Savanna House Restaurant & Bar - Wadsworth, IL

We were out for a weekend drive and we saw this restaurant. The only reason we even saw it was because we were trying to avoid construction on the Illinois tollway.

The place is relatively new, they have been open for less than a year. It is clean and very comfortable.

The bar area where they have live music on occasion takes up most of the building, the restaurant is mainly on what they call a sun room. Don't let the bar atmosphere deter you from visiting, it is not the main attraction.

What impressed us was the excellent service and the fantastic home-cooked food. Unless they were fooling us, it did appear that everything coming from the kitchen seemed extremely fresh and well prepared. Home cooking really would describe the food the best.

We have now been there twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. For lunch I had their Chunky Chili and their Build a Burger. For my burger I chose the small 1/4 lb size, which was more than enough. The burger reminded me of ones I use to get at a grill when I was a kid. It was fantastic. My wife had the French Onion Crock and a Turkey Burger, which she gave me a taste of. I am not a big fan of turkey burgers, they are usually dry and flavorless. This one was really good and I might even pick it over beef next time.

For dinner we shared their crab cake appetizer, which is not a what I would call a normal crab cake, but it was really good. I then had the ribs and my wife had the barbecue chicken. The barbecue Chicken was really good, but to tell you the truth, I would pas s on the ribs. They were a little cold and the meat was very dry and hard to get off the bone. Maybe I just hit them on a bad night.

We are very happy 94 is under construction, it gave us a chance to go to a new restaurant that we really did enjoy.

http://www.savannahouserestaurant.com/location.html

The HobNob - Kenosha, Wisconsin

The HobNob has been around for a very long time. It opened on August 11, 1954 and it has been running as a Supper Club ever since. The decor is what you would expect of a 50's style steak house, but what really is amazing is the view of Lake Michigan.

The food is well prepared and the service is excellent. All dinners served with your choice of a tossed salad or spinach salad, and soup,

choice of potatoes, and bread basket.

This evening my wife ordered the Crab Gratin Mushrooms appetizer. The taste was really good, but the mushrooms were small and you only got 4. I wish we had ordered the crab cakes, though. Next time we will.

For a main course I had the Prime Rib "Regular Cut". I ordered a side of horseradish sauce and Bearnaise. I also had a backed potato, it was excellent.

My wife had shrimp de jonghe which she really enjoyed.

We thought the prices were a little high for the way the economy is, but we had a nice evening and the restaurant had a decent crowd. Also, the wine pours were small, we would recomend you buy a bottle.

If you are in the mood for a good steak and a trip into the past, plan a few hours to enjoy a good meal and have a few drinks.

http://www.thehobnob.com/

Cafe Pyrenees - Libertyville, IL

We have been going to this restaurant since they first opened in 1990 in Vernon Hills, IL. They have sinced moved to Libertyville into a larger space. Af first I didn't like the new place - I thought they had expanded too fast. It seemed more casual than before and I thought the service really suffered.

Now I really feel that they have their act together and I really like the feel of the restaurant now. You can go in jeans and really feel comfortable.

Mainly their food is French influenced. My favorite thing about this restaurant is their creativeness. They have theme nights, like Tapas on Thursday or a night for crepes. They also have Wild Wine Wednesday where a specific brand of wine will be $3 per glass or $8 per bottle. How can you beat that!

Today we went because it was Wednesday and we were happy to discover it was March Madness. Everything on the regular menu was 50% off. So, not only can you have wine for $3, your meal is 50% off! We were so excited because this economy has forced us to eat at home more and this made it very affordable.

You can always count on a great fish special each night. It's a little pricey, but very good.

This is definitely a restaurant you should try.

http://www.cafepyrenees.com/

Fratellos Waterfront Restaurant - Milwaukee, WI

I had a craving for a cassoulet and my wife scoured the internet and found one at a restaurant called Fratellos in Milwaukee. It was late in the day, so we used OpenTable.com to get a quick reservation and we were off.

There is valet parking, so make it easy on yourself and use it. Parking can be a pain in the Third Ward.

Anyway, we started our dinner with their Savory Cupcakes, a BLT and a Club cupcake. Just so you know, they are really cupcakes and they are quite good. I don't think we would get them again, but you really should try them. I think they could have used a little more bacon.

I had the Braised Short Ribs that came on a bed of white bean and fingerling potato cassoulet. I loved it and will get it again. My wife had the grilled bruschetta chicken. She also really enjoyed her meal.

Both our meals were under $20 so for a good dinner it was pretty reasonable. We will be returning.

http://www.supplerestaurantgroup.com/fratellos-mke/default.asp

Forge Club - Vernon Hills, IL

If you live in the area and you are not a member, you are really missing out. We received a membership at the club for as a wedding gift and we have been going ever since.

The club has been around since 1969 and is known for elegant dining in a very rustic atmosphere. You are greeted at the door where you check in, then you are not presented with a bill till the end of the evening. The big thing about this restaurant is the fantastic food, but what we like most is the atmosphere. The service is never rushed, we have been the only people in the restaurant and we could have stayed all night. Nobody is ever trying to turn tables.

We usually start the evening with a drink (or two) in the bar. Once we make it to the dining area you can relax as long as you wish, or you can jump right in. When the menus come, only the host is given prices. This is nice when you are entertaining, your guests will not freak out about the prices and ordered the grilled cheese.

The menu changes frequently, but some of our favorite staples are Steak Diane, Dover Sole, Veal Chop and the Rack of Lamb. Last night the specials were Sea Bass, which one of our guests had and she loved it. Another, which a second guest had, was a 22oz Kansas City Bone-in Rib eye. I was lucky enough to get a taste of each and I have to tell you it was impressive. I was surprised when my guest ate all 22oz.

The meal is somewhat expensive, but if you really want to have a special night out this is the place to go.

Just so you know, not all the meals are expensive. Lunch is a great bargain and very creative, Sunday dinner, which they are now calling "Dinner with Grandma" is quite reasonable and there is something for everyone's taste.

If you want to go somewhere where you feel like family and are treated with the respect you so deserve, then join the club and start enjoying something very special.

http://www.forgeclub.com/