Shorty's Grill is a new restaurant concept brought to you by the same folks who own Shorty's Roadhouse in Manchester and Nashua. The opening of Shorty's Grill in December was a homecoming of sorts: Shorty's closed at that same Bedford spot in 2007 when that location was sold. We've had good meals at the Roadhouse in the past so we were curious to see how Shorty's Grill differentiated itself and measured up.

Menu: 16/20

The menu at Shorty's Grill has a number of dishes you'll find on the menu at the Roadhouse, but they have also added a selection of American dishes and a few of Asian or Italian inspiration. One of the more notable additions to the menu is several thin-crust pizza offerings ranging from the BBQ Chicken to the “Wally,” a pizza with pepperoni, sopressa, applewood bacon, prosciutto, meatballs, mozzarella and Romano ($13.99). If you are indecisive like Our Gourmet can sometimes be, you will have a tough time deciding. While Shorty's Grill doesn't offer a specific gluten-free or vegetarian menu, the menu says they will accommodate special requests.

Appetizers: 17/20

Our Gourmet: When I see “tempura” on a menu, I am powerless to its charms so it's no surprise I chose the Tempura Chicken Tenders to start. They're tempura battered and served with mango pineapple salsa and spicy maple chile sauce.

The sweet topping was a smart counterpart to the lightly breaded boneless chicken. I was happy and pleasantly surprised that the chicken was light and not greasy. You do have to eat them fast though. The sauce was served atop the chicken, not on the side; the breading started to fall apart and become soggy. ($9.99) (8/10)

The Dining Companion: For my appetizer I opted for the Chingalingas ($6.99) because it both looked enticing and is really fun to say. I chose a shredded beef filling from the list of options, which included chicken, beef, BBQ pulled pork or vegetables. Whichever option you choose, it comes wrapped in a deepfried flour tortilla and is served with a homemade guacamole sauce. The tortilla was fried to a perfect flaky golden crisp and the guacamole sauce added a creamy tang to make this a truly appetizing dish. (9/10)

Entrees: 13/20

OG: I wanted to try a dish that bridged the gap between American fare and Tex Mex. The “Killer” BBQ Pork Quesadilla ($10.99) fit that bill. The quesadilla is comprised of Whiskey BBQ pulled pork and pepper jack cheese. The filling was spicy and sweet and the pork tender. My only wish is that there was more filling (or that they served the same amount of filling in a smaller-sized quesadilla) (7/10)

TDC: For the main course I chose the Pollo Fundido ($11.99), which can be served with either shredded chicken or BBQ pork (though I'm pretty sure the latter violates the “pollo” designation.) This chimichanga is deep-fried and topped with cheddar jack and Amarillo cream cheese. It is served with your choice of rice, choice of beans and sour cream. For a little extra money, I went with the River City Beans, which tasted like Boston Baked Beans with a sweet and spicy punch that hit the right taste buds. The chimichanga was packed full of shredded chicken but suffered from a lack of originality. It would have benefited by taking a page out of the Chingalinga app book by adding a crispier tortilla and an original dipping sauce. The chimachangas I've had at the Roadhouse were much better than this one. (6/10)

Desserts: 14/20

OG: The weather is getting warmer so I was in the mood for some ice cream. I chose the Fried Ice Cream, which is served in a fried tortilla shell with cinnamon and sugar with hot fudge and whipped cream ($4.99). It was a nice, sweet ending to the meal. (7/10)

TDC: For dessert I enjoyed a Hot Fudge Sundae ($4.99). The vanilla ice cream is drizzled with homemade hot fudge and topped off with whipped cream. Nothing too fancy here, just plain old cold and hot goodness. (7/10)

Final thoughts: 15/20

You won't go hungry at Shorty's Grill. The appetizer and entrée portions were large; definitely enough to take home for lunch the next day or to share. The prices are reasonable. Our food bill without tip was about $54, with each of us having three courses. Our server was friendly and helpful, although after she served dessert it did take a while to track her down so we could grab our bill. The décor was like most Tex-Mex restaurants; colorful but non-descript. If you need to find a place to bring a large group of people for dinner or drinks, this spacious restaurant would be a good choice. The main part of the restaurant has a large, open-concept space and there is plenty of room in the bar if you are stopping by for a few margaritas. With all this being said, if we were to choose, we'd still venture over to Manchester or Nashua to Shorty's Roadhouse. The new concept has its novelties but sometimes you can't beat the original.

Total: 75/100