Competition has increased significantly since Metropolitan Grill opened in the northwest side nearly 14 years ago.
Today, there's no shortage of restaurants in the area that offer great deals and family-friendly dining.
After a retooling this summer, the Grill reopened in August with a brightened interior and menu offering smaller, lower-priced portions and a greater selection of locally grown, vegan and gluten-free dishes. "America's Kitchen" also has been added to the name of the restaurant, one of five Metro Restaurants owned by Bob McMahon.
To get a fresh look, the makeover involved painting the once-neutral walls a sunset yellow and adding local artwork and murals.
The entrance door was painted by Johnny Vegas from Hi Speed Custom Car Shop. The mural in the bar was done by Joe Pagac, who's known for the murals on the side of the Rialto Theatre. There is a floor-to-ceiling American flag using broken dishes by Rock Martinez.
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Several menu changes, some borrowing from now-closed McMahon restaurants, give diners more choices - many of them at a surprisingly low price.
One is the launching of a snacks section, where options such as fried stuffed olives or prawns range from $2.50 to $2.95. A new dessert tastings menu offers smaller-portioned items that range from $1.95 to $2.95.
Another smart move is having happy hour all day, every day, where wines by the glass start at $3.95.
The changes seem to appeal to customers. On two evenings, a Tuesday and a Thursday, the restaurant was bustling.
On one visit, we started with a few items from the snacks section.
We liked the Firecracker shrimp sliders ($2.50) - inspired by his Firecracker Asian bistro. Two mini sandwiches contained fat pieces of shrimp with Asian slaw in between ciabatta bread.
One complaint: The spicy red chile sauce was too thinly applied. Next time we'll ask for extra on the side.
The three pieces of Willcox tomato and mozzarella bruschetta ($2.95) are new to Metropolitan Grill's menu but come from a now-closed McMahon restaurant, Italia. Generous portions of fresh basil, mozzarella cubes and Willcox tomatoes sat on slices of bread soaked with extra virgin olive oil and a balsamic reduction.
The Thai peanut sauce that came with the two chicken skewers ($2.50) tasted more soy- than peanut-based, but it was still tasty, with plump, juicy skewers of white meat.
Six starter salads each cost $3.95. The Caesar was a meal in itself, with organic romaine lettuce, crispy garlic croutons and a dressing that tasted lighter because the aged Parmesan was atop it rather than blended in.
The chicken chardonnay ($11.95) is an entree mainstay that has remained on the menu. It features two chicken breasts, red grapes and artichokes covered with a pleasant-tasting buttery chardonnay sauce. The dish was served with garlic mashed potatoes and spinach, which was the steamed vegetable of the day.
Another dish that harkens back to Firecracker days - this one vegetarian - was the Thai linguine ($10.95). Julienned snow peas and carrots were tossed with al dente linguine in a flavorful yet not-very-spicy peanut sauce. Ask for an extra kick when ordering. You also can order it with chicken for a dollar more.
The filet mignon and portabello mushroom ($23.95) was a substantial entree. The 7-ounce filet was simply seasoned with salt and pepper and came with Metropolitan's steak sauce, a slightly thickened rich beef stock. A side of nicely done crispy potatoes added more heft to the dish.
General manager Michael C. Brown said the restaurant's steaks have been switched to hormone free, all-natural USDA choice Angus beef from Colorado.
Seafood lovers should try the 6-ounce pistachio and wild mushroom Atlantic salmon ($13.95). The pistachio crust that covers the fish is prepared by grinding dried shiitake mushroom, forest mushroom blend and pistachio nuts into a powder. The fish sat in a rich lemon and herb burre blanc sauce and came with buttery sautéed spinach. Candied pistachios added bursts of sweetness to the fish, and extra mushrooms added earthiness.
You won't want to miss dessert here. The price won't make you feel guilty, and you'll feel less guilty about calories because the portions are about half-sized - ample for one, and sometimes big enough for two.
Hands-down, our favorite was the two ice cream sandwiches ($1.95). With housemade vanilla-bean ice cream and chocolate-chip cookies, the dessert is a decadent end to a satisfying meal.
If you go
• What: Metropolitan Grill America's Kitchen, 7892 N. Oracle Road, 531-1212. www.metropolitangrilltucson.com
• Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays.
• Wine list: Good prices on mostly American wines by the glass and bottle.
• Entrees range from $5.50 to $23.95.
• Kids call: They'll love the large selection of items that include pizza, pasta and burgers, and kids' menu items such as a quesadilla or chicken nuggets that each cost $3.95.
• Vegetarian: The new vegan/vegetarian menu has about a dozen items. There are also about 20 gluten-free items.
• Reservations: Yes. Metro Restaurants are on Open Table (opentable.com), a free online and rewards-oriented reservation service that allows diners to reserve a table and make specific requests ahead of time.
