Take a former Applebee's, refurbish it with stacked stone and blue accents, add a menu of updated American favorites and the result is Blue Fire Grille, a new addition to the Roswell dining scene. Local owners jumped at the site, just north of Holcomb Bridge Road on Alpharetta Highway.

There's room for more than 150 at the high-top tables and booths inside, where an opaque glass designed to look like frozen sheets of water separates the main dining area from the bar.

Phil Skinner/AJC (ENLARGE)
The 18-ounce Cowboy rib eye at Blue Fire Grille has helped the restaurant cook up a storm for new customers at an old Applebee's location.
Phil Skinner/AJC (ENLARGE)
Blue Fire Blue Cheese Potato Chips are a tasty side.
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Though it's only been open for a few weeks, general manager Joe Fouts says there are already some favorite dishes jumping off the menu.

"Our short ribs, braised in a red wine reduction and served over a mushroom risotto with grilled veggies, is a signature," says Fouts. "We've also done well with our potato chips topped with blue cheese crumbles, bacon, chives and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette."

Fouts describes the approach as "a mix of Mediterranean and Southern," encompassing a range from sea bass with olives, capers and tomatoes to shrimp and cheddar cheese grits.

American and more

Along with the chips, start off with tempura shrimp, fried calamari, homemade spring rolls, crab cakes or a stack of grilled portabella mushrooms. There are six salad mixes, some topped with grilled steak, tuna or chicken.

Pasta options include penne with tomatoes and garlic in a basil vodka sauce; classic Alfredo; seafood risotto with shrimp, lobster and scallops; and a "peasant" dish with sausage, chicken and vegetables in a tomato cream sauce. Take comfort in homemade meatloaf, grilled chicken or baby back ribs or a hearty helping of filet mignon, New York strip, double pork chops or an 18-ounce rib eye.

Sea bass shares the seafood section with salmon with a pancetta cream and a grilled platter of scallops, shrimp, crab and tilapia. The kitchen consulted with cardiac experts from North Fulton Regional Hospital to come up with the heart-healthy seared tuna on a cucumber salad with a citrus soy sauce, and the banana nut-crusted tilapia with a mango pineapple salsa.

Build your own burger with an array of toppings or opt for the restaurant's namesake burger, the BFG — a half-pounder topped with pancetta and provolone. Lunch features smaller pasta and entree portions from the dinner selections, along with steak, chicken, fish, sausage and club sandwiches, as well as the burgers.

From the bar

The wine list offers 45 vintages by the bottle and 24 by the glass. On-tap beers include Blue Moon, Stella Artois and the local Sweetwater 420, and there are another 19 in the bottle. Signature cocktails include a Key lime martini, a white chocolate martini and a vanilla espresso martini, as well as a Blue margarita. The bar also stocks a selection of champagnes.