Diners won't go hungry at The Oasis in Antioch
In a new addition to the dining scene on the Chain, The Oasis in Antioch takes the space of the old Harbour Club. The menu has a large selection of appetizers - everything from wings and calamari to quesadillas and fried pickles - plus sandwiches, wraps, burgers and salads. And you can enjoy a beer with your meal, too; The Oasis is half restaurant and half bar with a stage for live shows.
The dining area itself is small (though the lakeside patio adds more space) and is anchored on two sides by the bar and noisy slot machines. But the view of Bluff Lake is a nice perk.
Currently, The Oasis is operating off a slightly abbreviated menu, our waitress told us, with a fuller version in the works that will include pasta, soup and seafood. Currently the chef is testing out potential menu dishes as chef specials - so go there now and you may get to help with the decision-making process.
For our appetizer, we had the loaded garlic Parmesan fries, covered with a garlic-Parmesan sauce and grated parmesan cheese. The fries were fresh-cut, something we both loved as it's hard to find an inexpensive restaurant that cuts their own fries. The sauce was uniquely tart and tangy, and a little bit too salty. I didn't notice much garlic due to the salt, though. The fries were topped with an ample amount of shredded Parmesan cheese. Overall, the portion is huge, so make sure you're with someone who wants to share. We got the restaurant's signature Boom Boom Sauce on the side, and it certainly did pack a punch. It seemed to be a spicy mix of ranch and Tabasco with an extra kick that leaves a lingering heat.
Our entrees were the garden veggie wrap and chicken cordon bleu sandwich. My husband ordered the chicken sandwich, and it was a nice surprise. It comes on a large, soft pretzel bun, but the chicken is big enough to engulf the bun completely. The chicken itself was juicy and moist, as were the deli ham slices on the sandwich. The Swiss cheese was equally as good. We would definitely recommend this sandwich.
Vegetarians beware - there are really only two entree options for you currently: the garden wrap and the grilled cheese. A friend had previously described the grilled cheese as good but greasy, so I opted for the wrap. The menu noted it was full of avocado, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions and dressing (I chose honey mustard). Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The filling, which I expected to have a lot of vegetables, was really only 98 percent iceberg lettuce with a tiny amounts of veggies. I ordered it because of the avocado inside, but it only had two tiny slices and very little of anything else. I will say that all the ingredients were extremely fresh and nicely crisp, though.
We both ordered our meals with Chipsters, which are thin-cut waffle chips. It was nice, again, to see these were fresh-cut as well. We were disappointed though by the onion straws that come with every sandwich. They were cold and stale.
We did not get dessert, as the only option available right now is vanilla ice cream scoops. Our waitress said more dessert options will be available when the menu hits full capacity. But, the portion sizes at The Oasis are so huge that we didn't need anything else.
A word to the wise for those heading to The Oasis: Don't follow your GPS. You'll turn on the wrong road and end up a block away. Watch carefully for the restaurant's sign; it's hand-painted and difficult to see, but sits at the correct intersection. Once you get there, it's a quick walk down to the restaurant at the lake.
<i> Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.</i>
The Oasis on Bluff Lake
25276 W. Grass Lake Road, Antioch, (847) 603-1314, oasisblufflake.com/
<b>Cuisine:</b> American
<b>Setting:</b> Casual
<b>Entrees:</b> $7-$11
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday