FEATURES: Big portions equal big flavor at Claim Jumper

By Mindy Simmons
Staff Writer

Generous portions are the norm at Claim Jumper/ Photo by Mindy Simmons

If you’re not really hungry or find yourself saying, “I just want something light,” then don’t go to Claim Jumper. Their proportions are fit for a king and queen, and their children. If you have ever driven by and noticed people walking out of the restaurant with bags in their hands and an exhausted expression on their faces, know that this is normal. It’s more than likely that they have just been defeated by the quantity of food and have bagged up their leftovers to eat in front of the television as a midnight snack. But hey, that’s all just hypothetical.

I started off with an appetizer, which is quite out of the ordinary for me, but the friendly waitress swayed me to believe that my meal would not be complete without their $7.99 Lemon Pepper Zucchini. She was right. The menu describes it as, “lightly fried and piled high then topped with lemon pepper parmesan and served with ranch dipping sauce”. All I can say is, what you read is what you get. I’ve always been a fan of fried zucchini, or anything fried in that matter, but there was something different about these. I believe it was the batter that made them so savory. They weren’t heavy or saturated in grease. It was light and crunchy, which is exactly what anything fried should be. Also, it didn’t hurt that it was topped off with melted parmesan cheese.

After devouring the appetizer, I ordered the Widow Maker Burger¸ described as “smoked bacon, hand battered onion rings, avocado, double-thick cheddar, mayo and red relish”. It came with the choice of: Spicy Peanut Thai Slaw, Fresh Cut Fruit, or Seasoned French Fries. I obviously had to have their Seasoned French Fries. Again, there is something about Claim Jumper and their art of frying. All I know is that I love it. The Widow Maker Burger is what I call a burger. I’m a burger kind a gal, and I know a good burger when I eat one. This would be ranked as one of the top five I've had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into. It deserves a trophy or a metal wrapped around its delicious self.

Now here comes the fun part--desert! Their Chocolate Motherload Cake puts any other chocolate cake to shame.  It’s been featured on the Food Network as one of America’s “Top 5 Most Decadent Desserts”. Its six layers of chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing, topped with walnuts. I hardly put a dent in it after finishing that Widow Maker Burger. I ended up bringing it to class the next day, ate a good 10 bites and passed in on to someone else to finish it. I would recommend it to anyone, but if you’re going to attempt to finish it in one setting, just know that this cake is about as rich as it gets. Let’s just say you've been warned.

From my experience, I would rate Claim Jumper a 9 out of 10. This restaurant has earned my respect and admiration. I deducted a point because of the dining atmosphere. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, know that they have Happy Hour specials from 3:00 P.M. – Close every Monday through Friday (Only available in the saloon). Their Widow Maker Burger is even marked down to $7, which is a steal if you compare it to their everyday price of $12.29! If you’re looking for a good place to feast, Claim Jumper is the place to go.