Victory American Grill and Bar

Let me start by saying that I had high expectations of Victory American Grill and Bar. It's not their fault, I built them up in my own head. Why? They are owned by one of my favorite little greasy spoons, Sam's No. 3. At the same time, Sam's isn't exactly where you go for the ultimate dining experience. But they do serve a mean breakfast burrito, and their green chile is out-of-this-world. And I digress, because this isn't about Sam's.

Victory is conveniently located right next door to Sam's at 15th & Curtis, just 1 block from the Denver Performing Arts Complex. This makes it an excellent location for those stopping for a quick bite on their way to the theater. The design of Victory actually reminds me of the dramatics of a theater. High ceilings, dark woods, heavy velvet curtains, and servers in the requisite black. The bar area has a couple of nice pool tables and a pin-ball machine to while the time away. Another bonus in Victory's bar: PBR. On tap! I don't remember the last time I encountered PBR on tap at a real restaurant, but I have to say- I'm impressed.

Victory's menu is eclectic and interesting. They have a decent sized wine list, and they don't seem put off by strange drink orders. Two appetizers really stand out: the Fried Pickle Spear & Pretzel Basket, which is exactly what it says. I've personally been a huge fan of fried pickles since I first tried them at Bayou Bob's Taste of Colorado booth back in 1997. They are hard to find, and they're generally made with pickle chips, so this is an interesting take. The other appetizer that you can't help but notice is the Cheese on Fire!!! (exclamation points theirs). I wasn't sure whether this involved actual flames or just heat and/or spice. The description assures that it is 'flaming saganaki'. While I have yet to order this myself, the table next to us did. Let me say that this is quite the attention getter. It is literally a flaming plate of food. They show it to everyone, who 'oohs' and 'aahs' then quickly extinguish it with lemon juice. Very cool presentation. Once again, I'm impressed. But if you prefer something less fried or flaming, I suggest a cup of the creamy, smooth lobster bisque.

In the world of entrees, Victory offers a nice selection of sandwiches, burgers, pasta and steaks, plus some specialty dishes ranging from Carribean Salmon to Pork Souvlaki. I'd describe it overall as 'upscale comfort food'. None of the entrees are offputting, but they still sound slightly fancy in a way that makes an adult feel just fine about ordering a grilled cheese sandwich or mac and cheese. Both of these involve chevre, which I enjoy just saying. I had the Victory Mac-N-3-Cheese- a beautiful amalgamation of gouda, cheddar and prosciutto baked together with that good ol' chevre on top. The mixture of cheeses wasn't too rich, as some baked mac and cheeses are, and the breadcrumbs added a nice little crunch. Filling and satisfying in the most basic way. My dining companion had the Baked Ziti, which had a delicious mix of sausages covered with a slightly spicy marinara. Many diners around us had ordered the Yiayia's Fried Chicken and it looked fantastic. It's definitely next on my list.

I rarely end a dining experience without dessert, because life is short. I realize I may be making it shorter with this bad habit, but at least I will die happy, with a mouthful of chocolate mousse. Regardless, Victory has a nice looking dessert tray. I've always loved dessert trays and I don't know why every restaurant doesn't take advantage of these. I am much more likely to be tempted when I can see that fantastic cheesecake or creme brulee than just read about it. Everything on Victory's dessert tray looked great, but we chose the Mija Chocolate Mousse Pie. Not only did it look delicious, but I enjoyed the story behind it. Apparently, it is based on an original recipe from Baur's Bakery, who occupied the space Victory is in now back in 1891. The pie was rich and chocolatey, but not overwhelmingly sweet, punctuated by slivers of toffee on top of the whipped cream.

Victory lived up to my expectations in the food department. It also has a beautiful atmosphere that can be both professional and cozy. The only problems we encountered were in the service department, but they were the problems of any new restaurant. Our waiter was exceedingly friendly, but he seemed to lack some confidence and sense of humor and was a bit slow on the clean-up side. These are all easily fixed with time and comfort in a new environment. I see great things for Victory's future, and I know I'll be back soon for that fried chicken!