Combining the best of Crab-N-Que, Sweet Caroline's impresses
Sweet Caroline's Crab-N-Que in Hoffman Estates is already firing on all cylinders — not bad for a startup restaurant/sports bar that opened in early November.
Service provided by waitstaffer Renee was right on cue during a recent Thursday night visit. The kitchen had its act together, too, providing hot and properly seasoned Southern-influenced fare.
The establishment, owned by Mark Hoffman, occupies remodeled space that once housed a steakhouse. Its seating capacity exceeds 200, with added space for 100 on a seasonal patio.
A large island bar is a central fixture in the sprawling dining area, and sports fans will find multiple flat-screen TVs tuned to major sporting events.
Customers can order wine or specialty cocktails as well as mainstream and microbrew beer. On tap during our visit was the Chicago-based Revolution Brewery's mellow Bottom Up Wit, its interpretation of a Belgian-style ale brewed with pilsner and wheat malts. Also recommended is the flavorful Golden Ale produced by 5 Rabbit in Bedford Park.
The beers sampled paired well with the seafood and smoked-on-the-premises brisket we consumed.
Now, if only they had a combination crab-and-barbecue dish on the diverse menu.
Toward that end, diners might consider doing some mixing and matching as we did.
To start, indulge your appetite for seafood by surfing among the appetizer selections, from crabcakes to fried oysters to steamed mussels. One such dish features a roasted crab and shrimp artichoke dip served with tortilla chips.
Many restaurants offer fried calamari, but they don't always do a fine job. Sweet Caroline's gets it right: The squid turned out tender and was nicely complemented by the accompanying rémoulade and cocktail sauces.
Moving on, a delicious meal-sized sandwich worth trying was the slow-smoked brisket piled on a bakery-fresh bun topped with sweet onion jam and a cheddar cheese spread. Another treat not often found on Midwestern menus was the Traditional Lobsta' Roll on a toasted bun. The succulent lobster meat came dressed with tarragon mayonnaise, chives, diced celery, arugula and a drizzle of lemon-lobster butter. Each sandwich came with either fries or (our preference) a house-made finely shredded, crisp coleslaw with a hint of cilantro.
Other seafood options ranged from Louisiana hot and spicy shrimp ($19) to 1½-pound wild Alaskan red king crab legs ($49). Signature barbecue choices included baby back ribs, smoked barbecue chicken, smoked brisket and pulled pork, among others.
Desserts are made on-site, and the traditional whipped-cream-topped Key lime pie provided an enjoyable finish to dinner. A few other possibilities on hand were a fruit cobbler, cherry cheesecake and bacon maple-glazed doughnuts.
Free live entertainment starts at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, followed by all-request disc jockeys later, making it easy to make a night of it at Sweet Caroline's.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Sweet Caroline's Crab-N-Que
2525 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates, (847) 519-7575, <a href="http://sweetcarolinescrabnque.com/">sweetcarolinescrabnque.com</a>
<b>Cuisine:</b> The name says it all — seafood and barbecue
<b>Setting:</b> Combination restaurant, sports bar and neighborhood hangout
<b>Prices:</b> Appetizers $5-$13; sandwiches $9-$13; seafood/barbecue entrees $16-$49 (mostly in the upper teens to mid-$20s); desserts $5
<b>Hours:</b> 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday; 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday
<b>Reservations:</b> Accepted
<b>Parking:</b> Free lot