CLOSED: Rounding third … Head for Home Plate Sports Grill in Payson for appetizing fare
The Western Bacon Burger -- featuring bacon, onion rings, barbecue sauce and cheese -- with a side of fries and a pickle at Home Plate Sports Grill in Payson on Monday.
The Chicken Louie, featuring chicken in a creamy dijon sauce with mushrooms and green onions served over fettuccine noodles.
A selection of foods at Home Plate Sports Grill in Payson. Clockwise from front-center are a Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Sandwich with Jalapeno Poppers, the Chicken Louie, Double Dribble Sticky Fingers, the Western Bacon Burger with fries and a slice of Reese's Cheese Cake.
Sometimes there are restaurants where the best parts of the meal are often the appetizer or the dessert. In my recent visit to Payson’s newest restaurant, while the entire meal was great, the appetizer was the true show-stopper.
It was a Friday night when my family and I decided to stop in for some dinner at The Home Plate Sports Grill, the newest restaurant in Payson. Walking in that evening we quickly realized that many, many other families had the same idea. The place was packed! Always a good sign!
The Home Plate is a pretty typical sports grill in its overall atmosphere — an oversized TV screen broadcasting the latest game, as well as a few other, smaller TVs tuned into different sports teams. The entire restaurant is lined with dozens of team pennants, adding to the fan fever. The menu, too, sports many of the typical, favorite game foods — wings, cheesesteaks, nachos, burgers and brats.
Even before we had narrowed down our entree selections, we immediately requested a double order of the Chicken Avocado Wraps. Having dined at the sports grill once before, we were well acquainted with this delicious appetizer and couldn’t wait to sink our teeth into this wonderful combination of chicken, cream cheese, avocado and red peppers, all wrapped into wontons and fried to perfection. Dipped in thick ranch dressing, these wraps have become a new craving of mine.
On to the entrees.
My husband, Steve, opted for the Smoked Pulled Pork dinner with the meat dredged in a Jack Daniels barbecue sauce. Selecting two sides, he started with a cup of chili and a side salad.
Steve thoroughly enjoyed the pork, which was flavorful and tender. The only complaint would be in the presentation. Since he’d already been served the side salad and the cup of chili, the pulled pork looked quite sparse on the large white plate.
Since chicken is always a favorite, Courtany selected the Sticky Finger Salad. The large salad was filled with sauced-up chicken and fresh veggies. The salad was so large, in fact, she took a good portion of it home.
Craving pasta, I selected the Pasta Alfredo with Shrimp. Served with a side salad and garlic bread, this meal was also large on size. Topped with green onions, my pasta was delicious, but I kept searching for more of the perfectly flavored shrimp. There were clearly too few tossed into the pasta.
Next time there’s a big game on, head on over to The Home Plate for some great appetizers and a plate of deliciously sauced pulled pork or some sticky chicken fingers.
THE HOME PLATE SPORTS GRILL
Where: 742 S. HWY 198, Payson
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Price: $6.50 for appetizers up to $9.99. Kid’s meals are $4.99.
Info: (801) 465-7667, www.homeplate.zone