The Asylum (Grand Hotel) - Jerome, Arizona

Located on the first floor of the Grand Hotel in Jerome, Arizona, The Asylum is very cozy and bills itself as "dining on the fringe" and it really is the fringe when you consider it is located in a hotel with ghosts that sits on a hilltop overlooking the old mining town of Jerome. We were staying at the Grand Hotel during the winter holiday and noticed a number of cars parked outside the hotel. Considering there was only one other couple staying at the hotel we considered this a sign that the restaurant deserved our business.

The restaurant is small and painted a deep red which worked really well with the holiday decorations and with the lights and candles gave the room a very festive air. We arrived at 1:30pm just in time for the lunch menu. Hungry from our drive we started with an order of coffee for $2.50 and a glass of the International Producers Merlot for $8. They have an extensive wine list and have been awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2002. We ordered the Gardeners sandwich (avocado, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, mushrooms, muenster cheese and ranch dressing on marble rye with fruit) and their version of a BLT with a thick slices of mesquite bacon and fries. Both sandwiches were $10, fresh, tasty and filling. We also shared a bowl of the butternut squash soup which was delicious and spicy and worth the $7 and the recipe is available on The Asylum website.

We'd read really great reviews online prior to visiting and we'd have to agree that our lunch was satisfying. We did initially feel the price was high but we later learned that this is the going meal rate in this area. As for customer service, our waiter was okay, he did just enough to take our order and serve us and was nothing to write home about.

Total for two for lunch was $41.

The Asylum
200 Hill Street, Jerome, Arizona.
Phone: 928.639.3197
www.theasylum.biz