Bear & Grill has been in Orange since November, 2007. This trip, I made with my niece and her boyfriend. Upon entry, you get the feel of walking into a Rustic Lodge.
We were promptly greeted and asked if we had any seating preference. Indicating someplace warm, we were seated close to the fire. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the restaurant wasn't crowded when we arrived, but the section filled rather quickly. I would rate my first impression definite 9.
Our selections for dinner, came from the advertised 2 for $25 Menu and one from the regular menu. While looking over the selections, the server brought us some fresh cornbread. My niece isn't a fan of cornbread and asked if they had any rolls, she was disappointed when the server returned and apologized for not having any. The server returned in about two minutes with fresh baked biscuits, that she was thrilled with.
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The salad was small and average, nothing stood out. The soup was vegetable, olive. A little different, it was hearty and tasty but like the salads, a small portion. Rating 7
Then came the entrees. From the 2 for $25 menu, Shrimp with fries. The Shrimp was average. To our disappointment, it was a half order, nothing special here. It came without any tarter or cocktail sauce. The fries however were abundant and well seasoned. Rating 7.
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The Ribs and Fries, also from the 2 for $25 menu were a half rack. They had a good flavor and cooked to perfection, no need of sauce here. The sauce provided had a nice smokey flavor, but was a little too sweet for my taste. Rating 7.5
I selected the pork chops off the regular menu. There were two large chops that were well seasoned and cooked tender and juicy. It came with generous serving of mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. The vegetables were the highlight here. Rating 8
It is well worth going off the regular menu rather than the 2 for $25. For a few dollars more, you get considerably more food. I would recommend Bear & Grill for atmosphere and service. Although the food is average. I will try it again, there were a few things on the menu that I would like to try. I would skip the salad and if you really want that coffee after dinner, I recommend going to a coffee house or dunkin' around the corner.
Overall rating 7.5
