Midwestern fare — and beer — on tap at Lisle's Wheatstack
Built on former farmland, Wheatstack hearkens to the area's agricultural roots by offering a menu of Midwestern fare made from scratch. While it's connected to the River Bend Golf Club, Wheatstack's food, drinks and service are good enough to seek out even if you're not visiting the course.
Motif: The dining room has large windows with views of the golf course and surrounding woods. The place has a lodge-like feel, with a fireplace in the corner and mellow lighting overhead. The space has a mix of rounded booths, half-booths and candlelit tables. The bar area features a projector screen tuned to sports and plenty more seats. On nice days you can dine at an umbrella-topped table on the large patio.
Crowd: The dinner crowd primarily consists of families and older couples and groups, while the bar area attracts more guys dining and drinking solo while keeping an eye on the TV scores.
Service: Our server was attentive and friendly, making good recommendations and checking back regularly. The management is also very active in customer service, clearing tables and making sure customers are happy with their selections.
Liquid consumption: True to its Midwestern theme, the bar offers a selection of locally bottled brews like Berghoff Prairie Lager and Bell's Oberon Ale. There's also a solid wine list where everything is available by both the glass and the bottle. The cocktail menu is packed with summery sippers like the Caribbean Cooler, a blend of coconut, mango and pineapple rums and cranberry and orange juice that tastes like a non-frozen piña colada. We were delighted when we were told that the pineapple mojito would be a while since they needed to cut up some fresh pineapple. The drink proved to be well worth the wait, sweet and fizzy with plenty of fruit mixed in.
Food: Our server highly recommended the $8 Prince Edward Island mussels and we were glad he did. The dish is truly excellent, a generous portion of large, perfectly cooked mussels served in a delightful garlicky tomato sauce that worked great as a dip for the cheesy garlic bread the dish is served with. The fish of the day was tilapia when we ate there and it was also great, served blackened with a side of wild rice and a nice blend of squash and zucchini. The only disappointment was the pot roast. While it's billed as the house specialty, we found the dish to be a bit small for the $14.50 price tag when compared to versions served at comparable restaurants in the area, and the meat was on the chewy side.
Entertainment: The third Saturday of every month is comedy night. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and you can choose from a $20 package, which includes two drinks, or the $35 dinner package. Mondays through Aug. 29 are movie nights, where you can grab a seat on the patio, deck or lawn and watch a free flick starting at dusk. Upcoming titles include “Eat, Pray, Love” on June 13 and “The Social Network” June 20.
Parking: There are plenty of spots in the free parking lot.
Overall: Wheatstack offers a great place for a good meal and refreshing drink on a warm summer day.
<b>Wheatstack</b>
<b>5900 S. Route 53, Lisle, (630) 968-1920, wheatstacklisle.com</b>
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday