CJ's Steakloft
For variety and value in a comfortable setting
By Margaret Locher Contributing Writer

PHOTO/MARGARET LOCHER Waitress Colleen Johnson and her husband, co-owner and head chef, Mark Johnson

Northborough - The Steakloft restaurant is family-owned and run by the mother-and-son team of Carolyn and Mark Johnson. Tucked away off Route 20 West, the Steakloft is the perfect place for a memorable, and affordable, meal.

To celebrate the end of a particularly grueling workweek, I headed to the Steakloft with my boyfriend. The friendly hostess made us feel like we were regulars as we settled into our private booth and reviewed the expansive menu.

Groups of families and friends chatted casually while they ate at the cozy booths and tables. Our waitress was attentive and didn't seem at all frazzled by the busy Friday night crowd.

Appetizers on the regular menu range from fries ($3.25) and supreme nachos ($6.50) to grilled chicken roll-ups ($6.95) and escargot with mushrooms in butter ($8.95). We chose an appetizer from the list of specials: spicy sausage risotto croquettes ($8.95). The two croquettes came with choices of sauce dabbed on the plate and were delicious.

The menu includes homemade soups ($1.75 to $3.50), specialty sandwiches like a pastrami melt ($5.50), fish dishes like baked stuffed shrimp ($13.95), poultry selections such as portabella chicken marsala ($13.95) and almost three dozen variations of a surf and turf combo dinner with salad and a side ($19.95 each). You can also build your own burger ($6.50), an example of how customizable the Steakloft dishes are.

I chose scallops Rockefeller ($13.95) from the "All American Specials" section. The dish included spinach and bacon in a three-cheese sauce. I selected angel hair from the list of three pasta options. My boyfriend ordered a mediumrare filet mignon ($18.95) from the menu section "From the Hearth." He loved how each dish had options. In the case of the filet, the choice was between mushroom gravy and béarnaise sauce. He chose the latter and said it was terrific.

There was a guitarist playing and singing in the bar area. Live music is a regular occurrence on Friday nights at the Steakloft. While we ate our garden salads and warm bread, the music provided relaxing atmosphere without interrupting our conversation.

When our meals arrived, we weren't sure we had room left for the big portions. My boyfriend devoured his filet mignon, declaring it the best he's ever had, along with the onion rings that came with it. The creamy sauce on my angel hair pasta was smooth and perfectly seasoned for both the scallops and the spinach and bacon. I ate each tender, juicy scallop and our waitress wrapped the remaining pasta and spinach for me to take home.

By this point, we were happily stuffed, but decided to split a dessert. We opted for a slice of Mississippi Mud Pie ($4.50). It had a layer of coffee ice cream - an extra something that blended deliciously with the chocolate cake.

CJ's Steakloft is located at 369 West Main St. in Northborough. The phone number is 508-393-8134.