Quick bite: Lakeside grill really hits The Spot

THE CUISINE: Casual American

THE LOWDOWN: New bar and grill tenants at the Harbor One Marina on Eagle Mountain Lake serve up lunch and dinner for a clientele that includes young couples, families and retirees. Some regulars can be found watching baseball on TV while sipping scotch at the bar; others graze on steaks and crab cakes in the enclosed dining rooms overlooking the water, and still another group finds outdoor tables on the lakeside deck to wash down burgers with Dos Equis while listening to live music.

THE FOOD: A light start came in a basket of tempura asparagus ($5.95), in which crisp, fairly thick spears were lightly coated in opaque batter and quickly fried. The dipping sauce alongside consisted of ranch dressing jazzed up with a little cayenne. Ideal for a warm summer evening and another good sharing option, the shrimp-on-ice platter ($9.95 for half-pound, $15.95 for full pound) yielded large, firm in-shell shrimp to peel and eat. A simple cocktail sauce was the right dipper, but the expected lemon wedges were missing.

From the salad list, the Asian version ($6.95) proved the most interesting choice. Atop a mound of mixed greens tossed with skinny carrot and zucchini strips and red onion slices were fried wonton slices and mandarin oranges. The sesame vinaigrette enhanced rather than overwhelmed the bowl.

A hardy appetite was needed for the 14-ounce, bone-in grilled rib-eye steak ($24.95). Topped with sauteed mushrooms, the steak had good flavor but was cooked a couple of degrees beyond our requested temperature. While the interior was tender and juicy, the edges were a little chewy. Mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed baby spinach with garlic were welcome side dishes.

THE REST: Fried pickles and chicken wings are among grazing fare, and cheeseburgers, Buffalo chicken wraps and a BLT are sandwich options. A breakfast-brunch menu is offered Sunday.

THE SERVICE: Quick and efficient, our server was one of numerous young, friendly employees that keep the place running smoothly.

THE SETTING: Even if you don’t spend the day on the lake or live nearby, it’s a pleasant drive, especially in the evening. Watching the ducks paddling around at sunset as boats come in is certainly relaxing.

THE DETAILS: Open 11a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar. Smoke outside. Wheelchair accessible.

— June Naylor, Special to the Star-Telegram