9 South Chargrill wasn't at all what I expected. Located at the corner of Ninth and South streets - which in itself is unusual - the restaurant from the outside appears to be another fast-food burger joint.

But it's far from that, with an emphasis on the word "far."

Inside, I found a contemporary, even chic, setting with white tablecloths, fresh flowers on each table and nice hardwood chairs.

In the kitchen, visible from the dining room, the cooks were dressed in white uniforms and chef hats.

The menu also was a pleasant surprise, with a nice selection of beef, poultry, pork and seafood options with a southern flair to go along with an appetizing sandwich assortment.

Open since May 21, 9 South Chargrill is owned by Brett Richardson and Shawn Lacey.

Richardson grew up working in restaurants, including a cafe in Wahoo, where he attended high school. He was part of the opening team for the Romano's Macaroni Grill here.

He and Lacey had wanted to start their own restaurant for some time. They spent about two years looking for a location they liked.

They finally found one in the Southwest Lincoln neighborhood, in a building that has housed numerous businesses over the years, including an auto mechanic shop.

"We thought this one would take off because it's a different kind of concept," he said.

Indeed it is, from the location to the building to the Southern-style food.

In creating 9 South, the duo added a "tin square box" to the back of the original building for the kitchen.

The original building - the mechanic shop area - is the dining room. The restaurant can seat 90, counting a handful of tables outside.

The menu reflects a Deep South influence, with 9 South making its own sauces for the pulled pork and ribs. Another identifier is the Certified Angus Beef it uses for its burgers, sandwiches and steak selections, which include a 12-ounce New York strip, 16-ounce T-bone and an 18-ounce porterhouse.

My best friend, his wife and I stopped in a couple of weeks ago for lunch - before the city shut down Ninth Street, which has since reopened.

As I noted, we were surprised to find what a nice little restaurant 9 South is.

We started with a bruschetta ($5.99) as an appetizer. The Rosemary crostini was served with fresh basil, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and a sweet raspberry vinaigrette.

I had the grilled chicken tortellini tossed in garlic Asiago sauce ($9.99). My friend had the steak sandwich ($7.99) served on toasted sourdough with Swiss cheese and horseradish sauce. His wife enjoyed the parmesan crusted tilapia served with a lemon caper sauce ($12.99).

The food was good. The fish was lukewarm, which I attributed to the shaky service. Our server was friendly and helpful, but our food came out of the kitchen a little slow, which was understandable for a new place during a busy lunch.

It also took us awhile to get the check and get back on the road. I expect Richardson and Lacey have worked on shoring up the service since our visit.

Overall, we were impressed. It wasn't anything that we expected. It's nice to come upon a pleasant, scrumptious surprise.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.