Eight years ago, the Hardwood Grille suddenly appeared on U.S. 1, offering local residents meat, seafood and veggies grilled over a wood flame. It struck us as a wonderful addition to the Vero Beach dining scene.

For a few years, reservations were almost as hard to get as the restaurant is to find, and most of those dining there agreed the food was great. But in recent times, our experience has been more uneven: really good one night, not so hot another.

So when we went back on a recent Thursday evening, we were somewhat apprehensive about which Hardwood Grille would be waiting. Lucky us. It was the good Hardwood Grille, with the familiar, faintly smoky smell and food every bit as tasty as we remember from the old days.

On this night, we were seated in one of the rounded black leather booths that surround the perimeter of the restaurant. Our recommendation would be to ask for one of the booths when you make a reservation.

We started this visit with two salads.

I had the Hardwood Grill asparagus salad ($8), which in addition to asparagus, featured sweet purple onion and feta cheese with a roasted tomato vinaigrette, served on a bed of crispy red lettuce. A very attractive presentation of an excellent salad.

My husband tried the house pickled beets ($7), whole beet quarters served with goat’s cheese, extra virgin olive oil and toasted walnuts. My husband, perhaps more of a beet enthusiast than I, thought this dish was a success. I thought the beets a bit too sweet, and the salad would have benefited from inclusion of some greens.

Another appetizer that I thought looked interesting was the escargot ($10) – snails served Hardwood style sautéed with grilled mushrooms and artichokes in garlic herb butter. I’ll try the Hardwood version of escargot on the next visit.

For entrees on this evening, I tried the wood oven-roasted duck breast ($24), accompanied by a brandy sauce and served with a red wine sage risotto. The lean duck, tender and juicy, was cooked perfectly, and with the sauce, was a very tasty dish.

My husband, who in the old days insisted that the Hardwood’s veal shank (no longer available) was its best dish, decided to try the braised lamb shank ($28). Served with a mushroom, rosemary and onion jus, along with wood-grilled vegetables, the lamb is an excellent option.

On previous occasions, we also have been pleased with the wood-grilled Florida lobster tail.

For dessert, we tried the Hardwood’s very dense dark chocolate preparation – a dish sure to delight chocolate lovers.

With a modest bottle of wine, dinner for two runs about $110 before tip. (The Hardwood Grille occasionally runs 20 percent off coupons in the daily newspaper.)

While I am a bit reluctant, based on the up-and-down quality of our experiences in modern times, to give the Hardwood Grille a flat-out recommendation, I can report that our dinners on this most recent visit were an unqualified success.

If you decide to try it, succeed in finding it, and have the same experience we had, you will be happy you went.

(By the way, the easiest way to locate the Hardwood Grille is to look for either the Busy Bee Nursery, which is next door, or the Polish American Social Club, which is directly across the street).

I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com .

The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.

Hours: Weds-Sat, 5:30 pm to close

Bar: Beer and wine

Address: 7401 US Highway 1, Winter Beach

Telephone: 772-563-299

Review first published: February 26, 2009