Rox Bar and Grill

[return to the REVIEWS archives]

reviewed on: October 3, 2008

It was just a matter of time. We all knew that sooner or later someone would open a restaurant in the space that housed the ill-fated Cuba Libre for a short while several years ago. The big question was what kind of restaurant would it be. The location, just east of the Ken Caryl exit from C-470 is too suburban, too remote for an upscale restaurant, which was part of the reason Cuba Libre didn’t make it. At the same time, it already has enough casual restaurants, and chains, all of which seem to do OK, though none of which has hit a home run. In fact, the Applebee’s in that area recently went dark.

Then we heard that the space had reopened as Rox Bar & Grill, and reports from listeners indicated the food was really good. So, this week, we put aside our doubts, and ventured to the west side of town for what turned out to be one of the most delightful evenings we’ve had in a long time. If you recall, Cuba Libre was a sprawling restaurant that occupied the top two floors of the massive building. The food was good--perhaps too good--and the atmosphere was colorful and splashy. The impressive hard-wood floor is still there, along with the large windows and two patios, all of which offer spectacular views of the hogback that flanks C-470. The second level of the restaurant is now used for private parties, and contains a game-and-pool room that’s far enough away from the main dining room that noise doesn’t spill over. Speaking of noise, the dining room can get a bit noisy because of the vaulted ceiling that soars overhead, but sound dampening treatment is on the way. Overall, the transformation from a posh Caribbean setting to a relaxing room where you can kick back and shed the tensions of the day, is an impressive one.

The menu is a nicely conceived mix of something for everyone, from a variety of burgers to entrée salads which allow you to mix and match greens and toppings, to pasta dishes and a variety of chicken, steak, and seafood selections. That plus a price range that begins below $10, and tops out at $19.25 for a New York strip steak, makes it a restaurant with appeal whether you just want to grab a quick bite to eat on a week night or spend an evening with a multi-course dining experience.

In keeping with the simple bar-and-grill concept, the tables are mainly four-tops covered with cloth linens protected by an overlying layer of paper. Napkins are paper, but they’re those nice heavy-duty ones that can hold up under the roughest of treatment.

Up to this point, everything at Rox had been impressive. Now it was time to sample the food from a menu that, right from the get-go, captures your attention with appetizers that include crab cakes, Thai buffalo wings, and Asian-style eggrolls filled with a spicy chicken and served with a chili glaze. We got the mussels in a delicious garlic-cream sauce, with grilled sourdough bread that worked perfectly for sopping up what remained of the sauce once the mussels were gone. Entrée choices we begrudgingly passed on included grilled salmon in a chardonnay/caper sauce, a seafood risotto with mussels, shrimp and scallops and a traditional chicken Marsala, settling instead on the seared tuna and the pasta carbonara with a choice of chicken, scallops or shrimp.

The tuna was outstandingly good, crusted in poppy seeds, seared, and served with a sweet/sour Thai chili glaze, while the pasta, with a sauce of parmesan and bacon, was topped with four huge sea scallops. If none of this sounds like typical “bar-and-grill” fare, you’re right. But Rox is not your typical bar and grill. It’s a restaurant worthy of your time and money, and its proximity to C-470 makes it easily accessible from anywhere in the metro area.

One caveat—Rox features live music on Friday and Saturday evenings beginning at 8, and it can get noisy. If that’s not your cup of hemlock, plan on enjoying dinner early on those nights, or choose another evening when things are quieter.
 

Rox Bar and Grill
12684 W. Indore Place (east of C-470 at the Ken Caryl exit)
303-972-ROX

www.Roxbargrill.com