Drew's American Grill

The Engineer and I had dinner at Drew’s American Grill last night and were both extremely pleased. We’d had out eye on this restaurant for a few months, having noticed it open after our arrival. It’s a relatively modern place, somewhat upscale, though casual attire is fine. It’s divided into a few sections, with some more casual than others (think greasy-spoon menu with bar-side seats for a late-night craving versus a place to celebrate your anniversary, with family dining in between); we were in the quieter central section which was somewhat like a glasshouse, with windows into the rest of the restaurant and a beautiful mobile hanging from the ceiling. The food seems more “New York” than “Texas”, but with so many places that cater to local cuisine around here, that’s not a bad thing. Service is prompt and attentive (let’s just say your water glass won’t ever be empty).

The dinner menu fits on one legal-sized sheet, which I’ve come to like if only because it makes decisions easier! There are pizzas, salads and sandwiches, but also some specialty main courses (which I refuse to call “entrées” because I know what that word actually means). We started with the slider trio as an appetizer: a pulled chicken with pesto on brioche bun, braised short rib with garlic aioli on onion bun, and lamb with mint and feta on pita bun, all three of which were delicious. The Engineer then had the Sunny Side Up pizza, which had bacon, gruyere, mozzarella, arugula and eggs; he really liked it, and was particularly fond of the dough. I loved the bite I had, though, the arugula was too cooked for my taste (but I don’t like wilted lettuce, and when I have arugula on my pizza, I put it on at the last minute). As for me, I was in heaven with the chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, apricots, dates, and almonds and served with creamy polenta and green beans. It was fabulous! And worth the Lactaid. I’m told that the chefs can tweak the menu to satisfy those with food restrictions (like vegans or people who are gluten-intolerant), though I didn’t ask for myself. We were too full for dessert after that, though I was pleased to see that there were several lactose-free options, like the zeppole and the sorbet trio. (The flavours are up to the chef, but they are from a nearby gelateria and look much more interesting than what you’d get at a grocery store. Plus, Drew’s molten chocolate cake isn’t served with plain vanilla ice cream, but with Mexican vanilla gelato!) However, we were absolutely delighted that the bill came with free cotton candy! There’s always room for a sweet blue cloud after a full meal.