Reel Club snagged by too-snappy service
When Papagus (which we found to be one of the yummiest Greek spots around) closed abruptly last fall and we learned that Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises founder Richard Melman planned to fill the spot with a steak and seafood place, we were perplexed.
Our first thought was, "Won't that compete with Wildfire (another LEYE venture) upstairs?" Next up: "What about Mike Ditka's, McCormick & Schmick's, Kona Grill, Magnum's Steakhouse, Tin Fish, and the remaining slew of surf and turf places nearby?"
Still, Reel Club forged ahead in Oak Brook, catching its first customers in early November. We waited for the kinks to be worked out before we took our first taste. Our reviews, we're afraid, are mixed.
Quite a departure from the previous, taverna-style eatery that inhabited the space, it's very sleek -- almost Di Pescara-like. (For those not aware, Di Pescara is another LEYE seafood concept that opened in Northbrook Court a few years back.) This all starts to make sense when you learn Mychael Bonner, the chef who launched Di Pescara, wears the toque.
The menu, which, unlike Di Pescara, sports lobster, isn't over-the-top pricey. You probably can count on one hand the number of dishes Bonner carried over, so don't look at this as a sequel.
We started with an elegant, yet approachable, Asian-inspired take on tuna tartare, the pink-fleshed, sesame-scented fish sprinkled with black sesame seeds, topped with an herb-studded fennel salad and served on a wooden pedestal. The "double dip" shrimp cocktail got props for its piquant cocktail and zippy remoulade sauces, but we would have rather received fewer, plumper shrimp.
Among first courses, the menu also lists citrus-cured ceviche and basalmic-zapped artichokes on the chilled end and fried calamari, dry-rubbed Asian spare ribs, Parmesan-crusted scallops and Maryland lump crab cakes on the warm end.
Salads are plentiful, though we cannot recommend the chunky chopped salad, despite its enjoyable components: asparagus, avocado, tomatoes, edamame, soy nuts, jicama, fennel, green beans, lettuce, carrots and blue cheese. The vinaigrette -- lemon, supposedly -- was just too bland.
Moreover, it was when this salad arrived that our troubles -- service-wise -- really began. After waiting at least 15 minutes for our appetizers to come, the salad was placed before us two bites in, apology-free.
Seafood is the main thrust among the entrees, and our main courses arrived -- again -- bites into the salad. Everything we ordered thus far was still on the table.
Still, smorgasbord-style, the runner attempted to make room. We explained that, although we tried to be understanding when it happened the first time, we were not ready for our entrees. He said he'd take it back and bring us a new one.
What we received -- without question -- was the very same dishes, left to heat in the kitchen until unpalatable. Our server, who nearly burned her hand trying to return the heat-lamped plates to the kitchen, assured us we'd get fresh preparations the next time around.
True to her word, the hot and crunchy tilapia Milanese did arrive done right, its sesame, almond and chili flake crust warming but not overt. While fine, we felt it lacked oomph, a fact that the underdressed arugula on top did little to overcome. A standout, in contrast, was the perfectly grilled swordfish steak, which had a slightly woody note.
While we didn't mess with the meat side of the menu, there's plenty to choose from, including two sizes of filet, chopped steak, a bone-in rib eye, a flat-iron steak and a 16-ounce bone-in prime strip steak.
The dessert menu didn't knock our socks off, but what we tried was good, including an unusual and refreshing green apple sorbet.
In the end, our server took dessert off of the bill. And while we weren't about to gripe -- she did this without prompting -- we were disappointed by the way things played out.
Reel Club
272 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 368-9400
Cuisine: Seafood and steak
Setting: Modern mall-based restaurant that's casually upscale
Price range: Appetizers $8.95 to $15.95; soups and salads $4.95 to $15.95; entrees $14.95 to $46.95; dessert $5.50 to $5.95
Hours: 11:15 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:15 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:15 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Accepts: Major credit cards