Serious food comes with a side of
social responsibility
April 11, 2010

by Cindy Cantrell

Motorists passing through Woburn on Route 128 and Interstate 95 can’t miss the enormous yellow and black sign for the Beacon Grille just off Exit 35.

Nor should they.

Open since January, the Beacon Grille is Cumming Properties’ first venture into the restaurant business. Located within the TradeCenter 128 complex that includes Middlesex Superior Court, the restaurant specializes in steaks and seafood. An equally serious effort, however, has been dedicated to green practices: buying and hiring locally; installing LED lights, photovoltaic solar panels, and Energy Star-rated kitchen appliances; collecting rain water in a 7,000-gallon underground tank for watering trees and shrubs; converting cooking grease into biodiesel fuel; recycling glass and aluminum; and providing an on-site bus stop, bicycle racks, and preferred parking for low-emission vehicles.

All of the restaurant’s net profits support the local charitable work of Cummings Foundation, Inc. No Cummings family member receives reimbursement from either the Cummings Foundation or Beacon Grille.

“Without a doubt,’’ said general manager Fred Graham, “the entire staff is proud of our product and our philosophy.’’

Beacon Grille’s emphasis on providing excellent service along with high-quality food was apparent from the moment our party of four arrived on a recent Saturday. Because the lounge and dining room already were bustling, we were asked to wait for a table just a few minutes past our 7:30 p.m. reservation. The apologies we received from three staff members more than made up for the minor delay.

Once seated in the contemporary dining room with soaring ceilings and an open kitchen, we were showered with attention from our waiter as well as a waitress who continuously refilled water glasses, replaced silverware, and cleaned errant drips.

When a diner excused himself from the table, his napkin was refolded. Not even this special treatment, however, tempted us to leave the table once the food arrived.

For appetizers, the asparagus fritti ($8) — a recipe passed down to executive chef Tracy Simone by her grandmother — won for best presentation with six lightly fried yet still firm asparagus spears served crisscrossing one another, drizzled with lemon shallot butter, and topped with shaved parmesan.

The two lobster and crab cakes ($12) were moist, with a pleasing crispy exterior and lots of lobster chunks. One was paired with creamy lobster sauce and the other was accompanied by rémoulade sauce. The beefsteak tomatoes in the caprese ($7) could have been riper, but were deliciously complemented with thick pieces of fresh mozzarella, red onion, basil, and plenty of balsamic reduction.

The six-ounce filet mignon ($23), char-broiled USDA choice Black Angus, was melt-in-your-mouth tender and cooked perfectly to the diner’s medium request. It came with a standard baked potato and, at the diner’s request, an extra side of mixed vegetables ($4). The grilled zucchini, carrots, red peppers, and onions were slightly mushy, though still tasty.

The sliced rack of lamb ($30), another of Simone’s family recipes, was so tender that it earned comparisons with the filet mignon. The four chops were well seasoned, crusted with blue cheese, topped with bourbon demi-glace sauce and onion straws, and accompanied by creamy au gratin potato.

Among the six items that can be mixed and matched to create the Beacon steak and seafood combo ($34), this diner selected the flavorful seven-ounce New York sirloin and moist, grilled Atlantic salmon fillet brushed with miso glaze and topped with Asian slaw.

Because everything else was so good, it was somewhat surprising that the french fries were so few and so average.

The four sweet, jumbo sea scallops ($23), on the other hand, were so thick that they protruded above and beneath the applewood smoked bacon wrapped around them.

They were seared in garlic butter, which delighted the diner, who requested that a bit of garlic be added to her expertly wilted spinach.

The creamy mashed potatoes had been whipped to perfection, without so much as a hint of a lump.

For dessert, we ordered the classic crème brulee ($6) coated with crystallized sugar and topped with fresh berries. It was chock full of diced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries layered in a crème anglaise that was more light and airy than sweet.

While dinner entrees range from $17 to $38, the lounge menu served from 3 p.m. until closing features $10 pizzas, an $11 burger, and other assorted entrees under $20. The best deals, however, are found at lunchtime, with sandwiches and entrees between $7 and $13.