The Standard Grill (An Actual Review)

After assaulting SG in a recent post, it’s only fair that I follow-up and speak to the meal itself. Which truthfully, was pretty good. Walking into the main dining room at Standard Grill felt like coming upon a sleek oasis where the city’s cool crowd was hiding. It’s clear that the designers put great thought into the room, from the arched ceilings to the thousands of pennies packed into the floor, creating a glistening surface. The one thoughtless aspect may be the acoustics. There were moments at our cozy banquette when it seemed like the table of 10 girls to our left had actually joined our conversation.

I was miffed at having to wait 30 minutes after our reservation to sit down but once we arrived at our table, service greatly improved. Despite the chic crowd, our waitress was pleasant as a peach. We started with one of their punches which was Bourbon-based with spices and apples, served chilled in a gigantic bowl with oversized straws for sharing. Skeptics beware, the punch was well-crafted and smooth, not some watered down gimmick. I can’t say the same for my next drink made with scotch and simple syrup. I had to actually return it. It was so poorly mixed that each sip brought either pure alcohol or sugar.

The Standard Grill gives you some nice freebies for your patience including fresh bread in a paper satchel, radishes, and hunks of parmesan. With chef Dan Silverman of Lever House at the helm, the food at The Standard is mostly better than it has to be, with some slip-ups along the way. A haricots vert salad with yogurt, cinnamon and crisp shallots was soaked in the stuff but somehow tasted like nothing. But my whole rainbow trout with pine nuts and currants was tender and fresh. The sweet accent played well with the fish. A quirky halibut Hollandaise was a hit as well with a nicely sized fillet and the creamy sauce on the side. The biggest disappointment of the meal was the duck fat smashed potatoes which were neither smashed nor duck fat reminiscent. They tasted like bland baked potatoes and were grossly overshadowed by the free potatoes with pimento mayonnaise. The Standard Grill offers these complimentary at every meal so skip the sides. These potatoes are crisp and luscious when smothered with the spicy mayo.

I’ve heard people complain about the service but I felt the timing was perfect. The cool scene, soft prices, and freebies make it obvious why people are fighting for tables at The Standard Grill. The food isn’t perfect, but its patrons don’t eat much anyway.

Location: 846 Washington Street
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Average App/Entrée Price: $10/$21
Value: Very Good.
You Gonna Finish That? Meh, you can taste the side.