DISH: SAVORRiver Roast

For starters, it’s in the spot that Fulton’s on the River occupied—a restaurant that so impressed this diner and his friend that the banana cream pie literally brought a tear to the eye of said dining companion. Also, would the team of award-winning chefs Tony Mantuano and John Hogan be able to bring the goods?

Well, let me answer that question—it’s an emphatic “yes.” Judging by the fare a friend and I had at a recent brunch/media visit, patrons can return to this address and know that they’re going to enjoy some delicious fare.

However, people may be in for a jolt when they enter River Roast. The large space has been substantially renovated, as evidenced by the large cow at the window. Patrons then go downstairs to the main restaurant space (There are a bar and tables upstairs as well.)

We chose to eat outside—and it turned out to be a wise move, as it was a gorgeous day. The riverside view is a huge plus for this restaurant, and the move to have a live band (in this case, Toronzo Cannon’s uptempo blues) was a smart move.

My friend and I, of course, started with drinks. She had a refreshing concoction called a Book Club (which a menu stated was served with wine, citrus—and gossip) while I tried a beer/mimosa mix called, fittingly, a beermosa. The server, Alex, said he would drink the beermosa if I didn’t love it—and, well, he had some alcohol that day. It was the only misstep for me, but I’m also not a beer person. I then had the Punch (Brugal rum, brandy and citrus), which was much better for me. BTW, the drinks also featured oversized ice cubes—which are cool (no pun intended) to look at; however, it also means there’s less of the actual drink to savor.

As for food, we started with the foie and duck terrine (an appetizer from the “Bites & Boards” section of the menu), which I absolutely loved. (Actually, we started with the lobster terrine, which the server mistakenly ordered for us. It was also delicious—complete with a huge piece of lobster in the middle.)

I then had a dish I’d never tasted: Scotch egg. River Roast’s egg involves a soft-boiled egg (as opposed to the usual hard-boiled version) surrounded by sausage and a fried exterior. This dish was a winner for me, and the pickled mustard seed on the side only enhanced the tastiness. The shrimp and grits also worked for me; the grits were a different texture than this Southern guy grew up with—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The very smooth grits and the moderately spicy shrimp made for a more-than-solid mix.

One of my favorite dishes during the meal was the rabbit and waffles. If somehow you can get over the fact that it’s rabbit (which would affect some people I know), you’re in for an exquisite treat. The waffles were good, but the rabbit was extremely flavorful. I would return for that dish alone.

But the real reason to go to River Roast involves, well, its signature roasts—fish, whole chicken or roast beef—that a staff member carves at your table. We opted with the roast chicken, and were rewarded with possibly the most succulent pieces of the bird that I’ve had in Chicago. The smokiness of the chicken only added to the experience.

While there weren’t tears of joy at River Roast, there were more than enough smiles to highly recommend this restaurant.

Now only if River Roast had a dance floor for the live music…

; www.riverroastchicago.com/)