Stack Grill, the latest restaurant concept to fill the old Ricky’s/Fatburger space at Lonsdale Avenue and 20th Street, is like that quiet accountant at work.
You know the guy. He sits in the office all day doing exactly what he is supposed to, dutifully and proficiently fulfilling his role as a by-the-book numbers guy. But then at night, when you head out for that impromptu drink with the team . . . watch out! He’s a madman, full of delightful surprises, hidden talents, playful humour and unbridled passion.
You see, Stack Grill serves up a very good diner-style lunch, featuring fish and chips, wraps, wings, panini and such, all well prepared and right on the money in meeting the expectations the room sets with its casual, 1950s-era burger and shake environment.
However, the restaurant’s evening menu, which tends towards grilled meats and Italian fare, defies all expectations and allows the kitchen to flex its creative muscle.
Stack Grill’s unique riff on the Jekyll and Hyde story invites patrons to appreciate both faces in equal measure with preference determined solely by mood and appetite.
It was a tip from a reader, paired with my own investigation of the restaurant’s evening menu on Facebook, that piqued my curiosity about the place and prompted me to pay it a visit one recent Saturday afternoon with The Boy, my gregarious six-year-old son who was keen on the idea of a burger and shake served in an old fashioned chrome and leather swivel chair and Formica wonderland.
Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed by a very hospitable hostess who, it turned out, effectively runs the place, serving tables, manning the till, stocking condiments, consulting with the kitchen and blending up some mean milkshakes, including the rich and frothy chocolate number (“It has sprinkles on top, Dad!”) that The Boy so thoroughly enjoyed.
Scanning the lunch menu I was initially mildly disappointed to learn how radically different the midday fare is from the dinner items described on Facebook.
I mentioned the contrast casually to our server, who, without missing a beat, offered me the full dinner menu, explaining that the sunny afternoon traffic lull permitted the kitchen to prepare whatever I was looking for.
Not being one to reject a magnanimous gesture, I ordered a sirloin steak with creamy Gorgonzola sauce, served with a side salad and seasonal vegetables. The Boy and I split an order of Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings to start, and then he had battered cod and chips as a main.
Stack Grill’s open kitchen afforded us the chance to witness the chef in action, a deft-handed brigade of one who, upon receiving our table’s order, began his preparations, which included the creation of a batter for both the chicken wings and the fish and chips, entirely from scratch, which was a very promising sign of what was to come.
The wings arrived plump, juicy, and covered in an outstandingly light batter not unlike tempura. The portion was substantial and turned out to be too much for The Boy and I to finish in one sitting, particularly in light of the entrees that were still to come.
The cod was crispy and golden brown, steaming and moist on the inside and served with a wedge of lemon, tartar sauce and simple coleslaw. The fries, while adequate, were incongruously unremarkable.
Had the rest of the of the meal not been so well prepared I might not have paid them any mind, but in light of the kitchen’s evident skill, the fries felt somehow beneath the chef.
Now, for those who have not worked in a professional kitchen, I need to explain that a patron ordering from the dinner menu at lunchtime can be a right nuisance for a chef, as the mis-en-place (the setup of menu ingredients that facilitates preparation) is often completely different between meal services and is most certainly different at Stack Grill, where the lunch and dinner menus bear little resemblance to each other.
Let it be said, my steak did not betray any evidence of struggle in the kitchen.
It was cooked to a perfect medium rare, boasted an outrageously rich and silky Gorgonzola sauce, and was accompanied by some absolutely delicious vegetables, including thin ribbons of marinated, grilled zucchini finished with a light dusting of spices, and paper thin, crispy fried slices of lotus root.
Other dinner menu items include beef tenderloin with marsala reduction and an ambitious roster of traditional Italian pastas.
Surveying the nearly empty room at the end of our meal, I hoped that once patio season kicks into full swing, Stack Grill’s outdoor seating will entice passersby to explore the restaurant.
Our meal of one appetizer, two mains (including a dinner item that accounted for close to half of the bill), a milkshake and an iced tea came to $51 before gratuity.
Stack Grill is located at 1995 Lonsdale Ave. 604-770-1737
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
