Evolving beer list, select menu entice patrons to Consume
You can breeze through the food options on Consume's menu in maybe a minute, but you'll need a lot longer to navigate the beer list. That's just one of the signs that this new Lake Zurich bar aims to appeal to beer lovers.
<b>Motif:</b> Consume opened in August in a small strip mall off Route 22. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but step inside and you'll find a space with a decidedly urban feel. Spare single-bulb pendants hang from the ceiling, while reclaimed wood from an 1890 tobacco barn imparts warmth to the walls. There's seating for 17 at the bar, with dark wood tables and booths providing more. The space is refreshingly free of the usual beer signs and bar posters. In fact, you'll only find two TVs - one on either side of the overhead electronic beer list. There's a bottle room in the back where you can buy beer, wine and other options to take home with you, hence the bar's tagline: “shop. eat. drink.”
<b>Liquid consumption:</b> With a rotating selection of 24 on tap and another 60-plus in bottles and cans, beer reigns supreme. Consume tries to include local breweries, including Chicago's Goose Island, Half Acre, Revolution and Off Color, on the night we stopped by. Also of note are options from Crystal Lake Brewing, Lake Barrington's Wild Onion and Warrenville's Two Brothers. The evolving list and reasonable beer prices encourage a bit of experimenting. In addition, the bar serves eight wines on draft and cocktails.
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Food:</b> The menu's select - with two burgers, three entrees and a dozen “small”-plate picks, including salads. Ankur Patel, one of the four owners, says the menu will change seasonally, with some favorites earning a permanent place.
We started with the fire-grilled artichokes off the small-plates side of the menu, expecting a few hearts. Instead, we were delighted by three full artichoke halves paired with a tzatziki sauce. Peeling off the petals made for a messy dish, but we enjoyed the fresh, slightly smokey flavor. We did, however, cast an envious eye at a neighboring table enjoying the plump, soft pretzel sticks we'd nixed in favor of the artichokes - and vowed to try them next time. Other small-plate options include bacon-wrapped onions, smoked wing tips, smoked salmon dip and charcuterie.
Five items earn a place on the “big” side of the menu, and our picks clearly lived up to that name. The chicken sandwich, for example, came topped with generous amounts of sliced avocado, arugula, tomatoes and red onions. Add a red wine reduction sauce and the result tested both my jaw and the bun. (The latter wasn't quite up to the challenge.)
Likewise, the risotto and quinoa cakes were paired with a mountain of light, tender-crisp beans and kale. The cakes were a treat: crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. The beans, Patel said, will soon be replaced by locally sourced winter-friendly vegetables.
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Service:</b> Our server was incredibly friendly and eager to help. She shared her own beer picks and offered to consult “the experts” behind the bar if we had more detailed questions. Drinks and dinner were nicely paced; we felt well-cared-for but never rushed.
<b>Crowd:</b> There was a mix of friends, couples and a family of four on a recent night. Patel says the space also draws parties.
<b>Parking:</b> There's parking out front and in back.
<b>Overall: </b>With taps changing frequently and a menu reflecting the seasons, Consume gives suburbanites looking for a night out plenty of reasons to visit - and return.
Consume
569 W. Route 22, Lake Zurich, (847) 550-4801,
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday