On a recent Saturday evening I took advantage of Harvard’s sixth-grade Girl Scout troop’s “Parents’ Night Out” babysitting event. I left my youngest children in capable hands and headed over to the Brookside Grill in Shirley for dinner with my husband and son, who felt himself too cool to be entertained by 12-year-old girls.
Owned by mother-and-son team Ryan and Tracy DeWolf, both Shirley natives, the grill is a quaint neighborhood gem offering American cuisine with a few diverse twists. Ryan happened to be in the kitchen the night I was there, a task he doesn’t shy away from. After working all week at his day job at Emerson Hospital, Ryan said he spends his weekends assisting staff with cooking, serving, and even “jumping behind the fryolator.” Like her son, Tracy also fills various roles when needed, one being bartender, and is at the helm on weekdays.
The Brookside Grill is located where Brockelman’s Grocery Store once stood. (Courtesy photos)
Longtime residents may remember the site where the Brookside stands now as Brockelman Bros. grocery store, a beloved landmark for 80-plus years. The DeWolfs have not forgotten, either, and they pay tribute with a framed black-and-white photo on the wall, along with other nostalgic snapshots of Shirley and businesses of yesteryear. They even named the restaurant partly in homage to the former Brookside Tavern, which once stood where the parking lot is now, as well as the brook that runs out back.
The restaurant soft-opened back in November and celebrated its official ribbon cutting in early March. It seats about 50 guests and offers booths, tables, and high-tops in the bar area. So far it seems to be a hit with the locals, as evidenced by a full house the night I visited. I noticed many diners waving to one another as they came and went, and folks at the bar fell into easy conversation with the person sitting next to them. Ryan agreed that his place attracts a large Shirley crowd, and on occasion it seems as if all the locals have come in at once. Thanks to positive reviews and a large Facebook following, word is spreading to neighboring towns like Lancaster and Lunenburg, and hopefully Harvard as well.
Prices, portions draw diners
What draws diners to the Brookside? “Its fair prices, decent portions, and quality—we are always looking to perfect every meal,” said Ryan. He pointed to the seared scallop appetizer as an example of this menu perfecting. What began as scallops wrapped in bacon evolved into scallops drizzled with an Applewood bacon cream sauce. “I push them on everyone because they are really good,” he said. “I haven’t had one complaint.”
Seafood is locally sourced.
Other appetizers include fried zucchini sticks, Canadian poutine, and Guinness battered fried shrimp, which all hover around the $9 mark. The menu also features soups and salads ($4.50 to $12) and main dishes from $15 to $22. The ever-popular seafood items include staples like baked haddock, shrimp scampi, and lobster mac and cheese (seafood is locally sourced from West Boylston Seafood). There are also meat dishes like the piquant cajun chicken, burgers, and steak tips with meat procured from Midtown Beef in Fitchburg.
What’s the best-selling dinner choice? Ryan, who boasted he’s tried every dinner item on the menu, said hands-down it’s the prime rib. “Shirley loves a prime rib,” he said, and it’s been this way for as long as he can remember.
It’s important to note that the french fries here are delicious—hand cut and not frozen. Ryan laughed at my delight over “real” fries. “It’s so good when they come in as potatoes,” he said, “and we go through a lot of potatoes.
The Brookside offers a kid menu ($5 or half-sized adult entrees for half the price) and nightly specials and desserts, as well as coffee from Ayer’s Union Coffee Roaster. Breakfast is served on weekends, something that I plan on heading back to try. If you happen to enjoy corned beef hash, I hear it’s a “must taste” at the Brookside. Made from scratch, Ryan said it’s a hit with customers and especially delicious with poached eggs.
If you’re looking for another local dining option with a warm vibe and great food, stop by the Brookside. Something tells me you’ll enter as a stranger but leave as a friend.
The Brookside Grill is located at 7 Main Street in Shirley. Hours are Saturday 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.to 12:30 a.m.; Sunday 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3 to 8 p.m.; Monday closed; Tuesday and Wednesday 3 to 10 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 3 to 11 p.m. (with live acoustic music featuring local talent on Thursday nights). Plenty of on-street parking in addition to the rear parking lot. For more info check out the grill’s Facebook page.
