The Grotto serves up atmosphere along with Italian steakhouse classics
When word got out that The Grotto on State was closing, loyal diners were distraught. But one city's loss is another suburb's gain: It reopened in Oak Brook's chain-riddled Butterfield corridor.
Although it's in a strip mall, the dark, cavernous interior soon makes you forget where the restaurant is situated - unless, of course, you choose to be seated on the patio overlooking the manmade pond (it shares views of it with neighbor McCormick & Schmick's). The space is all dark wood trim, manly stone walls and low light. Coupled with well-spaced tables and swooping booths on the perimeter, you can expect a somewhat romantic feel.
The menu is Italian-steakhouse-typical, which can be good or bad depending on your dining persuasion. All the classics are represented, and there aren't too many surprises (of any kind, really). If you were a fan of its predecessor, that'll be a good thing, as the menu follows form.
Starters include zingy, toasted bruschetta mounded with garlicky, basil-specked, balsamic vinaigrette-saturated tomatoes as well as scampi alla Grotto, which gets props if only for being fun. Two plump shrimp arrive dangling from a Goldfish-esque puff pastry in a pool of (too) mild-mannered garlic-lemon butter sauce.
There's shrimp cocktail, pan-seared crab cakes, fried calamari, crab and spinach-stuffed mushrooms and antipasto, too.
A hefty salad selection ensures meals don't have to be of the overly meaty variety. There's a namesake chopped salad, caprese and Caesar, plus a broccoli number that's accented with lemon and garlic. Of course, minestrone soup can help salads stick to your ribs.
Entrees are plentiful and, by Italian standards, diverse. We enjoyed the slightly spicy Italian sausage, primarily because the vinegary tri-colored peppers were so good. Offset by a white wine sauce, it was likable, filling and a fine rendition of the classic.
Chicken Parm, we have to say, was not quite as appealing. Sauce-light and not pounded all that thin, the two breasts arrived cloaked in mozzarella with nothing in the way of accompaniments. At $18.95, we think it's fair to expect that a side of pasta would come alongside. At nearly $20 per pasta dish, however, we're not sure ordering one as a side makes sense. You'd probably be better off supplementing your meal with sides such as sautéed spinach, vesuvio-style potatoes or asparagus with balsamic glaze.
Osso bucco, eggplant Parm and veal Marsala continue the Sopranos theme, which extends to crisp-skinned chicken oreganto, lamb chops and center-cut pork chops, too. Seafood offers a bit of a detour, with choices including grilled whitefish in lemony caper sauce, grilled crab legs with garlic butter and grilled salmon with vinegar peppers and balsamic glaze. Steaks, which are Prime, range from an 18-ounce, bone-in strip to a 16-ounce, bone-in filet.
We chose to wrap up our meal with a slice of moist, airy ricotta cheesecake and creamy, light (although surely caloric) tiramisu. The desserts, while good enough to address sweets cravings, probably won't wow you by way of innovation, but they were solid enough nonetheless.
We liked The Grotto enough - or at least we didn't dislike it. We're just not sure it'll leap to the forefront the next time we're wondering were to dine.
That said, there was one thing during our dining experience that did knock our socks off: the price of martinis. On Thursdays and Sundays, the $12 libations are half price. We'd like to offer up a piece of advice: Save money by dining during lunch. Then, you'll find sandwiches - including a chicken vesuvio on ciabatta - as well as many of the dinner menu selections for a fraction of the price.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. Our aim is to describe the overall dining experience while guiding the reader toward the menu's strengths. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
The Grotto
3011 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook; (630) 571-5700; grottooakbrook.com
Cuisine: Italian steak, seafood and chops
Setting: Dark, masculine and intimate
Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday
Price range: Appetizers $7.95 to $13.95; soups and salads $3.95 to $14.95; pasta $17.95 to $19.95; entree $18.95 to $39.95; desserts $4.95 to $6.95
Accepts: Major credit cards