Open Road Grill

Open Road Grill Restaurant Review:

As its name suggests, Open Road Grill in the updated Merrifield/Mosaic District is all about casual food and loads of bar temptations. For one, the brews list takes up most of a menu page, with a few wines and cocktails thrown in. For another, the lengthy bar dominates the rustic dining area, a room that would fit in well with a country setting in, say, Wyoming. But the “open road” part of the restaurant is the rather apparent motorcycle mania that accents the space, with a ’93 Harley-Davidson hanging on the wall behind the bar. Not that many bikers pull in here, for it is really a somewhat gentrified kind of place. Appetizers range from barbecue chicken nachos to peel and eat shrimp. But perhaps the best starter, which could, if enlarged, become an entrée, is the short ribs served on a bed of mashed potatoes. But you probably don’t want to overdo the beginnings when mains include pizzas, burgers, fish tacos, wood-fired chicken and blackened salmon. Playing up the oldies/country theme, desserts include bread pudding and coconut cream pie. Even the brunch menu focuses on country eats, with such offerings as chicken, biscuits and gravy and cast-iron scramble. But the meal flows easily into lunch, and patrons can partake of sandwiches, salads and hearty small plates. Children have their own menu.