What a great concept. A female sports bar, complete with photos of female athletes on one side of the menu and post-Title IX women's sports history events on the other. Title IX translates to T-9, the hopping new place in the former Leon's. Same set-up inside: a full bar separated from a U-shaped dining area, and lots of natural wood with dark green accents. It's got an uptown feel with a down-home staff, menu, and prices.

There are only four basic entrees, plus two entree specials each night. But there are seven "stadium" sandwiches ($7 and under); six super salads with meat or grilled veggie add-ons (a half-Caesar at $2.25 fed two of us); four pizza options ($8 and under), plus a make-your-own set-up; 10 appetizers; and "tailgate B.B.Q.," your choice of a full, half, or third-rack ($7-$18) of ribs; a single, double breast, or a half-roasted chicken ($6-10) with three house-made sauces for any of the barbeque possibilities.

Co-owner/founder Linda Cinco -- who, with Amy Streeter, also helms the popular Turtle Soup in Narragansett -- loves hearing her customers' most frequent complaint at both restaurants: "The prices are too low!" Cinco and Streeter's stated intent is to keep prices down, make the feeling fun, and draw "mom and dad and the soccer kids," as much as the late-night crowd.

Thus, the Guinness-battered hand-cut giant onion rings, with jalapeno mayo to dip them in; Pan-blackened chicken tenders with a cilantro/buttermilk dip; Classic French onion soup; The pizzas, either grilled or thicker pan-pie crust; And the fries, coated with a T-9 hot/sweet spicy sauce before they hit the oil.

We had three of those five. The "hoop rings" ($2) were scrumptious, but too greasy to dunk and far too huge a portion to believe the price. The allotment of French fries was also gigantic, even though they came as a side to my tuna/Swiss sandwich ($6.50). I can usually manage the fries all by myself, but the two of us couldn't finish them. The tuna salad was tasty, with a little onion, celery, and parsley, and low on the mayo. The fries were soft inside and crisp on the outside, with that enticing, salty sauce all over them -- no ketchup needed.

The "veggie pie" pizza we chose ($7), with grilled zucchini and eggplant pieces, chunks of fresh tomato and an under layer of spinach pesto, was delicious. Everything worked well together, with no one ingredient screaming for attention. We had the pizza as an appetizer, with the aforementioned huge half-Caesar. Chef Peter Thurber, imported from Turtle Soup and formerly at Gabriela's, also in Narragansett, has a good feeling for trying different things without completely confusing your taste buds. He tosses the Romaine and croutons with a garlic and anchovy balsamic vinaigrette, not the traditional lemon juice and egg in the dressing. He's very generous with the fresh-grated Parmesan. A minor complaint: the croutons themselves were quite bland, particularly since they were supposed to be "garlic croutons."

With a tug in the direction of the chicken Capriati (pesto-grilled breast with grilled eggplant, in a spinach cream sauce), and another toward the mango-glazed mahi-mahi, Bill showed his true colors by choosing a half-rack ($10) and a single breast ($6) of barbecue, with a tequila-lime sauce on the chicken and a maple-jalapeno on the pork ribs. He appreciated the moistness of the boneless breast, and he liked the almost-boneless ribs, but the sauces were far too mild for his taste (there is a third sauce, titled "smoky hot"). He loved the red cabbage slaw with its pepper kick and the garlic mashed potatoes.

It's not hard to imagine that we were too full for dessert. That's never stopped us before. But of the four desserts available that evening, only one was house-made, and it was deep-fried cheesecake (in a tortilla). It seemed like the cholesterol overload might fell us then and there. And we still had a theater date to keep. But Thurber's description of his inspiration, from the fried ice cream of Asian restaurants and the tortilla-wrapped ice cream sometimes found at Mexican-American ones, was intriguing -- the cheesecake must be frozen before the quick frying happens.

Along one wall, photographs of famous athletes in a range of sports, from tennis and golf to rowing and track, are good reminders of women's accomplishments over the past 25 years. And the print I was staring at -- Marilyn Monroe pumping weights -- could send me back to the gym and away from T-9's terrific French fries. But that shouldn't keep anyone else away, especially since the price is right.

Issue Date: October 19 - 25, 2001