The Rusty Lyon
3 out of 5 stars
923 Broadway, Dunedin. Appetizers: $4-$19; entrees: $9-$22; desserts: $4-$7; beer, cocktails & wine: $3.75-$10. 727-303-0750, rustylyon.com.
If you’ve spent any time over the last few months going up and down Alt. 19, just north of Dunedin’s Main Street, you couldn’t help but notice a new rooftop bar under construction to the east with a big “coming soon” sign. Well, the future is now. The Rusty Lyon is open.
What you wouldn’t know is that the entrance is out back, not on Broadway. We park around the corner, and then realize that we’ve got to pass down a paved, well-lit alley to reach the front door. What we didn’t know — and you now do — is the free parking is right there, or in the adjacent Monroe Street garage.
There’s a separate entrance on the side leading to the surprisingly roomy upstairs. It doesn’t really look out upon anything special, but it will be a pleasant spot for fresh air and appetizers as soon as the temps warm up a bit. Full bar service is available on the deck. However, you must go inside for the complete menu, which is more diverse than I expected.
The Rusty Lyon has plenty of munchies to accompany your alcohol of choice. This is the first time I’ve seen a four-fry combo (shoestring, tater tot, waffle and sweet potato) offered with matching sauces (ranch, honey mustard, Sriracha and wasabi). I’m sorely tempted, but I know what each of these tastes like, so I push my table to turn away from fries, and dips and nachos and quesadillas, to check out starters that give us insight into the kitchen’s craft and imagination.
This is a casual spot with food served largely unadorned on metal trays with paper liners. Although the place doesn’t put much emphasis on plating, it doesn’t mean there’s any compromise on flavor. Our beginning choices are uniformly excellent.
Crab-stuffed mushrooms are delightful. Huge button mushrooms are piled high with creamy, well-seasoned filling sprinkled with fresh herbs and grantinéed until golden brown and juicy. The ‘shrooms are tender, and the crab isn’t overpowering. I insist that a companion who normally eschews shellfish take a taste. My tablemate sheepishly admits to a soupçon of gastronomic joy.
Next, the bacon platter is a mini-galvanized bucket, where eight crispy slices bloom forth like a piggy floral tribute. Three small plastic cups invite diners to enhance each bite with a different sauce: chocolate, maple syrup or mango chutney. It’s delicious fun.
Our final app, pork wings, is a surprise as well. These shank pieces are bone-in with twice as much meat as a St. Louis rib. They’re slathered with sweet Thai chili barbecue sauce, which is well-balanced and walks the perfect line between sugar and spice.
We can’t pass up the cup of what’s billed as “award-winning” lobster-based Cajun corn chowder, either. It’s full-flavored, thick and satisfying — however, not so much about lobster. Also, when I see Cajun, I immediately think of spice. The chowder is on the mild side, but most enjoyable nonetheless.
So far, so good.
While the 12 signature cocktails are focused on whiskey (primarily bourbon), some Scotch and rye are present. There are nearly 40 beer selections, half of which are on tap, with a strong focus on local craft brews. Wine is on hand, too, yet with no list, it’s clearly an afterthought.
Burgers are one of The Rusty Lyon’s signature dishes. In addition to a regular beef patty, you can upgrade to Angus, bison, pork and the trendy plant-based Impossible Burger, or substitute a chicken breast. Ten tasty combos are on the menu. We go for the Angus cheeseburger with bourbon bacon jam, Cheddar and onion straws on a brioche bun. Simply delish.
You have the choice of chicken, steak, shrimp, ahi tuna or duck tacos, which come with absolutely superb black beans and rice. Our duck taco bursts with flavor. Its soft tortillas are topped with juicy meat in a slightly sweet sauce that reminds me of red currant jelly. Arugula finishes the dish for a change of texture, plus a peppery note.
In addition, the bar offers seven pizzas, including gluten-free crust. If a burger, pie or taco doesn’t do it for you, The Rusty Lyon does a few standard entrees — chicken and waffles, steak, meatloaf, shrimp or pork chops. Bourbon salmon catches one of my tasters’ eyes, and we place the order. But our server informs us it’s not available. As we weigh the other options, it’s on again. The simple grilled fish arrives with our pick of two sides, and both are a letdown. The sweet potato fries are warm and crisp, though strikingly unseasoned, and the swoon-sounding corn and cauliflower in bourbon butter is disappointingly bland and dull. That said, the fresh vegetable du jour with our burger is sensational. Perfectly al dente green beans tossed with garlic and caramelized onions just rock.
Dessert is a mixed bag. The good news? Bourbon ice cream turns out to be superb and addictive. It comes as a complement to the bourbon pecan pie and the cobbler of the day. On our visit, the cobbler is a fruit-filled blueberry recipe topped with doughy, nearly raw, pastry. The fruit’s great, but this one never should’ve left the kitchen. I’m not sure if the bourbon pecan pie is made in-house. However, the bottom is mostly sweet goo, with the pecans largely sitting on top. Great pecan pie has the nuts integrated with the filling. These technical mistakes really diminish a night that starts with a bang.
Sweets aside, The Rusty Lyon is another worthwhile joint in Dunedin for laid-back food.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at food@creativeloafing.com.
This article appears in Feb 7-14, 2019.