Randy S.
Google
Monday night dinner was good, but could use some improvement on the execution of the food and perhaps their portion sizes. The restaurant is beautifully designed and welcoming, with the feel of an upscale home, paired with excellent and attentive service. We were well taken care of throughout the evening.
We started with a cocktail, mocktail and wine. The drinks were delicious and fairly priced, however, wines by the glass (Vermentino and Pinot Noir) were $16 and $14 respectively, seemed light on the pour.
Apps ordered was their Pear Salad and Octopus. The Pear Salad was simple and elegant, full of texture, highlighted by creamy Gorgonzola and perfectly roasted/grilled pears. It was missing the blackberry, which would have added nice acidity, but overall the salad was very delicious. The Octopus was good but slightly off. It very tender but borderline mushy in some pieces. It was lacking seasoning and could have been a bit hotter, but it wasn’t far off the mark.
For the main course, we ordered the Half Chicken, Steak Frites, and Pork Chop. The steak was cooked perfectly and seasoned well, but the frites and chimichurri were standouts! Crispy frites with aioli and a slightly spicy and bright chimichurri made the dish. The chicken was cooked perfectly, with crisp skin, and juicy, plump meat. It came with chicken au jus that was also delicious and perfectly seasoned. Unfortunately, the pork chop was well done, dry, and under-seasoned. It was so simple of a dish that there is nothing to hide its faults.
The chicken and pork chop dishes are a la carte, so we added Garlic Mash & Gravy, Four Star Mushrooms, and the Grilled Cabbage appetizer as sides. The mash was very tasty and buttery, but the portion was not worth $10 for its size. The gravy had decent flavor, but it was also luke warm and on the thick side. The mushrooms were sautéed nicely and almost there, but they too were missing just a bit of seasoning. Regardless, they were a delicious accompaniment to the steak and chicken. We really wanted to like the cabbage, but that too should have been hotter, perhaps a bit more tender (cooked longer to bring out more natural sweetness), and more flavorful. It tasted watered down and under-seasoned, as I was expecting more punch from the nuoc cham.
Our final dish for dessert was the Chocolate Caramel Swiss Roll. It was a solid dessert as we all enjoyed the textures and flavors of a well made, not overly sweet cap to the evening.
I’m hoping that this review is read as helpful and constructive because I truly think that The Prospect is a much needed (upscale restaurant experience/destination) in the NW suburbs. I will definitely come back because I enjoyed our dinner and we had a great experience.