Biloxi’s gastropub for gamers has a new hamburger-heavy menu that’s ‘really good’
The Wayward Kraken is without doubt one of the most unusual establishments on the Coast.
It is a gamer’s hangout, with hundreds of game options, but you might be surprised who the clientele is.
Canonblue Lalley, owner and a very talented chef to boot, told me that she has both 85-year-olds that come in to play and eat, and kids that ride their bicycles to play games. Cool.
The ambiance is as unique as the mission. The walls are loaded with game-related posters and paraphernalia, and there are gaming tables specific to certain games. It’s mysterious to non-gamers like me, but even if you are not a fan, it is comfortable and inviting place to meet friends and grab something to eat.
Canonblue tells me that everyone is welcomed, and the only rule is that you have to be nice.
I reviewed the Kraken three years ago when they first opened, and was very impressed with the menu, and still think that the seafood bisque was one of the best I ever had. So when Canonblue told me they had torn the old menu up and went with a burger-heavy replacement, I knew I had to go. My love for a good burger knows no bounds.
The menu is small, and the burgers are as unique as everything else about this place, but the burger combinations were not developed to just be unusual.
Some burger places try just a bit too hard to be different, and not just good or great. Kraken dug deep and came up with a few burgers that are unique, but also exceedingly good.
The first one I tried was a great example, and was the daily special. They called it The Witcher. A really good house-made patty, charred as any good burger should be, but then paired with a darn good marinara sauce, cheese sticks and mozzarella that melt into soft and chewiness wonderfulness, all on a buttered bun.
This burger, and everything I have ever had at the Kraken, was made even better than expected because of the attention to details, like the butted bun. It was a simple step, but made a big difference. It is a burger I’d certainly drive a long way to find.
The second burger I tied was the Royale with cheese (remember the line in Pulp Fiction?). It was a masterful burger, hefty too, made with lots of nacho cheese, crispy bacon, on a toasted brioche bun and a nice slathering of the house secret sauce. Good, really good.
Beside the burgers, there are wings, cheese sticks, some very special fries and egg rolls — all food that a busy gamer can hold in one hand and deal mortal combat with the other.
The Kraken is a very special place, all will feel welcomed, and all should leave well-fed and content. Game over.
If you go
The Wayward Kraken
Where: 871 Howard Ave, Biloxi
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon to 1 a.m. Friday-Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday
Call: 228-365-1931