Short Orders: Restaurant owner goes Underground
The Underground (1720 Battleground Ave. Greensboro; 279-1113; www.goundergroundgso.com) may just be Greensboro's best kept secret.
Owner Tony Stevens took the restaurant formerly known as Backstreets and flipped it upside-down.
"It's an upscale sofa bar and a restaurant," Stevens says. "I wanted to create something a little nicer."
Stevens may be familiar to some. He sold his Grappa Grille three years ago to take some time off and do some catering. Earlier this summer, he opened The Underground, which offers a casual dining area and lounge with eight televisions and a private dining area that seats about 30.
Downstairs is the cavernous main dining room and bar. A fully furnished patio with sofas, wicker furniture, cocktail tables and a covered bar round off a venue that Stevens calls "casual, eclectic dining."
The Underground menu is just as casual and eclectic with hand-cut aged steaks ($16-$25), hand-made Angus burgers ($8.95) or black bean burger ($7.95) and 10 gourmet pizzas ($7-$9) hot from a wood-fired oven.
Stevens offers some favorites from his days at Grappa Grille including Seared Rare Tuna ($26) with shallot tahini, Lobster Ravioli ($17) with a Champagne tomato cream sauce and Grilled Salmon ($21) with smoked corn and tomato basil relish.
Appetizers include Grilled Black Tiger Shrimp ($9) over roasted red pepper risotto, Maryland-style Crab Cake ($9), Fresh Herb Cheese Stuffed Portobello ($8), and Sashimi ($11) seared in sesame seeds with wasabi.
The Underground is non-smoking and offers live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Underground is open 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to midnight on Sunday.
Sharpen those knives
It's probably time to get those kitchen knives sharpened. Sur La Table (3334 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; 291-9962) at the Shops at Friendly will sharpen any two knives at no charge through the month of September. Additional knives will be sharpened at $1 per blade inch.
The store will also be celebrating Italian cuisine with tastings and demonstrations.
Steakhouse holds benefit
Outback Steakhouse (1611 Westover Terrace, Greensboro; 282-6283) is holding a special charity lunch today to benefit research on Friedreich's ataxia, an inherited disease that causes damage to the nervous system.
Cost is $15 to $20.
The 52 Outback Steakhouse locations in North Carolina and South Carolina have pledged to raise $3,500 in each restaurant for the cause.
Steak Street's new chef
John Turner has joined Steak Street (3915 Sedgebrook St., High Point; 841-0222; www.steakstreet.com) as executive chef and kitchen manager.
Chains get awards
Bonefish Grill has been awarded the Platinum Award in the seafood category at this year's Consumers' Choice in Chains Awards. Platinum is the highest honor.
Buffalo Wings and Rings has been named the fastest-growing small restaurant chain in the country in "Restaurant Business" magazine's Future 50 list.
Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or carl.wilson@news-record.com
