Earlier this month I read in The Suburban Times that Burs Restaurant in Lakewood had reopened. My wife, Peg had her birthday on October 11th, a Sunday. It had been ages since I had eaten at the classic, down home, family restaurant, so I thought breakfast at Burs on her birthday would be a great combination.
“Burs Restaurant got its start in the early 1950’s as both Georgia’s Boulevard Coffee Shop and The Lakewood Coffee Shop serving home style cooked meals, homemade pies and pastries to go with that cup of morning eye-opener. In the early 1970s, Will Burslem and his wife, Verna Burris, bought the business and renamed it Burs – a cute combination of their two last names. Burs continues to provide a vast menu with plenty of sections including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Burslem family ran the restaurant for 30 years until The Tweten Family purchased it just prior to the millennium.”
To make breakfast at Burs even better I invited my cousin, Lindy to join us. Lindy, (Lavinia Hart) is recently back from Detroit and now lives in Lakewood just a short distance from Burs . . . a fairly straight shot down Lake Steilacoom Blvd.
Peg and I arrived a few minutes late, but didn’t see Lindy. With social distancing, the front part of the restaurant had no open seats, so we chose a booth in the empty dining room and waited. About ten minutes later my phone rang. It was Lindy wanting to know if we were running late. I looked around the restaurant. I said, “No, we’re waiting for you. Where are you?” She responded with “Carrs.” I responded with, “Ahhhhh.” and then said, “We’re at Burs.” Lindy said, “Ahhhhhh. I’ll be right along.” A few minutes later she called again and said, “The waitress says Burs is closed.” I remarked, “Well, there’s about forty people here who would disagree. Burs reopened about two weeks ago.” Ten minutes later we were all together at Burs!
Peg ordered a BLT and Lindy ordered the 5 oz. Chicken Fried Steak. I ordered the Biscuits and Gravy with smothered hash browns: burnt, burnt, burnt!
Peg loved her BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato). The toast was perfect and the bacon was crisp and plentiful. She had nice golden brown hash browns. I turned down a bite, but took her sliced pickles.
Lindy enjoyed her Chicken Fried Steak. The 5 oz. size was perfect. They have a much larger, Big Foot version. She also had golden brown hash browns.
As soon as I was served my Biscuits and Gravy I was disappointed. I scraped off the gravy to reveal pale hash browns, or as I would call them hash whites or hash tans. I always order burnt, burnt, burnt so the waitress and the cook understand that I am looking for crispy, dark, hash browns.
There were lots of potatoes, but they weren’t appealing to me. It was a busy day. People were thrilled Burs was open. The waitresses scurried here and there and did a great job serving the guests. On the Burs website they have a photo that shows what their biscuits and gravy is supposed to look like. Unfortunately I wasn’t served what I asked for, and what I know they can deliver. I will happily try them, again.
Burs Restaurant – bursrestaurant.com
6151 Steilacoom Blvd SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
Have you ever had your hashbrowns so burnt, burnt, burnt they were inedible? Love your reviews and posts!
Susan,
Thanks for reading and asking. No, I have never had hashbrowns that too burnt to be eaten. I had really, really dark brown hashbrows at Shari’s on North Pearl and Knapp’s in the Proctor District. Both times they were deep fried. They retained their crunchiness even covered in gravy. Thanks for your kind words and for sharing . . . how do you like your hashbrowns?
Don
Try Moonrise Cafe’s food, best breakfast in town!
Joe,
Thanks for the comment and suggestion. Moonrise has been on my list for quite some time, but time . . . and day . . . and COVID has intervened. Best Breakfast is Town is in the mouth of the beholder or course . . . I will get to the Moonrise some time soon.
Thanks for sharing. Don
My suggestion would be to ask for the hash browns to be deep fried to get that extra crunch your looking for. I was the server that day and did apologize for the hash browns looking light. I will buy your biscuits and gravy the next time I see you to make it right. We are happy to be open and love seeing everyone come back. I hope to see you again soon.
Kylene,
Thank you for commenting. Yes, I whole heartedly agree the wait staff was just flying and darting back and forth, round and round. Yes you did apologize. You guys did a great job. Thanks for the offer of biscuits and gravy. I’ll take you up on that . . . and get a photo of you and my wife for another article. Deep frying certainly produces crunchy hash browns . . . right up my alley. Thanks for sharing. Don
Thank you for your response. Im there Wednesday thur Sunday mornings. Looking forward to seeing both you and your wife.
Kylene,
I’ll check with my wife, but I would guess Sunday breakfast. I’ll let you know. Don
Ok sounds great !! ?
Don, it sounds like you would love your hashbrowns deep fried like french fries. They are always chrispy, whether hash ‘beiges’ or hash ‘blacks’. Give it a try next time.
Paul,
Thanks for writing.
Yes, two restaurants have done that for me . . . and I was in 7th heaven. I hate to tell chefs how to cook, however. You never know how people will react.
Thanks for sharing. If you eat at Burs, please let me know about your hash browns. I used to be a fairly regular diner at Tveten’s Harvester in the Stadium District, and they almost always delivered suitable hash browns to me . . . unless there was a brand new cook involved.
Don
Paul Karman’s suggestion is a good one. Some places will do that, others won’t. One that will is the Tatoosh Grill. One that won’t is Denny’s.
The Ultimate Solution might just be for you to carry your own miniature blow torch with you — just in case the hash browns don’t arrive at your table cooked to the desired doneness.
For just $13.99 you can buy a professional chef’s kitchen blow torch from Amazon.
Carry it with you to crisp up your hash-whites or your creme brulee, if it’s not just right the next time. It delivers 2,370 degrees Farhrenheit, which should be more than adequate to achieve that “burnt, burnt, burnt” result on your hashbrowns.
Here you go, Don! https://amzn.to/317bok0
Jaynie,
Thanks for commenting . . . and the ideas. The torch sounds a little cumbersome and could cause questions like, “Is that a blow torch in your pocket? Perhaps a little butane lighter would work. I could light up with every bite that didn’t come close to being burnt. But of course in your honor I will respond with a song . . . a home made version of fast food hash browns . . . “I like my browns crispy” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCyX60Qutv0. It took me twenty minutes to find this song and then re-find it. I’ll probably spend the rest of the day humming it. Enjoy and thanks for sharing. Don
OMG!!! That is hilarious!!! ROFL Now I’ve got to pick myself up off the floor and go out to the kitchen and start grating some potatoes…
Jaynie,
I just knew you would appreciate the music as well as the images of the hash browns. I’m glad you had a nice roll on the floor as well. Thanks for sharing. Don
My suggestion is to ask for them deep fried. We have a lot of customers that do request that. I was your server and ask to fix it for you. The next time you come I will buy you the biscuit and gravy and have them crunch them up. I apologize and want to make this right and see you happy. We are truly happy to be open again and see everyone come back in. This place has that small town feel and everyone is family.
Carrs has better food. And much larger servings for the money. I particularly used to love their fresh fruit bowl. Actual slices of watermelon, kiwi, big fresh strawberries, fresh pineapple, grapes, etc. whereas if you ordered a fruit bowl at Burs, you got canned fruit cocktail.
I’m sorry but these pictures made me feel a bit nauseous.
J. Gordon,
Although I spoke at a Clover Park Rotary meeting months and months back, I haven’t really dined at Carrs for some time. I agree Carrs has much larger servings than anyone I can think of . . . and tasty. The food was never an issue, but it always seemed like the food preparation took longer than necessary. Although my wife and I never turn down bringing left-overs home, it’s not something that sells me. You mention the fruit salad. I don’t recall what we had for lunch with Rotary, but I do recall the fresh fruit. Both my wife and I really enjoyed and appreciated that, so you are right on point!
Thanks for sharing.
Don
We had been long time customers and we’re excited for Burs to reopen. We went last week for breakfast and waited 10 minutes for someone to take our order. We finally got up and walked out. Very few customers were inside. Needless to say we will not be back. Black Bear and Pacific Southern restaurants will get our business from now on.
Sorry to hear that and hope you give us a second chance to make it up to you. We would love to see you back.
John,
Thanks for commenting. I’m sorry to hear about your experience at Burs. I would say that after seeing the wait staff constantly on the run when we were there, you may have caught them with someone or two on break, which they certainly deserved it. Restaurants even before COVID are constantly up against the wall not knowing how many servers to call in, given the rules and regulation set forth to keep us healthy has caused even more direr problem. To reopen in mid-October was a brave thing to do. Peg and I are going back this Sunday morning and giving Burs a second chance. I hope you give them a second chance as well. I’m looking forward to “burnt, burnt, burnt” hash browns, but this time I will ask them to deep fry them for me.
Thanks for sharing.
Don
Thank you Don really appreciate your support.
Kylene,
I’m really getting hungry for the deep fried hash browns right now. See you Sunday.
Don
Can’t wait to make your morning better with some crunch and laughter!!! See ya in the morning.
Kylene, I’ve read your string of messages back and forth with Don Doman regarding the “hash-whites” and then the complaint from another customer who says he and his wife “won’t be back” after they walked out when they had not been acknowledged after waiting for ten minutes. He said they are longtime customers and were happy when Bur’s had reopened after the coronavirus shutdown. My 2-cents’-worth on all of this is that communication is the key. Don expressed his preference for “burnt, burnt, burnt” hashbrowns but somehow that did not get communicated effectively to the cook. Somewhere along the line there was a breakdown in communication. Maybe it wasn’t written on the order or spoken to the chef. But when the order came out, you coulda/woulda/shoulda noticed that they were not as Don had requested and this whole mess could have been avoided by simply asking the cook/chef to redo them right then and there before ever taking them to the table in the first place.
Now this other man and his wife, who say they are longtime customers and won’t be back because they were ignored, maybe you were not the person on-duty the day they came in, but again whoever was there was not communicating. Again, it’s a breakdown in communication. People are reasonable and understanding, IF they know what’s going on. All it takes is a moment for someone — anyone — to simply acknowledge that they have entered the restaurant. A quick, “Hi, welcome to Burs! It’s good to see you again. We’re swamped, but we’ll get you seated as quickly as we can.” That would have taken 7 seconds. Only 7 seconds! But instead, this couple was left feeling invisible in a place they have grown to love over the years and were excited to return to, but now feel that they have been disrespected and abandoned. But it would have taken someone — anyone — you or any other employee who was there that day — only 7 seconds to save that relationship with that man and his wife. Who knows if they’ll ever return? But those few seconds would have made all the difference. People simply want to be acknowledged and not treated as if they are invisible.
Yes I agree with you and that’s why I’m reaching out to them to show that I do CARE and hope to see them back. I was the server that day and with the gravy covering the hash browns. It was something you couldn’t see unless I dug in his food. That’s why if you read I did go back and check on them to see if they were doing ok and was attentive. I apologize and told him I would of fixed it. He said that it was alright and sat for sometime enjoying the time with his family. I wasn’t there the day the customer left after sitting for 10mins. But I can you I am very attentive with customers and do care and want them to be happy. I communicate always make eye contact and the first one to say hello and always checking on them to see if they need anything. Thank you
Jaynie,
This is why I periodically remind people that comments are what really make an article. The sharing back and forth is what can really give them interest and a downhome feeling. Peg and I and will be traveling back out to Lakewood (I used to live maybe half a mile from Burs in the late fifties . . . and attended Park Lodge, Navy Base, Hudtloff, Mann, and Clover Park.) for breakfast on Sunday. You and Charles should join us.
Thanks for sharing.
Don
Don, thanks for the invitation to join you and Peg for breakfast at Bur’s tomorrow morning. Charles and I would love to join you. However, I’m scheduled at 6 a.m. Monday for not one but two gastroenterology procedures. I’m on a clear liquid diet between now and then plus a gallon of everyone’s favorite — ‘GoLYTELY’ — on Sunday. So, perhaps another time… Thanks again for the invitation!
Jaynie,
I understand. I will go heavily with hash browns in your honor . . . and add the gravy for Charles!!!
Don
It was a real joy having you and your wife back this morning. Thank you again for giving us a second chance. Have a wonderful night and hope to see you again.
Kylene,
There are worse things that not having absolutely perfect hash browns. Last week Peg enjoyed her BLT and Lindy enjoyed her Chicken Fried Steak. Yesterday, again Peg enjoyed her BLT (I got most of her hash browns!!!!) and I enjoyed my dark brown and crispy hash browns. All is right with the world. I think you’ll enjoy my review.
Thanks for sharing.
Don
Look forward to reading. It was a real pleasure to have the time to talk to the both of you and happy to hear the hash browns were the way you liked. Hope to see you both again.