Last night my wife, youngest son, and I went to dinner in support of one of the restaurants fighting for their survival.
We arrived right at 7PM, an hour before their closing time. The owner told us we were welcomed for a drink, but he had just closed the kitchen since there were not many customers. I told him we had driven all the way from Riverside to support them, and he immediately pointed us to a table.
Batter Rebellion on Citrus in Redlands is relatively new (find them on Facebook). It has a very modern and hip vibe. Its high ceilings and completely open front window give it an inviting, open, and relaxed feel. Currently they have a few tables outside and only the tables closest to the front window available for seating.
The first thing I noticed walking up was the open front giving lucky patrons sitting at the front a full view of the street scene. Next was the well-stocked and clean bar, and then I noticed the mural with the motto; “Rules Make Rebels”. I whole-heartedly agree!
Our son had the Upstream Poke. He loved his poke nachos, but said it was a little light on ahi. However, I noticed the ahi cubes were substantially larger than the average poke nachos we see in other restaurants. I guess size matters and perception is reality.
My wife had and loved the Upstream Salad. She had no complaints with the amount of ahi or anything else on it. The sesame soy vinaigrette was delicious and the pickled jalapeños and Siracha aioli gave it a nice bite without making it too spicy.
My Black Sheep Bacon Jam Burger was amazing. The patty was perfectly cooked and very juicy. The bacon jam and Rebel sauce gave the burger an incredibly unique flavor that melded together with the patty. The fried shallots added a bit of a crunchy texture. It was pure deliciousness. The excess sauce and jam that dripped onto the fries made for an amazing encore.
We sincerely hope they survive our current situation as we want to come back to enjoy the full experience. In the meantime, we will continue to drive the 30 minutes each way to support them. Rebel on!
