Restaurant review: Greenhouse Restaurant and Bar in Denton

by Addley Fannin of North Texas Daily , Heather Jackson of North Texas Daily

The hype surrounding Greenhouse Restaurant and Bar aroused our skepticism, but the restaurant delivered a good dining experience with flair uncommon in Denton.

From the refreshingly eclectic menu to the four decked-out dining rooms and bar, it was clear from the get-go that this was not one of the "hang out" restaurants that we have become accustomed to.

Though most of the other patrons were considerably older than us, and the prices were a bit much for our college student budgets, Greenhouse is far from stuffy or pretentious.

Most of the dishes appear pretty basic, but each item has a special quirk, an unusual ingredient or preparation that gives it an unusual zing.

Our meal began with an order of fried ravioli. The stuffed pasta pieces were covered in a light, crunchy batter with a subtle Italian seasoning.

They were perfectly fried and bursting with warm, creamy mozzarella. At about $7, a single order was plenty for the two of us but would not have fed another.

Heather ordered the portabella sandwich for two reasons. First, it's not often that a sandwich piques her curiosity, and second, Greenhouse has a great selection of toppings that can make any sandwich extraordinary.

Burgers and sandwiches at Greenhouse can be ordered as-is with lettuce, tomato and onion, but for an additional price, guests may add guacamole, roasted garlic, sautéed onions, mushrooms, four varieties of cheese, bacon or avocado.

Sandwiches are served with a choice of mashed potatoes, fries or sweet potato fries.

For her sandwich, Heather added guacamole, sautéed onions and Swiss cheese with a side order of fries.

For dressing, Heather had a choice of balsamic mayo or smoked poblano pesto. The waiter was kind enough to bring a side of each so Heather could try them both. The mayo was tangy with a hint of sweetness, while the pesto was delightfully spicy and went harmoniously with the other components.

Addley also took advantage of the unusual toppings by ordering a plain burger topped with Swiss cheese and roasted garlic.

The combination gave the meal a slightly classier feel than one would expect a burger and fries to have.

In addition, the kitchen staff gets bonus points for remembering that "medium" means the meat will still be pink in the center - Addley has gone on many a rant about the inability of Texas restaurants to properly cook beef without burning it and was more than satisfied with quality of this meat.

Of special note, the fries that accompanied both dishes were incredible. Primarily wedges of potato that had been cut with ruffles to catch the seasoning, they were cooked and seasoned like steak fries, and most had remnants of the potato skin.

The staff at Greenhouse is exceptional. Our server was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly, even after Heather's usual torrent of questions.

When Heather called the next day with questions about her meal, the gentleman on the other end had all the answers and sounded happy to help.

Overall, Greenhouse exceeded our expectations and definitely lived up to its reputation.