Good grub on tap in Snohomish

SNOHOMISH – Everything at the Sports Page Grille &Bar is new. The owners. The staff. The floor plan. The pool tables. The couches near the big-screen television. The wood paneling held in place by shiny new rivets.

It’s all worth the effort because this former bar in the historic downtown area had a troubled past that included the death of an off-duty Bothell firefighter in February 2002 and the subsequent revocation of that establishment’s liquor license.

The new owners opened a few months ago with a short menu with daily specials. The appetizers include sports fans’ favorites such as hot poppers ($6.95) and a personal pepperoni pizza ($7.95). I decided to try it all by ordering the sampler plate ($9.95) that includes a few of all the appetizers. The thick-cut onion rings are beer-battered and the house fries are waffle-cut. Other snacks on my sampler plate included hot wings that deserve a four-star rating, mozzarella sticks and jalapeno peppers stuffed with chicken, mozzarella and jack cheese heated further with chipotle.

My sampler plate was served tooth-burning hot from the fryer. It was all good but predictable.

What isn’t predictable are the daily specials. When a Herald reader recommended that I visit the Sports Page, she said to be sure to order the barbecue sandwich. It must have been a daily special. I was disappointed it wasn’t available on my visit.

The standing menu focuses on sandwiches, including burgers ($7.95 to $8.95), ham sandwich ($7.95) and cheese steak sandwich ($9.95). There are also halibut and chips ($9.95), a shrimp basket ($8.95) and chicken and chips ($7.95). If you’re really hungry, consider the baseball steak ($14.95). The only vegetarian selection is the garden salad ($5.95). Two other salads complete the menu – bacon-chicken and chicken Caesar ($7.95 and $8.95).

After reviewing the menu and watching Oklahoma score another touchdown, I decided on that night’s daily special – hot pastrami sandwich with a cup of tomato bisque soup ($7.95). A cup of soup alone is $2.95. The Sports Page has nine beers on tap so I added a draft winter beer in celebration of the season.

The outgoing bartender was also my server on my recent Saturday night visit. He easily kept up with the customers at the bar, those in an extended game of pool and me sitting at a table with an open view of the game on one of the smaller screens.

My order didn’t cool in the window but arrived as soon as it was ready. The sandwich was a glorious combo of thick-sliced pastrami and double cheese on fresh rye sprinkled with caraway seeds. The sandwich was as tasty as it was hot from the grill.

Chunks of onions and fresh tomatoes punctuated the thick tomato bisque. No thin, watery cupful here. I enjoyed every spoonful. When it was gone, along with the last bites of my sandwich, Oklahoma was ahead 34-0. The food at the Sports Page Grille &Bar scored just as many points with me.

Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.

E-mail Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.