Ithaca Bites: Long Wait, Good Food

Mahogany Grill, located at 114 North Aurora Street, is conveniently situated right next to the Ithaca Commons. Its appetizing food and dimly lit, quaint ambiance will make any hungry passerby eager to come in. It’s a great place for any type of informal occasion because the restaurant provides a charming appeal with its “mahogany” wooden décor and traditional American menu.
The Grill only disappointed with regards to reservations; it did not honor mine. When I went with a group of people to celebrate a friend’s birthday, the hostess did not seat us until 45 minutes after our reservation time! This definitely put an initial damper on the meal, but the tasty food and pleasant atmosphere made up for the wait in the end.
Once we got seated, the waitress gave our table multiple servings of bread, which we continued to request again and again. Personally, I believe the caliber of a restaurant is greatly enhanced if they offer a delicious, warm and doughy bread appetizer; Mahogany Grill’s bread, while nothing out of this world, is certainly of good quality. It is also hard to resist the sweet and creamy butter that gives the bread a unique flavor.
The menu appetizers are flavorsome and range from a scrumptious spinach artichoke dip to a unique walnut-crusted, baked brie, along with many other interesting palate pleasers. There are an assortment of entrees, which all come with a fresh house salad, so you really are getting your money’s worth.
Most of the entrées come in pretty large portions and there are myriad options to choose from, including a variety of pasta dishes, chicken, seafood, steak, sandwiches and salads.
Finally, I would definitely recommend staying for dessert because there are just so many irresistibly tempting options. I highly recommend the Reese’s peanut butter cake, though there are other superb alternatives including the Oreo cake and cheesecake. In general, Mahogany Grill is an enjoyable place to dine and will definitely provide a deliciously satisfying meal as long as you don’t mind having to wait.