A cheesy commodity that has made its rounds on social media can be found at a sports bar and lounge on the North Shore that aims to stay on top of viral trends.
Rivalry Sports Lounge and Kitchen officially opened at 221 Washington St. in Salem a year ago. But the “Viral Giant XXL Mozzarella Stick” was only added to the restaurant’s menu a month ago.
Owner Zak Barnett said the mozzarella stick is Rivarly’s most popular item at the moment. Many people may have caught the viral video of the snack that has garnered more than 23,000 views on Rivalry’s Instagram.
The restaurant makes 25-30 sticks a week. And they always sell out as people come in droves to test the limits of their stomachs and the mozzarella’s stick’s cheese pull, which is pretty impressive.
The idea for the mozzarella stick came from Twisted Pizza in Las Vegas, according to Barnett. Rivalry uses 6- to 7-pound blocks of fresh whole milk mozzarella that are cut down into 1-pound strips for each stick.
The mozzarella sticks are all cut by hand, dipped in batter, and tossed in seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
The gargantuan snack is then deep fried for about 10 minutes then thrown in the oven for another five so that it is cooked all the way through. With the breading, the entire stick comes in at 1.5 pounds.
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Barnett hopes this won’t be the last of Rivalry’s clout, as the owner is looking to capitalize on the success of the mozzarella stick by introducing new menu items each month.
One of the latest items includes the Espresso Martini flight, which features four mini-martinis in classic, sugar cookie, cookie dough and peppermint flavors.
Rivalry also boasts a lineup of clever cocktails served in whimsical glassware. These include the Boozy Bathtub, which is Stoli blueberi, blue Curaçao, lemonade and fresh lime served in a bathtub cup with a rubber duck.
There is also the Snake Bite Spice Strawberry Margarita served in a serpent mug, the Pickering Wharf Pirate Punch served in a pirate head glass and The Peachy Teaki that comes in a tiki mug.
In case you want some food with that cocktail, Rivalry’s menu is packed with New American dishes and bar bites. People can also come to play games, watch sports, or party in the back lounge while a DJ spins tunes.
A full list of upcoming events can be found on Rivalry’s website, as well as the restaurant’s business and kitchen hours.
