Good people may disagree on all sorts of topics regarding the fare at Iron Grill. The eatery’s menu features burgers, flatbreads, fried fish and barbecue — it’s Americana in all its glory. Regardless of culinary disagreements (matters of taste), the house Pulled Pork Nachos ($9.99) are a unifying entity. People drive across town to score a giant platter of chips loaded with topping after glorious topping… and then some sour cream for good measure.
It’s certainly not the tortilla chips themselves that make the dish a destination point. They’re not artisan, but the regular, salty triangles of crunchy corn tortilla chips provide a foundation for greatness. The chips are first plastered with a layer of melted cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. Each triangle is tightly embraced by its cheese companion. From there, big shards of soft, pulled pork roll around in a messy crown of mild house brisket chili with tomatoes and beans. Ramekins on the side have salty-hot banana peppers, salsa (more like a pico de gallo) and sour cream. The ramekins are for dumping, not dipping. Mix it up, crunch it down, use a fork and inhale.
The Pulled Pork Nachos are offered as an appetizer and “shareable”, but it’s better as a meal with no obligation to share with anyone at table. The joint is also well-regarded for its Beanie Burger (a big one topped with bacon and coleslaw). There are dessert options that include a fried Snickers bar served with ice cream. It’s sublime, but it also takes forever to make. If you’re going to go that route, order it early.
One would have hoped that the popularity of the pork nachos would have launched a loaded nacho trend throughout the city. As yet, that has not happened: sliders and tacos still reign supreme in Columbus. Meanwhile, you can score the dish at Iron Grill Barbecue and Brew, 5295 N. High Street.
For more information, visit www.bestbbqcolumbus.com.
SHORT ORDER: Sometimes a restaurant review doesn’t need to include full details of the entire menu, especially if it’s a place we’ve already reviewed within recent history. To that end, “Short Order” is a series that takes a quicker look at an individual dish that has caught our attention. If you have recommendations for future installments of Short Order, leave a comment below the article!