Unexpected Elegance

When one thinks of a sports grill, one would most often envision a cluttered, loud, and obnoxious environment along with mediocre food and service. One day I discovered a different story.


My first dining experience at the FOX Sports Grill was on an August evening. My friends and I were seeking some place to have dinner. We chose the FOX Sports Grill on a whim. I had my doubts. Even the clean cut exterior did not banish from my mind the image of a crowded, smoky hangout. I could not have been more wrong. Granted, I have found out it is quite full and loud on game nights, but most other evenings and days are calm. As we stepped inside through large glass doors, I discovered myself paused in surprise for a moment. Before me lay a warm inviting environment, very clean, modern, and comfortable. It was large and open. A bar held the center of the room, but it was not distracting or obtrusive. The room was very clean, with modern design of wood, brick, and steel. The dining seating was very comfortable. The ambient lighting throughout was very effective in giving a soothing tone to the room, and the lighting specific over tables also helped separate from other tables. The majority of the ceiling was recessed with large, flat screen televisions lining the space. There was very little sports paraphernalia save for a few tasteful works of art. The sound levels were a little high, but one might expect so with many televisions and people in a large, open room. However, the sound was not terribly distracting and added to the cozy atmosphere, especially once one is partaking of the delicious dining. Also, one thing to note was the comfortable temperature. When I dined with my mother on my second visit she did not need to put on a jacket and I was not too warm, which is often the case at other establishments. Neither of us noticed this until the end of our meal and found it to be another fine and subtle element of our great experience.

My most recent dining occasion with my mother began with an appetizer of hickory smoked wings tossed in buffalo sauce and served with bleu cheese dressing and celery. The wings arrived within minutes of ordering and their tantalizing aroma wafted rapidly to my nose. It was only seconds before I picked up my first wing and began to eat. The wing sprang with flavor in my mouth. The buffalo sauce offered a good kick at the beginning, and then mellowed out to introduce the smoky flavor and other spices. They also had just the right amount of spicy heat for me to offer pleasant warmth, but others may consider them spicy. The bleu cheese dressing was phenomenal. It was mellow and smooth; its bite was not overwhelmingly strong like what can be found in potent or cheap dressings. It was creamy and blended so that the cheese gave it a slightly grainy texture and offered a bit of bleu flavor in every bite. We finished them quickly and right before we concluded, our waiter brought us warm wet towels to clean our pleasantly sticky hands. I thought it was a nice touch, especially considering the timing, which demonstrated the attentiveness of our waiter. My only complaint at this point was the poor presentation and quality of the celery that came with the wings. It was not cut well, nor trimmed well. I was surprised with the poor quality of the celery next to the meaty delicacies.

Our entrees arrived promptly after the appetizer. The menu is pretty large and consists of food you would expect to see at a grill, but there are nice minutiae and unique dishes to spice it up. I ordered their Buffalo chicken sandwich, a little redundant after the wings, but such an excellent sandwich that I had to experience it again after my first encounter with it. It is a marinated chicken breast lightly fried and tossed in their delicious buffalo sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and fried red onion rings and served on a toasted Kaiser roll. Fries and bleu cheese dressing are served alongside it. It also comes garnished with a pepperonncini. Though simple, this sandwich is delicious and every bite is as good as the last. As I bit into the sandwich the tanginess and sweet spiciness of the buffalo sauce greeted me first along with the tender meatiness of the chicken. Then the buttery flavor of the warm, crispy roll and the sweetness and crispiness of the onion rings came forward. The faint bite and creaminess of the bleu cheese dressing comes next, with the smooth, creamy, delicate flavor of the mozzarella following soon after as everything melds together. I was then left with a spectacular medley of flavors dancing on my tongue that encouraged further indulgence.

The blackened chicken sandwich was no less fine, but a more calm marriage of flavors. It was a grilled and marinated chicken breast, sautéed in a Cajun spice blend, served on a toasted onion roll with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and remoulade with fries on the side. The remoulade sauce spoke of freshness; it was a smooth and creamy blend of fresh flavors, made with mayo, piccalilli, spices, and other ingredients. It was blended to near smoothness, having a slight graininess from the sweet vegetables. The onion roll offered its mellow but distinct flavor to the meld, and the lettuce and tomatoes added to the organic taste. A bite of the sandwich was like ingesting pure, smooth freshness with the meatiness of the chicken and spikes of flavor from the spices.

The fries alongside our sandwiches were superb. They were the perfect size, not too thick overwhelming you with potato and not too thin leaving you only with a greasy taste. They were fried to the perfect level of crispiness, not crunchy and not soft, just enough to give you a good crisp as you ate them. The seasoning on them was good and they also tasted great with the bleu cheese dressing.

For dessert, during my first evening at the restaurant I had their four layer chocolate cake. It is Devil’s food cake with chocolate cream cheese icing and served with Anglaise. If you love chocolate, this is definitely a treat that you would like. It is definitely an intimidating piece of cake, enough to share with at least one other person. I took a bite and was swept away on a smooth river of chocolate and cream. Every bite of the decadent dessert lures you into another until the sickly sweetness overcomes you.

To top it all off, the service I received at FOX Sports Grill on both occasions was fast, conscientious, and warm. The hostess was kind and swift, greeting us before we had passed through the door and wishing us well. The servers have been accommodating and attentive. On the evening I went the service was only slightly less personal and fast because it was busy, but during the afternoon with my mother the waiter spoke on our level, made recommendations, answered questions, and was always there whenever we needed something. The service here is excellent and was very much appreciated.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone hoping to go to a casual or formal meal for excellent American dining. There are also versatile rooms which can be reserved, providing an opportunity for a private dinner, gathering, or meeting. It is a good place for a meal with family and friends, not to mention sports fans.

FOX Sports Grill
★★★★☆