- First Bites: Lake Street Kitchen and Bar
There's pent up demand for restaurants like this
Monday, October 17th, 2011 12:00 PM
by David Hammond for the Wednesday Journal
- “Every day, we had the Windex out, cleaning off the windows. There were nose prints all over.”
That’s what Rachel Dennis, Oak Parker and owner of Lake Street Kitchen + Bar, told me about the weeks leading up to opening her restaurant. This curiosity reflects the same Oak Park phenomenon I’d noted at the recently opened Eyrie: a new restaurant in Oak Park generates a lot of gawking and eager interest.
Biking past Lake Street Kitchen Bar on the first two nights of operation, I was surprised that the place was filled with people, jammed. Dennis told me she’d been able to pull that kind of traffic with no advertising whatsoever. Clearly there’s a lot of pent-up demand for restaurants like this in Oak Park.
As reported some months ago in the Wednesday Journal, an earlier plan for this space was that it would be a Johnny Rockets. Anthony Shaker had announced that the letter of intent had been signed and everything looked ready to go…and then the deal went south.
At the critical corner of Lake and Marion, it’s much more desirable to have a one-of-a-kind restaurant than just one other chain outlet, and our first bites at Lake Street Kitchen Bar were promising. Dennis told us that she doesn’t use any prepackaged food (SOP for chains), and she’s not putting in a fryer because, she said, “We’re not going to be serving burgers and fries. I mean really, does Lake Street need another hamburger place?”
As it turned out, we had actually been thinking of getting a hamburger that night, but were not disappointed in our Grape Flatbread ($8.50), which was freshly baked and studded with green grapes, blue cheese and rosemary, a good balance of sweetness, acidity, richness and herbaciousness. Baking – and everything else in the kitchen – is under the watch of Chef Jason Kurosaki, formerly of Avec, one of Paul Kahan’s breakout dining spots and an excellent place to have on one’s resume.
There’s a very good collection of local craft beers on tap and in bottles, some unique house-crafted cocktails and martinis, as well as a good range of loose leaf tea, which you’d expect from a restaurant that’s aiming to serve at a higher level.
Whenever I spot Homemade Pickles ($5), they must be mine. We received a colorful blend of onions, green beans, and yellow squash, all laced with slightly peppery sauce that was a good side for the flatbread.
The Hanger Steak ($19.50) was a flavorful piece of meat, with a caramelized crust, accented by kale and cannellini beans, nothing fancy but well executed. You can kind of tell that the restaurant is still working out the seasonings on some dishes, and though I really liked the piquant pepperiness of the sauce on the kale, there seemed to be a similar flavor profile on the house-made pickles.
“I hired a chef, not just a cook” Dennis told us, to underscore the importance she’s placing on the quality of the food she’s serving and Kurosaki is cooking.With Leonard Hollander at Marion Street Cheese Market Café,Kurosaki helps make Downtown Oak Park home to several chef-driven restaurants committed to serving food guided by a creative vision and aiming well above the level of corporate chain restaurants.
Oak Parkers are hungry for places like Lake Street Kitchen Bar, and that seems a very good thing for anyone who likes to eat.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - RAVES + REVIEWS
- C.P.
- Oak Park, IL
10/25/11 - "I enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my coworker this afternoon at your kitchen+bar. :)
- I absolutely loved it. I have lived and worked in Oak Park for two years and I am thrilled to have this type of dining / drinking option right in the center of the Village. I believe the prices are right for the neighborhood and definitely right for the quality of food. We also received warm, friendly, welcoming service from the moment we walked in. I loved that ...
That's it. You are a gem in the Village and I can't wait to return to eat again. :) "
- Brian P.* * * * *
Forest Park, IL
10/14/2011
We had an excellent first visit to Lake Street Kitchen + Bar. I think we were prepared for things to be slow or a little off being their first Friday night of being open, but the wait staff and kitchen were on their game.
First, the modern decor, open kitchen and great bar are very appealing. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you were downtown, not in Oak Park (not that being in Oak Park is a bad thing!)
The beer, wine, and cocktail selections were really well thought out. Being a local craft beer fan, I was happy to see about 12 local draft options as well as a number of different wine selections, both by the glass & bottle, with a wide price range that should suit everyone's taste. While we didn't try any of the cocktails, they looked impressive.
I thought the review that noted a lack of selections regarding food to be way off base. In fact, I found quite the opposite. The food selection was really well thought out and not what I would call typical "bar" food at all. If anything, I thought it presented much more like a modern, locally sourced menu. I love burgers, but I must say, I didn't miss there not being one on the menu here.
We started with an olive plate and bruschetti. The olives ($5-$6) were good, but a little on the small side. They had about six different bruschetti options on the menu and we opted for a plate of 5 ($10) trying five of the six options. All very good and well executed. They also offer meat and cheese plates.
I had the pork belly panini ($7) which came with a homemade pickle on the side. Very tender and great sauce. My wife had a bowl the seasonal soup, which was butternut squash. She loved it as well.
We were stuffed by the time dessert rolled around, but they had about four different dessert options listed which looked tasty.
Traditional beer & burger bar it is not, but we thought this was a good thing and a welcome surprise.
We had a chance to quickly chat with Rachel (the owner) afterwards, and you could tell how happy she was that the night was going well (it was completely full around 7:30 pm) and that all her hard work was paying off.
Do yourself a favor and check out this great local option. In fact, be sure to invite me when you do. We'll be back often.
(FYI: With tip, I think our bill came to around $65 for a beer, two glasses of wine, and all our food. Very reasonable for the quality of food and service.)
-
- Justin L. * * * * *
Oak Park, IL
10/11/2011 Amazing! Tonight was the opening and our first of soon to be many visits.
This is a fantastic place - locally owned, great food, casual atmosphere and a full bar. Not only will we be back, we will also get take out.
Thanks for opening a great place at awesome prices!
-
Megan L. * * * * *
Oak Park, IL
10/11/2011 Tonight Lake Street Kitchen and Bar opened in Oak Park. Oak Park hasn't always been the richest of places for good eateries but we are catching up... Lake Street Kitchen and Bar has a really nice assortment of reasonably priced offerings that are imaginative and flavorful. They pour a nice stiff drink and don't charge you an arm and a leg. They have good options for kids meals and are kid friendly without compromising the experience for those that are there without kids. The location is prime with lots of parking available within two blocks.
I highly recommend their flatbreads (pizza). I had the Grape and while it wasn't something I normally would gravitate to, I thought it was phenomenal. My husband had the Hanger Steak and Beet Salad and he said it was fantastic. I also had the pasta fagioli soup which was super yummy.
All in all, a great experience. As a new restaurant they are still working out their timing a bit but I have no doubt they will be smooth in no time. The servers were all incredibly friendly and willing to help. The staff had a good team approach and it was obvious that they are well trained. The owner, Rachel, is a lovely hostess and makes you feel at home immediately.
So glad Oak Park has another great place to claim as their own!
There's pent up demand for restaurants like this
Monday, October 17th, 2011 12:00 PM
by David Hammond for the Wednesday Journal
That’s what Rachel Dennis, Oak Parker and owner of Lake Street Kitchen + Bar, told me about the weeks leading up to opening her restaurant. This curiosity reflects the same Oak Park phenomenon I’d noted at the recently opened Eyrie: a new restaurant in Oak Park generates a lot of gawking and eager interest.
Biking past Lake Street Kitchen Bar on the first two nights of operation, I was surprised that the place was filled with people, jammed. Dennis told me she’d been able to pull that kind of traffic with no advertising whatsoever. Clearly there’s a lot of pent-up demand for restaurants like this in Oak Park.
As reported some months ago in the Wednesday Journal, an earlier plan for this space was that it would be a Johnny Rockets. Anthony Shaker had announced that the letter of intent had been signed and everything looked ready to go…and then the deal went south.
At the critical corner of Lake and Marion, it’s much more desirable to have a one-of-a-kind restaurant than just one other chain outlet, and our first bites at Lake Street Kitchen Bar were promising. Dennis told us that she doesn’t use any prepackaged food (SOP for chains), and she’s not putting in a fryer because, she said, “We’re not going to be serving burgers and fries. I mean really, does Lake Street need another hamburger place?”
As it turned out, we had actually been thinking of getting a hamburger that night, but were not disappointed in our Grape Flatbread ($8.50), which was freshly baked and studded with green grapes, blue cheese and rosemary, a good balance of sweetness, acidity, richness and herbaciousness. Baking – and everything else in the kitchen – is under the watch of Chef Jason Kurosaki, formerly of Avec, one of Paul Kahan’s breakout dining spots and an excellent place to have on one’s resume.
There’s a very good collection of local craft beers on tap and in bottles, some unique house-crafted cocktails and martinis, as well as a good range of loose leaf tea, which you’d expect from a restaurant that’s aiming to serve at a higher level.
Whenever I spot Homemade Pickles ($5), they must be mine. We received a colorful blend of onions, green beans, and yellow squash, all laced with slightly peppery sauce that was a good side for the flatbread.
The Hanger Steak ($19.50) was a flavorful piece of meat, with a caramelized crust, accented by kale and cannellini beans, nothing fancy but well executed. You can kind of tell that the restaurant is still working out the seasonings on some dishes, and though I really liked the piquant pepperiness of the sauce on the kale, there seemed to be a similar flavor profile on the house-made pickles.
“I hired a chef, not just a cook” Dennis told us, to underscore the importance she’s placing on the quality of the food she’s serving and Kurosaki is cooking.With Leonard Hollander at Marion Street Cheese Market Café,Kurosaki helps make Downtown Oak Park home to several chef-driven restaurants committed to serving food guided by a creative vision and aiming well above the level of corporate chain restaurants.
Oak Parkers are hungry for places like Lake Street Kitchen Bar, and that seems a very good thing for anyone who likes to eat.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10/14/2011
We had an excellent first visit to Lake Street Kitchen + Bar. I think we were prepared for things to be slow or a little off being their first Friday night of being open, but the wait staff and kitchen were on their game.
First, the modern decor, open kitchen and great bar are very appealing. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you were downtown, not in Oak Park (not that being in Oak Park is a bad thing!)
The beer, wine, and cocktail selections were really well thought out. Being a local craft beer fan, I was happy to see about 12 local draft options as well as a number of different wine selections, both by the glass & bottle, with a wide price range that should suit everyone's taste. While we didn't try any of the cocktails, they looked impressive.
I thought the review that noted a lack of selections regarding food to be way off base. In fact, I found quite the opposite. The food selection was really well thought out and not what I would call typical "bar" food at all. If anything, I thought it presented much more like a modern, locally sourced menu. I love burgers, but I must say, I didn't miss there not being one on the menu here.
We started with an olive plate and bruschetti. The olives ($5-$6) were good, but a little on the small side. They had about six different bruschetti options on the menu and we opted for a plate of 5 ($10) trying five of the six options. All very good and well executed. They also offer meat and cheese plates.
I had the pork belly panini ($7) which came with a homemade pickle on the side. Very tender and great sauce. My wife had a bowl the seasonal soup, which was butternut squash. She loved it as well.
We were stuffed by the time dessert rolled around, but they had about four different dessert options listed which looked tasty.
Traditional beer & burger bar it is not, but we thought this was a good thing and a welcome surprise.
We had a chance to quickly chat with Rachel (the owner) afterwards, and you could tell how happy she was that the night was going well (it was completely full around 7:30 pm) and that all her hard work was paying off.
Do yourself a favor and check out this great local option. In fact, be sure to invite me when you do. We'll be back often.
(FYI: With tip, I think our bill came to around $65 for a beer, two glasses of wine, and all our food. Very reasonable for the quality of food and service.)