Arlington Heights eatery tries to do it all

The Grand Station, the newest restaurant in downtown Arlington Heights, lives up to its name.

The restaurant wraps the corner at Vail and Campbell streets anchoring the Metropolis theater building and is indeed grand on many levels: the decor rich with dark wood, black leather and garnet accents; the interior carved into three distinct dining areas and a view into the kitchen; a marble-topped bar and arched mirrors in the lounge; ornate pillars and ironwork that complements the downtown's streetscape. And then, of course, the food, from dinner-sized salads and custom-built macaroni and cheese to inventive pasta combinations and fresh seafood and Angus beef.

The Grand Station opened in late 2008, just down the street from its sister eatery, Fuego. The space is awash with light (one of the things I love about Fuego) with full windows flanking each of the three dining areas. The main room contains a mix of booths and tables (be wary of the tippy ones); seating in the Speak Easy Lounge includes traditional and high-topped tables and a string of leather-cushioned seats at the bar. In the other wing is a smaller room that seems to be where large parties and groups with children congregate. Note that this room is farthest from the restrooms, which are accessed only by leaving the restaurant and walking down the hall to the Metropolis. Do not attempt a bathroom break during intermission.

With a menu as large as The Grand Station, a restaurant can fall prey to mediocrity; too many items to do anything very well. Happily that is not the case here. Granted I did not taste everything on the menu (I lost count around 80), yet I found the majority of items I did try quite enjoyable.

The Grand Station appetizer menu features a slider station: petite burgers, steak, chicken, shrimp and crab patties that can be ordered in any combination and make a hearty happy hour snack. The spinach and artichoke fondue is a pleasing crock of bubbly cheese served with garlicky bread crisps for dipping.

For a first course, creamy tomato soup is a classic choice; if you want to step out of your comfort zone, a salad is the way to go. The plate of greens, apple slices and candied pecans that comprise the Pom-Berry-Blue salad, so named for the crumbled cheese and vibrant pomegranate and raspberry vinaigrette, is top notch. The signature chopped salad is a meal in itself, full of chicken, bacon, roasted corn, avocado and more topped with a cilantro-lime dressing and goat cheese.

Lighter appetites could do well with a salad and a very shareable bowl of Mac and Jack, the restaurant's signature blend of pasta and a creamy sauce of Monterey Jack and white Cheddar cheeses that can be customized with more than a dozen add-ins. Might I suggest broccoli and Italian sausage or prosciutto, peas and sun-dried tomatoes?

Still believing not everything could be so grand I made another visit for lunch and was wowed by the grilled vegetable panini. Served on fresh ciabatta and smeared with a pistacchio-flecked pesto, the marinated veggie planks held their own with the Mexican cotija cheese (a nice break from tangy goat cheese often found on this type of sandwich). A side of pasta salad wasn't drowning in an oily dressing but rather offered a creamy pesto-bound forkful of penne, sun-dried tomato slices and roasted pine nuts.

The one item that really disappointed me has been removed from the menu (I guess I wasn't the only one) and reinvented with shrimp. The brandy-spiked sauce coating the jumbo shrimp, mushrooms and spinach bears little resemblance to the bland dish they called Chicken Alexander. Shrimp Alexander is packed with flavor, but still not perfect because the shrimp tails are left on and it's just too darn messy to remove them. Consider yourself warned and know that if you ask, the kitchen will remove the tails before the dish hits the table.

The mojito lime fettuccine turned out to be another bright spot on the menu: grilled chicken rests in a creamy lime- and rum-infused sauce with a rainbow of vegetables and fettuccine threads.

Mojitos don't just show up on the food side of the menu; hardly a restaurant worth its salt doesn't offer a variety of mojitos, martinis and margaritas. Modern martinis and vintage cocktails rule at the Speak Easy Lounge; I was particularly fond of the cosmo made with hibiscus-infused vodka, and an herby version made with bruised strawberries and basil. Create your own martini with any of the more than 50 vodkas at the bar.

A nice selection of domestic and New World wines is available by the glass ($6 to $12) or by the bottle (most on the $20 to $45 range) as well as in flights, or collection of three short pours.

Desserts lean toward the traditional with a lackluster tiramisu and more enjoyable Key lime pie (which my son declared "my new favorite dessert of all time") and a shinning example of flourless chocolate cake.

Because of its proximity to the theater and its general location in Arlington Heights, The Grand Station attracts a crowd on the weekends and reservations are recommended to avoid long waits.

The Grand Station

Facts: 101 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 255-5050, grandstationdining.com

Cuisine: American classics and globally influenced fare

Setting: Spacious 1930s-inspired dining rooms with open kitchen

Hours: dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 4 to midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Price range: appetizers $5.95 to $12.95; soups and salads $3.95 to $9.95; burgers and sandwiches $7.95 to $14.95; pasta, meat and seafood $13.95 to $33.95; desserts $5.95 to $6.95. Six-course family-style meal for four to 20 people $24.95; $9.95 for kids

Also: children's menu; lunch Monday to Saturday, street and garage parking, bar open 1 hour after kitchen closes