The first thing I noticed when I walked in the door of the Arvada Grill, located on the corner of Olde Wadsworth and Grandview in Arvada, is how nice the place is - dark wood booths and tables, modern and neutral color scheme, local (good) contemporary art on the walls. I wondered if it might be a little too mod for the current culture of the area, but then I thought maybe they're just raising the bar a little.
My dining companion and I were among the first to arrive just after 11 a.m., but the place filled up fast. Since it was only 11 - and I was still a bit foggy - I got a cup of coffee. It was good. No, make that really good. The coffee they serve is from one of their other restaurants, Café Kona.
Arvada Grill doesn't cut corners when it comes to their food, and everything is made from scratch. Focusing on classic American comfort food, the Grill strives for the best quality with a twist on standard fare. Expect grilled half-pound Angus burgers, rotisserie chicken entrées, a variety of salads and some unique offerings such as a sandwich featuring Indian fry bread.
We started with a cup of the soup of the day, white wine cheese, which was tart and smooth with an accent of nutmeg. The nachos we ordered (with beef added) arrived piping hot with crisp, salty chips covered in beef chili and fresh guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. The cheese was melted just right.
For dessert, we tried the Apple Crisp. Warm, piled high with vanilla ice cream, and accented with caramel (a refreshing change from many restaurants who feel the need to drown their desserts in sauce), it was a satisfying end to a tasty lunch.
Our waiter provided spot on service: friendly and attentive without being overbearing. He was always ready to refresh our water and coffee, and was able to provide recommendations (he recommended the crème brulee, but I was too full to try more than one dessert). Arvada Grill has a full bar including their own private label wines, and has a nice happy hour with discounted beverages and appetizers.
After chatting with the waiter about current and future development projects near the restaurant, it became clear that Arvada Grill is the shape of things to come to this increasingly popular area. Olde Town already has its fair share of good dining and shopping, and this will only get better.