Weber Grill Restaurant's Web site says George Stephen built the first kettle grill to keep his steaks safe from the elements. No rain or wind reaches the kitchen at the restaurant, but the cooks inside it use those iconic grills to put the sizzle on most of the dishes that emerge.

If the crowds filling the restaurant notice that, they're shrugging it off in favor of shrimp skewers, bone-in ribeye and seared yellowfin tuna at the fourth location for the budding chain.

The Food

Burgers and steaks you expect, but Weber Grill Restaurant takes its techniques to pizza, fish and vegetables. The menu includes a hefty barbecue section (in homage, maybe, to another wildly popular Weber product for smoking meats) and the fusion touches that have become de rigueur for American restaurants: Asian sauces, French cheeses, Mediterranean flavors.

My guest and I pondered the options over a basket of pretzel rolls with whipped butter and fizzy mimosa sangria ($7).

Scallops with applewood smoked bacon and Cajun butter ($10.95) are on the list of specials for the month. Thick hunks of house-smoked bacon cradled three sweet scallops on a plate doused with lackluster sauce. Forkfuls of tiny onion curls ($6.50) served as vehicles for addictive barbecue and spicy mayo sauces.

Bleu cheese dressing on the romaine wedge salad ($6.95) was richer than Oprah, drowning the bacon, grilled red onion, tomato and Parmesan that shared lettuce space with it.

Having difficulty choosing brisket, pulled pork or chicken, I gave in to the "choose three" combo for $21.95. It came with a wedge of wonderful, dense cornbread, spicy vinegared cole slaw and firm baked beans. Carolina-style barbecue sauce pleasantly tore at my tongue with devilish heat and inclined me more toward forgiving the dryness of the brisket and chicken.

Pistachio-pesto halibut ($18.95) wore nutty pesto and was served with a grilled mix of potatoes, asparagus, onions and Kalamata olives.

Key lime pie was sold out, so we accepted our server's nudge toward Dutch apple pie ($6.50), a giant wedge with streusel topping and a heap of vanilla ice cream.

The Service

Well-trained servers, food runners and busboys keep meals moving smoothly at every stage. Our server gave a practiced spiel explaining the menu and the month's featured dishes, making suggestions along the way in an autopilot speech that was hard to follow.

The Atmosphere

A giant kettle grill out front and grill grates worked in among the entryway offers a hint at the restaurant's focus; an open kitchen shows off the grills in use. Dining rooms combine rustic elements (stone walls, wood) with sleek touches (epic contemporary light fixtures), drawing casual crowds. Conversations reverberate through the space.

The Price

$108 for two, including tax, tip, and a sangria -- steep, especially when the inevitable comparison to backyard cookery comes up.

Next Time

I'll stick with Midwestern grilling's hand-in-hand partner -- beef. Weber Grill Restaurant offers Black Angus as 10-ounce burgers and a half-dozen cuts of steak. "Splashes" for the latter include roasted garlic, wood-roasted mushrooms and bleu cheese and herbs.

-- By Tracy Cumbay / Star Correspondent