I’ve always been a burger enthusiast, so when a friend requested a little bar and grill in downtown Oconomowoc, I knew I had to try it. The bar is called The Crafty Cow, and it's famous for its extravagant burgers and craft beer. 

As I entered the rustic, dim-lit room, the sound of laughter and conversation from the locals filled the air. A kind, young waitress welcomed us and led us to a high table against the back wall. We settled in our seats, and she handed us menus with a variety of meals to choose from. I opened the menu and went straight to the page that had “Burgers” in big bold letters. 

As I gazed through the options, my eyes widened and my jaw dropped. There were options I could never have dreamed of, such as the “Peanut Butter Paradise”: a juicy medium-rare burger topped with pepper jack cheese, peanut butter, bacon & sport pepper jam, and sea salt kettle chips, all served on a donut bun. And the “Pump up the Jam” burger; the same juicy medium-rare burger as the Peanut Butter Paradise, but stuffed with applewood smoked bleu cheese and topped with blueberry jam, organic harvest greens, red onion, bacon, jalapeno & garlic aioli.  I chose the “Big Poppa” a perfect medium-rare burger stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeno, topped with cilantro aioli, poblano pepper medley, and salsa roja. 

When my entrée arrived the presentation was dull. The burger sat with a knife lodged on the top, and a pickle laid next to it. However, once I sunk my teeth into the tender burger, and the warm, spicy cream cheese filling started oozing out, I realized this was no ordinary burger. That dull presentation quickly left my thoughts as I dug in.

There really is nothing like tasting a burger from the Crafty Cow, however, one of my all-time favorite foods to get is their loaded cheese curds appetizers. This dish consists of crispy, gooey, beer-battered cheese curds topped with creamy mac-&-cheese, jalapeños, pulled bacon, white BBQ sauce, and honey-chipotle sauce. These loaded cheese curds are a perfect size for a group of four people to share as an appetizer, but if you want something for one person, this would be too filling. I’d suggest the fried pickle chips or the sweet potato waffle fries for a smaller appetizer. 

Once we finished our meals, my jeans were ready to bust open. My tastebuds had taken over and my stomach was paying for it. My sister suggested we take a walk along the lake, to burn off the number of calories we had just consumed. We strolled down the beautiful street, warm air blowing through our hair, comforting us as we gazed at the cotton candy sky. I glanced back and noticed a family entering the Crafty Cow, thinking to myself, they are going to have a fantastic time.