Extensive menu, craft beer makes Pub 56 a welcome addition to Aurora
If there's a one-word take-away from my experience dining at the two-month-old Pub 56 on Butterfield Road in northern Aurora, it would unquestionably be hot. As in the upscale bar fare, from the appetizers through to dessert, came to our table piping hot, while the cold craft beers helped temper our palates on a recent Saturday night.
This newly remodeled restaurant/pub (open for two months) in a small strip mall gives off a warm vibe, which is noticeable from the moment you walk in to the rather open space. Almost immediately, I was entranced by the horseshoe-shaped lighting emanating a golden hue over the center of the restaurant. The matching backlit bar with bottles encased in the golden glass also caught my eye, as did the blown-glass globes hanging from the ceiling. What was even more welcoming was the staff, who greeted and seated us right away in a comfortable leather-backed booth.
While Pub 56 may be billed as a sports bar - there were TVs mounted in the middle of the horseshoe configuration (I'm guessing a holdover from the space's previous iteration) and more flatscreens hanging along the stone brick walls showing NCAA tourney games - it's a subtle one at that. Sports memorabilia hanging on the walls is minimal. There were many families and couples filling the booths, tables and high-tops. The TVs were muted, and the pop/rock soundtrack was kept at a low volume, making conversation easy with my dining partners and our friendly attentive waiter, who checked back often but wasn't intrusive.
Craft beers abound at Pub 56, especially locally produced brews such Revolution (Little Crazy on tap satisfied), Solemn Oath, Two Brothers, Small Town's Not Your Father's Root Beer, Half Acre, Wild Onion, Lagunitas and Goose Island, to name a few of the 40 crafts, imports and domestics on tap. Sixteen others can be had in bottles or cans. If you prefer mixed drinks, they have those, too, along with a short wine list.
On to dinner. The American menu is quite extensive, with inventive apps (ahi tuna wontons, fried Brussels sprouts), salads, entrees (braised short ribs, drunken fish and chips), Kobe beef burgers, specialty handcrafted pizzas (buffalo chicken, brisket Philly) made with homemade dough, smoked meats (ribs, pulled pork, brisket, all smoked in-house for 16 hours), sandwiches and wraps (Philly cheesesteak, cranberry and pecan turkey wrap), wings and more.
We started with the loaded potato skins and cauliflower wings (my vote for the poutine - sidewinder fries in brown gravy topped with fried cheese curds - was overruled on this visit). The slightly dry potato skins, topped with colby cheese, bacon and green onions, got help from a side of sour cream. But the real star was the fried cauliflower. The steaming nuggets of breaded cauliflower were a crispy indulgence. We plowed through the tasty app without even touching the dipping sauce.
Given the varied main course choices, it was difficult choosing just two. The Tuscan grilled chicken caught my eye. Grilled chicken strips (not a grilled chicken breast) sat under a heaping mound of steamed spinach, feta cheese and delicious sun-dried tomatoes. According to the description, I expected lemon chicken, but I didn't taste much lemon flavor. No matter, the other flavors blended well together. The mammoth side of tender rice pilaf encroached on the chicken - a little less rice and a little more chicken would have balanced the plate better. The tomato slices and lettuce on the side seemed out of place on this dish.
The hefty breakfast burger - a Kobe beef patty topped with a fried egg, cheddar cheese and bacon on a pretzel bun - was cooked as ordered, to a juicy medium well. Crispy fries came on the side. It was gone before we knew it. The burgers are a Saturday special, a bargain at $7.99.
For a sweet treat, we ordered the apple crisp, which our waiter said was a personal favorite. I only wish we had been warned that the crisp had come straight from the oven. The flavorful brown sugar crumble topping the cinnamon apples was so hot that it burned the roof of my mouth. Thank goodness for the vanilla ice cream. Once we let the dessert cool, it made a nice ending to our meal.
<i>Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.</i>
Pub 56
1555 Butterfield Road, Aurora, (630) 299-3429 or
Cuisine: American
Setting: Upscale pub/sports bar
Prices: Appetizers: $5.99 to $13.99; entrees: $9.99 to $26.99; burgers: $8.49 to $14.95; desserts: $6.99
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday
Also: Reservations accepted; daily food and drink specials