Owners of The Hub launch ambitious new concept Union Grill & Tap in Gilbert

Union Grill & Tap, a new concept from the owners of The Hub Grill and Bar, has opened on the northwest corner of Higley and Baseline in Gilbert.

It takes over the space formerly occupied by Triple 2’s Tavern, which closed last year.

So what’s the difference between Union and the two Hub locations in Mesa? First and foremost, Union’s still-in-progress menu is more ambitious.

For example, there are no chicken wings on the appetizer list. Instead, you’ll find Wing Bites, lollipops made with chicken ‘‘mousse’’ and housemade sauce (four for $10.99).

Instead of French fries, there are blanched Yukon Gold wedges tossed in garlic-shallot butter and served with a lemon mascarpone sauce for dipping ($7.99).

Other intriguing apps include wild mushroom arancini (fried stuffed rice balls, $12.99); deep-fried gnocchi with roasted Brussels sprouts, parmesan, and sage brown butter ($10.99); and Korean short ribs with soba noodles and wasabi cream ($14.99).

A roasted beet salad made with three kinds of roasted beets – red, gold, and candy cane – with blistered kale and a smoked agave vinaigrette ($13.99) highlights the salad options.

Sandwiches include a Cubano with 20-hour pulled pork ($11.99). thin-sliced prime rib ($13.99), and ham and cheese made with pit ham on three-cheese semolina with Bechamel dipping sauce ($11.99).

Sandwiches and half-pound burgers, cooked to order, come with house fries, which are shaped like steak fries but only a 16th-inch thick so they’re crispy throughout.

Entree plates range from fried chicken ($14.99) to beef stew ($14.99) to fish tacos ($14.99). Of special note is the Union Loaf, a Sriracha-glazed vegan meatloaf that the staff swears tastes like real meat ($15.99).

The full bar has 26 beers on tap. Five are ubiquitous domestics (Bud, Coors, etc.), but the other 21 are Arizona craft beers (representing 20 different breweries).

There are 17 TVs inside for watching sports, and a wrap-around patio accessible through roll-up garage doors.

Union Grill & Tap is open for lunch and dinner daily.