A standard pub-food restaurant can satiate your need for a bacon cheeseburger or chicken tender basket. It can fulfill your need for a taco plate or baby back ribs. But they can’t all fulfill your need for speed.
Sarge’s Tailgate Grille in Saco features a menu of American fare, “Mainely Mex” and pasta, but it’s the die-hard NASCAR fan ambiance that lures diners in to refuel.
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If it weren’t for the smell of the grill and the restaurant-like rows of tables and chairs, you might think you’d accidentally opened the door on the private residence of NASCAR’s biggest fan.
The walls are lined with NASCAR posters, car hoods, flags and other race car accruements. There are cases filled with NASCAR models and sticker sheets. Even the Tony the Tiger cutout in the corner has the look of a seasoned race car driver.
It’s a NASCAR fantasy on display. And while diners don’t get to take the table for a test drive or order the pit crew to swap the legs out on their dining chairs, they can take the enchilada plate ($7.95) for a spin or fuel up on fried haddock ($6.95) or buffalo chicken ($6.95).
Several TVs are mounted throughout the rooms of the restaurant, so NASCAR fans won’t miss a minute of racing. When there’s no race to watch, the TV might show episodes of “The Simpsons,” as was the case last weekend.
Appetizers include buffalo chicken wings ($6.95), stuffed mushrooms ($6.95), nachos ($6.95) and mini chimis ($6.95).
Race fans who want to treat their tastebuds to something south of the border can order up a taco plate ($7.95) or burrito plate ($8.95), among other options.
Seafood lovers can find an array of choices that include shrimp scampi or fried scallops. Seafood dinners range in price from $12.95 to $15.95.
Soups include baked French onion ($4.95), seafood chowder ($4.25 a cup) and a soup of the day ($2.95 a cup). Salads include a house salad ($2.95), chef salad ($6.95), Caesar salad ($6.95) and taco salad ($6.95).
Race carnivores can chow down on a bacon cheeseburger ($6.95), roast beef ($5.95), club sandwich ($6.95), classic Reuben ($6.95) or chicken parmesan ($6.95).
There’s plenty of big dinner options too, like a New York sirloin ($13.95) or baby back ribs ($13.95).
Sarge’s Tailgate Grille is a NASCAR dream for young fans who go bonkers over their favorite racers. In fact, a number of those kids have written fan letters to Sarge himself, and those letters are framed and hung on the wall with the same care as the portrait of Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And adults can appreciate the NASCAR-themed lounge, where race car dreams and drink specials ride side by side.
The Features staff of The Portland Press Herald anonymously samples meals for about $7.
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