When we think of College Park restaurants, especially sports bars, our expectations are rather low. So our picky pallets weren’t expecting it when Varsity Grille on Rt. 1, a relatively new establishment, snuck up on us with quality, at times even complex, plays on classic dishes.
There’s no doubt this restaurant belongs in College Park, decorated with Terp team’s memorabilia adorning the walls, and multiple big, flat screen TVs playing games, as well as uber-cheap happy hour prices for beers and cocktails.
We were seated right away at a window booth, but don’t expect that to happen on a UMD game night – you can have up to an hour wait when the Terps are playing and an even longer wait for service.
We started the meal off we an order of $3.00 Corona Lights (and one Land Shark for Shakes). And then of course, the must-have appetizer at Varsity, its crab dip.
The crab dip came smothered in melted, slightly browned cheddar cheese and was served with enough sour dough to satisfy five hungry stomachs. What stuck out to Alex was the amount of lump crab meat; it wasn’t all mushy and crushed up like at Adele’s on campus, there was actually a texture. Allyson had been building this crab dip up for months – and from a Marylander’s point of view, if you’re raving about crab dip, you know it’s damn good. While the sauce was creamy, it wasn’t overpowering, and there was no b.s. going in there with crab (forget artichokes, corn, etc.). Just plain old crab, smothered in cheese and creamy-goodness, with a few herbs for some seasoning. Alex found herself compulsively scraping the plate throughout the meal until her spoon scratched the bowl. Allyson, at one point, abandoned her pizza just to use the crust for more crabby delight.
Even though our waiter barely said a word, we got our orders in and they arrived promptly. Megan ordered from the special 50-cent wings, though she was forced to get 10 wings because there is a $5 minimum. The Honey BBQ wings were standard, well-cooked but nothing extraordinary. She accompanied her meal with a side of Bay Fries – and was surprised when the only seasoning was Old Bay, the rest of us knew that was coming. They were thin, crispy and tasty but extremely pungent, almost sneeze-inducing from all the Old Bay. It was work finding the perfect fry that wasn’t too smothered in this special Maryland tradition, but once you found it, it was golden.
Laura ordered the Varsity burger, a half-pound black Angus patty topped with cheddar jack, smothered in BBQ sauce, onions and baked ham. She was disappointed because she assumed the ham would be more like Canadian bacon than deli-slice cold cut meat, which was the reality. But overall, she was satisfied with her choice. We still think her happiest moment was discovering they serve Land Shark Lager, a favorite from her time in London.
On to us. Allyson ordered the Southwestern Chicken Pizza. The dough was that perfect mix between a thick crust while maintaining that thin-crust crunch. The cheddar and mozzarella were melted perfectly but slightly drowned out by the pizza’s other great toppings: chicken, chili base with beef (instead of tomato sauce), onions and beans (the beans were not on the menu!). Because she’s a “punk” as Alex says, AKA can’t deal with the heat, she left off the jalepenos, in fear of not being able to taste anything while her tongue is on fire. The pizza still packed a little kick from the chili base and was loaded with different flavors and textures in each bite. It is a lot to eat though for one person, so you’ll definitely have leftovers (or crust for more crab dip).
Alex ordered the Italian Cheese Steak. She’s usually apprehensive ordering an item labelled “cheese steak” in eateries other than Pat’s or Tony Luke’s in Philadelphia. But she was pleasantly surprised (notice our trend?) with the Italian Cheese Steak, which paid homage to the boot with the addition of sauteed onions, mushrooms and peppers, as well as provolone cheese, which she actually prefers over the more traditional whiz. The provolone was sharp and creamy, yet did not overpower the meat. The thin, chopped pieces of rib-eye were tender and juicy, but still retained a crispy exterior. Unlike her favorite cheese steaks in the town that Rocky runs, this one was not served on a crusty, airy Italian hero roll. The roll actually contrasted the dish’s name, for it was more of a combination of a soft hot dog bun and a kaiser roll. However, it held up to the toppings nicely and she really has no complaint about the bun, other than it wasn’t what she was used to. The other downer was that the menu promised tomato sauce would grace her cheese steak’s presence. It failed to RSVP.
Michele joined us a little late (poor working girl) but it didn’t take long for her Sliders to show up. Technically calling this appetizer a slider is as MISTAKE. As Adam Kuban says on the A Hamburger Today blog, “People, a slider is something very specific. It is not just a mini hamburger. It’s a thin, thin slip of beef, cooked on a griddle with onions and pickles piled atop patty.” Varsity may have saved themselves in the description, calling them “four mini-hamburgers” but to us with a critical eye, they are just wrong. Anyway… The “sliders” were neatly presented with opened buns and perfectly placed little squares of American cheese. Seeing as it was one of the first meals she’d eaten in weeks due to illness, she seemed to enjoy them well.
Our experience at Varsity Grille was like Detroit playing the Redskins… everyone expects the Lions to tank, and guess who rises to the top? (Yes, that hurt Allyson to say). In a college town with not too many worthy dining options, it’s always a big win when we stumble upon an establishment worthy of a return. And one that makes us unafraid to try new things off their menu.
Atmosphere – young and sporty, very casual
Service – speedy but impersonal
Price – Very affordable, most dishes are between $10 and $12, and there are lots of specials every night, from bar to food
Food – 4 out of 5 
(We think that was a first for us)
Keep it tasty, holla
Allyson and Alex
