|
Turf
Room Restaurant Review
When I first received an e-mail heads up about an upcoming restaurant in North Aurora back in October of last year ('07), I must admit to being a bit excited. The Turf Room, I was told, would be a fine-dining venue specializing in American cuisine -- steaks in particular -- and a menu full of eclectic and unique fare. Stopping in for a peek not long after the "soft" opening had taken place, I was both surprised and impressed; surprised at a very different kind of restaurant -- at least from the standpoint that it also held an off-track betting facility – and impressed at the details and uniqueness of the decor. I stayed for a cocktail and browsed the menu. On it were some offerings available as "Happy Day (Wine and Beer) and Happy Hour (Food)" specials; they sounded perfect for my appetite and I ordered the Mini Chilean Sea Bass Sandwich: Oh, boy... it was fabulous! I would definitely be returning for dinner! Lauren and I actually returned on two other occasions: once with a client for some additional appetizers (Baja Shrimp Wonton, Mini Kobe Burgers, Parma Pizza and Duck Potstickers) – actually, because we decided to try so many, the appetizers replaced our normal meal that evening, and we returned home very full -- and the other time was for dinner. Both occasions yielded excellent results.
From the outside, the building has the look of stressed and faded wood -- siding from some ten barns actually -- that is immediately reminiscent of horse barns. Of course this should all start to make sense once the connection to the name (Turf Room) is made. Inside, the faint smell of an oak fire is omnipresent. Some of the smoke wafts from the fireplace surrounded by a sunken lounge area and some comes from the brick oven when meats and pizza are tended. Saddles on the walls and other tack add to the horse theme; pictures of famous horses and races adorn other walls. The menu reads almost like a racing form and even the bathrooms are made to look like the stalls at a race track or at a horse farm. We almost wished that there would be a hint of leather to complete the feel. The place is fairly large, but the rooms have been broken up by thick, hanging draperies and sectioned, booth areas. Next to a sunken lounge area – complete with the wood-burning fire pit mentioned earlier – is another bar area with a few high-top tables and a couple of booths. There is also a separate wine bar at the rear of the restaurant where the entire wall behind the bar is filled with racks of red wines; plenty of whites are available as well and the wine list has probably close to fifty that can be had by the glass! Seating will accommodate about thirty-five patrons in soft chairs at high tables; appetizers as well as full meals can be had there too. The neat thing – at least for the non-wagering among us -- is that the OTB facility is secluded behind the main bar (which has a great changing-color background) and, unless one really looks hard to find it, one might never even know that OTB is there.The menu choices are many and varied and selection can be difficult. But then, that has always been a good sign for me and again, it just makes for more of a reason to return... A few examples might be instructive here. For appetizers, try the Lobster Corn Dogs, Duck Pot-stickers, Eggplant Rolls, Shrimp lollipops or Brie Curds. Entree selections that jump at you are the Agnolotti, Portabella Ravioli, Pork T-bones, Meatloaf Flight, or one of the 45-day dry-aged Black Angus steaks. There are also some excellent salads, a half-dozen “side” choices and usually 2-3 homemade soups. Even the eight different pizza choices are unique and inventive: try the Fungus Amongus, (roast portabello mushrooms, spinach and garlic cream) or the Seabiscuit Flatbread (crab cream cheese spread, artichoke, onion, spinach and red pepper).
As we looked at the menus, our server brought a basket of bread paired with two thin but large squares of butter. Lauren ordered a glass of J. Lohr Chardonnay and I asked for a Grey Goose on the Rocks. It was a weeknight and the place was not busy, but it was quite relaxing at the dark butcher-block table as we sipped our beverages. For our evening out, Lauren had her eye on an item she had seen on a previous trip: the Roasted Portabella Ravioli (Seared sirloin, wild mushroom, onion, garlic, spinach, Bleu cheese red wine demi - $14.95). Perhaps a tad heavy on the garlic, this ample-portioned dish was chock full of tender (I could almost cut it with a fork) and tasty sirloin, plenty of wild mushrooms and lots of flavor with a rich and dark demi-glaze. My choice was difficult; I couldn’t decide among the Lamb Chops, Chilean Sea Bass or the Meatloaf Flight. It was quite cold outside and the comfort-food appeal of the Meatloaf Flight (Kobe Beef and roasted vegetable, fingerling potato, demi-glaze; Veal and Parma Ham, red pepper, mashed potato; Turkey and Sage, rice pilaf, mornay sauce – $15.95) tipped the scale. It was an excellent choice – all three samples were flavorful and tender, arranged in their own separate compartment and accompanied by roasted vegetables in a forth section of the four-square plate. Of course I had to add the Meatloaf Wine Flight (a Cabernet, a Rosé and a Chardonnay - $9.95) to my selection; Lauren chose a Cypress Merlot to pair with her meal. The meatloaf sample were excellent but could have used some additional sauce as they were a scosch on the dry side. All in all, we both had an excellent evening. The Turf Room has what it takes to qualify as a fine dining venue. The prices – even those for the steaks – seem very reasonable, the service is spot-on, the food is well-prepared, well-presented and brought to the table hot. The ambience is warm and comfortable with easy-on-the-eyes lighting and although the décor is themed, it is definitely not overdone. Congrats to Chef Shawn Hartwig for developing a very nice take on some great American classics. My one suggestion would be preheat the plates so that the meals stay hotter longer – especially on long and cold winter nights. My overall perception is that Turf Room, at Four Zins and only coming out of the first turn, is a full length ahead of the field… It’s also a great addition to North Aurora dining.
|
