February, 2008

Park Place
Tavern at the Park, Millennium Park's new neighbor, has got the chops to be a comfort-food staple for years to come.

Sherman Kaplan
North Shore Magazine

Before reading any further, take a quick measurement of your index finger from knuckle to tip. That's the thickness of a double-cut pork chop at Tavern at the Park.

It arrives crusted black from the grill, glazed with a dark reduced sauce made from Cherry Coke minus the fizz. It's the kind of rich, warm syrup that can tame any cut of meat, producing a juicy, flavorful chop that's as tender as your mother's love.

Truth be told, the double-cut pork chop is not the headliner on the Tavern menu. That position is reserved for its two filet mignons, either 9 or 12 ounces in size. You can enjoy them straight up or with your choice of crusts, which range from fresh-ground pepper or toasted garlic to horseradish or lobster.

The tavern acts as a business hangout for some, tourist attraction for out-of-towners and a family draw on the weekends for others. But this restaurant is so spacious that families with children won't have to worry about disturbing others. The restaurant is also fairly conversation friendly considering how busy it can get during rush hour. The bar, as expected, is going to be a bit of a bustle. But sit in one of the second-floor dining rooms, and the evening will take on a calmer pace.

The décor certainly helps, with mahogany panels, flagstone accents and posters that evoke memories of Chicago when it was hog butcher to the world and the brawny City of Big Shoulders. For contrast, some booths will seat diners at large windows with a beautiful view of Millennium Park across the street.

For all the emphasis on beef and double-cut pork chops, the menu has a surprisingly casual side. There are sandwiches ranging from a chopped-steak cheeseburger to a prime rib, even a tavern twist on the classic bacon, tomato and cheese sandwich. This version comes with hearty cheddar and apple wood-smoked bacon on toasted brioche.

There are some mistakes here and there that don't translate well from the menu to the table. The herbed chicken fondue certainly reads well, boasting melted fontina cheese, roasted garlic and pulled chicken, only there was barely a whisper of chicken provided, and everything else was drowned in a puddle of melted cheese.

The fried calamari, on the other hand, is far from the same old thing you'd find on any old appetizer list. This calamari arrives in a sauce accented with jalepeños for a snap of flavor and fried lemon slices for an acidic little twist.

As for starters, the Tavern Teasers could work well as a small entrée. It's a contemporary take on sliders, everyone's favorite greasy White Castle hamburger on a mini bun. But in this case nothing's greasy, and the choices, in addition to ground sirloin, include pulled pork or prime rib. The portion includes three small sandwiches on puffy buns with shoestring fries. All that's missing is a Coke, a letter sweater and saddle shoes.

Throughout the menu, you'll find an alternating list of hits and misses. Blackened sea scallops in fettuccine falls into the latter category. Why would anyone want to ruin perfectly good sea scallops by blackening them? Sea scallops ask for nothing more than a little butter and lemon. Nothing else needed. But to be fair, the fettuccine is perfectly al dente in a tomato sauce that picks up just a little of the spice from the blackened scallops, the spinach and mushrooms, which softens the flavors a bit more.

Braised short ribs can be the epitome of comfort food, and it is quite comfortable served Tavern style. To be honest, the chunked vegetable sauce is too salty for my taste, but the flavors of the short ribs in a red wine demiglace make up for other shortcomings.

There are some tempting à la carte sides, each enough for a table of four. Roasted green beans are crunchy and good, while the mac and cheese is everything American comfort food should be.

That comfort-food theme continues with dessert. The duo of apple crumble and vanilla ice cream reminds me of sitting with friends at the kitchen table. Fried bananas in caramel sauce with ice cream is a banana-lover's friend, and I love bananas. Otherwise, there are few standouts.

Service is memorable, which is some feat considering how much territory servers have to cover from the kitchen to the dining rooms. There is valet parking, and when the weather warms up, the Tavern is the perfect location for an after-dinner walk through Millennium Park.

Tavern at the Park
130 E. Randolph St., Chicago. 312-552-0070

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