When deadlines demand, I'm often forced to eat at the same restaurant twice in one week. "But I just had pizza! (or pho, or burritos, or buffalo wings)" is the frequent cry of a food writer. In this respect, Tri-Grill, with locations in South Anchorage and downtown, has my back. The menu is a tome of staggering proportions, with a full selection of Chinese, Italian and Southern offerings. So let's just say, right off the bat, if variety is your bag, Tri-Grill has got you covered.
Recently, I took my daughters for an early evening dinner at the south-side location. From the outside, the place doesn't look too promising. Located next to a bingo parlor, we were slightly put off by a traffic cone blocking one half of the entrance. But the interior is pleasantly clean with a tastefully homey color scheme of deep browns and rusts. Casual, to be sure, but appealing.
As it was early, we had our choice of tables, and our drinks and the bewildering menu came quickly. Happily, our friendly server helped us navigate the options. We opted for three standards from the Chinese menu: fried dumplings ($7.95), combination lo mein ($12.95) and Kung Pao chicken ($12.95). We also sampled from the Southern menu with fried chicken wings, macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The Italian menu would have to wait.
With the exception of the fried dumplings, which were pleasingly crispy and chewy, the Chinese options were underwhelming. The lo mein, while generously packed with beef, chicken and shrimp and tender-crisp vegetables, was soupy and the noodles were too soft. The Kung Pao chicken, which was touted as spicy on the menu, was disappointingly bland. I suspect that both dishes suffered from the same problem: an insufficiently hot wok. A higher heat would have cooked down the sauce for the lo mein and lent a much-needed crispy char to the noodles. As for the Kung Pao chicken, there was an unmistakably starchy texture to the meat -- as if a thickener was used (perhaps cornstarch?) that wasn't properly cooked out. I think a modification in cooking technique would have made both of these dishes more successful.
We had better luck with the Southern portion of the menu. The macaroni and cheese ($7.95) was a hit with the kids though I would have liked a stronger cheese flavor. That said, it was creamy, decadent and comforting and disappeared quickly. The collard greens ($6.95) were briny and meaty with a nicely acidic finish. The greens' assertive flavor combined nicely with the creamy neutrality of the mac and cheese.
The fried chicken wings ($9.50) were our favorite dish of the day. These were meaty, well seasoned, and fried to perfection. Each bite delivered a satisfying crunch. Whoever is manning the deep fryer understands his business fully. I made a mental note to try the fried chicken entrée at my next visit.
My first visit felt like a fact-finding mission and I looked forward to returning with a better ordering strategy. Less Chinese, I decided. More Southern. And something from the Italian menu in the name of thoroughness.
My daughter and my friend Sue joined me for round two. A Louisiana girl, Sue has some strong opinions about good Southern cooking. (Quick side note: I wanted to visit the downtown location only to find it closed in contradiction to the hours posted on the door. Similarly, there are discrepancies between the website's listed hours and the hours of operation at the south-side location. I recommend you call ahead.)
Again, we had attentive and pleasant service, and our server greeted us like we were old friends. There was one minor note: During our second visit, a large TV was on, competing with the piped-in music. Regardless of your politics, I think most of us will agree that coverage of the upcoming presidential election will cause one to lose one's appetite.
We started, incongruously enough, with an order of steamed dumplings ($7.95) and a side of deep-fried okra ($6.95). The steamed dumplings were fine but the okra, despite being crispy, was under-seasoned and, even after a generous sprinkling of salt, left us all a little cold. "It needs some spice," concluded Sue -- who, like all excellent neighbors, fries okra routinely and knows of which she speaks.
But despite a somewhat flat start to the meal, things picked up considerably when our main courses arrived.
My daughter decided to visit the Italian side of the menu and ordered a meatball Parmesan sub ($13.95). This sandwich is comically huge. When we photographed it, we kept trying to introduce other objects into the photo just to capture the scale. "How do I eat this?" my daughter asked, with total sincerity. Happily, it didn't pose the quality vs. quantity question. The meatballs were flavorful and hearty, and the sauce had a surprising kick to it. Lots of red pepper flakes went into this tasty marinara. A generous blanket of melted mozzarella made this a satisfying choice (and provided an extra two lunches for later in the week).
Sue ordered the catfish ($13.95) and, speaking as a catfish connoisseur, loved it. Crispy and well-seasoned with moist, melt-in-your mouth fish, it was the only dish on the table (after her dining companions took a sample) that didn't require a to-go box. And we were both impressed with the spicy coleslaw that accompanied our two entrees. This innocent-looking coleslaw bites you back. Mustardy and creamy with a slow heat at the finish, it's a weirdly addictive little dish.
I did a last minute flip-flop and ordered a deep-fried Cornish game hen ($14.95) instead of my intended fried chicken with biscuits. I had no regrets. The perfect little bird (fried Thanksgiving-turkey style -- no breading) makes a jaunty appearance on the plate. Served with a wedge of lemon and a ramekin of herb butter, this was a surprisingly upscale dish. Served with, say, a polenta or a wild rice pilaf instead of french fries, I can easily see this dish being served up at a fancier eatery with a much "fancier" price tag.
At our server's recommendation, I took home the Philly cheesesteak ($13.95) for my husband's dinner. Like the meatball sub, it was massive and satisfying. The crunchy, browned sub roll is stuffed with smoky, salty shreds of beef bound with mild, melted cheese. Despite being stuffed, I managed a few happy bites. Because journalism.
Eating at Tri-Grill, with its "Three Faces of Eve" menu, is a somewhat confusing experience. It's helpful to know what it isn't in order to appreciate what it is: It's not a mecca of Asian authenticity, it's not for honing your refined palate and it's not for the calorie-conscious. But what it does do, it does well: serves up tasty Southern cuisine (catfish! collards!), provides good bang for your buck (especially those sandwiches) and offers variety and long hours for undecided groups, families with picky eaters and the easily bored. And since I still haven't tried the fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, I know I'll be back.
Tri-Grill
South Anchorage
1041 E. 76th Ave.
907-677-8797
Downtown
901 W. Sixth Ave.
Contact: 907-277-8797 and trigrill.com
Hours (according to their website): 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
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