Girvan Grille – The Proof Is In The Pudding

By Steve Manthis

For me, there’s nothing worse than getting hungry on the golf course during the round. Even if the course you’re playing has a halfway house or snack shack after the 9th hole, you might be stuck scarfing down something that’s either: A) not that good for you or B) just not that good. Now, planning on getting something to eat after the round is a different story. While some courses have just a snack bar or a grill with a very limited menu, others have real restaurants that serve real food. One such place is Girvan Grille at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park.

With the number of golfers that play Edinburgh, a large portion of them, I’m sure, choose to stop by the Girvan Grille before or after their round. But what about during the winter? Dan Jacott, General Manager of Edinburgh USA, gets it. He knows that plenty of golfers will stop in after their round; however, since they are open all year, the bigger challenge is putting together a restaurant that can stand on its own through the winter.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll notice the view; the windows offer a great look at the 9th and 18th greens. There is seating in the bar area, but those places don’t give you the same view as the rest of the restaurant. I dined there on a Thursday night and saw diners of all ages from 7 to 70. The casual atmosphere makes Girvan Grille a welcome place for everyone.

If you go on a Thursday like I did, you’re in for a treat. Thursdays are music nights at Girvan Grille, and Jacott has lined up a nice rotation of musicians to play while you dine. Ken Wanovich was playing on that particular night and he was great. The music was at the right volume too. Jacott asks the musicians to remember that people like to talk while they eat, so while the music was loud enough to hear clearly, it didn’t get in the way of conversations.

Of course, the real reason to go is the food. Lancer Catering provides the food at Girvan Grille (as well as at Greenhaven and Keller), and they have a varied menu – from sandwiches to great burgers to walleye and steak. My knowledgeable waiter Brian recommended the Diablo Chicken wrap, and I was very happy with his suggestion. Served with a tasty, tangy southwestern ranch dressing on the side, the wrap was quite tasty. I opted for the sweet potato fries (a new favorite of mine), and they were delicious and crispy, not soggy like they can get if not made properly.

My wife had the walleye dinner, and it too was very good. It was a big piece of fish, nicely breaded and served with a savory rice pilaf and vegetables that were cooked to perfection. Luckily, we saved room for dessert – a bread pudding (my wife’s favorite) made from a Scottish recipe. It comes with a rich, homemade caramel sauce on top, and we thought it was delicious.

Girvan Grille recently reworked their menu, but kept some of the customer favorites like the Diablo Chicken wrap and the walleye, so if you have eaten there before and had a favorite, there’s a good chance you can still find it on the menu. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the prices too, which were very affordable.

Besides music on Thursdays, Girvan Grille has a great lineup of specials. In addition to Happy Hour (Sunday-Friday 3-6 and Sunday-Thursday 9-11), some highlights are BBQ and Bingo on Wednesdays (all you can eat for $12), Fish Fry on Fridays, and Prime Rib Saturdays. There’s a lot going on every Sunday – a Brunch Buffet from 10-1 ($11.95), comfort food like Pot Roast and Roast Turkey for $10.50 later on, and to top it off, kids eat free from 4-10 with the purchase of an entrée.

Tuesdays are Burger Night at Girvan Grille, where you can get $4 off each burger. There is also a different “burger of the week” to keep you from getting the same old thing. They used to have a buy one, get one burger promotion, but Jacott says they changed it to accommodate situations where one person wanted a burger and the other one didn’t. While reservations aren’t required, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and make one.

Jacott says they do their best to provide something for everyone and noted that they have recipes for those who are vegan, vegetarian or need a gluten free diet. Just look on the menu to see which selections would be right for you.

Dinner theater anyone? Mystery Café is now performing “Let’s Kill the Boss” – an interactive dinner theater – on Fridays and Saturdays upstairs in the banquet room. Check their website for times and ticket info.

If you live in the area, make sure to get out to Girvan Grille and check out all the daily specials. If you have never tried Girvan Grille, it’ll be worth your time to see what they have to offer.