Dam Good View

Even locals will snap photos outside the scenic Hoover Grille.

I discovered this as I watched a woman trying to capture the sinking evening sun stretch out rainbow shades across the massive, dam-created Hoover Reservoir. The visual pleasure of that view was almost physical. Against a faint soundtrack of hissing traffic on Sunbury Road, this dusky waterscape, with its placid liquid mirror, wintry denuded trees and seemingly boundless horizon, began to transport me far away from Central Ohio.

But I suddenly snapped to with the flick of someone's cig-seeking Bic and went back inside the Hoover Grille, where the scenery was also intriguing, if less serene.

The voluminous and nautically themed restaurant was packed to the gills with families dining and bar-bound sports fans watching Brett Favre win again and the basketball Buckeyes blow it against Purdue. That last loss got softened by the convivial mood engendered by friendly bartenders and waiters and large plates of food streaming out of the kitchen.

Sitting in the curvilinear, airy and spacious Hoover Grille, you get the impression you're inside of a cruise ship. Full-sized sails hang like giant sports pennants. Over the bar, three outsized circular mirrors intentionally recall portholes. The place is also adorned with oars, sailing miscellany and wave forms, which decorate the metal railings and super-high ceiling.

While outdoor seating on the scenery-rich upper and lower decks is mainly for warmer months, there was still plenty to do inside. Like gaze around the unique restaurant and lap up snacks, top-shelf liquors and beers such as Samuel Smith, Chimay, Great Lakes and even wacky Belgian lambics.

To eat, several behemoth-sized entrée salads and beer-battered fish sandwiches seemed quite popular, but Hoover's casual menu also includes lots of pastas, big grilled steaks and meaty nightly specials.

My group and I enjoyed some quick-baked brick-oven pizzas, which arrived in mere minutes and sported thin, crackery crusts. We especially liked the toasted pine nuts and thinly sliced squashes on the Roasted Veggie Goat Cheese Pizza.

But most of the charm came from the singular-looking place itself. If you plan to go, know that you can't miss it. The Hoover Grille is the distinct, marine-blue-and-nautical-white-hued building waiting like a mammoth lighthouse beacon of watery escape just outside quaint Olde Westerville.

This past Tuesday, Hoover Grille hosted its first wine dinner of the year. An Evening in Tuscany featured six courses of Tuscan-inspired dishes perfectly matched with imported wines, courtesy of BelVino wine imports. The evening was a tremendous success, leading us to plan a similar event for late next month.

We hope these pictures will help to whet your appetite!