Hearty fare, food value welcomes diners at Niko's Lodge

Will the third time be a charm? Niko Kanakaris hopes so.

Kanakaris, veteran restaurateur, opened Niko's Lodge in a prime Algonquin Commons restaurant space in January where two different brewpub restaurants under separate ownership did not last long.

An extensive remodel has transformed the former Barley House, previously Claddagh Irish Pub, into a rustic North Woods lodge-themed eatery, attractively furnished with wood paneling and several fireplaces. One fireplace sets a cozy tone for a lounge area with leather couches and armchairs that provides a perfect spot for a group to unwind before or after dinner.

The hostess and service staff made us feel welcome, as did a small loaf of warm sourdough bread brought out soon after we settled at our table. A glance at the menu quickly established that Niko's is about good value, with two sides and soup or salad included with all entrees. Weekday specials offer even better values.

Appetizers fall into the typical bar food category offerings, such as wings, onion rings and potato skins, but a few lighter items are available. My friend and I shared one order of goat cheese baked with marinara sauce, served with toasted crostinis. We enjoyed the homemade flavor of the slightly sweet marinara with the savory goat cheese that was just gooey enough for spreading on the toast rounds.

The two soup choices were broccoli-cheese and vegetable. Both of us chose the broth-based vegetable soup stocked with a good amount of interesting vegetables, including okra, cauliflower and spinach. Chicken broth formed most of the base, which was fine with us, but vegetarians need to ask about broth contents before ordering soups.

A service gaffe occurred when the waiter brought the soups before the appetizer. He also didn't bring out a list of daily specials until after we'd ordered from the regular menu. A little extra training seems to be in order.

Rotisserie chicken, one of the house specialties, was excellent — well-seasoned, not overly salty and roasted just right. The half-chicken portion was generous enough to allow some leftovers to be taken home.

The sautéed tilapia with garlic butter was somewhat bland; a few more squeezes of lemon juice improved the flavor. The menu offers a nice seafood section that includes salmon two ways, jumbo shrimp, crabmeat-stuffed flounder, walleye almondine, Pacific grouper and basa swai, a mild farm-raised fish that I've seen appearing on more menus.

For our side choices we tried rice pilaf and garlic mashed potatoes. The potatoes were creamy and buttery, and the pilaf was well-seasoned. The mixed vegetables of the day, though, obviously were a frozen mix and lacked flavor, although they were cooked properly al dente.

Niko's also offers a pasta bowls section and “Niko's Favorites,” which includes everything from Black Angus New York strip steak to lamb chops to meatloaf. Steaks can be enhanced with a choice of crusts for $1 extra.

Entree salads, sandwiches and burgers are offered all day. Signature items include grilled chicken cashew salad, a Black Angus steak sandwich and Niko's burger — a half-pound patty topped with melted cheddar, bacon and barbecue sauce.

We saved just enough room for a shared dessert and chose tiramisu, one of only two choices made in-house, we learned. It was light and lusciously creamy with a generous amount of mascarpone cheese. The other house-made dessert is apple crisp a la mode.

Desserts are displayed on a tray flanking the entrance. Two gigantic layered cake slices, chocolate and carrot, at $11 each and meant to be shared by several people, definitely caught our eye, as did the New York cheesecake.

The ingredients for making your own s'mores — marshmallows, chocolate squares and graham crackers — also were displayed and are complimentary. However, our server failed to mention this dessert option, so we didn't know about it until we spotted the ingredients on our way out.

The owners also own four other restaurants: Thirsty Whale across the parking lot in Algonquin Commons, the original Niko's Lodge in Wasco, Niko's Red Mill Tavern in Woodstock and the Pinecrest golf course restaurant in Huntley.

Niko's Lodge offers something for everyone of all ages in pleasant surroundings. There are plans to offer seasonal outdoor seating, overlooking a man-made pond and fountain — not quite a bass pond the North Woods but you can always pretend.

Niko's Lodge

1520 S. Randall Road, Algonquin

(847) 458-6100, nikoslodgealgonquin.com <b>Cuisine:</b> American Setting: Rustic North Woods lodge theme Entrees: $12.99 to $29.99

<b>Hours:</b> 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Bar open later.