By Robin Swartz / Lansing State Journal

Dusty's Tap Room, 1857 W. Grand River Ave. in Okemos, is a new addition to the ever-growing Dusty's Cellar empire. It's basically a burger-and-a-beer bar, but with a Dusty's twist. It's upscale - and really good.

The 60-seat, 2,000-square-foot space has its own kitchen and menu, separate from the fine dining restaurant a few doors down. The 16-seat bar offers front-row seating for TV viewing.

The menu here is basic - appetizers, burgers, salads, a handful of entrees and, yes, hot dogs. The beer and wine lists are longer than the food menu.

We started with cheese sticks. But, being a Dusty's offshoot, these weren't ordinary cheese sticks. They're Smoked Cheddar Cheese Sticks ($6.95 for six), fried-walnut-crusted smoked Cheddar sticks served with spicy mustard. They actually tasted classy.

The companion had the Char Grilled Rib Eye ($15.95), a half-pound steak served with fries and a salad. The steak was extremely tender, juicy and flavorful. Diners can hoose betweem thin-cut fries (similar to potato chips) and beer-battered fries. She chose the former and loved them. They weren't too greasy, and they were served hot.

I had the Detroit Chili Dog ($4.95). It's a quarter-pound Angus beef hot dog topped with Coney-style sauce, Cheddar Cheese and diced onions. It's too big and covered in toppings to pick up. The toppings were as good as I expected them to be; the hot dog itself knocked my socks off. It's beefy and rich and unlike anything I've had - even at a ballpark. The beer-battered fries were crunchy and had a nice hint of spice. The 14-ounce glass of spicy, fruity Bell's Oberon Ale was a great complement to the meal.

Even with all the tables full and the bar busy, our food arrived quickly. Our server was friendly and seemed eager to do a good job. She mostly succeeded; however, she didn't check back after delivering our food to see if we needed anything else.

If you're looking for the quality of a Dusty's meal without the leisurely pace, the Tap Room is a place to check out for a quick, delicious meal.

Hours are 11:00 a.m. to midnight Mondays through Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sundays.