Eddie Merlot's brings casual, luxe dining to Warrenville

Eddie Merlot's bills itself as a premier steakhouse serving only the finest prime-aged steaks and a wide selection of carefully chosen wines. And on most points we agree.

The chain's second Illinois location opened in March in Warrenville's Cantera complex just off I-88 (you'll also find Eddie Merlot's in Burr Ridge and in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio). Eddie Merlot's strikes a different note than its adjacent low-key dining neighbors, but the location makes a little more sense once you realize the steakhouse moved into a shuttered Max and Erma's.

After $5 million in renovations, a new interpretation of a classic American steakhouse emerged, one that is giddy in its ostentatiousness: bathed in beiges and nudes, with marble and wood floors and an ivory carpet — a brave step, indeed. Menus and booths are made of leather and a midsection pinned by oversized ivory towers nearly touches the high ceilings.

Despite the overzealous decor, or maybe because of it — one gets the undeniable feeling of having a special night out on the town.

But pretentious it's not — service is laid back, perhaps even too much so. There is no steak presentation or sourcing details, or wine presentation and service from a sommelier for that matter. Simple, if somewhat old-fashioned notions — like the server not addressing the lady directly when inquiring about ordering — are not part of the repertoire either.

Serving the food while one of the patrons had stepped away from the table was perhaps the biggest misstep — one that felt rather school-boyish in the face of otherwise obvious material investment. Simple protocol like this should not be overlooked when a dinner for two can easily top $200.

Aside from this, there are plenty of things to charm you at Eddie Merlot's. The cocktail program is fun — an absinthe and gin martini is simply too tempting to forgo and it does not disappoint. It tastes reckless — you know you'll pay for it later, but you do it anyway. Wine covers all the bases and some bottles come in as low as $28.

You could say that more than most things, what sets apart steakhouses of certain quality and clout is not the meat or seafood, but the appetizers and sides — these accents give a place its personality.

Here, food is sporadically spiked with a Southern accent, like the New Orleans mixed grill with filet mignon, grilled shrimp, and andouille sausage; a side of onions and charred jalapeños; or a barbecue shrimp wrapped in bacon and smothered with Southern Comfort barbecue sauce.

Appetizers include oysters (East and West Coast), and the customary crabcakes and calamari, but if you really want to get the attention of your fellow patrons, get the smoking shrimp cocktail: four jumbo shrimp served over dry ice, so that they “smoke” while getting to and at the table. This presentation even entertains the servers themselves, one of whom commented, “Every time I see this I expect Elvira to be standing behind it.”

Options for meat are solid with beef from Platte River Ranch. Filets, rib-eyes and strips have been aged 21 days; the first two are available bone-in, if desired. Toppings, too, abound, from butter to Oscar style (with crab and asparagus) to over-the-top sliced foie gras.

A side salad of tomato and red onions features beefy rings of tomatoes with large crumbs of Gorgonzola cheese, and a tender 6-ounce filet with a creamy peppercorn sauce was cooked perfectly medium-rare.

The half pound of Alaskan king crab legs, on the other hand, lacked a certain freshness, and the accompanying butter was nearly too salty to swallow.

The restaurant redeemed itself with the 22-ounce bone-in rib-eye that was not only cooked just as requested, but served with rich truffle butter that made for a juicy, flavorful and crunchy bite. And while the accompanying black and blue scallops were a bit mild on their own, they came alive with a potent Gorgonzola purée.

Sides showed versatility, too, with options like mashed potatoes with lobster and tempura beans with wasabi cream sauce. Lyonnaise potatoes were straightforward: browned medallions with sautéed onions, although, surprisingly, quite short on butter.

The rest of the menu was certainly not reticent: among others, a Chateaubriand filet, carved tableside makes an appearance for $89, as does a full rack of lamb for the same price.

A rich chocolate cake rounded out our meal and our experience. We left realizing that this new take on the classic steakhouse, one that sees a lush atmosphere combined with a laid-back feel and doesn't stand on ceremony too much, might have opened the door to a new age of dining.

Ÿ Reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not review restaurants it cannot recommend.

Eddie Merlot's

28254 Diehl Road, Warrenville, (630) 393-1900, <a href="http://www.eddiemerlots.com" target="_blank">eddiemerlots.com</a>

<b>Cuisine: </b>Steakhouse

<b>Setting: </b>Luxe and leathery

<b>Entrees: </b>$23 to $89

<b>Hours: </b>5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday