Third Street gets cooking

Triple George Grill is one of three new ventures downtown

Owners of the Triple George Grill say opening their new downtown restaurant was just the latest step in a plan to turn Third Street into a street-wide hangout for residents that will offer a variety of food options, dancing and live music venues.

"It goes to the thought of the street more than anything else," Resort Gaming Group President Keith Grossman said, sitting at the dark wooden bar of his new eatery. "It's a great opportunity to do something with Third Street."

Triple George Grill is one of three new venues recently opened on Third Street between Stewart and Ogden avenues, across from the Lady Luck.

The Hogs & Heifers saloon and Celebrity, a cabaret and drag show and dance club, are the restaurant's neighbors. Several other entertainment venues are under development on the block.

"We want people to come down here and be excited," Grossman said. "It's such a good location. We love the urban feel. You can walk from your office two blocks to your restaurant."

For those not lucky enough to be within walking distance, free parking is available via a new three-lane valet parking area along Third Street.

Triple George Grill is a seafood and steakhouse inspired by classic San Francisco seafood restaurants.

With a dark wood and exposed brick interior, a 36-seat bar, private wooden booths, a shoeshine post and an adjacent piano bar, the restaurant feels like it has been around for decades.

What really sets it apart downtown is that it houses no video poker machines.

"It's dedicated to being a restaurant," Triple George Grill spokeswoman Debi Puccinelli said. "It's not trying to be a sports bar. You don't have to go through a casino to get to it, and you won't see any electronic stuff on the bar."

The fare at the new restaurant, prepared by executive chef Rogilio Fernandez, is designed to be simple and tasty, and the portion sizes are very generous.

"It's very approachable," Puccinelli said.

Triple George Grill offers a selection of American-style seafood, steaks, homemade soups, salads, pasta dishes and daily specials. Breakfasts range in price from $4.95 for old fashioned oatmeal to $11.95 for New York steak & eggs.

The lunch and dinner menu includes appetizers such as bruschetta ($6.95) and Dungeness crab leg cocktail ($13.95) and entrees such as the seafood bouillabaisse ($21.95), veal picatta ($19.95) and Colorado lamb chops ($26.95).

Grossman is particularly proud of the restaurant's desserts, which vary according to the freshest ingredients it can find.

Grossman hired Theresa Borowski, who had not worked in the restaurant business before, to be in charge of the dessert menu.

"She has a big family and has been baking her entire life," Grossman said. "When she makes a pie, it looks like something you would take to a family event. We have pies, cakes and giant cookies like your mom used to make."

The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Its hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Live music in the restaurant's piano bar begins at 7 p.m. each day.