Shaw's Crab House
For this column, three restaurants are profiled, and there isn't a bad one in the bunch.
Shaw's Crab House, 21 E. Hubbard St., has been around for decades—and there's are several reasons for that.
I last went to Shaw's in the '90s, and the decor hadn't really changed all that much went I revisited the restaurant recently. However, it doesn't need to change—the warm leathers and woods made me feel like I was home.
Of course, Shaw's ( which has another restaurant in Schaumburg, incidentally ) is also known for its impeccable food and service—neither of which also hadn't changed since my last visit. Obviously, many others agree: The place was crowded at 7 p.m. on a weeknight.
The food was incredible, but I implore diners to make sure they know what they're getting. I ordered the king crab bites, thinking they were a variation of crab cakes; however, it's actually bits of crab meat still in the shell. They were tasty, even if getting the crab was more of an effort than I initially imagined.
However, everything else looked exactly as I imagined, and tasted even better. The sauteed scallops were divine, and my dining partner thought the broiled Lake Huron whitefish was among the best dishes he's ever had. I even tried the braised Brussels sprouts, fearing the worst; somehow, I managed to like those as well. I've been to restaurants where they brag about their crab cakes—and they just don't measure up; the cakes at Shaw's, however, were flavorful and meaty. Also, if you have room ( or you want to take a doggie bag for later ) , don't miss out on such desserts as key lime pie.
Also, keep in mind that if you want to eat sustainable seafood, the restaurant can provide you with a list of items as well as the Right Bite Card, which tells which sustainable items are best to eat. There are also gluten-free items and sushi on the menu.
Being from the Chesapeake Bay area, I'm a bit of a seafood snob. However, Shaw's consistently satisfied me. You can't go wrong here. See www.shawscrabhouse.com .
Francesca's Bryn Mawr
Francesca's Bryn Mawr, 1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., is another place where I hadn't been in a while.
On the website, it says that Francesca's ( part of the chain that includes Mia Francesca in Lakeview ) specializes in Northern Italian cuisine. The food and the overall atmosphere certainly make you feel as if you're in Italy.
Regarding appetizers, the risotto con fagiolini ( Italian rice with baby green beans pine nuts and sun-dried tomato pesto ) was sublime, with the risotto being creamy without being mushy. The carpaccio alla Francesca ( which features raw sirloin ) also worked for me, but not quite on the same level as the risotto.
The entrees were also quite good. The pollo arrosto alla romana is a half-chicken roasted with garlic, shallots, rosemary, lemon and olive oil, served with roasted potatoes. It was an achievement in itself not having any one ingredient overwhelm the others, but Francesca's managed it. In addition, the salmon dish my dining partner ordered was exactly like he liked it.
What weren't so Italian were the drinks we ordered, but we certainly enjoyed them. The Orange Blossom Smash incorporates Absolut mandarin vodka, muddled orange, lemon, basil and ginger ale—but, amazingly, wasn't too sweet. My friend had a Scooter: a concoction of Grey Goose vodka, vermouth, lemon juice, strawberry, balsamic and fresh black pepper. Being adventurous paid off, as he really liked it.
Note: Something that's quite different about Francesca's is that part of the menu is handwritten. It's that way because those items change every two weeks, and ( I imagine ) also because that cuts down on production costs.
By the way, Francesca's Bryn Mawr also offers gluten-free items, as well as whole wheat pasta. Visit http://www.miafrancesca.com/static.asp?path=3115,3144.
Wildberry Pancakes & Café
Run, don't walk, to Wildberry Pancakes & Café, 130 E. Randolph St. This restaurant was the most unassuming of the three in this week's column—and the most surprising.
A lot of restaurants that serve breakfast tend to serve the same things. Wildberry might offer pancakes and the like, but there are sometimes twists to those items. For example, the Wild Pan crepes come in the traditional strawberry but also in creamy Nutella and Rocky Mountain ( scrambled eggs, ham, bell peppers, onions, cheddar cheese and sour cream ) . There are also traditional omelets, but there's also the Espanola ( jalapeño, avocado, onions, cilantro, mushrooms and mozzarella ) .
I did get an omelet, but ordered my own ingredients: chorizo, spinach and Gouda. The word "phenomenal" doesn't begin to cover this dish—but it was topped my something my friend got: red velvet cake French toast.
Dear readers, it's not often that eating food makes me think I'm in heaven, but after trying this dish ( which I initially thought would be too much for the morning ) , I'm a believer in Wildberry. On top of that, the presentation of the food is amazing; the French toast looked like a work of art.
Not too many people seem to know about Wildberry, possibly because it's less than two months old. However, I implore to check out this restaurant. ( Keep in mind that it's only open 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., so go there for breakfast or lunch. ) By the way, one other recommendation about Wildberry is that it certainly won't break the bank.
More info is at www.wildberrycafe.com .
place where you can imagine your grandparents, dressed to the nines, in the 1940s.
