|
A restaurant with a
sophisticated décor
and a phenomenal menu is
often anything but casual
and inviting. Branmor's
American Grill in
Bolingbrook, open since
1996, is all of the
above."If you want to come
in and have pasta and a
beer, you can do that,"
explains Marshall Calpino,
general manager. "If you
want to have a lobster tail
and a fine bottle of wine,
you can do that, too."
Upon entering the 200-seat
restaurant, fans of Frank
Lloyd Wright will note the
stained glass lampshades in
each cozy booth and the
simple yet elegant chairs
at every table that emulate
the architect's distinctive
style, as does the design of
the building itself.
In the warmer months,
outdoor seating is available
on two patios, one covered,
one not.
The restaurant's laid-back
ambiance - set to the rune
of jazz that plays softly in
the background - is the
perfect complement to its
amazingly flavorful food.
It's an absolute must to
begin the meal with the
hefty jumbo lump crab cake
($12), a sinfully delicious
starter that's served with a
decadent lobster cream
sauce. The coconut shrimp
($10) - another tempting
selection - features three
jumbo butterfly shrimp
dipped in Tempura batter and
coconut served with chipotle
pepper cream sauce.
During the short wait for
the entrees to arrive,
diners can munch on warm,
freshly baked bread
delivered by attentive
servers. This is also a
great time to enjoy the
house salad ($4), which is
topped with French fried
onions instead of croutons,
or the homemade soup du jour
($4 cup, $5 bowl).
Entrees are consistently
stellar at Branmor's. A
dining companion fell in
love with one of the
restaurant's specialties,
Walt's Barbecued Ribs ($14
half slab, $22 full slab),
which are slathered with
Executive Chef Walter
Dobrovolny's signature
barbeque sauce. The Grid
Iron Steak ($20), which is
char-grilled and served with
a wild mushroom bordelaise
sauce and crumbled bleu
cheese, is also an excellent
choice. The fresh and
flavorful Atlantic salmon
($19) nearly melts in one's
mouth, as does the
chardonnay vinaigrette that
accompanies it. A seasonal
item, the pumpkin ravioli
($19) - which arrives with
pecans sprinkled atop the
generous portion of pasta-
is as tasty as it is
artfully arranged on the
plate.
|
Diners can pair their
entrees with wine by the
glass ($5.50 to $11) or by
the bottle ($25 to $50,
though high-end selections
run upwards of $250) from
Branmor's extensive wine
list, which recently earned
the restaurant two Awards of
Excellence from
Wine Spectator
magazine.
Branmor's has plenty of
delectable sandwiches, pasta
dishes and salads that
appeal to both the lunchtime
and dinner crowds. The Black
Angus Burger ($8) boasts a
half-pound, Black
Angus-certified ground beef
patty served on a soft
pretzel roll and topped with
cheese. The Santa Fe chicken
($14) features Julienne
chicken breast simmered in
spicy Santa Fe butter sauce
and combined with Roma
tomatoes, spinach and
ziti
pasta. Those looking for
lighter fare can opt for the
roasted apple and spinach
salad ($7; with chicken,
$10), which gets much of its
fabulous flavor from its
candied walnuts, gorgonzola
cheese, roasted apples and
raspberry vinaigrette.
Branmor's signature dessert
is the irresistible
Flourless Chocolate Waffle
($7), chocolate cake in the
shape of a large waffle
that's topped with French
vanilla ice cream, caramel
sauce, chocolate syrup,
whipped cream and a heavenly
raspberry coulis. Another
delicious way to warm up on
a cold winter night is with
the exceptional Apple Upside
Down Walnut Pie ($6), a
warm, heaping slice of apple
pie topped with walnuts and
buttery caramel that's
served upside down with a
scoop of cinnamon stick ice
cream and a dollop of
whipped cream. |
