Empire Bar and Grill By Jim White We’re always on the lookout for signs of life after nightfall in Downtown Dallas.  We’re happy to report that vital signs are registering again on the corner of Houston and Jackson Streets. A corner of the Hotel Lawrence at that intersection went dark for some time after popular seafood restaurant Fish closed its doors.  Empire Bar and Grill is in operation in the space now serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. If you were a fan of Fish, the seafood restaurant, the place has a completely different look now.  Gone are the white linen table cloths and etched glass.  Instead, Empire lives up to its name as a bar and grill, with lots of brick and darker shadings in the restaurant.  The restaurant serves a simple American menu that includes soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, some selected large plates and a few desserts. Tasty small plates include a crispy cayenne peppered calamari with smoked tomato aioli and shrimp bruschetta with goat cheese, grape tomato and basil. Tortilla soup is tomato based and quite spicy.  It’s actually spicier than the spicy sounding peppered bacon and potato soup.  Caesar salad is doused in dressing and heavy on the anchovies, so keep that in mind if either of those qualities is not to your liking. We had heard good things about the pizza at Empire Bar and Grill and were eager to try it.  We were disappointed, though, because we were expecting a thin crust and had our palates set for the light, refreshing flavors of the Margharita pizza.  We should have been leery when the item was misspelled—like the drink and not the original Italian pizza, topped with mozzarella, light pomodoro sauce and fresh basil.  This version was heavy-handed, with thick, chewy crust and heavy on the cheese and sauce.  The basil, if it was there was drowned into submission and rendered lifeless.  We had a well prepared chicken breast with balsamic reduction, whipped potatoes and baby vegetables, and on another visit, the grilled ahi tuna steak with golden potatoes and French beans had good flavor.  Unfortunately, the bacon red pepper sage salsa that topped it was ice cold and left the unmistakable tingle of MSG on the tongue. Dessert servings are large enough for two, if not four, diners.  The signature bread pudding with buttermilk caramel sauce covers an entire plate and comes with three or four scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.  No calories there. The wine list is predictable.  A number of modest California wines are served along with a few premium labels.  There are also selections from France and Australia.  A generous eight ounce pour for the by the glass wine selections is proudly touted on the list.  Empire Bar and Grill reminds me of a hotel restaurant—which it is.  I think it’s a better choice for lunch than dinner.  It’s great if you have business at the George Allen County Courthouse or if you work for Belo.  The restaurant is very casual and the service reflects that attitude.  It’s earnest but not very polished.  Service is uneven between courses, too.  If you come for dinner, be prepared to park on the street—there should be plenty of spaces close by, there’s not much happening in this end of town after dark.  I saw a valet parking sign inside the entry, but I never saw an attendant on either visit. Empire Bar and Grill is located at 302 S. Houston Street at Jackson, in the Hotel Lawrence.  The phone number for reservations is 214-742-6860. On the KRLD Restaurant Show review scale of one to five Forks, Empire Bar and Grill rates 3 Forks. Food is 3 Forks Service is 2 and a half Forks Atmosphere is 3 Forks Price is moderately expensive with entrées ranging from $12 to $27. See all of our KRLD Restaurant Show reviews online at EatsandDrinks.com Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com