By Charlene Arsenault

• Bravo, it's not that place anymore: Whether it be the Bravo Café or, more recently, Club 57, the establishment at 57 Highland St. has long been plagued with a bad reputation. It earned that rep for good reasons, as former leasees accumulated a litany of violations — including drug dealing, fights and underage drinking — which prompted the License Commission to revoke its license on more than one occasion. The place finally closed, and had been shuttered for more than seven months, the dim parking lot leaving many wondering what was going on with the place.

Three weeks ago, Michael Simpson got it cooking again as the Grille 57 Steakhouse and Wine Bar, with the building still owned by Peter Stathoulopoulos, who is part-owner of the business with Simpson. "The Stathoulopouloses leased it out to several people," says Simpson. "That's where their troubles came in. What people don't understand is they weren't always operating it. Because they owned it, though, they splattered their names all over the paper. They got a bad rap that they shouldn't have gotten. If you are a landlord, and one of your tenants sells drugs, are you responsible?"

Simpson, who comes from a long background as kitchen manager for the Longhorn Steakhouse, says he's fighting the stigma by simply doing the right thing. He took months to revamp the room, ripping out all the lights and disco balls, and replaced everything with an open kitchen layout with hardwood tables and linen napkins. It is now an upscale casual restaurant with a lounge, rather than a nightclub. "I changed the environment, the menu, the price structure and we're very strict," he says. "If you are intoxicated, I will nicely say ‘I cannot serve you.' I'm not a nightclub in any shape or form. We have plasma TVs and piped-in music. This is a nice, clean place where you can come with your family or with a date and feel comfy. We're not priced out of the range, where an average guy can bring his wife in and get something for $13, but entrees do go up to $24." Grille 57 has wines and beers from all over the globe, and a menu that features everything from appetizers to gourmet pizzas to salads and entrees (that focuses on steaks, barbecue and seafood). "My pride and joy are my steaks and baby-back ribs," says Simpson. "I guarantee that if you don't like them, you don't pay." Grille 57 is open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturdays all day for dinner. Presently, it is closed on Sunday, but plans to add the day, along with a Sunday brunch. Call 508-798-2000 for information and reservations.

• Brew City's saying thanks on Thursdays: Every Thursday, Brew City on Shrewsbury Street shows its appreciation to customers. Anyone who purchases more than $25 at lunch or dinner gets a Brew City gift card. Visit the Brew City Store link on the Web site to figure out the balance, which could be up to $500.

• Libations: The Shrewsbury Rotary Club's putting on its annual Wine and Beer Festival this Saturday, Jan. 12, at Wagner BMW on Rte. 9 in Shrewsbury. Dozens of fine wines and beers will be out to taste and buy. Sponsored by the Vin Bin, this event also includes live music, as well as food from Struck Catering. This event, which takes place from 6-9 p.m., supports Share the Warmth and the Shrewsbury Rotary Giving Club. You can get tickets at Commerce Bank and Trust, Central One Federal Credit Union, Flagship Bank in Shrewsbury and Shrewsbury Rotary members.

Wine tastings? New chef? New menu items? Breakout of salmonella poisoning in your favorite restaurant? Opening a new place? Expanding? Eat something good? Eat something bad? Did your mom win a pie recipe contest? If it's directly or indirectly related to food and drink, we want to hear about it. Direct any and all of your juicy foodish news and tidbits to Charlene at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 508-749-3166, ext. 245.