Family, Food and Fun

Metropolitan Grill, aka “Metro Grill”, is one of five Southern Arizona restaurants under the Metro Restaurant umbrella headed by Bob McMahon. Each establishment carries a unique personality and different levels of sophistication. Metro Grill is one of the more casual locations on the list and one of my family’s favorite places to dine. 
 

The relaxed setting begins when customers walk through the front door and are welcomed by smiling greeters. Displayed only a few steps past the hostess stand is a calming flagstone waterfall. The water falls so lightly our kids can hardly resist the urge to stick their little fingers through the thin sheet of water.


 

Tables and half-moon shaped booths line the restaurant while tables toward the rear of the dining room give the curious a nice view of the open kitchen’s action, including chicken and prime rib spinning on wood-fired rotisseries.
 

Once settled at the table, our youngsters quickly focus on their activity page, loaded with age-appropriate mazes, word games and pictures to color. Yet, it’s what’s listed on the actual kid’s menu that impresses the grownups. 
 

Even the pickiest of tots have a difficult time finding something to reject on the menu. Grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, spaghetti, cheeseburger and fries, noodles and butter, turkey and cheese sandwich and grilled cheese are typical kid favorites. Each kid’s meal costs $4.99 with the option of adding a juice or soda beverage for a buck. Plus, each child’s entree is topped off with a chocolate sundae dessert. “The most popular kid menu item is the individual gourmet pepperoni or cheese pizzas baked in the wood-fired brick oven,” says General Manager Lara Schuster. 
 

Schuster, a mother herself, assures families dealing with allergies or special dietary needs they should not have any worries at Metro Grill. Gluten-free, dairy-free and peanut-free are common phrases used in the kitchen. Simply let the server know what ingredients need to be avoided.
 

Of course, the good menu doesn’t stop with the kids. Parents have a wide range of options from Firecracker Shrimp ($10) and House Smoked Salmon ($9.50) appetizers to a wide range of main menu items including Metropolitan’s Pizza (bleu cheese, bacon, potato and green onion, $9), Prime Rib ($21), Mediterranean Chicken Pasta ($12.50), and the Southwest inspired Oro Valley Chicken Salad ($11). 
 

The plethora of menu items is only the beginning of the family-friendly Metro Grill experience. Just as the activity page’s novelty wears off, the server delivers a mound of uncooked dough to each child. It doesn’t take long for our children to realize this is food they can actually play with. While my husband and I snack on a basket of baked bread, the kids poke, roll, swish and knead their mound of dough into a unique design each. A short while later, the creations are whisked away and baked in the wood-fired brick oven. Later during the meal, the baked bread is returned and, always with parents’ permission, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. 
 

With full tummies we gather our take-home boxes and declare the evening a success. But before departing the little ones put their hands out asking for a coin to throw in the waterfall. As the kids make their wishes and toss in their coins, we know the parents’ wish already came true — a fun dinner out that the entire family enjoyed. 
 

Side note: Stay tuned as Metro Grill becomes even more family-friendly, particularly mom-friendly. Schuster hints her latest endeavor includes a mom’s night out with on-site sitters. 
 

Metropolitan Grill is located at 7892 N. Oracle Rd. For information, visit metrorestaurants.com or call 520.531.1212.

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