I had lunch at Woodlands Grill off Preston and Forest yesterday. I really didn’t know anything about this place, but for some reason I was expecting something like a nice sandwich shop. When I walked through the door, however, I found a dining room decked out in white linen, a ceiling-high waterfall, rich hardwood floors, and clean stone streamlines just about everywhere I looked. Luckily, I had dressed up this day.
The menu is mostly new American entrees (think gourmet salads, steaks, and seafood) and on the pricey side (about $13 for lunch, and about $20 for dinner) but I can tell you the food is well worth it. I had the grilled ahi tuna sandwich, prepared medium rare and topped with lemon aioli. Some places skimp on the fish, but not here. This cut was hearty, and seasoned but not too salty. The aioli also added a perfect creamy zest. I also had the sweet potato french fries which taste a lot better than they might sound. They do have a subtle sweet flavor, but nothing too over-powering. And instead of ketchup, waiters bring you a garlic-mayo dressing for dipping. I’m not a big mayo fan, but it wasn’t bad.
My friend had the bison burger, a surprising find on the menu. I normally don’t eat red meat, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to sample this one. The patty was mixed with herbs and greens (spinach, I think) and had a smoky, gamy flavor. It was much leaner than beef, but not dry like turkey tends to be.
A couple of other entrees on the menu caught my eye, too–like the kobe beef sliders, and spinach pesto pasta with shrimp–so I might have to come back for those.
The customer service is also worth mentioning. Our waiter was topnotch, water glasses never went empty and our entrees were exactly how we ordered them. I also counted not one, not two, but three "thanks for coming in" as we left.
