Mystery Diner in Plano: Six19 Kitchen + Bar takes bar food to the next level

Six19 Kitchen + Bar has been open since November, and while it’s easy to pass without noticing, it’s certainly worth looking for. Smash burgers might not scream ‘date night,’ but my date and I had a wonderful time.

Part of Six19′s charm comes from how literal they take the term ‘family business.’ The kitchen is run by a brother sister duo, with the brother’s wife tending bar and waiting tables.

The kitchen offers a menu of mostly American cuisine, but with several eastern influences and interesting twists on classics. Or, to quote the bartender, “It’s bar food... but elevated.”

Aptly named, there is not much more to 619 than the kitchen and the oversized bar. The small establishment has few tables, but they’re worth waiting for. Or, if none are open, you can enjoy your meal at the bar, which is what my date and I did.

We ordered the house made pimento dip and corn fritters to start, and decided to get a couple refreshments while we waited.

I ordered a sour beer to start, one of seven beers on tap at Six19. If you are into sour beers and Goses, you know how difficult it is to find a good one on tap, so I was already impressed.

My date started with a Creekside cocktail, a modern twist on the Moscow Mule, with blood orange juice and thyme simple syrup, served in a tin mug and garnished with a toasted sprig of thyme.

The pimento dip is served with salted soft pretzel bites and tortilla chips, and is hard to stop eating.

We also got corn fritters; warm and spicy nuggets of deep fried sweet corn and peppers drizzled with hot honey and served with a spicy jalapeno Buck sauce for dipping. If you like your dessert first, this is the app for you.

While we enjoyed our appetizers we indulged in another round of cocktails. I went with the Iron Ridge, a spicy and smokey twist on a whiskey sour, while my date tried the 619 Old Fashioned. I did not expect to see the level of quality cocktails Six19 is serving in Plano.

The Iron Ridge is made with Mezcal, chile de arbol simple syrup and egg white, making it both surprisingly smokey on the palette and smooth at the same time.

The 619 Old Fashioned is fairly traditional, but made with chocolate bitters, making it toasty and warming with just a touch of sweetness from the chocolate.

When it came time to order our meals, it was an incredibly difficult decision, and not just because the two of us had already eaten a plate each. Since their specialty is Smash Burgers, we went with an Ace 2.0 and a Banh Mi Smash.

The Banh Mi Smash is the perfect choice if you are hungry for a burger but want to try something different. It’s an American twist on a classic Vietnamese sandwich. This is something you won’t find anywhere else around here.

Smashed spiced pork patty, topped with thinly sliced carrots, cucumber and jalapeno, garnished with cilantro and house made firecracker sauce. We’ll be back for this item alone (also to try the Cuban, which we didn’t have room for).

The Ace 2.0 is, in a word - satisfying - in more words, cheesy, beefy, crispy and savory. If you’re like me, your bacon can never be crispy enough. That is not the case when it comes to the Ace 2.0. The smash burger is topped with extra crispy bacon, sautéed onions, and spicy buck sauce, all between a hearty pretzel bun.

The smash burgers at Six19 come with french fries or tater tots. If you’re a fan of spice, try them dusted with the house dry rub, but beware, they were by far the spiciest fries I’ve ever had.

I am already looking forward to my next visit to Six19 Kitchen + Bar, and to another Bahn Mi Smash.

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at Shaw Media. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a story.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Six19 Kitchen + Bar

WHERE: 242 Mitchell Dr. Plano, IL

Hours: Tuesday - Thursday: 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday: 4 p.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday - Monday: Closed

INFORMATION: https://www.facebook.com/ace.aculinaryexperience/