Rebooted Prohibition Grill fits a need in Everett

Published 5:51 pm Thursday, March 5, 2009

EVERETT — After a disappointing early run with overpriced food and sloppy service, Prohibition Grille is back with new owners and a fresh take on something long lacking in downtown Everett: good food, and good drinks, both in the same place.

This time around, the 1920s-themed restaurant offers Southern food and stiff drinks – both more than adequate to ward off the Pacific Northwest winter chill.

The restaurant is wedged in a narrow strip of a historic brick building. The lights are speakeasy-dim, perfect for settling in and losing track of time. That’s important here – the service lags just a bit, but the drinks, with on-theme names like Gangster Lean and Dirty South, are strong enough to make you forget how long you waited for a table.

The menu is a tour of stereotypical Southern hits: grits, collard greens, fried corn, sweet potato fries – there’s nothing here you wouldn’t expect. It all sounds good, but each description fairly quivers with the possibility that it could be heavy enough to satiate an appetite for the next three days.

The pan-fried oysters, served with a whiskey dipping sauce ($11), quell that fear. With a thin bread coating and tossed in a skillet just long enough to crisp, the oysters are a small mouthful of heaven: tender, and not at all greasy.

It was the same for hush puppies ($4), a Southern classic that could easily turn into a jumble of cornmeal fried too dark on the outside and raw inside. Instead, the corn fritters are served steaming hot, and perfectly golden all the way through. Prohibition Grille keeps them basic – there is no ham or other filling.

The chef’s light hand works well for many of the dishes, but fails for fried green tomatoes ($4). They were left practically raw, and slapped onto a mound of grits.

The hush puppies and fried green tomatoes, along with sweet potato fries, grits and jalapeno apple coleslaw, are served as side dishes to entrees.

The oysters may be the lightest of the appetizers, which include a spicy shrimp and sausage combo served over jalapeno cheese grits and smothered with gravy ($12).

Despite the waiting time early on, once the food begins coming out of the kitchen it continues like a freight train. Appetizer plates were whisked away and platters covered with gorgeous arrays replaced them. There is lots of beautifully presented meat and seafood, including filet mignon ($27) and bacon-wrapped tenderloin with prawns and scallops ($29).

A slab of Cajun-fried catfish ($18) came topped with strips of bacon and dabs of tomato butter. A small ramekin of jalapeno chutney balanced on the edge of the packed plate. The bacon was unnecessary, but the tomato butter blended surprisingly well with the spicy seasoning. The fish was cooked perfectly, with a hint of sweetness.

Prohibition Grille tries to be something of a barbecue oasis. A sampler platter of ribs, pulled pork and brisket ($18) is a hit-and-miss indication that this southern specialty might be better off left to the experts. The pulled pork and brisket tasted nearly identical and were both served with sauce that was fine, but not impressive. The ribs were tough and dry.

We mentioned this to the server, and she leaned into the kitchen to pass the comment along to the chef, but didn’t offer to take the meal off the bill. She also refused to substitute side dishes on any of the entrees.

Your best bet is to order a sweet drink from the bar instead of dessert. The chocolate cake may as well be from a grocery store bakery. Pecan pie is the only other option.

If you prefer jazz or blues, be sure to go on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, when live music is scheduled. Thursday is reserved for belly dancers – a strange choice for a place otherwise dedicated to soul food.

Overall, Prohibition Grille fills a niche that has been empty in Everett. The atmosphere is comfortable, the drinks are good and much of the food is worth going out for. Most of all, in a town that shuts down early save for a handful of bars, it’s a nice place to spend an evening with family or friends.

Prohibition Grille

1414 Hewitt Ave., Everett; 425-258-6100

Specialty: Southern food

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, closed Sunday

Take out: Yes

Alcohol: Yes

Price range: Moderate