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| - FIRST, check out their website. You will find that whoever put it all together understands the importance of providing a vibe and an image that differentiates Rivals from the competition. You don't have to go far in Middleburgh or Parma to find a Sports Bar, but there are only a few who choose to take pride in their food - and when it comes to pub fare, Rivals Sports Grille is ironically in a league of their own..
Upon our arrival at Rivals, I surprisingly reveled in the atmostphere - TV's in every corner with a wood burning fireplace in plain view - I knew this was not your average Buffalo wing joint.
The menu was cut and dried and exactly what we expected - this and that fried, burgers wings and fries, with a few daily specials. Everything I tried was better than anticipated, with at least few items worth mentioning.
They offer 20+ wing sauces along with a few dry rubs. I chose the 7 pepper rub and the Carribbean jerk rub, and both were outstanding. The flavors were bold without being too salty, and the jerk seasoning offered a complex blend of heat, spice, sweetness without being overpowering. The General Tso's sauce is something different, and the Raspberry BBQ has a subtle sweet and smoky flavor as if it were cooked in a smoker with cherry wood. The dipping sauces are made from scratch, and the honey mustard was sublime. The buffalo chicken wrap was crispy and well prepared, and the bacon they add is a nice touch. The spinach artichoke dip featured gorganzola cheese, a change of pace from the dips you find elsewhere. My only complaint would be that the fettuccine alfredo was a bit too rich and sticky, and the fries were on the greasy side.
Overall, you can tell this restaurant put a lot of thought and effort into their menu and image, which give this place a touch of class not often found at the neighborhood sports bar.
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