R H.
Yelp
My review of Nu Way:
The ladies I work with were kind enough to include me for their lunch at this local hamburger joint. Located 3 blocks from the office, we decided to walk, which seemed like a good idea. We took the "shortcut", which unfortunately went past five trash dumpsters in short span...the 95 degree heat, baking the insides of these metal boxes released an onerous odor that cannot be explained. Thankfully we turned the corner and turned our attention to the old school Pabst Blue Ribbon sign that includes "Nu Way Lounge". We had arrived. We entered through the solid-wood red door that completely blocks out the sun and provides a sense of mystery as to what awaits inside.
As my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior, and we sat down, I noticed Once In A Lifetime by the Talking Heads was playing. One of my favorites, with great lyrics..."well, how did I get here"..."where does that highway go to"...and "My God, what have I done?" The vibe was solid.
The drop ceiling at Nu Way is a low 8 and a half feet, providing an intimacy you wouldn't expect. I noticed a few of the panels were missing, but no worries. There's the cabinetry of an old pay phone...but the phone is gone. Three dart boards. A well- stocked bar with seating for 15. The floor used to be carpeted, and sticky. Now it's a clean non stick concrete surface. On the wall hung a drum symbol that had been signed by some drumming legend. There were spotlights and strobe lights hanging from the ceiling. No doubt this place must get its freak on at night.
Our server took our drink orders. We barely noticed her fuchsia colored hair, lug earrings, and tattoo sleeves, because she was on point as she answered our questions. She returned with the drinks...the sweet tea is excellent. Nu Way offers several burgers with interesting names, including Trailer Park, White Trash, and Honkey Tonk. The menu didn't indicate that these items were heart healthy, but it didn't say they were heart unhealthy either. I decided to roll the dice with the White Trash, but left off the slaw and chili, which seemed like a reasonable thing to do.
After ordering, George Straight's "All My Exes Live in Texas" played from the jukebox. I don't think I mentioned the jukebox...there's also an ATM. The US Open was on three TVs, too. You can tell Nu Way management strive to cover everything down to smallest detail. The Nu Way clientele ranged from freshmen from Wofford and octogenarians, to cowboys and businessmen. By the way, George Straight hangs his hat in Tennessee...according to the song.
A short time later, our fuchsia haired server delivered our baskets of goodness. Mine included Cajun fries and a pickle wedge to accompany the White Trash. For a burger that has trash in its name, it did not disappoint. Very tasty and gone quickly.
As the table chowed down, a song I didn't recognize began to play. By the beat of the song, I could tell it was rap from the turn of the century era...an era when I wasn't listening to much rap. I'm more of an old school rap guy...Rapper's Delight, Fight for Your Right, Wild Thang, Walk This Way...you get the picture. Evidently, this one's titled What's Your Fantasy, by Ludacris. I couldn't understand the words, but the ladies seemed to know the song. I told them I was going to see if I could find it on Spotify when I got home, and they just busted out laughing. Maybe that's an inside joke?
We settled up, then slowly stood up, our appetites filled, and ventured to the door. As we exited the Nu Way, we were blinded by the light...which is also a song written by Bruce Springsteen. He recorded the song, but I prefer the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version. Eyes adjusted, we took the long way back to the office.
If you happen to be in the 'burg, and are looking for great burger and a place with character, I recommend a visit to Nu Way.
