Restaurant Review:

In my idyllic world, there wouldn’t be a need for separate clubs or restaurants so people could feel comfortable doing something as ordinary as eating out, or having a drink or playing a game of pool.

Ida Vallez and Scott Forst understand that philosophy. The owners of Metro Q Bar & Grill established their restaurant/club not as a gay-only facility, but more of a gay-friendly place. The two don’t care if you are gay, straight, transgendered, wear a purple hat or sing karaoke, though anyone who knows me understands my vehement objections to public singing.

It has only been open a little longer than two months, but Vallez and Forst’s club is getting a reputation as a place for anyone who wants to enjoy a revved-up pub menu.

My friend Robyn invited me, even though I’m straight, not that there’s anything wrong with that (apologies to the television show “Seinfeld”). She and her partner, Carmen, were going to meet for dinner after work and wanted to take me to one of their favorite new places.

I had not yet met Carmen, so I was looking forward to that as well as trying out the food at a place I had heard a lot about.

Both went very well. Carmen was everything Robyn had described, and the three of us enjoyed an evening of great food and conversation.

The Q — as it is called by regulars — is a large open space, though it was warmer on the dining room side. The air conditioners were working on the far side of the building by the bar and pool tables, but in our corner, the vents were not cooperating.

That made it a bit uncomfortable with the setting sun pouring into clear windows the city will not allow to be tinted. Drapes that were coming will fix that. The booths in front were warm, so we headed to the back corner and they were nice enough to set up a fan for us.

There was a mix of traditional pub food and special items that help give the menu some depth. In with the appetizers such as nachos and french fries were sliders with aioli mayonnaise and spinach artichoke dip with pita chips.

The spinach artichoke dip was quite nice and even though it says pita chips, it is sliced triangular wedges of pita bread. I thought that was much more preferable, though I would like to have seen the bread a little warmer.

The five salads ranged from a house to a Cobb to a chicken Caesar salad. The homemade chili shouldn’t be missed. It simmers overnight and comes with or without beans.

The entrée menu was inventive as well, and Vallez is hoping to expand it shortly, using her European and Latino roots to add more items. Her dad’s Irish taco recipe that includes corned beef and jalapenos and menudo and pozole could all find places on the menu in the future.

For now dishes as simple as spaghetti and meatballs to the more exotic coconut fried shrimp are there. A tri-tip steak, homemade meatloaf and blackened salmon filet were also available.

There were also burgers and sandwiches, which seem to more popular than the entrees.

The pulled pork sandwich Robyn got had a nice mellow flavor and wasn’t slathered in barbecue sauce. The less-is-more theory on barbecue sauce always works for me.

The patty melt is traditional, but Carmen substituted the rye bread for ciabatta and it was so much better. The bread added to the angus patty.

I also wanted a substitution on my fish and chips. Instead of regular french fries, I wanted sweet potato fries and they were very accommodating. I am not a fan of the thick, crinkle cut french fries and the sweet potato fries were really a much better choice.

The burger is a half-pound of angus beef and comes with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Additional toppings such as sautéed mushrooms, bacon and assorted cheeses were available for an additional dollar each.

With an expanding menu will come an expanding clientele, and it will be refreshing if Metro Q joins the list of other neighborhood joints for all diners.

Metro Q Bar & Grill

Address: 19092 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach

Phone: (714) 968-6677

Website: www.themetroq.com

Cuisine: pub food

Specialty dish: pulled pork sandwich

Alcohol served: full bar

Entrée price range: $4 to $15

Family friendly: yes

Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard, Discover and Visa

Rating: ***

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at [email protected] or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.