Dining: Pete Miller's Seafood and Prime Steak
Prime steak -- however "rare" -- has a way of seeming plentiful. There's Morton's nearby, and Sam & Harry's is no more than a hop, skip and jump away.
Presumably, the crew behind Pete Miller's Prime Steak & Seafood planned to capitalize on the decade-plus reputation of the Evanston flagship, opening a third PM's -- and sib Davis Street Fishmarket, adjacently -- in Schaumburg.
Now housed in the mega-space that once was Prairie Rock Brewing Company, the gracious-looking, two-floor restaurant has a sweeping first-floor bar adorned with already-chilling martini glasses. (It's a pit stop we recommend since the drinks are not only super-cold but affordable, to boot.)
Bypassing the overly clubby feel of its competitors, the lounge benefits from the glow of red back-lit wall panels, up-lit liquor and a soaring ceiling that gives way to an expansive, neutral-toned, second-floor dining room.
The menu, presided over by executive chef Todd Downing, strikes a familiar chord -- it's a steakhouse, after all.
Paper-thin beef tenderloin carpaccio is a worthy beginner, adorned with basil, capers, lemon, shaved parmesan and a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar. It shares the stage with seared tuna with wasabi cream and sweet soy reduction; spinach and artichoke fondue; escargot; and oysters Rockefeller with creamed spinach and parmesan breadcrumbs. There's a daily selection of oysters on the half shell, too.
Delivering on a classic, the chilled wedge salad gets sprinkled with chopped cucumbers and tomatoes and blanketed in creamy blue cheese dressing. We enjoyed keeping things traditional (the wedge was mighty fine), but you could opt for a chopped salad that's updated with caramelized onions, red cabbage and crunchy wontons or a "garbage" Caesar with surprises such as honeyed walnuts. Soup-wise, there's a luxe lobster bisque, served tableside, or New England clam chowder.
The meat of the matter, of course, is the prime-aged steaks. We tackled the filet, choosing to top it with a surprisingly mild-mannered stilton-crumb crust. The quality was unmistakable, but we were disappointed that the meat was overdone, despite its near-$35 price tag. The sweet and otherwise delectable Australian lobster tail, served with customary drawn butter, suffered the same fate -- and that's a crying shame for such special-occasion fare.
Something we really liked: Steaks are customizable. For an extra $1.99, they can be dressed up with sauces (bordelaise, hollandaise, béarnaise or cognac reduction), crusts (the aforementioned stilton, peppercorn, parmesan or horseradish) and blackened. There are combos, such as the steak and (crab) cake, as well as preps such as steak au poivre and beef Wellington.
Seafood plays a sufficient role, so look for pan-seared sablefish served atop udon noodles with miso reduction; simply broiled whitefish with tartar sauce; marinated yellowfin tuna with ginger-soy sauce; blackened red grouper with black bean-chevre enchiladas and tomatillo cream sauce; shrimp dejonghe; fried shrimp; and Alaskan king crab legs. There also are less-conventional choices such as lobster potpie and seared scallops with butternut squash ravioli and Gorgonzola cream sauce.
Desserts are meant to be shared. We tried the house-made chocolate chip cookie sandwich and had no complaints. If you're truly a glutton, though, there's always the mile-high slab of chocolate cake.
Service is personable and informed. Steaks are presented raw tableside. There are plenty of wines (and interesting beers) to choose from. This is a likable spot. We're just not sure it rises above the rest.
Pete Miller's Seafood & Prime Steak
1385 N. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, (847) 330-5500
Hours: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday
Price range: Appetizers $9.99 to $14.99; soups and salads $4.99 to $15.99; entrees $18.99 to $45.99; desserts $9.99
Accepts: Major credit cards