East Somerville is having a renaissance. While the construction is humming at Assembly Square there are rumblings reverberating on lower Broadway and a new revitalized neighborhood is starting to take shape. One of the standouts is THE EAST END GRILLE. The new restaurant that has replaced a once notorious bar room is the brainchild of two brothers who come from a Lebanese family that was famous for hospitality. Some of you might remember the AVEROF RESTAURANT in Porter Square Cambridge, which was created by the Bandar brothers, Raymond and John, featuring belly dancing, shish kabob, and good times. They were later joined by brothers Edward and Edmond. Now we have Michael and Steven Bandar, sons of Edmond, along with Oana Bandar (wife of Michael) and  Simeia Bandar (wife of Steven), who have taken the torch and placed it in East Somerville. They have done a fantastic job with the renovations. THE EAST END GRILL is a big airy room divided by natural brick arches with lots of exposed bricks. The front windows open onto the sidewalk for that summertime café feeling. The left side is all bar with a stainless open kitchen at the end. Big crowds can be easily accommodated; there are plenty of tables and booths. The gastro pub scene is booming in Somerville and we have plenty to choose from. My biggest complaint is the noise level. You can’t hear a conversation at your own table in some of these restaurants because the noise level is so high. Not so at THE EAST END GRILLE. There is plenty of noise and action but the acoustics are just right. You can actually talk to your table companions. There are also big screen televisions so you will be able to catch all the current sports events.

The menu is an eclectic assortment of good choices. I liked the menu. It was compact; you were not bombarded with the same old finger food. You could tell that a lot of thought had gone into each choice. There is an array of starters. PEI mussels, fried calamari, 3 types of sliders, fried pickles, deep fried brie and “Oh Canada”… poutine. All of these are well executed and I have to give my compliments on the frying. Well done, indeed. There are also soups and salads. The prices are reasonable: $6 to $10 for starters and $7 to $8 for salads.

The main menu is also brief, well thought out and reasonably priced: $10 to $19. The pasta choices were very nicely done: Wild Mushroom Tortelloni at $14 and 3 types of mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce and Seafood Pappardelle at $19 with mussels, calamari and shrimp in a red cream sauce. The Baked Cod was expertly handled with lemon, white wine, seasoned asparagus served with scented jasmine rice. We were delighted. Cod can be a flavorless fish if not prepared properly. The grilled steak tips at $17 will more than satisfy the traditional gastro pub enthusiasts. I do think that the BBQ’d pulled pork could use a bit more flavor. I am a BBQ maniac so I would suggest a bit more char and a bit more zest in the sauce. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was good but it would be great with the above additions. We also tried the Specials: Fried Shrimp and Fish and Chips. Again, I have to give kudos for the frying and the quality of the fish, shrimp and French Fries. They were excellent.

The sandwich selection did not disappoint. Six choices, all good and all reasonably priced. Our hamburger expert tells us he was very satisfied with his char grilled cheeseburger. Everyone liked the French Fries.

The service was fine and friendly and the beer and bar selections are superb. You can have top-of-the-line cocktails and craft brews. I could not resist the 16 oz. can of Pabst Beer. Believe it or not, one of the finest American Lagers made and reasonably priced. Our table mate, himself a brew master, tried some of the different seasonal drafts and declared them excellent. Again, the amount of thought and planning was apparent.

So, if you are looking for a great neighborhood spot where you can take your friends for “good times,” THE EAST END GRILLE is the place to be. Oh, did I mention? LOTS OF FREE PARKING IN BACK!

THE EAST END GRILLE

118 Broadway Somerville, Ma.

617-628-6000

Hours: Monday – Thursday 4:30 to 12:00 p.m.

Friday 3:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Saturday 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.