Dinner -- 1/18/08

Green Room Grille
725 Austin Ave.
Waco, TX
254.756.ROOM

http://kwtx.cbs10deals.com/promo/restaurant/35491_The_Green_Room_Menu.pdf

5:40 - 7:00 p.m.

Jim: Lobster Thermidor with Radicchio Slaw, Cream of Brie and Tart Apple Soup, 100% Angus Rib Eye from Yoakum, Texas with Chimichurri Sauce, Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries

Ramona: Escargot a la Bourguignon, Classic French Onion Soup, Wild Mushroom Stuffed Angus Tenderloin with Cabernet Demi, Italian Cream Cake

Wine: Gouguenheim Flor del Valle (2003 Malbec)

This was our first visit to this restaurant which opened in June 2007. It has been described as one of Waco's finest, and we agree it ranks in the top 5. Since The Northwood Inn closed in August, we've been searching for that special place to take its place for those occasions such as wedding anniversary and birthdays. The Green Room Grille falls a little short of 135 Prime, which is our first choice so far.

The Escargot and Lobster Thermidor were very good, but I think Jim and I are both spoiled by the Escargots au Champagne as served at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia. Jim has the cookbook from that spectacular restaurant and has mastered this dish. Nevertheless, if I had never had LBF's escargot I would have been pleased by the dish served at the GRG. No complaints on the Lobster Thermidor. (We each ate half of our own choice and swapped plates!)

Both of the soups were good, but Jim was especially pleased with his choice of the Brie soup, and I agree that it was the better of the two. It is normally served with toasted almonds, but Jim can't eat those so they were left out.

We skipped the salad course and went for the steak next. I loved the mushroom stuffed tenderloin. It was very tender and the demi sauce was excellent. Jim was pleased with the Rib Eye as well, but we still think 135 Prime has the best steak in Waco. Both dishes were served with "Yukon Gold potato puree" (mashed potatoes) and the vegetable du jour (spinach topped with slivers of carrot and asparagus ).

The desserts were okay but nothing particularly special. If we go again, I think I'll try the Beignets with Cinnamon Ice Cream or Key Lime Parfait.

Jim was disappointed with the wine list. There were one or two Alsatian whites, but it did not offer any French reds. We learned that the owner (who was not there last night) often has some special bottles not on the list, so we'll ask for him next time. He also did not like the ambience. The entire front wall facing the street is glass, and there is no great view. "The front desperately needs curtains or drapes, and it would also improve things to have a small entry way to hide the glass doors," Jim says.

We ended up spending well over $200, just a little short of what we spent at 135 Prime last time. We can't afford to spend this kind of money very often, so it has to be really special. Unfortunately, I don't think The Green Room Grille was that great, but the music was. The waiter changed to Jazz Vocals when we first arrived, and no one else had been seated.

--Ramona