New Orleans-inspired menu cements The Patten House's place in dining history
If you enjoy your food as I do, seasoned with a pinch of history, a newly opened jewel of a restaurant and bar known as The Patten House in downtown Geneva is sure to please.
Diners will enjoy working their way through chef Kevin Gillespie's appealing and refined New Orleans-inspired menu.
Owner Nancy Luyten oversaw a smart restoration of the two-story red-brick 1857 building that originally served as the home of the lumberman whose name it bears. The eye-catching structure, built in Federal Revival style, is also said to have once served as a temporary courthouse for Kane County.
The refurbished edifice features a stately interior with high ceilings, striking decorative wood molding and a soothing color palette. First-floor space includes two dining rooms and a full-service bar with high-top table seating. Three more rooms perfect for intimate tête-à-tête dining are up the stairs, while a seasonal patio accommodates 60 guests, and a deck hugging the south side of the building can hold 20 more.
It's possible — and tempting — to carve a meal strictly from the small plates on the menu. For this visit, however, my dining partner and I limited ourselves to the waiter's sound recommendation. That starter, two delectable crabcakes plated with creamy stone-ground grits prepared with a red pepper aioli, was a little pricey at $13, but it was worth it. Every bite brought to my mind long-ago memories of previous visits to the Big Easy.
Among the other 11 appetizer options were oysters Rockefeller, red beans and rice; honey Sriracha glazed brussels sprouts; and grilled chicken or beef skewers. Five salads and two soups — gumbo and a soup of the day — also are available.
Dining on a budget or just looking for a slightly less substantial meal? Several sandwiches from barbecue pulled pork and shrimp po boy to Cajun prime burger and muffuletta easily fill the bill.
Chef Gillespie covers the bases with 14 entrees, all of which come with garlic cheddar biscuits (delicious) and house salad or soup of the day (creamy poblano pepper with just the right kick).
Jambalaya fans will enjoy Patten House's version, which remains true to its Creole roots by bringing together Louisiana white rice in a stew of shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage with tomato, celery and onion. The portion was generous, and the classic dish brimmed with flavor.
My wife's seared Gulf grouper tasted as good as it looked. The fish, cooked with a sweet chili soy mustard glaze, rested on a bed of jicama fennel slaw and was topped with fried parsnips. Mandarin orange segments and grilled toast points completed the picture.
Among the alternatives were cornmeal-fried catfish, cayenne maple-glazed Alaskan sockeye salmon, Angus rib-eye steak and Berkshire pork chop in a pistachio cream sauce. Quinoa-stuffed poblano peppers with roasted beets and goat cheese over braised spinach is a meatless option.
Desserts, from beignets to bananas Foster, are made in-house (except for the ice cream) and are worth considering. Especially good was the cheesecake of the day: a sea salt-and-caramel treat dressed up with whipped cream and a strawberry garnish.
The Patten House bar offers specialty cocktails, beer and a number of reasonably priced domestic and imported wines from $7 to $12 by the glass or $30 to $80 by the bottle. I enjoyed a light, fruity Sauvignon Blanc wine from New Zealand.
Reservations are accepted, and there's free street parking in the neighborhood.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
The Patten House
124 S. Second St., Geneva, (630) 970-6900 or find it on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Patten-House-Restaurant-and-Bar/235063853337578">Facebook.com</a>
<b>Cuisine: </b>New Orleans-inspired menu
<b>Setting: </b>Restored historic home
<b>Entrees: </b>$19-$30; small plates and sandwiches: $8-$14
<b>Hours: </b>11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday