The first thing anyone notices right now is the annoying construction hiding the windows. It'll pass, sure, but this must be frustrating for both staff and patrons. Once the pavements have been beautified, The Corner Grill will be hopping, because inside, it's a casually posh, eclectically decorated haven. The food is good, the service is good, and the prices are good. In a market as overrun with mid-market restaurants as Inverness, the Coo finds The Corner Grill a gem.
This is the type of place that is flexible enough to cater to the after-work crowd, the ladies who lunch, and date night. Pleasantly, there isn't a television in sight, so a meal can be about conversation over a bottle of wine. The owners have left some of the walls bare, with accent white shelves on one wall and a deer's head on another - nods to Highland culture amid a city venue. Unobtrusive chill-out music was played just loudly enough to add to the atmosphere. A set of sofas is tucked away near the back for a cozy drinks atmosphere. The pillows and sofa-like seats lining the windows give the large room a casual feel, and the clean lines of the tables and simple chairs put the focus where it should be - on the food.
And it's good. The ingredients are locally sourced, and the menu relatively standard, with a notable range of steaks and sauces. The Coo's partner ordered a steak, a rarity with the exorbitant expense of mediocre, poorly cooked steaks in Inverness, and was pleasantly surprised with the texture, flavour and (most important to him) proper rare cooking time. The added haggis was a treat. A friend ordered the generous portion of lamb, which was flavuorful with an excellent consistency. The fish and chips was among the best in Inverness, and the lone vegetarian main dish (essentially a crepe with veggies) was spiced well. The thick chips were perfect - chunky, robust, not too greasy. Overall, a pleasant, tasty meal for the same price, if not less, than would be paid at other nearby restaurants.
Our one 'beef' was with a set of ribs - the sauce was tangy and sticky, the meat tender, but a long blond hair wrapped around a rib wasn't the protein we were seeking. We didn't complain, as we had arrived quite late in the evening, but something like this could put other patrons off The Corner Grill for good.
The Coo and her partner tend to order things we wouldn't cook at home, so the array of dishes is a slight disappointment. The Coo is keen to see how The Corner Grill expands its menu in the future, perhaps creating more exciting dishes than salmon and veggies or fish and chips.
Food: 8/10 (with the sole exception of a stray hair)
Decor: 9/10
Buzz: 9/10
Service: 8/10
