Blue Lion

Former Olives chef fires up the grill in Sudbury

by Margaret LeRoux

Blue Lion Wood Grill and Bar 694 Boston Post Road (Route 20) Sudbury (978) 443-3970 Hours Sun.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat. 11:30-1 a.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

If you want cuisine like you'd get in Boston's trendiest restaurants but don't want to pay the trendy prices, the Blue Lion Wood Grill and Bar is the place for you. Located on Route 20 in Sudbury, the restaurant is in a renovated and revived roadhouse, meaning the style is casual. But forget the smoky, dark rooms you've visited before, the Blue Lion has a bright fresh, contemporary look.

There are three dining areas. My companion and I ate in the green room; there's a blue room, and an alcove between the two is painted burnt orange. Plates are colorful Fiesta ware, tabletops are bare, carpeting keeps the noise down. If only the contemporary-rock music playing in the background weren't so loud. But it was a Saturday night, and we were grateful to get a reservation at the last minute.

The wine list offers several good values and includes wineries not often showcased in Central Massachusetts. We found an old favorite, Wente, from the Livermore Valley just east of Berkeley, and tried the chardonnay ($6.50 a glass; $25 a bottle). Described as full-bodied, it's a wine you can sip from salad through dessert.

The Blue Lion's chef is David Cassidy, who cooked at Olives in Charlestown and Figs in Chestnut Hill. We had high expectations for the food Cassidy serves at the Blue Lion, and we weren't disappointed.

The appetizer list is deceptive. We've seen similar items in so many pubs, but none of them matches the presentation and imaginative seasonings from Blue Lion's kitchen. Nachos grande ($7.95), for example; we heard a nearby table of eager diners swoon over the freshness of this standard. Here, the jalapenos aren't canned, neither are the tomatoes nor the guacamole. Fried calamari ($6.95) are enhanced with Jamaican jerk spices. Coconut-crusted chicken and fresh pineapple kebabs ($7.25) is a signature dish served with maple-brown-butter sauce, but it was one of the specials, fried oysters ($9.95), that attracted us. Four medium-size and perfectly fresh oysters were coated in a light lemony batter and fried till crisp. They were served atop a mound of fresh, roasted corn salsa made piquant with bits of onion, fresh tomato, and cilantro in a light vinaigrette. This simple-sounding accompaniment gave me a new point of reference for both corn and salsa. The two of us cleaned the plate of each kernel.

Some of Blue Lion's salads would make a meal on their own: wood-grilled shrimp and fennel skewers with pineapple and melon over wilted bok choy ($8.50); grilled steak and portobello with roasted red peppers, shredded Parmesan cheese on a bed of mixed greens ($7.95); Waldorf with chicken added to the traditional apple and walnuts in a creamy tarragon dressing ($5.95); as well as Caesar ($3.95 small; $4.95 large). We shared spinach and grape tomato salad ($4.50), a heap of tender greens, slices of mushroom, and a handful of the sweet little grape tomatoes, my new favorite variety of this summer treat.

The entrees allow chef Cassidy's imagination to shine. A double pork chop ($11.95) is cider-glazed, roasted, then finished on the grill and served with candied pecans and apple chutney. Babyback ribs are first braised for tenderness, then grilled with a bath of bourbon barbecue sauce. And grilled salmon fillet ($13.50) is marinated with soy sauce, glazed with ginger-shiitake-mushroom sauce, and served on wild rice.

Those who love grilled steak can choose from top sirloin ($9.95) with rosemary and garlic rub or New York sirloin ($15.95), topped with cabernet sauvignon sauce.

There's pasta, too. Some intriguing selections include lobster-and-asparagus ravioli ($13.95) in vodka-lobster cream sauce; wild roasted penne ($10.50), including roasted garlic, wild mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes; and jambalaya ($12.95), seared andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce over linguine.

Not to mention thin-crust, wood-fired, oven-baked pizza. How about wood-grilled pineapple with country ham (10" $6.95; 14" $9.95) or white caprese, which is fresh mozzarella, basil, garlic, plum tomatoes, and kalamata olives ($6.95/$9.95)? Half-pound burgers (starting at $5.95) include a choice of toppings like roasted red peppers.

I chose from the specials of the night, grilled trout ($13.95), and my companion selected blackened catfish ($10.95) from the regular menu.

The trout had been boned and butterfly cut for maximum crispy skin and fast cooking. Fresh thyme brightened the fish's smoky flavor, but the garnish that won raves was chunks of buttery-ripe avocado and bits of fresh crabmeat. All these textures and flavors were supported by a mound of mashed red bliss potatoes that didn't get nearly enough of my attention.

My companion's catfish was spicy without being mouth-burning. Grilled asparagus served on the side was so good we vowed to try this vegetable at our next cookout.

The finishing touches -- very berry tart and a silky, mousse-textured chocolate cake (both $4.25) -- were perfect. Blue Lion is well worth a 25 minute drive from Worcester. Our bill was $76.46 before tip.