I dined at a country club recently.
Well, The Tortoise Club (350 N. State St.; tortoiseclub.com ) isn't really a country club—but it exudes that feel, down to the photos of the horses, equestrians and hounds on the walls.
However, what's more alluring is that the atmosphere is there without the attitude.
Owner Keene Addington (the founder and former CEO of Flat Top Grill) said the restaurant was inspired by places by the 21 Club in New York City—places he loves. The classic feel extends to the wood in the place, which is from the old Pump Room in Chicago.
Regarding the name, Addington said, "It took about eight months to come up with a name. This is a Chicago-themed restaurant, so we tried to come up with a Chicago name. We started thinking about the private-club experience, and so many of these places are named after animals. … In doing some research, we found that the tortoise represents what's timeless and classic—what we aspire to be." (Also, it turns out the tortoise, named "Teddy," is in the lobby when you enter—and it's a real, albeit petrified, reptile.)
The restaurant is divided into a front lounge-type area, a main dining room and a parlor that Addington said patrons have fittingly dubbed "the Red Room." The parlor (which has a fireplace and even bookshelves) feels like old Hollywood, something Addington backed up when he said it is the type of place "Frank Sinatra would hang out in." However, the dining room has its own attractions—namely the caricatures that adorn the walls. The drawings have names of Chicagoans under them, and they also have QR codes that patrons can put their smartphones to and find out stories concerning these historical figures—making for a perfect mix of the classic and the modern.
As for the food, chef Grey McNally told Windy City Times that "it's about taking classic dishes and putting a fresh twist." One prime example of this is the wild pheasant pot pie, a heady mix of shredded pheasant, root vegetables and foie gras. (In addition, the crust is sheer perfection.) Another keeper is the succulent Berkshire pork chop with a maple-bourbon glaze. I definitely plan on returning to try the Tortoise Club cheeseburger (the restaurant's take on this simple classic sounds promising) in addition to the pan-seared salmon and lobster Thermidor. In addition, the cauli mac (a very healthful take on mac 'n cheese) has garnered raves from many.
Nonetheless, there are many items to try, including many tempting appetizers and salad. My friend and I tried two in the latter category: the quinoa-and-beet and crab toast salads. The former contains three types of quinoa (red, black and white) in addition to three types of beet (red, golden and candy-stripe), making a tasty mix. The meat in the crab toast salad was excellent, and my friend and I agreed that the salad would probably be even better with unseasoned bread.
Naturally, we had to try dessert, which turned out to be a very tasty TC toffee cake that's served with bourbon ice cream. However, the Tortoise Club also offers warm chocolate brownie, classic pecan pie and varieties of homemade ice cream (chocolate praline, bourbon pecan, pistachio and vanilla).
Drinks are also impressive—and if you couldn't tell with the mentions of the pork chop and desserts—bourbon is very popular here, although many other drink items are offered. I tried the Antique Whiskey Sour, and it was the best whiskey-based cocktail I've ever had.
Of course, in a place like this, the service is impeccable, and the servers are impeccably dressed, with matching ties and vests. Our server, Ben (who, it turns out, is an actor/comedian from Australia) was unfailingly polite and very attentive.
So, I highly recommend The Tortoise Club (for the food, sense of history and overall atmosphere). It's not a place where one just grabs a meal—it's a total experience.
