Wrought Iron Grill is worth the drive out to Owosso.

If you're the sort of person who likes to take a little drive to seek out a particularly special restaurant, here's your latest road trip: Owosso's new Wrought Iron Grill.

The Menu

    Local and regional ingredients are highlighted on the Wrought Iron Grill's menu, from the Owosso Organics salad greens and Breadsmith buns to Michigan cherries and a Wrought Iron Wheat beer crafted specially for the restaurant by the Michigan Brewing Company.
    We bypassed the tempting appetizer menu (which we'll make a return trip to try - it includes tapas, a cheese trio and a Mediterranean platter) and ordered our entrees. My companion tried one of the night's specials, Grilled Prime Rib ($18.99), served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables (in this case, large organic green beans and onions, sauteed to just al dente). The meat was extremely tender and juicy - and the grilling added more depth to the flavor.

    I ordered the Cedar Wrapped Salmon ($17.99), which features a filet wrapped in cedar paper with pineapple and rosemary compound butter. It was quite moist and served with a heavenly coconut rice rivaling any Thai version I've tried. We each added a house salad ($2.59), which rounded out the meal nicely.

The Atmosphere

    Housed in Owosso's Woodard Station, a mixed-use complex featuring lofts, a hair salon and office space, the Wrought Iron Grill gives off an industrial-chic feel. Exposed brick and ceilings, rough wood beams and glossy wood floors highlight the dining room, with daily specials posted on chalkboards near the bar and on small boards servers tote to tables. The patio (the building's original loading dock) features roomy tables and views of the nearby railroad tracks. It's the sort of place that evokes comparisons to the Common Grill in Chelsea, but at half the drive-time from Lansing.
    Our server was attentive and friendly, offering menu recommendations when we asked for some direction.
The Wrought Iron Grill is the type of place you don't mind making a bit of a drive to get to; the food and the surroundings make it well worth the trip.

Contact Robin Miner-Swartz at 377-1018 or rswartz@lsj.com. Restaurant reviews are done anonymously at State Journal expense. For previous reviews, visit hub.lsj.com.