Walking into Norm’s Bar and Grill, recently relocated across the street from its former location on Congress Street, I was immediately taken back four years to my apartment in San Francisco. It wasn’t just that the weather was a balmy 72 degrees, or the welcoming clientele (although the gaggle of boys around the bar certainly reminded me of my roommate from those days, Nate, his boyfriend Nathan, and their best friend, Nathan). It was the walls. I had painted the walls of my room the exact same color in 1999, a deep, sashay red that I hoped would simultaneously suggest austerity, promiscuity, and exoticism.

While I failed miserably on all three accounts, Norm’s tends to lean more toward success. It’s no surprise that it remains one of Portland’s hot spots for food and spirits, especially since its expansion into roomier digs. Less of a dramatic move than a mild upgrade, the changes that have been made are there to accentuate what made Norm’s so popular in the first place.

" We just wanted to expand the business into a bigger space, " Norm said last Wednesday, " I think it’s better. Tile floors, the bathrooms are nicer, the kitchen’s bigger. And people have responded well. "

Located so close to the Maine College of Art, Norm’s enjoys patrons that are fiercely loyal for the time they are in the city. The older students and instructors pass that loyalty down to newer ones, who pass it down, ad infinitum. The sandwiches and sides make for satisfying between-class fare, and when they come of age, the bar is open until last call chases revelers out. Add into the mix State Theatre pre- and post-show crowds, the elder couples that enjoy the vivacious atmosphere, and tourists, and the result is turn-and-burn nights seven days a week.

In addition to the nostalgic walls, Norm’s continues to bend design rules to adhere to the varied demographics of the diners. Red Sox paraphernalia hangs above the plush, brown booths while framed artwork is displayed on the adjacent wall. The red-and-white-checkered floor evokes pictures of the ice-cream parlors of my parents’ generation, and the neon Pabst Blue Ribbon sign glowing above the coffee station jogged some inebriated memory of my college days. The kitchen staff wear chefs whites, the wait staff wear plaid and jeans.

And this is precisely why it works, and Norm knows it. " The key word is accessible. No matter if you’re black, green, white, whatever. We have the best customers in the world, and everyone gets treated the same. "

The food has consciously remained, for the most part, identical to the previous fare, with the neon-green menus stuffed between the hot sauce and serve-yourself silverware pint glass. The nightly specials are displayed on chalk boards, visible if you’re slouched in a booth for a three-course meal or at the bar enjoying something from the tapas menu.

(A brief excursus on the usage of the word tapas: I initially was confused as to why the appetizer items were termed this way. I dug into my Food Lovers Companion, and found the definition: " Popular throughout Spain, tapas are appetizers that usually accompany sherry or other aperitifs. They can also form an entire meal, and can range from olives or cubes of ham to more elaborate preparations. " Or, as Norm said, " Oh, it’s just a fancy word for appetizers. The food police try and get me for improper usage, but go ahead and write me the ticket. " )

While the atmosphere jumps like a bar at times, people keep coming back for well-prepared food. It’s something that Norm knows many bar and grills, not to mention higher-end establishments, take for granted. " You can have the nicest light sconces and nicest silverware, but if your food sucks, then that’s it, " he said. " The food is the priority. "

And the fare at Norm’s is solid. Our steak was a huge piece of meat, nicely cooked to order (an increasingly rare (hah!) feat these days), the Lamb Salad with Feta could be a great light lunch or starter. The Thai Wings were drenched in sauce and had a lot of heat to them, which was no surprise considering his barbeque venue across town. The desserts offered were blueberry pie, chocolate and mocha cake, and hot fudge sundaes, echoing Norm’s " something for everyone " mantra.

For those who enjoy the continued spirit of the new Norm’s Bar and Grill but prefer the cozy confines of the old place, do not fear. Norm has kept the space and will be opening his third establishment, a dinner-only bar called The Downtown Lounge, this summer. He foresees something else to offer the customer: oysters on the half shell, Asian food, and new takes on bar food. When asked if he is enjoying his new position as restaurateur, he quickly interrupted me. " Hey now, don’t put that in there. I’m just a line cook that’s into the nuts and bolts of the business. And it is a tough business. "

But even tougher to make it look as easy as Norm does.

Andy King can be reached at snandis@aol.com