Rec Room Bar and Grill

The hot dogs at the Rec Room Bar and Grill are solid, tasty chunks of meat that can be covered in a variety of fresh toppings. Photo by Mark Morey

A hot dog at the Rec Room Bar and Grill is the kind of food that makes one glad to have taste buds, not just a stomach.

The hot dog, as a culinary genre, is usually very good or very bad. Only hot dogs fresh off the grill at a summertime cookout may fall on the mediocre end of that scale and still be edible.

The Rec Room’s offering is satisfying in every way.

The apple bratwurst I ordered was thick and meaty and, I suppose, apple-y. (Other options include mild and hot German, jalapeno, cranberry and basic brat.)

The Coney Sauce — like sweet chili, with just enough spice to keep from going over the edge into too sweet — almost brought me back to my days on the boardwalks and beaches of south Brooklyn, never mind that I’ve never been there.

Toss some onions, olives and cheese on top, and it makes for a lunch or quick dinner worth remembering.

On another visit, I tried the french dip. It did not stand out among the many french dips I have had, but there is no reason not to try it if you are in the mood for au jus.

All of this food can be consumed at a restaurant/bar that is relaxingly dim, with just enough light to see around the room. Window seats offer the best option for Glenwood Square people-watching.

Prices range from $5 appetizers to $11 salads (lime chicken, anyone?).

– Mark Morey

Rec Room Bar and Grill

Location: Glenwood Square, 5110 Tieton Drive, No. 270

Phone: 509-966-4316

Winter hours: Mondays-Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. or later; Fridays, 3 p.m. to midnight or later; Saturdays, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. or later; closed Sundays.

Online: www.facebook.com/therecroombar.