Monthly Archives: April 2010

Mother’s Day: Time for a Sunday Drive and a Hearty Spring Feast in Chicago

Posted on by

Mother’s Day is the unofficial beginning of spring. So hop in the car and enjoy a Sunday drive with the family, then sit down to a gracious brunch at one of these popular spots.

WEST: Glen Prairie, 1250 Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn, IL (630) 613-1250; www.glenprairie.com
Mother’s Day Brunch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29 for adults, $12 for kids age 5-12, kids 4 and under are free

One of Chicago Magazine’s top new restaurants in 2008, the beautiful Glen Prairie has won a large following with its top notch locally produced contemporary American fare.
Highlights: Salad Station, with Grilled Vegetable Salad with herb and balsamic glaze or Spinach and Berry Salad; Bakery Station, with assorted house baked breakfast pastries, artisan rolls and maple thyme butter; Farm Fresh Buffet includes Omelets Made to Order, Broiled Tilapia, Scrambled Eggs with chives and aged cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Maple Sausage; Chefs Station offers Honey and Sage Roasted Turkey Breast with cranberry citrus relish and Herb Roasted Iowa Farmed Beef Sirloin with marchan de vin; Kids Corner, with French Toast Sticks, Amish Chicken Nuggets, Pasta with Marina Sauce, French Bread Pizzas and Fruit Cup. For dessert, indulge in the Sweet Table.

NORTHWEST: Birch River Grill, 75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, IL; (847) 427-4242; www.birchrivergrill.com
Mother’s Day Brunch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $31.95 for adults, $13.95 for kids 5-10; kids under 4 are free.
Birch River Grill, with its comfortable lodge décor and rustic gourmet American cuisine, is a special restaurant in the Arlington Heights area.

Highlights: Seafood Station, with whole smoked King Salmon, whole smoked trout and peel and eat cocktail shrimp; Continental Station, with fresh baked bread, muffins, croissants, Danish, fresh fruit and berries; Made to Order Station featuring eggs, omelets, waffles, fresh Belgium waffles, country sausage links and peppered bacon; Carving Station, sirloin of beef and roasted turkey breast; Hot Buffet, fire roasted rainbow trout with wild rice pilaf and citrus butter; Salad Station; Kidz Buffet, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mac and cheese, pizza sticks, French toast sticks and fruit cups; Desserts, including their signature carrot cake, cakes and tortes.

SOUTH-SOUTHWEST: Courtright’s, 8989 South Archer, Willow Springs, IL; (708) 839-8000; www.courtrights.com
Mother’s Day All-Day Dinner, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; 4 courses, $55; 3 courses, $49; kids menu, $29.
Courtright’s has been a noteworthy fine dining staple in the southwest suburbs for years. It’s an attractive and welcoming restaurant, both inside and out, and the extensive wine collection is exceptional. Mother’s Day is an all-day feast, with 3- and 4-course menus and a special children’s menu.
Highlights: Starters such as Duck Terrine with Vidalia onion-rhubarb chutney; pan-seared scallops with artichoke-bell pepper terrine, tomatoes and basil-feta vinaigrette; or prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with sauce gribiche; entrees include roasted Alaskan halibut with fennel puree, saffron brandade, roasted peanuts, pearl onions and mussel jus; roasted rack of lamb with minted lamb sausage, bacon-spring pea puree, braised baby carrots and lamb jus; and beef tenderloin with celery root puree, shiitake mushrooms and Cabernet sauce. Dessert includes Grand Marnier-marinated strawberries with a chocolate waffle and Chantilly cream.

NORTH: Restaurant Michael, 64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL; (847) 441-3100; www.restaurantmichael.com
Mother’s Day Brunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; adults, $39; kids under 10, $19.50
Take the scenic route along Sheridan Road and then migrate to nearby Green Bay Road to enjoy iconic chef/owner Michael Lachowicz’s always amazing French fare.
Highlights: six appetizer choices including smoked salmon, Seared Scallops, Bacon and onion tarts, three entrées including Baby Lamb Chops, Roast Chateaubriand of beef tenderloin and Lobster Risotto, plus traditional omelets and Eggs Benedict, and four seasonal desserts.

WEST-NORTHWEST: Entourage on American Lane, 1301 American Lane, Schaumburg, IL; (847) 995-9400; www.entourageventures.com
Mother’s Day Brunch, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; adults, $36.95; kids 6-12, $15.95; kids under 5, free
Entourage is one of the best suburban restaurants to open in the past few years. It’s spacious and stylishly contemporary, with excellent food and creative drinks.
Highlights: Chef-carved prime rib, turkey and ham, omelet station, smoked salmon, cocktail shrimp, oysters on the half shell, egg specialties, lots of salads, French toast, pasta dishes, Hawaiian chicken, a children’s table and a decadent dessert station.

NORTH-NORTHWEST: Karma, 510 E. Route 83, Mundelein, Illinois, 847-970-6900, www.karmachicago.com
Mother’s Day brunch, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; adults, $27.95; kids, $12.95; kids under 5 free
Karma is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the Chicagoland area. For Mother’s Day, Karma will offer an eclectic brunch featuring contemporary American dishes as well as their signature pan-Asian fare.

Highlights: Seafood Station with citrus poached King Salmon and Creole Seafood Salad;
Omelet Station; Hot Food Station with Asian BBQ seared Salmon and Mustard Crusted Roast Pork Loin; Carving Station with Herb and Garlic Crusted Roast Beef and
Oak Roasted Turkey Breast; Dessert Station with assorted mini French pastries and bakery fresh Tortes and Pies

IN THE CITY: Dine, 733 W. Madison, Chicago, IL (312) 602-2100; www.dinerestaurant.com
Mother’s Day brunch, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; adults, $39; kids, $15; kids five and under, free
Dine’s generous, tasty brunch has been popular in Greektown for quite awhile. For Mother’s Day, they’re turning it up a notch with a down-home comfort food feast.

Highlights: Carving Station, with smoked bone-in ham, oven roasted turkey and beef tenderloin; Build Your Own Omelets; Breakfast Selections with peppered bacon and sausage links, biscuits and gravy, waffles with maple syrup, smoked salmon, fresh fruit and berries; Lunch Entrees, including stuffed chicken marsala, poached salmon, beef stir-fry; Build Your Own Pasta, featuring homemade sauce with fresh meats and vegetables; Assorted Seafood, including shrimp, oysters, clams and mussels; Kids Station, with macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, cheese pizza and creamed corn; Assorted Gourmet Desserts.

Zealous: Michael Taus is passionate and consistent in offering a serene, imaginative fine dining experience

Posted on by

Zealous Restaurant
419 W. Superior St., Chicago
(312) 475-9112, www.zealousrestaurant.com

Hours: 5:00-11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; open select Sundays and Mondays
Prices: Ala carte entrées, $15-$39; Tasting menus: five course, $75; seven course, $90; Spontaneous Seven Course Chef’s Table Menu, $125

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise Magazine

One of the best compliments we can give to a chef/owner is that all the dishes ordered by a table for four were consistently delicious. Such was the case recently when we stopped by Zealous, a beautifully serene, contemporary American restaurant that is the passion of chef/owner Michael Taus. Zealous has, notably, been popular among Chicago’s food lovers for many years. This is no easy thing to accomplish in Chicago’s highly competitive fine dining arena. Staying power means a lot.

Taus is very hands on about what he does and he’s very appreciative of his customers, many of whom are long time regulars. Zealous is one of those places that works well in a variety of contexts. It’s a romantic and relaxed date spot but it’s also a pleasing way to entertain a group for a special celebration. The semi-private chef’s table is in the middle of the dining room, situated so that a group can have some privacy and still experience Zealous’s airy spaciousness. As a spot to discuss business, Zealous offers a conversation friendly atmosphere and creative food that will help stimulate any discussion.

With that introduction, let’s get down to the food, which is creative and complex without being stuffy or pretentious. Taus is an authentically good contemporary American chef: he stays tied to the roots of American food but brings a wide range of global interpretations into play. The seasonal menu offers Taus’ creations in a variety of assortments. You can order ala carte from the generous regular menu or choose either a five or seven course tasting menu. What’s great about this is you can spend a relatively modest sum and enjoy a really fine meal or you can splurge a bit and immerse yourself in a wondrous culinary journey.

Take your pick—either path is scenic and it makes Zealous a restaurant that you can come back to on a fairly regular basis.

To start our meal, we were offered Zealous’ addictively good soft signature rolls—pleasantly herbed and freshly made in house. We asked our attentive server to keep the rolls coming, which she did throughout the meal and it was such a treat. First course selections are beautifully presented and the flavor combinations are surprising in a good way yet accessible. We enjoyed the Flatbread with duck confit, caramelized Cipollini, fresh Ricotta, petit basque, topped with a green apple & frisee salad. We also loved the Blue Crab Cake “Sandwich” with dill toast and whole grain mustard-tarragon sauce. Our dinner companion ordered the Polynesian Chopped Salad of Romaine, hearts of palm, Panko crusted tiger shrimp, macadamia nuts. He loved it so much he kept it all to himself, not accepting any tastings of the other appetizers. We chuckled at his pure enjoyment.

For entrées, we had the truly outstanding Sesame Crusted Chilean Sea Bass with pan-fried rice noodles and red coconut curry sauce. The sea bass was topped with a beautiful coating of black and white sesame seeds that added a nice crunch to the tender and moist fish. We also ordered the Grilled Salmon with Pear-Kohlrabi Savory Tart & Apple Cider Nage. It was nicely chosen combination. The salmon, served rare, was delicate and the tart added a hearty, sweet touch that perfectly complemented the fish. Another fine entrée was the Grilled Beef Filet with Exotic Mushroom-Potato Lasagne & Truffle Reduction. This was no pedestrian steak—the beef was exceedingly tender, delicately sauced and the dish was nicely rounded off by the mushroom-potato lasagna.

To fully experience Taus’ creativity and attention to quality, you’ll have to stop by for another meal or two (or three). Here are some other dishes that are worth your consideration: For appetizers, you might want to try Duo Seared Sea Scallop, Braised Pork Belly and Sunchoke Puree; Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, White Sturgeon Caviar, Avocado Mousse & Cauliflower Blinis, or the Butter Poached Maine Lobster with Braised Shortrib, Chilled Vichyssoise Puree. For entrées, you should also consider the Prime 16 oz. Rib-Eye with Creamed Spinach Gratin and Truffle Potato Croquettes; Seared Duck Breast with Shiitake Mushroom-Confit Mushu and Hoisin Glaze, and the amazing Z’ Burger with Havarti Cheese, Tomato Rémoulade on House Made Dill Roll. We mention the Z Burger because it’s made from the same custom designed ground beef blend that’s used at Taus’ other restaurant, the more casual bistro, DuChamps. He brought it to Zealous by popular demand.

If you’re dining vegetarian style, you’ll be pleased with Taus’ attention to your palate: There is a five-course vegetarian tasting menu or, if you’re dining ala carte, try Tagliatelle Pasta with Braised Baby Goat Ragout, Artichokes, Olives, Tomatoes & Aged Goat Cheese, or the Eggplant Gateau with Greek Style Green Beans, Petite Tomato and Feta Cheese Salad.

As you come to your meal’s finale, you’ll be pleased at Zealous’ unique dessert renditions. Chocolate lovers will enjoy the Valrhona Chocolate-Almond ‘Opera” Cake with Espresso Ice Cream and Chocolate Brittle or the Caramelized Banana Tiramisu with Macadamia Nut Brittle Crust and Chocolate Biscotti. If you’re looking for a fruit-focused dessert, try the Ginger-Spiced Poached Pear, Fromage Blanc Layer Cake with Pecan Granola Crisp, Granny Smith Apple Brown Butter Custard Tart with Goldschlager Ice Cream or the Brûléed Key-Lime Tart with Créme Chantilly and Mixed Berries.

Also keep in mind that Zealous offers one of Chicago’s finest wine collections, including many by the glass, and there is also a nicely conceived signature cocktail menu.

Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. For more information, please call (312) 651-9000 or stay in the know by visiting their blog at www.gotbuzzatkurman.com. For more DineWise features, subscribe to http://dinewisechicago.blogspot.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @DineWise and @KurmanStaff, @LeeBarrie and @PRCindy.