Caveat E.
Yelp
I just feel a little sorry for this business now.
I've been here several times because a friend really seems to like it but I cannot really figure out why. Not too many else seem to as we are always seated immediately because the place is always pretty wide open, inside and out, every time I've been here, around 6pm at different times of the year. The light, bright, contemporary, scandinavianesque-meets mediteraneanish-sort-of decor, supporting the "prasino" concept, is appealing with large panes of glass next to the sidewalk letting in a lot of light but still leaving me feeling somewhat neutral, like the interior color palette, and kind of like a very nice, up-scale cafeteria. It's a setting that reminds me more of breakfast, brunch, or late lunch places. The menu is solidly in the modern cuisine camp, reimagining favorites with international influences but also a variety of options both meat and non-meat based. The dishes are very nicely prepared skillfully fusing ingredients and ways to prepare and present them but still often striking me as just a teeny tiny bit pretentious (which has become the norm in downtown La Grange). Nevertheless, anything I have had has been at least decent but not necessarily delivering on the implied promise of being wowed--especially for what you pay. As a bench mark, you won't find a glass of pretty ordinary wine for less than 10 bucks--and not a large pour. The service is competent though there does seem to be an abundance of busboys constantly removing things from your table which is annoying. But here's why I've started to feel sorry. This place tries really hard. They clearly have given thought and taken pride in the business from concept to delivery, but yet, everyone seems to go to the Americanized, a lot more pretentious, crazy-priced, Greek-based place across the street clearly a favorite of a Polo-and-deck-shoe crowd--with the cash to spare. The places are essentially in the same location on east and west sides of the street both with access to ample parking--but--the other place has this distinct, dimmed light, intimate table (closely spaced by the way) vibe that is just, well, more romantic than Prasino--could that simply be it?! Regardless, the real point being, Prasino is not somewhere I would choose to return to on my own and it seems others make the similar choice. Hey Prasino, seriously though, if you can't beatem' on the dinner field, what about beating them on a different field by really focusing on being the go to breakfast, brunch, late lunch place?!--at some unpretentious prices. I'm pulling for you.