Quest to find the Barski Burger: How a Sport's Bar in the Forest Changed My Outlook on Eating, Travel, Life, and the Future

College life certainly has its ups and downs. A fact that Kyle and I were finding out on a whole new level this past summer as we slipped into a new realm of higher education that is graduate school. Life was becoming more work focused, find work, do work, find work, do work, it never ended. So, as the party scene started to become no longer a part of our feasible life style, so too we felt drifting from us free time, a sense of spontaneity, youth. And this, my friends, if you continue to follow us in our path of adventure, you will find quite quickly is most certainly not US.
No longer wishing to feel like a walk on in Ground Hog Day, we packed the car with the ever-ready-to-go camping essentials and hit the road. Desitination? The little west Michigan town of Baldwin. You might ask why. Good question, sure the town is primarily a tourist town, a feature we've both come to value and dislike at the same time. (lesson learned: stay out side of town, venture in after peak hours to get the real feel of the place) But, as for Baldwin in specific- sure we love the area's lakes and rivers, as well as the vast wilderness of the Manistee National Forest or perhaps even the local festivities which include the annual Blessing of the Bikes (in which thousands of motorcyclists come from around the United States) and Troutarama, as well as Shrine of the Pines.
But the reason for the trip in particular; a quest! The suggestion to make a drive from East Lansing to Baldwin for the sole purpose of visiting a biker bar with a legendary burger. Behold, I give you the knowledge of Barski and his Barski Burger!

Again, you might be thinking we really were crazy graduate students to drive over 2.5 hrs just to get some ground beef and fries. Perhaps, or perhaps not! The little town is pretty much located along on street (M37/M10) so we figured it be east to find the eatery. Ummm not really, but stopping in a little shop gave us more than just directions. The owner of the clothing shop we stopped in gave us some local history and told us the way to Barksi, just a bit further North on M37.

When you pull up and see the place it's complete biker bar heaven. Casual atmosphere, comfort foods, and the standard draft and bottle beer choices make an out of towner feel like a local. As Kyle quickly noticed, the bar proudly displays the Polish flag and serves several traditional Polish style entrees. I ordered the kielbasa with kraut and rye served with an out of this world horseradish aioli (even Kyle, who hates horseradish said this stuff was bomb.) And the kielbasa was by far some of the best I've ever had, and I know a good Polish kielbasa when I taste one!
This brings me to the holy grail of burgers, totally worthy of the name Barski. The Barski Burger. Burger, bacon, pickles, garlic aioli, toasted bun, home made fries. Ermagoshgood! When the plates were licked clean, literally, we took another look at the menu and debated getting the bleu cheese poppers (we like finger food, a lot) but thought better of it considering we'd be in a tent in the back woods for the night. But no worries, we're set up for another reason to visit Baldwin and the crew at Barski Bar.

Kyle's in Burger Heaven

As I recount this summer weekend trip on a chilly September day, sitting in a computer lab back on MSU's campus, sounded by mounds of work walling me in once again, I am reminded of that warm summer afternoon Kyle and I left all this behind to find a burger in the woods. And, I am also reminded that just because the present seems doggedly boring and the to-do list never ending, we are together, and together we are only a relatively short drive, a few good conversions and radio-singalongs away from foodie paradise. So, hold fast friends! and dream of that Burger of burgers.