavors listed on their menu, of which there are many. My personal go-to is the strawberry. You can’t go wrong with milk and ice cream, but B-Side adds a nice touch with the presentation, giving you a tall, narrow glass with a straw, the kind you’d see in old movies at a 50s diner. Something about that little flourish makes it just that much more enjoyable.

Overall, from the atmosphere, to the laid-back, disarming attitude that seems par-for-the-course given the rock-n-roll aesthetic, to the delicious food, B-Side Grill is definitely a notable New Paltz hotspot. If you’re scrambling trying to find a place to sit down that has solid burgers and fries, or if maybe you’re looking for some brunch around town (their pancakes and waffles are excellent as well), then B-Side should be at the top of your list. Easy to find, and easy to afford, B-Side Grill has my whole-hearted recommendation.