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Cheapside Bar and Grill: A toast to the menu

At Cheapside, the eating complements the drinking and chatting

By Wendy Miller Contributing Restaurant Critic

It seems a truism, at least in our fair city, that when the words bar and grill appear together, the greatest emphasis is given to the word that comes first.

Cheapside, a Lexington hangout for many years with an incredibly lively patio, has always felt more about the bar -- the live music of now, recorded music of decades past, and whomever your company is -- than about the cuisine. And while there are some standouts and signature dishes, this food is designed to complement cocktails and beers rather than to be savored with a bottle of midpriced wine by candlelight.

So, while it is silly in this case to be too solemn about food, I nevertheless offer the following anecdote.

We ran into a friend on the patio one manic Friday night recently and invited him to join us, partly because we enjoy his company, partly to sample more dishes and partly because, well, Cheapside brings such spontaneous tendencies out in me.

The dinner menu is divided into "social grazing" (see what I mean?), "light and healthy," "house specialties" by the plate or dinners by the bowl, sandwiches and some sides. We visited the first four.

We all split an order of baby cakes ($7), four small, plump crab cakes with a lime-chipotle tartar sauce. While a bit lukewarm on arrival, they were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside without being doughy or mushy. Few crab cakes in restaurants ever have enough crab; they always seem stingy, and these were no exception. The dip, however, struck a perfect harmony between the citrus and heat.

I love that Cheapside does not fear spice, and handles it admirably, as demonstrated by the popular signature dish, jalapeno black bean soup ($4). This thick brew is almost a stew, packed with tender black beans and bits of country ham. You can layer additional flavors with the chopped onion, sour cream and jalapeno sherry served on the side. Corn sticks are included along with honey-chili powder butter, whose concept I like but whose execution always tastes a little too sweet and a little too much like a spread.

The smoked chicken a l'orange ($12) is a generous portion of meat baked with teriyaki orange glaze, again, very sweet. A large scoop of chunky mashed potatoes and a medley of carrots, broccoli, red and green peppers, and yellow and zucchini squash make this a balanced, if not particularly exciting, main meal.

The sole dish that was underwhelming and misnamed was Santa Fe shrimp risotto ($13): It was described as "tender shrimp sauteed with garlic, white wine and fresh lime juice, served on a bed of creamy risotto with Monterey jack cheese, green chilies and cilantro." The shrimp arrived rubbery, the rice was dry, and I detected no garlic, green chilies or cilantro; if the shredded cheese was jack, you couldn't tell.

Yet, as I read what I've just written, a part of me says: "Lighten up. If you wanted gourmet or locally grown, you'd pick another place. It's fun humming along to music, shooting the breeze, eating outside, knocking back a beer."

Because, at the end of the day, it is the delivery of those good times that is really Cheapside's "house specialty."

Dinner for three, with a few beers, including tax but not tip, was about $66.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Cheapside Bar and Grill

Address: 131 Cheapside.

Phone: (859) 254-0046.

Hours: Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Dinner: 5 p.m.-midnight Mon.-Sat. Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Sun.

Online: www.cheapsidebarandgrill.com.

Other: Handicapped accessible. Limited street parking. Full bar. Music venue. Credit cards accepted. Vegetarian options. Lively atmosphere.