Royal Meats is an Eastern European grill in the heart of CityPlace. The restaurant is the not the first of its kind; there's an almost identical outlet near the IKEA in Etobicoke. And this mini-chain started as a Mississauga butcher shop that's been in business since 1997.

Founder Ante Ostojic draws on his years as a butcher to create this dining experience. He showcases a lineup of raw meat, which cooks pluck out of the glass display cases and grill up items such as steak and chicken to order.

They do takeout, but there's also space for 80-plus diners. There's also a warm-weather patio. The indoor room has a new-condo, industrial vibe, but wood table tops help warm up the space, while a geometric sculptural installation on the ceiling adds some interest.

The meat-centric menu lists apps, salads, sandwiches, mains and mixed-meat platters.

If you're looking to eat lean, you can opt for one of seven salads, which you can top with about a dozen meat and seafood options.

The chef salad ($5.95/$9.45), for instance, is made up of spring mix, with iceberg and romaine lettuce, and comes tossed with radicchio, corn, carrots and quinoa. By adding a grilled chicken breast (+$5.25), you can make it into complete meal, while alternate add ons include steak, tilapia, salmon and grilled pork.

Next, I get grilled chicken wings ($13.95), which Royal Meats sells by the pound. These wings aren't breaded, though they take a quick bath in the fryer before hitting the gas grill topped with charcoal for flavour. Each plate comes with a side of fries, which you can always upgrade to sweet potato fries or wedges ($1.95), onions rings ($1.50) or salad ($3.50).

Chevaps (from $8.95), a Balkan specialty, are a unique offering among the lineup of sandwiches. The minced meat rolls come in pork and veal or beef and lamb varieties and are nestled into a soft, fluffy lepinya bun and dressed with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and a chunky house sauce comprising roasted red peppers, feta and onions.

A solo order of onion rings for $4.45 seem pricey, but they're very tasty. The panko batter gives them a golden and crispy exterior, while the onions are cooked until sweet and translucent inside.

On the other hand, the 10oz New York Striploin ($21.95) from the list of entrees seems like excellent value compared to your typical steakhouse. The thick, 28-day aged steak is cooked to order and accompanied by fries and an optional shopska salad (+$3.45) which is similar to a Greek village salad.

Despite the very casual vibe, the wine list spans every price points (starting at $25) to celebratory bottles of Dom Perignon ($350). Beer-wise, there are eight taps.

This Royal Meats location also sells its house-ground chevaps, burgers and sausage in frozen family packs for those looking to enjoy this Eastern European food at home.

Photos by Jesse Milns