Since I arrived in Ithaca three years ago, the building at 120 Dryden Road (in the heart of Collegetown) has been a Bermuda Triangle for restaurants. They close almost as soon as they open, leaving the storefront empty again. Yet each fall brings a new establishment that is either unaware of or indifferent to this history.
This annoys me for two reasons: First, I can’t resist checking out a new restaurant, but mediocre food disappoints me. Second, a lackluster restaurant wastes valuable Collegetown real estate. Last year Bistro Fry, a perpetually empty, diluted version of Jack’s Collegetown Grill (more about Jack’s later), occupied the space. I once ordered a burger and fries and instead got meatloaf on a Kaiser roll with fried hollow tubes. Before the Bistro Fry, a Chinese restaurant with “Hong Kong” somewhere in its title tried out the space. The fact that both Mike, a manager of Jack’s, and I, a chronic restaurant-goer, can’t recall its name is evidence of the location’s transient occupants.
But Jack’s Collegetown Grill might break this dreary trend. It opened in August and specializes in just what Collegetown has desperately needed: burgers and other barbeque fare served without a long wait.
I wandered into Jack’s recently one evening after fasting all day—a ritual I abide by before visiting a restaurant. Despite wanting to erase my hunger, I also wanted to donate my eight dollars to my personal reverse-the-trend relief fund. Once I read the menu I knew they didn’t need my charity to stay in business. The items radiate off the menu like divine gifts: from burgers to breakfast burritos, ribs to omelettes, steaks to pancakes, subs to wings, they offer wholesome comfort food at reasonable prices. Not big on meat? Jack’s also has fish, non-meat appetizers, and veggie burgers.
I opted for the cheeseburger and fries. In my experience, this is a reliable marker of a restaurant’s overall quality. I ordered mine for take-out (they also deliver, or you can eat in). By the time I walked back to my house nearby I had already eaten most of my meal—an impressive (if not slightly embarrassing) feat considering the generous portions. As I requested, they cooked the meat medium rare and served it on a bun that didn’t overwhelm the thick patty. The high-quality ground beef tasted flavorful but not fatty. The fries deserved some attention of their own, with a crispy golden finish on the outside and substantial mash on the inside. I could actually taste the potatoes.
Although I’ve only sampled one other item from the menu, the Bo Burger (a delicious burger with a fried egg on top), Jack’s staff recommends the popular pulled pork. I have heard only favorable reviews from my friends, who have tried the breakfast items and dinner platters . Judging from the ever-present line there, it looks like Jack’s Collegetown Grill is sending the Bermuda Triangle back to the mid-Atlantic.
— Chris Nelson ’09