Document text
Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2006 Roadhouse Grill Imagine the corporate chef for the 14-store Roadhouse Grill chain based in Glendale, Calif.. How inspired must that person have been on the day he or she created this symphony: bourbon chicken legs with chipotle ranch dressing? On a recent trip to the West Medford Roadhouse, we dug into a basket heaping with these legs and wings for just $6.50. Everything about the appetizer was wicked — wickedly good. It was the perfect night to throw caution to the winds and enjoy what the Grill was meant to be, a place that gives you plenty of pretty good food for very decent prices. For those Southern Oregonians who have lived at the bottom of a mine for the past decade, the Roadhouse Grill is situated a quarter mile West of Sherm's Thunderbird Market on West Main Street. It's a big space, recently expanded, but that doesn't stop nightly stampedes. The interior is rugged, a mix of Old West and scruffy saloon décor. The entire rear wall is occupied by the kitchen, open to view in order to showcase the cooks and their pyrotechnics as they bend slabs of red meat to their wills. In fact, the locale is popular because of its studied informality. During our visit, we overheard one young man announce, "I like this place because it's not too civilized." What he meant, I think, was he could boogie on down for dinner without feeling that his flip-flops, T-shirt, and baseball cap would elicit looks from a haughty hostess. The place definitely is not snooty. On the other hand, its rusticity is calculated and the only ordnance flying through the air is likely to be peanut shells. As an aside, much is made of the restaurant's marketing ploy, "all the free peanuts you can eat and toss the shucks on the floor." There's no doubt that the illusion of a gift charms some folks and the goobers are a nice distraction for the kids. Advertisement To open the evening, I glommed on to a 16-ounce Roadhouse Margarita for $6. I could have grabbed a 32-ounce version of the same or any other sweet cocktail for just $8. These come in Mason jars, a further reminder we were in a make-believe Butcher's Holler. My wife went for a char-grilled salad with shrimp for $9. The dressing was a tad sharp and the shrimp dry with a hint of, what was it, fuel? But I spotted the original Roadhouse Caesar with anchovies on request. Hoo-boy! A restaurant that honors tradition! I'm going back to the Grill just to order that honest Caesar salad. I went for the combo of baby backs and prime rib at $20. This includes yeast rolls, honey butter, a salad, and a host of vegetables. This meal was just ducky. Was there beef on the planet that was better that night? I suppose so, but mine was right up there. The focus on meat signifies, of course, that the cooks will pay strict attention to its preparation. On all our visits, they have. When a diner asks for one or the menu's five degrees of doneness, they get just that. Beef-lovers will join me in wishing all such restaurants were as respectful of their steaks. The Grill does a generous pour for their wines by the glass at prices from $5 to $7. Bottles are priced around the $15-$20 mark and my only complaint is their limited selection. My wife and I like white wines and someone needs to tell the main office there's more to life than chardonnay. The dessert menu is a small one but the prices are very good $3 to $5 for mammoth creations. Plan on sharing these gigantic desserts. In f act, we ate like royalty for a couple of days on all our leftovers after the visit to the Roadhouse Grill. -- Hubert Smith Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s Advertisement