Grasshopper Grill, Cornville

“The Grasshopper” has Landed in Cornville

By Beverly Lehnhardt | Sedona.biz

Replacing the old Boxcar Café, The Grasshopper Grill opened for business on February 1 and operates from 11a.m. to 9p.m. Thursday through Tuesday.

After two months of painting, repairing, and remodeling, owners David and Andre Caron have made numerous improvements to the previously dark and uninviting space. Now bright, airy and welcoming, the restaurant has added windows and two new glass doors that lead to an outdoor patio which currently seats 25 to 30 people. The patio tables boast umbrellas to shield diners from the Arizona sun and a classy, black wrought iron fence.

Outdoor patio area

Inside, the restaurant has 15 tables and can accommodate parties of up to 18. Closed only on Wednesdays, The Grasshopper Grill invites residents to hold private parties mid-week and have the place to themselves. In the near future, karaoke and live bands will add to Cornville’s rather limited nightlife. These events will enable the Grill to utilize the patio with an outdoor grill and portable bar.  Summer evenings at KC’s Korner are looking up!

One recent Saturday afternoon I gave The Grasshopper a try. I was greeted at the door and had my choice of seating. I selected a table near the new large-screen TV but soon felt that all eyes were upon me as folks stared at the television. Unless dining with a friend, I might suggest not sitting in that particular corner…

Inside the Grasshopper Grill

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the menu—the Carons used their imaginations when naming the various items. Appetizers included Drunken Shrimp, Macho Nachos, and Thai Stix with the most expensive item being the Cornville Crab Cakes at $8.95.

The $8.50, all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar is available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only—and the soup and chili are both homemade. The varied salads include Chef, Cobb, Cajun, and Taco, all priced at $8.95.

The hamburgers are half-pound, handmade, and served with your choice of French fries, coleslaw, cottage cheese, or cowboy beans. The burgers have very interesting names: G-Hopp, the S.O.B. (South of the Border), CornVillian, Hawaii 5-O, and more. Prices ranged from $6.95 up to the $10.95 Cowboy Up which is made with a full pound of beef, double cheese, and other good stuff.

Additional sandwiches, also served with the sides mentioned above, were the Rajun Cajun Club, Rock’n Reuben, and the Country Club. Prices in this section ran from $7.25 to $10.25 for the New York Stripper.

Inside the Grasshopper Grill

Some of the items in the specialty section were southwest pasta, a carnitas taco plate, New York-New York, and fish ‘n chips. The priciest items here were the full rack of baby back pork ribs and the rowdy rib eye, each at $19.95.

For kids 10 and under, meals were $6 and include a small drink and an ice cream sundae for dessert. Kids can choose from a cheeseburger, hot dog, chicken strips, grilled cheese, or cheese crisp, all served with fries.

After studying the menu and chuckling over the quirky names, I ordered the B.Y.O.B. (Build Your Own Burger) with pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, and bacon with a side of coleslaw. At $8.95 it seemed a good buy for the money.

When my meal arrived, I was slightly disappointed to find the coleslaw was the ‘chunky style’—I prefer mine cut much finer. However, I was delighted to discover that it was cold, very fresh, and had a great taste—I loved it! The burger looked wonderful, arriving open-faced with lots of cheese, crispy bacon, and yummy grilled onions and mushrooms. A slice of red tomato, green lettuce, and a fat slice of red sweet onion with a pickle side completed the presentation. I added nothing but a dash of salt to the burger and proceeded to chow down…

Although the menu stated “…all burgers served medium well unless requested otherwise” I found mine to be very well done—overdone, to my taste—but overall, the meal was very good. The portions were generous, the service perfect, the ambiance very inviting. Music played quietly in the background.

The menu listed five homemade desserts but my waiter told me they only had lemon pie, cheesecake, and deep fried ice cream. I don’t know if they simply ran out of the others or if the actual list varies day-to-day. I opted for the $4 cheesecake. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had but was good; served plain, without a topping of fruit or any garnish to enhance the presentation.

Weekly specials include Thursday’s Mexican Day; Friday’s Fish Fry; Saturday’s Prime Rib; and Sunday’s All-You-Can-Eat Pasta.

The Grasshopper Grill will soon be offering a full service bar serving local wines and brews, hosting happy hours, HDTV sports, and more.

My lunch bill totaled $15.92 so I won’t eat there every day but will definitely visit The Grasshopper Grill again!  It has great potential for becoming one of the ‘hot gathering spots’ in Cornville with good food, good entertainment, and an outdoor patio for those warm summer evenings.

Take out is available by calling 649-9211. Tell your friends, “The Grasshopper has landed!”

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