Prairie Grass Cafe Foyer
Two-time James Beard award-winning chef and co-owner, Sarah Stegner, turns out inventive, high-quality food in the Chicago North Shore suburbs town of Northbrook, and I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to dine at her establishment, Prairie Grass Cafe.
Chef Stegner supports Green City Market and local sustainable farms. She selects the freshest seasonal ingredients to create homemade products like her handcrafted sausages, outstanding salad dressings, rich ice creams and sinful desserts.
The space is large, friendly and warm with dark woods and exposed brick. I immediately feel relaxed when I walked through the door. The lounge area is large and features a horseshoe bar where mixologists pour sexy cocktails and many wines by the glass.
At Prairie Grass Café, the concept is to use fine dining cooking techniques to produce approachable, casual food. Quality ingredients are front-and-center for Chef Stegner and co-chef / partner George Bumbaris and their team and it’s evident in all the dishes I’ve sampled during my many visits.
Amish Blue Cheese & Grape Salad
Some must-try starters are the Amish Blue Cheese and Grapes Mixed Green Salad and the Homemade Paté in a Crock. The salad is tossed with tangy balsamic dressing and features a slice of grape-stuffed Amish blue cheese that’s then rolled in candied walnuts. It’s to die for and beautifully presented. The Paté is rich, velvety and served with an apple and Port balsamic reduction. Amazing flavors. Starters range from $6 for the vegetable spring rolls to $15 for the Peeky Toe crab cake.
Blue Cheese Crusted Sirloin Burger
Entrees that I’ve had an opportunity to sample are the handcrafted Mint Creek Farms lamb sausages, the crispy half duck from Maple Leaf Farm and the top sirloin burger with mild blue cheese topping. The lamb sausages are juicy and served over perfectly creamy polenta. The crispy duck is outstanding and some of the best I’ve had. I crave it even after Peking duck dinner in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The burger is fabulous and its blue cheese ‘crust’ is a perfect complement to the top quality meat. Entrees ranged from $14 for the penne pasta with basil-tomato-meat sauce to $38 for the Niman Ranch New York strip steak.
Desserts, all priced at $7.50, aren’t an afterthought at Prairie Grass Café. The seasonal pies are stellar, the chocolate chips cookie with homemade vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce is divine and the strawberry crepe with Grand Marnier sauce is decadent. Don’t pass up dessert, no matter how satisfied you are by the fabulous starters and entrees.
The restaurant currently serves lunch, brunch and dinner. Lunch is served Monday through Friday; dinner is served Monday through Sunday. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday.
Prairie Grass Café and Chef Stegner are active on social media networks so “like” or follow them:
www.facebook.com/prairiegrasscafe
601 Skokie Blvd
Northbrook, Illinois 60062
(847) 205-4433
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