Upscale, regional cuisine hops to it at Naperville's SugarToad
When the chef walks though the dining room at SugarToad, you can't help but notice him. He's the broad-shouldered, almost gruff looking man in the chef's coat, jeans and the black cowboy boots.
No baggie pants or comfy orange clogs for Jimmy Sneed. Sneed, who gained acclaimed (and two James Beard nominations) at The Frog and the Redneck in Virginia, isn't about appearances. When it comes to him and his food, what you see is what you get. He's more concerned with taste and texture than plating and presentation.
Sneed said goodbye to the dynamic dining scene on the outskirts of D.C. and the hotbed of haute cuisine that is Las Vegas to give it a go at the far eastern edge of Naperville (instead of a trendy River North or Randolph Street locale) in the tony Hotel Arista. The luxury hotel opened in the fall and a performance center and spa are slated to open this spring.
Sneed and his crew have settled in quite nicely, highlighting regionally available ingredients and favorites from his former East Coast stomping grounds in a long narrow room with touches of ocean green that is simple and elegant. The restaurant attracts a diverse crowd that on the night I visited included a few couples out for dinner, a family with younger children and a group of thirtysomethings celebrating the holiday season.
If you're looking for a quiet table, ask to be seated at the back of the restaurant; our table for two was closer to the bar than we would have liked. Popular music plays softly over the hum of happy diners; you're likely to hear Coldplay, not an instrumental version of Coldplay.
The menu evolves weekly reflecting the availability of produce as well as meat and seafood that Sneed brings in from artisan farmers and fisheries, so keep in mind that the dishes described reflect his culinary creativity.
One of the few constants is the amuse bouche, a pre-appetizer taste of sugar toad, the odd-looking fish from the Chesapeake Bay that gives the restaurant its name. No foam or colorful drizzle on the plate; just a piece of succulent, tempura-dipped fish that makes you wish it was on the entree menu.
The seared pork belly appetizer provided a succulent and hearty beginning to a wintry meal. Salmon, foie gras and fish cheeks share space on the starter menu with a handful of creamy soups (the chestnut with roasted apples and smoked bacon sounds especially inviting) and some cold-weather salads of roasted beets with leeks and lemon vinaigrette or an arugula salad with smoked bacon and mustard vinaigrette topped with a duck egg.
The drum, another lesser-know fish, delighted this palate with its light breading that didn't overwhelm the fish and plateful of vegetables. My husband's bistro tender proved to be just that and the shiitakes and shallot sauce complemented the well-cooked piece of meat. The portions are ample without leaving enough for tomorrow's lunch.
The dessert menu leans to the South with tapioca and peach bread pudding lined up alongside Midwestern favorites like crème brûlée and cheesecake. The "warm gooey thing," a decadent molten chocolate cake accented with a warm, smooth caramel sauce, helped warm me up before we headed back out into the cold night.
The wine list leans heavily toward California with a few boutique wineries from Virginia and Michigan making the cut. I enjoyed the wines we had with dinner, but would have preferred more by-the-glass options. Given the cuisine, the prices and the upscale location, I don't think more wines available by the glass is too much to ask.