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 It’s hard to overlook first impressions. Stepping into the Grill Room at 8 pm on a Friday night and my first impression was – wow, this place is doing well. Barely room to stand to wait for the hostess to seat us and watching party after party get ushered to their seats, my friend and I noted that it didn’t appear that slower financial times has hindered business here. They must be doing something right.
The restaurant, located at 84 Exchange Street in the space that was formerly “Natasha’s” has a masculine feel — dark wood, a long bar, low lighting, and framed pictures of cows and sheep on the wall that have butcher’s lines drawn on them. It’s bustling and full of energy. The fare, described as “American Comfort Food” is hearty and filling. This is a steak house, after all. People come here for the meat. While scanning the bar, I noticed a few guys eating steak and potatoes and drinking beer by themselves and wondering if they weren’t sneaking away from their vegetarian girlfriends to get a dose of something more satisfying.
The wine list is extensive but …
there are plenty of choices that are moderate. We got the Sinnean Pinot Noir as a recommendation from the staff and were very pleased. I’ll spare everyone my pretenses that I know what wine pairing is and just say it was a very good wine.
 Much of the menu is a la carte but for those that don’t feel like creating their own combinations, there are also entrée choices that have vegetables and starch. The focus is meat and fish. Although a little hesitant about my server’s explanation of how “medium” was prepared (red throughout), I was assured the hanger steak ($19) is best either medium or under. Red throughout it was and it was one of the best steaks I have ever eaten. It pleased me to hear that the meat was also from the local Wolfe’s Neck Farm and had been organically raised.
The roasted vegetables side dish ($4) I ordered was mostly a medley of tender and flavorful mushrooms, which was appropriate for the plate and for the season. Both meat and vegetables were enhanced by a red wine sauce that was also one of several choices offered.
My friend ordered the grilled scallops with mushroom risotto, roasted root vegetables and zippy sauce ($25). The presentation was so appetizing that it was almost worth ignoring my shellfish allergy in order to sample it.
As enticing as the dessert menu was, we were both too full to indulge. I would like to go back for dessert one night, maybe when the crowd was a little thinner (Sunday and Monday night we were told are slower).
The one drawback to the meal was that the two of us were sandwiched between two other small tables, so it was almost awkward not to acknowledge our neighbors around us. If a more intimate setting is what you are after, I would be sure to request that when making reservations.
The service is top-notch. Our waitress was attentive and available and was not afraid to make confident recommendations. I got the sense that she knew the food. And she knew the food was good.
Clearly, there was thought and expertise behind the crafting of my meal. My feeling is that if you are going to spend the money to go to a restaurant – do it right, make it special and follow recommendations. This new restaurant has done a stellar job in quality of food, ambiance and service. I’ll be back to celebrate a special occasion and will definitely bring my husband, a self-described “meatatarian.”
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