It was Easter weekend this past weekend, and my family came up from Louisiana. And truthfully, we had a grand old time. Was great for everybody to get together in one roof.

AND, its happening again next weekend, only with my Mom’s side of the family.

But this entry isn’t about either of those things. Its about food.

My father in law decided he wanted to do a nice Easter dinner, so he wanted to take us to “a Roswell Institution.” This post is about that.

---

On sunday, I ate dinner at the Brookwood Grill in Roswell.

A Roswell Institution

I had heard alot about this place from not just the in-laws but several natives of the area. Anyone who had been around when it was first founded, about 25 years ago, extols the virtues of the place. However, I suspected something was up when I asked them to describe the food. I usually got one of two responses

“You know, chicken and stuff” or “You know, steak and stuff”

But, its been around for this long, and people out here with hate on any business that doesn’t cut it, and this thing managed to survive in that climate for 25 years. So there has got to be something there right?

Nope. Starting simple, the decor is full 80s casual dining with steak. Dark on the inside. Brick. Stone. Booths.

The first thing I notice is that its one of those places that clearly scales based on how busy it is. Over half the restaurant is empty but had to wait for a table. I dont mind that, just always felt it was odd.

The menu is Applebees+. Like its got crowdpleasers. Heather must have been hipped to this because she just got a chicken tender salad.

I however, wanted to try the best they got. I was recommeneded the Seared Ahi Tuna steak and the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta. Against my better judgement, I ordered both.

I love sushi, but this was that thing of restaurants who have to cater to people who dont like sushi. It wasn’t fully cooked but it was like breaded and overseared. So the texture was somewhere in between and kind of bland. The noodle cake that went with it was fine but overpowered by the Asian slaw on top of it.

The Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta is what made me write this. It was basically alfredo in a can with Tony Chachere’s on it.

+ 

Like, I used to do that in college as a cheap meal. And 100% that is all what was in there.

So I casually asked her dad why he liked this place so much, without hinting that I was eating some dorm food here. He just went off about the deals. If you bought a bunch of giftcards they would give you more free, or there is a free pie night, or a free soup night.

Nothing he said about the quality of the food.

When we were paying and getting ready to leave, the waitress offered to bag up my food. I didn’t want any more of it, but her dad insisted that I take it to go. The waitress came back and gave me the bag with the food in it. However, the bag couldn’t fit the to go containers they had.

And that is a microcosm for this place. The togo bag that cant fit any of the plates that they give togo food in.

I read Yelp reviews when I got home. And they seem to be filled with people looking for the best meal deal.

And I guess there is a value in that….I kind of wonder what this restaurant was like when it first started out. Like if they were ambitious. Had big ideas, and then just shifted with their customer base into cheap-as-free being the primary motivation.

Especially with downtown Roswell exploding with AMAZING restaurants, its kind of surprising that this place lasted.

There is a place like this in every town. Been here forever. Basically serves Applebees menu, but the locals love it for no reason at all….

If you come to Roswell avoid the Brookwood grill. It takes you back to the past of having to wear a button down shirt to go out to eat Applebees equivalent food.