Why: Josiah’s Sports Bar and Family Grill, which opened Dec. 16, is one of several area restaurants that merges family dining with a sports bar. Menu items are named after sports terms such as Hoops (onion rings), Spikes (french fries) and the Quarterback Crunch (seven-layer nachos). A chicken fried steak dinner and the Heisman Burger (a half pound patty with egg and ham) are two of the restaurant’s specialties.
Owner Josiah Wilfong said his restaurant is still tweaking the menu, but he expects to have all the changes in place by Jan. 23.
Atmosphere: Josiah’s is set up as a sports bar, though the brightly lit bar area occupies only a small portion of the restaurant. Four large-screen TVs are positioned so that they can be viewed from every table.
The décor consists of sports team emblems and neon signs which decorate simple tan walls which are trimmed in black and a stained concrete floor.
Instead of individual table lights, there are a few track lights, which reminded me more of a cafeteria setting than a restaurant for sit-down dining.
Seating is available at conventional and bistro-style tables and chairs and booths.
What I tried: I had the chicken fried steak dinner, which comes with a salad and potatoes. I choose french fries for my potato accompaniment. My dining companion decided on the Quarterback Crunch nachos and Corked Bats, which are deep-fried mozzarella sticks.
The chicken fried steak with sausage gravy on top and French fries arrived piping hot. The steak, made from a beef cutlet, was cut thin and a bit overwhelmed by the breading, which was twice as thick. This caused the saltiness of the breading and the gravy to dominate the dish.
The fries were soft inside and had a crispier exterior than what I find to be typical of a family style restaurant.
My salad was a fresh pre-mixed variety of iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and carrots. Cheddar cheese, a tomato wedge and croutons were added to it and the portion was generous.
The mozzarella sticks are made with a lightly seasoned breading and then deep fried. They were served with a mild marinara sauce. Josiah’s gets its mozzarella sticks from an outside supplier and they were comparable to what you’d find at other family dining restaurants.
The Quarterback Crunch, Josiah’s seven-layer nachos, start with thick corn tortilla chips. Refried beans, chili, lettuce, sour cream, onions and tomatoes are piled on top. The fresh vegetables gave the nachos a salad impression. In fact, the dish reminded me of a taco salad, except the chili was milder than the meat typically served in a taco salad.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: I thought the Mariner Basket, which consists of four coconut breaded shrimp and french fries sounded intriguing. The restaurant also offers a Stadium Burger Challenge that includes a two-pound cheeseburger, a pound of French fries and a pitcher of soda for $19.99. Diners who want to meet the challenge have to consume this meal within 30 minutes or less. Those who are successful will have their photo hung on the restaurant’s wall.
Cost: Josiah’s hamburgers, the restaurant’s main menu category, all cost less than $9. The restaurant’s highest priced entree, a New York Steak dinner, is $17.99.
Other observations: The wait staff was attentive and friendly and the restaurant is clean and uncluttered. The table service was fast on my visit. Though there are three salads on the menu, the rest of the items feature meat or are deep-fried. That could change as Wilfong adjusts the menu. He also will be adding desserts.
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 11 to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. A happy hour menu is available 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Restricted to customers who are at least 21 years old after 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Telephone: 360-225-7944.
Where: 1382 Lewis River Road, Woodland.
Health score: Josiah’s received a score of 10 on Dec. 22. Zero is a perfect score. Restaurants that have a score with 75 or more red violation points may be subject to closure by the Cowlitz County Health Department. For more information, call 360-414-5583.
