Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian is a nice place to go for good drinks and good food. It’s a small place, but there is good seating plus a nice bar to sit at and sip your favorite craft beer, wine or one of their specialty cocktails. Outside, there is a nice little patio and separating the two areas there is a cool feature—the front is a glass garage door setup that can be opened when the weather is nice to create a nice open feel. There is a range of artwork, including some pieces by local artists that is for sale.
The bar at Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian has a nice touch with their cocktails. A Mule had the proper presentation in a copper mug and was made with Tito’s Vodka, always a good choice. Grant’s Manhattan uses rye whiskey, yielding a nice smooth drink. Antica Formula is used instead of regular vermouth, adding a slight vanilla flavor to the drink, while both Angostura and Campari bitters add herbal bouquets and tangy flavors. Overall, it was a very impressive Manhattan and nice to sip.
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Another interesting drink was Burrow’s Bourbon, their take on a whiskey sour. The 
Buffalo Trace Bourbon was mixed with a very mild pure Vermont Maple Syrup and a touch of lemon juice. Topping it, a slice of lemon was pierced by a nice piece of fresh rosemary. How fresh was it? Someone at the table pointed out they’d just seen the bartender go out to the patio and pluck the rosemary sprig off of a plant. The drink was so aromatic that a good part of the enjoyment was just inhaling the aroma of this wonderful beverage. Finally sipping it, the flavors melded into a smooth, delicious cocktail that was a true craft cocktail.
Appetizers at Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian vary from Indian Marsala Meatballs to Italian Caprese, Latin American Ceviche and Canadian Poutine. A good choice was the Brussels Sprouts, which the chef does with plenty of bacon and a nice sweet chili glaze. Shishito peppers, herbs, garlic and shallots also are mixed in, with the Brussels sprouts cooked just to the al dente point. It seems just about everyone has Brussels sprouts on the menu these days, but this was definitely near the top of the list in terms of flavor and execution.
Grant’s is definitely kid-friendly and a good choice to take them out for a meal that will keep them happy too. A Grilled Chicken and Pasta Bowl on the kid’s menu was nice enough to make any adult happy too, while the kid’s Chicken Tenders and Fries was made with real chicken, not the fake processed chicken usually associated with kid’s menu items like that.
Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian bills itself as serving “Seasonal American Cuisine” and the entrees certainly reflect that. They seem to change many of the menu items regularly which means there is always something new to try. A nice piece of Pacific Salmon was grilled and served on top of seasonal veggies and a Parmesan risotto (if you are keto-friendly, they are very good at accommodating those who stay away from items like rice). The salmon was cooked nicely, skin side down and with a nice grill marks on the pink flavorful salmon.
Sticking with an American comfort cuisine motif, there are several steaks on the entree menu. One choice at the table was a nice Black Canyon Angus Ribeye Steak. The steak was grilled to a perfect requested medium rare and had wonderful beefy flavor. Again, it was served on a vegetable medley, which included nice pieces of broccolini, sliced shishto red peppers and other tasty fall veggies. Mashed potatoes are also included to round out the dish.
A Duroc Pork Chop was presented bone-in, which truly imparts better flavor than the boneless type. The pork chop was cooked to a perfect requested medium rare and was juicy and tender. It was buried under a mountain of bacon jam, with nice slices of apples and onions in it that perfectly complemented the nicely sized pork chop. Along with the fall vegetable medley, the chop sat on excellent mashed potatoes, nicely mashed but still retaining enough chunks to let you know that the potatoes were made in-house. This seems to be a key to Grant’s popularity, with fresh ingredients and a creative chef who has the restraint to keep the food simple enough to let those ingredients shine through. The wait staff is also very polite and prompt, also adding to the feel of a neighborhood place.
Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian also has Lunch specials including plenty of sandwiches, steak tacos, a B.L T. and even Fish and Chips. A full Brunch menu is available too with a nice range of morning delights.
Grant’s Neighborhood Grill in Meridian is located at 1835 W. Cherry Lane (right near Linder Road), Meridian, ID 83646. the hours are 10am to 10pm Tuesday thru Sunday and it’s a good idea to call for reservations at (208) 884-4278 or email them at grantsgrillmeridian@gmail.com. Their website is www.grantsgrill.com and their Facebook Page also has plenty of up-date info.
Overall, Grant’s Neighborhood Grill is a great place to go for a meal that is once comfort food-worthy and also with a nice creative style. The food is fresh and delicious. Grant’s is a true neighborhood gem.
