Definition of a good dinner: A meal that meets (or exceeds) the expectations of exactly what you’re in the mood for.

Walking up Seventh Avenue after taking the test to become enumerators for the Census Bureau (more on that later) Hepcat, Teen Spirit and I decided to try Mack’s.

Mack’s, the new restaurant on Seventh Avenue between President and Carroll Street in Park Slope, was exactly the kind of place we were in the mood for. Casual, easy going with burgers (or fish).

It wasn’t crowded but there were quite a few tables filled with diners when we got there at 8PM on a cold, windy Wednesday night and we sat at a table in the back. The waitress, a lovely young girl was attentive and really personable.

There was lots to look at on the menu, which includes fish, steak, sandwiches, pizza and, of course, burgers. Teen Spirit was impressed that they had root beer floats and disco fries. He explained that those were cheese fries with gravy (“like poutine,” he said).

We decided to skip the disco fries but Teen Spirit and I ordered burgers (he Angus, me turkey). They offer lots of toppings of which he chose mozzarella and mushroom and I went along with his selection. Hepcat had a salmon caesar salad.

The waitress told us right away that they were out of burger buns and that they were using English muffins instead. She was so friendly and nice about everything that we didn’t mind that she served Teen Spirit a Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda instead of a root beer.

She apologized profusely but Teen Spirit didn’t notice the mistake until he was mid-way through the can. Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda is pretty darn good.

The burgers came with an extremely generous helping of french fries. Teen Spirit wolfed his  down and said it was good after. My turkey burger was also very good — not boring or dry at all. And the cheese and mushrooms were a perfect choice. It also came with lettuce, tomato and pickles. The waitress brought us ketchup, Guildens Mustard and Hellmans mayo without asking.

Hugh said the salmon was perfectly prepared rare and moist (he’s a stickler about that) and he liked the salad, as well.

All good.

Hepcat drank tap beer (they’ve got a good selection) and I had an Argentinean Cabernet. Contrary to my first impression at the bar, they do have a wine list and more than just Woodbridge bottles.

When Teen Spirit found out that Mack’s was an offshoot of Johnny Mack’s he got very excited: “I love that place,” and indeed he had good memories of all those times we’ve been to that 8th Avenue restaurant after a movie at the Pavilion.

They played Queen all night, which my son found annoying even though he’s a big fan. I didn’t mind it at all and the volume wasn’t too high (unlike my first visit).

All in all, it was a good dinner and EXACTLY what we were in the mood for! A nice place for a not-too-hectic weeknight dinner and great conversation.