In big cities, no one is surprised to find menus listing imaginative dishes like spicy spoon bread with prawns and tomato basil coulis, roasted calamari with baby greens and citrus poblano vinaigrette or coriander-crusted yellowfin tuna. But finding such sophisticated fare in a strip mall storefront along busy Ridge Road in Munster, Ind., is nothing short of startling.
Service is knowledgeable without being imperious, attentive without being cloying.
His well-prepared creations deserve nothing less. Start with the crab cakes, three deftly seasoned patties with clear crab flavor presented on a chiffonade of fresh spinach and dressed with a mild aioli. It's a beautiful combination of silky broth, chunky potato and herbal essence. Another winner is the scallops wrapped in prosciutto with raspberry-sesame glaze, a complex combination of flavors that really sparkles. Entrees vary with the season, but creative preparations and polished presentations are constants.