Westford Grille Cools Off
At one point, I was a dedicated patron of the Westford Grille in Westford, MA. They offered a wide variety of selections and a fun drink menu. Then they made the fatal flaw of separating their one menu into two menus – a bar menu and a restaurant menu. Now, when trying to decide where to eat, Westford Grille still comes up for discussion but inevitably one member of the party wants a burger or sandwich (now only available on the bar menu) while another member wants a steak or fish dish (available on the restaurant menu). Worse, the bar is often loud and crowded, so I am left to decide if I want an expensive but quiet meal, or a loud but affordable one. To be fair, I have requested (and received) the bar menu in the restaurant’s dining rooms – but it is always a hassle – the waiter or waitress has to check with the powers that be before procuring the extra menu. I’m simply not always up for the hassle of requesting a secondary menu.
So when I received a coupon in the mail recently, I decided to give the Westford Grille another try. I reasoned that the coupon would justify the pricier options in the dining room. I arrived during the peak of the cold snap to a cold host who failed to notice me in the lobby. I stood and paced in the doorway for at least five minutes before finally interrupting his reading to ask if the other member of my party had arrived. She had, and had I not asked, I would no doubt have spent several more minutes in the lobby.
The dining room is simple but nice, but so nice as to warrant not serving several of their appetizers and entrees within.
The drink menu, though it changes at times, consistently offers a nice selection of martinis and mixed drinks. My raspberry-lime rickey martini was zingy and nice, but full of ice chips upon arrival. My friend ordered a toasted almond that was nutty and creamy.
Our waitress was courteous and generally on top of her game, but lacking warmth – she never smiled and never greeted me when I joined my friend, leaving me feeling a bit like we were putting her out. However, our food arrived in a timely manner and I was very pleased with my Marinated Grilled Sirloin Tips. I have yet to figure out what the marinade consists of, but it lends the steak a really nice, subtle flavor. They were tender and cooked to order. My mashed potatoes were thick and tasty as well. My friend ordered fried shrimp, which I did not taste, but they appeared nicely fried and she seemed to enjoy them.
I have tried other entrees on previous visits and have enjoyed most of the entrees on the menu, save the dinner salads. The dinner salads comprise of too many strong flavors that don’t complement one another.
Despite a coupon for $12.00 off of our bill, I was dismayed to see that our bill still totalled nearly $50.00 (after tip) for two entrees and two drinks – a bit steep for a weeknight meal out. Overall, I like the Westford Grille, but I feel the dining room prices are a bit steep and the bar a bit noisy. A reunion of the two menus would be the perfect marriage with good options for all diners.
http://www.westfordgrille.com/ordereze/default.aspx
Tags: martini, sirloin tips, westford, westford grille
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