As we made our way through the small entryway a few regulars at the bar felt at home enough to take their eyes off the TV and look to see who was coming in. Our server was friendly and efficient and greeted us with a smile, even though we arrived less than an hour before closing. We weren’t the only party that the wait staff was nice enough to feed at the late hour.
I started out with the Grill 233 cosmopolitan on the rocks, a top-shelf beverage worth the $7.75. My friends, Michelle and Sarah, stuck with their good old standby, Miller Lite bottles. We were all enjoying our drinks and by the time we could think about the chicken teriyaki skewers ($7) we ordered as appetizers they were in front of us. The seven skewers came with a peanut ginger sauce and were perfectly tender.
The bacon wrapped scallops served with tossed pineapple greens and lightly drizzled with a balsamic reduction ($11) and the chicken quesadilla ($8) were other tempting starters. A cup of New England clam chowder ($5) will always warm you up on a chilly evening.
The menu has a vast selection of American cuisine. The specials of the day included fried catfish with hand cut fries ($15.95) and a cheese ravioli with vodka crème sauce ($12.95). For our entrées we chose the 233 carbonara for $14.95, a smoked turkey club sandwich for $8 and a turkey panini for $9. After recommendation from a friend (a frequent diner at 233), I ordered the carbonara and wasn’t disappointed. The chicken, proscuitto and peas were balanced nicely with penne and sun-dried tomato cream sauce. The turkey club came on fresh, lightly toasted whole wheat bread with a mound of turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a hint of mayonnaise. The panini was grilled to perfection on sourdough with turkey, bacon and a flavorful Swiss cheese melted throughout. A choice of sides came with the sandwiches (fries, potato salad or cole slaw). We tried the sweet potato fries and the waffle fries — both were impressive. We were thrilled with our decisions and had enough leftover for lunch the next day.
The restaurant offers a different ravioli choice every day. I’ve heard the chicken ravioli is especially tasty. Other dinner entreé options include the surf ‘n turf of grilled New York strip with your choice of grilled shrimp ($24) or pan seared scallops ($26), roasted half-duck topped with a sun-dried cherry and balsamic demi glaze ($19) — both served with mashed potato and a seasonal vegetable. If you’re in the mood for seafood you have a variety of choices at Grill 233. The fresh Atlantic haddock with lobster stuffing and a light cream sauce ($23) and almond encrusted salmon fillet ($18) served with risotto and a vegetable sounded appetizing. The sandwiches also are served at lunch and include a Maine lobster roll on a warmed croissant ($15), cordon bleu ($8) and a tuna salad wrap ($7).
An additional perk to 233 is their participation in www.restaurant.com, an online club offering discounted gift certificates. Sign up online to receive email promotions and special savings on restaurant gift certificates. Get your Grill 233 certificates early in the month because they sell out fast.
We had a fantastic evening and enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant. I am certain I’ll be back and ready to sample more from Grill 233. Now we know we don’t always have to drive into Portland to get a good late night bite.