When the famous Russ Dillingham and I went up to Waterville last weekend for Round 7 of the Maine Air Guitar Competition, good food was definitely not among our expectations. Not until a few hours before leaving Lewiston, that is, when Jenay Azenaro and I e-mailed about the upcoming night's events. She told me then that the bar hosting the event - Hafford's - doubles as a restaurant and has "great steak tips," among other things.

A few hours later, Russ and I were getting off I-95, turning into Hafford's big parking lot and walking into the building.

Which was, to put it mildly, packed.

Hafford's does the mechanical-bull thing every so often, and the night we went in happened to be a bull night. When we arrived around 11 p.m., many of the dining tables were full and the bar was overflowing with patrons in outfits ranging from checked shirts and work boots to slinky shirts and tight pants to jeans and T's.

Seated with the radio station folks, I took their advice and got one order of the highly praised Western Sirloin Tips with the Hafford sauce. Russ got a special - Vegetable Stir-Fry - which came with steak as well.

I was called away to do an interview before our food arrived. And as the convo lasted far longer than I'd anticipated, I didn't get back to the table until my food cooled.

The waitress came over and offered to reheat the meal, but - in a rush - I said no.

And was, therefore, more surprised than necessary at how good the steak tips tasted.

I've been wondering how to describe them for a few days now, but still haven't come up with much to compare the Hafford's sauce to. Dark and with a hint of steak sauce flavoring. The steak, even after sitting on my plate a good 15 minutes, was perfectly cooked - tender and juicy. The sauce was sweet and savory, and went great with the mashed potatoes and veggies that accompanied. I really, really liked my meal.

Except for the orange slices.

I think they were an attempt at artistic "plating." There were two or three perched prettily atop my steak in bright orange curlicues. They looked great. But I'm not a fan of citrus-y steak - never have been, never will be. And the steak pieces that absorbed the orange flavor were less good, in my mind, than the ones that tasted only of Hafford's sauce.

All in all, though. A great meal. And Russ says he liked his a lot, too. Tasted Asian-inspired, he said, and was very tasty.

I only wish Hafford's were closer.

What: Hafford Saloon, Bar & Restaurant

Where: 6 Jefferson St., Waterville

When: Tuesday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m.

Why: Good, Southwest-inspired food

Atmosphere: Fun & relaxed with lots of seating. Can be loud.

Price: Moderate. Dinner for two, including sodas, around $30.

Call: 872-2665