Steaks and chops take the stage at Grayslake's new 129 Center Cut
Taking over the spot left by the Last Chance Saloon in Grayslake, new Italian steakhouse 129 Center Cut has updated the property to be an open-concept modern farmhouse-inspired restaurant with a full bar. It's a good choice for friends on a night out, casual family gatherings or even eating with strangers at the one big community table. The restaurant can be a little loud because of the high ceilings and large open dining area, so come ready to have a good time.
On the menu, diners will find wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie boards, pasta, seafood, burgers and sandwiches, and the restaurant's specialties: steaks and chops. Plus, there's a good amount of craft beer on tap, standards in bottles and a large list of vintage cocktails, wine and mixed drinks.
For our appetizers we ordered the yellowfin tuna tartare, oysters on the half shell and warmed goat cheese. The tuna was served with avocado, cilantro, soy sauce, citrus vinaigrette and crackers. It had a great texture and flavor and was obviously very fresh. There was a bit too much citrus in the dressing, but not so much that the dish was unappetizing. I would definitely order this again.
We ordered six oysters; they were served with a side of cocktail sauce, a side of mignonette and some lemon wedges. These particular oysters came from Nantucket; they were a bit small and had some grittiness from the shell, but otherwise were quite good. The mignonette added a nice beefy and salty tang to the flavor.
We loved the warmed goat cheese (served with roasted garlic tomato sauce, basil and grilled baguette slices). It was a simple dish with acidity in the sauce that rounded out the creaminess of the cheese.
The soups and salads were a bit of a problem. The French onion soup was a tad too sweet. And the lobster bisque wasn't really bisque at all, but more of a creamy butternut squash soup with some lobster flavor added. It was bland and fishy and needed spice.
The side salads were a disaster. All the vegetables were frozen - even the tomatoes - and the lettuce appeared to be frozen and then thawed; it was wilted and mushy. The plates themselves were almost too cold to touch. We assumed someone made the salads earlier in the day and left them in the cooler for anyone to pull out as needed, which was clearly a mistake.
One of the great things about the entrees at 129 Center Cut is that all the meat is ordered from a meat market in central Illinois every couple of days. So not only do you know where the food is coming from, you also know it's fresh. That showed in the rack of lamb and pork chop, two of the entrees we ordered. Both meats were cooked nicely with a good amount of juice that really showcased the quality of the meat. The steaks and chops all come with sides - generally mashed potatoes, a vegetable and a way-too-salty red wine demi glace.
Our other entrees were the chicken piccata and penne arrabiata. The piccata was standard but came with standout mashed potatoes, smooth and creamy and seasoned well. The penne arrabiata was one of my favorites. The sauce had bacon and pancetta mixed in, which gave it a nice meatiness to offset the sweetness. I would order this again as well.
For dessert, we opted for the creme brulee. I would return for this dessert alone - particularly the sugar layer on top, which was thick and perfectly caramelized.
129 Center Cut has only been open about three months, and it seems like they still need to get some kinks worked out, both with the food and with the waitstaff. Our waitress was nice but confused about a lot of the menu. Once they get everything ironed out, it should be a powerhouse in the Grayslake dining scene.
<i>Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.</i>
129 Center Cut
129 Center St., Grayslake, (847) 986-6872,
Cuisine: Italian steakhouse
Setting: Casual
Entrees: $13-$59
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday; closed Monday