Dining concepts clash at upscale Victory grill

John Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 16, 2006 at midnight

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Any time I see fried pickles and osso bucco on the same menu, questions furrow my brow. Does this restaurant have an identity crisis or just a clever business plan?

At Victory American Grill & Bar, the answer to both is yes.

History and expectations hug this operation like ketchup on one of the good house french fries. Victory opened recently next to Sam's No. 3, the award-winning diner-grill, and is owned by the same Denver family whose dining roots go back decades.

The restored historic building was home to Baur's candy shop and restaurant starting in 1891 and famous for Mija almond toffee and ice cream sodas. Located near hotels, the Colorado Convention Center and the Denver Center, Victory is situated well to be a winner. The interior harks back to a simpler era with high ceilings, retro chandeliers, a comfy bar and the original black-and-white tile floor.

Everything about the place screams Americana, so it made sense to find fried pickles and pretzels ($5) on the menu. We were presented with oddly addictive, crumb-coated spears that were crisp yet hot along with mundane soft pretzels. We dipped them in mustard aioli and cheese dip with a processed thickness to it.

We were wowed by the crab cakes ($15), two genuine lump crab disks crisp-griddled on the bottom. They were served on trendy black triangle plates with chipotle cream squiggles. It looked silly sitting next to a basket of fried pickles and Mason jars filled with ice water.

We would discover this clash of concepts throughout our meals, as if its diner bloodline were battling New American bistro forces for the soul of the eatery.

There were plenty of greatest hits starters to like, ranging from cheese on fire ($13) - Greek flaming saganaki cheese - to fried calamari sticks ($9) dipped in marinara. The ceviche ($9) wasn't a flavor epiphany but it did boast baby shrimp, bay scallops and mango in a lime-infused marinade.

We thought the plain-sounding shrimp on a stick ($9) was brilliant. The five big shrimp wrapped in smoky bacon were ideally crisped and grilled over flame so the char blends with the mango glaze. The lobster bisque ($6 cup; $7 bowl) was a noble attempt, but our bisque was dark and grainy.

The battle continued among the sandwiches. On one hand, you have a first-class sirloin cheeseburger ($8.75): hand-formed, rough-ground, juicy meat cooked to order on a good grilled bun. Then there's the bistro grilled cheese ($7; $2.25 extra with bacon), sourdough bread semi-browned with griddle oil stuffed with tart, creamy chevre cheese and tart green apple. It fell flat both as a grilled cheese sandwich and as a "bistro" item.

That said, I really enjoyed the sophisticated baked Victory mac-n-three cheese ($11), a melange of macaroni, gouda, cheddar, bread crumbs and chevre, browned and dished with excellent grilled asparagus. True mac-n-cheese believers might not be as charmed.

The Greek meatballs and linguini ($13) were blah and overpriced with noodles in watery tomato sauce and two average, herbed meatballs.

The roster of entree "favorites" included some hallelujah moments. The fried chicken ($10 4-piece; $19 8-piece) was a joy starting with the menu admonitions: "made to order" and "allow extra time." That meant we were served a big portion of bird with a crisp, not-too-thick coating that revealed steaming, juice-laden meat. Equally memorable was the fried catfish and chips ($12). A Fat Tire ale-batter produced a paper-thin jacket over impeccably fresh mild white filets.

On the top tier, we enjoyed the char and chew of a well-grilled (if slightly salty) 16-ounce New York strip steak ($26). The most pleasant surprise was the top-quality, Colorado-raised lamb half-rack ($26.95) in a decent pesto crust. The mild chops were perfectly grilled with bright red-pink centers. I matched the steak with a nifty glass of 7 Deadly Zins red zinfandel from a modest, well-priced wine list. The nice beer roster ranges from Avery Karma ale to Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Victory's sides include horseradish mashers that were sometimes great and occasionally overbeaten and fabulously crisp house-made potato chips.

Mushy, lukewarm rice pilaf and goopy gravy didn't aid the cause of the pork osso bucco ($15), a dish typically made with veal or lamb. Some of the meat was way too crunchy and some was silky good.

With all the historical buildup we were eager to sample the Mija chocolate mousse pie ($7). We adored the topping of soft, granular house-made almond toffee, but there wasn't enough of it. The plain milk chocolate mousse was drowned in thin whipped cream.

The "personal" lemon meringue pie ($7) was a major disappointment. The meringue was gushy and not completely cooked. The filling needed more lemon and pie crust, not unbaked graham cracker crumbs. The mini cheesecake square ($2) was gummy and not recommended.

We received generally good, prompt service. The waiters checked in with us but weren't obnoxious and there was no bistro attitude. The staff always asked if we needed to eat quickly, but the service got much less attentive when there were waves of other diners who needed to pay and get to a show. During our final visit, dirty entree silverware stayed on the table until we left.

I think Victory needs to refocus its menu around nostalgic, American grill items, but maybe the big, wild roster fits a place with a varied clientele. Only people like me taste everything on the menu and question their compatibility. Lots of locals and visitors will be thrilled to find an independent downtown eatery where they can find a great burger, fried chicken and fried pickles.

Victory American Grill & Bar

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday; 'til 10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 'til 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

• How much: $5-$15 starters, $8-$27 entrées

• How loud: Moderate to very loud

• Reservations: yes

• Information: www.victoryamericangrill.com

John Lehndorff is the dining critic; lehndorffj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5103.

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