By Sarah Johnson
Special to The Free Press
MANKATO — Grizzly’s Grill N’ Saloon just got a makeover.
After closing for two weeks to set up a new wood-fired rotisserie and make a few smaller renovations, the restaurant reopened in December with the name Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill and Steaks.
The large rotisserie, made by Wood Stone, a company in Seattle, is the first thing customers see when they arrive in the restaurant. Standing nearly six feet away from the rotisserie, they can feel the heat on their faces, and logs of red oak from northern Minnesota smolder with bright orange coals and large flames.
There are only a limited number of these Wood Stone rotisseries in the country. Mankato’s is the fourth Grizzly’s to get one. According to Chuck Dent, who has been Grizzly’s general manager since it opened eight years ago, more rotisseries are being built for other Grizzly’s restaurants.
The first Grizzly’s to get one was in Waite Park last year. It was so successful, they kept building them, Dent said.
“We feel the product is unbeatable,” he said. “The only heat source is the red oak. There’s no gas. It really has a red oak taste.”
The renovation, which took a lot of work, was a labor of love, said Dent, who has seen sales increase since the reopening.
The menu offers a new steak section. Previously, Grizzly’s served a house sirloin and a ribeye. Now there are nine steaks on the menu that are available all week, as well as prime rib after 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Other rotisserie-fired meats include spit-roasted chicken, barbecue chicken and beef brisket. From the hickory broiler in the kitchen, the menu offers barbecue ribs, salmon, shrimp, halibut and walleye.
There is a larger wine selection, and according to bartender Josh Hinkel, who has also been with Grizzly’s since the restaurant opened, customers seem to
like the new wines from the Folie a Deux vineyard.
Besides the restaurant’s new TV sets and paint job, there will be a patio in the spring. Most of the same daily specials are offered.
But does the food taste any different?
“It’s ridiculous,” said Hinkel, adding that the majority of the meat served is hand-cut at the restaurant. “Everything turns out juicier and a lot more tender.”
Grizzly’s opens every day at 11 a.m. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. on Sundays and 11 p.m. every other day of the week.
