Grill 58 at
284 Monponsett Street in Halifax is a restaurant I’d never have found if it weren't for word
of mouth. It’s set in a strip mall of
the sort you’d pass without a sideways glance if you weren't in the know. I had recommendations from Frank who works at
the garage where I get my car fixed, and from Annette’s aunt Valerie, who knits
sweaters for our grandchildren. The praise was so effusive Annette and I
ventured into the countryside to see what the excitement was about.
Where some
cafes have jukeboxes, Grill 58 provides a tableside television into which you’re
invited to feed coins. I was disposed to make snide comments about the poor
man’s dinner and a movie, forgetting that in the privacy of my home I've been
known to sup before the flickering screen.
I suppose the invention is useful
for families in which the children haven’t learned restaurant manners and need
an electronic drug to prevent them from running amok betwixt the tables. There were no children when I was there. and
none of the TVs was on.
You are also
invited to play Lotto, but all electronic amenities faded from mind when the
waiter served my fried scallops, which turned out to be absolutely the most
outstanding delicacy I've ever eaten from a plastic basket. They were, incredibly
fresh, tender, sweet, and perfectly fried.
Annette got the same scallops breaded, buttered, and served broiled with
mashed potatoes. As we ate, we began planning what we’d get on our next
visit.
My scallops came
with fried onion rings. This side dish
can be wretched when mishandled, but these rings were well-nigh perfect. There were also french fries, which I was
going to rate as ordinary, but on a second taste I noticed they had a nice
potato flavor and were lightly fried so they weren't greasy. Neither were they crisped with the sweet
coating that has become just about ubiquitous.
My daughter tells me it’s scientifically developed so the combination of
fat, sugar, and salt will deaden the messages sent to your brain which tell it
you’re full.
On the
second visit, Annette and I split an order of cheeseburger sliders. I warn you these are so juicy they squirt
when you bite into them. You get a
choice of cheeses. We chose cheddar, and got the real thing, not processed
American cheese. They came with
tomatoes, lettuce, and more of those great onion rings. The buns were much better than the standard
hamburger rolls and they were grill toasted to a crisp buttery finish. We ordered the burgers medium rare, and mine
was slightly pink inside. I give Grill
58 high marks for this. Often when a wait
person asks you how you want a burger cooked, it comes to you brown and dry, no
matter what you say.
Grill 58’s
fish chowder had a silky mouth-feel that was rich with cream, not pasty with thickener. The fish was fresh and perfectly done. There were bits of quahog in the chowder. (Be
warned if you’re allergic to shellfish.)
I think they took their clam chowder and put in generous pieces of
delicate cod. I give it top marks for
restaurant chowder. I was beginning to see a pattern in which everything you
order gets a little tweak that makes it better than expected. With the fish it’s perfect freshness.
We weren’t
really hungry when it was time for dessert, but we split an order of
gingerbread. The generous portion was
the extra in this order. It was moist,
slightly chewy, dark with molasses, and spicy with ginger and clove. The whipped cream was our first
disappointment. It was the aerosol kind that melts into a thin white liquid on
the plate. I wish they’d whip their
own. The gingerbread also came with a
small scoop of ice cream
Once again
we left contemplating another visit. On that occasion my fried clams were
fresh-tasting and not at all greasy. The
lunch basket didn't have a mountain of them, but the quantity was all a person
my age ought to cram into his antiquated digestive system, and it was a good
deal for $9.95. The clams came with the
same onion rings and fries.
Annette’s
chicken supreme was tender and juicy.
Everything I've sampled at Grill 58 has been carefully cooked. I remembered how many tough slabs of boneless
chicken breast I've eaten forlorn cafes. Annette complained that the supreme
sauce lacked the flecks of tarragon she enjoys when she orders the dish at the
Mile Post in Duxbury, but it was a lovely gravy that tasted of chicken.
Annette
remarked that, at lunchtime, the grill is filled with old folks. It’s not that we didn't fit in with the crowd,
but we were reminded of our status as we looked around. Fogies go out for lunch. They tend to have early bedtimes and some of
them don’t like to drive home in the dark. They like good food at reasonable
prices and pass the word when they find it.
I haven’t
dined at Grill 58 in the evening, which means there are things on the regular
menu I haven’t tried. I hear the pizza
is good, and I expect the steaks are is as delectable as the sliders. I haven’t tested the bar. Of the things I ate, the fried scallops were
the most outstanding, but I’m ready to recommend that you begin your own exploration.
