If you are ever having a bad day and want to get treated like the president, head on over to Central Grille. Seriously. Both times I have been here (Once for Sunnyslope Art Walk and once for Happy Hour with a girlfriend) the entire staff is friendly and extremely attentive. They will sit down and chat with you, bring you extra bread and are always right there with refills.
The eggplant appetizer is an absolute winner. I think there are about ten pieces of delicious fried eggplant with mozzarella and marinara sauce... all for $7..
I also enjoyed the cheese plate. It is $5 on happy hour special and comes with three big slices of cheese (I believe there was a blue, Gouda and one other type) along with bread.
They serve Iily Coffee and Espresso and it is a strong cup! Pair it with one of the really, REALLY tasty desserts! I cannot remember the name of what I had, but I think it was called something layered. It was similar to tiramisu and you got your own side of warmed chocolate to drizzle over it. My mouth is watering thinking about it!!
The inside is kind of a tamed down version of Durant's, but the outside patio is amazing. They have cute lights up and wicker chairs with comfy seat pads. When the weather is nice you can sit out there for hours! As a bonus, you can hear the live music from the patio even though they play inside.
They also have a large variety of Happy Hour appetizers for $5... My friend really enjoyed her tacos! The $5 House Wine and $3.50 well drinks are also an awesome way to compliment your tasty appetizers.
I'm super stoked that Central Grille is right off of the canal because I can ride my bike there (its a 2 mile ride from my house - score!). I love this new addition to the 'Slope!