Tapas...Meson Sabika in Naperville

Has anyone ever been to this restaurant or has any pics of the tapas they serve? I've seen their website, and the restaurant is a mansion with different dining rooms, does anyone know which dining room is the best or most romantic for Valentine's Day?
Any thoughts?

Wow, I had no idea this place was still open. I was there sometime in the early 90s, and thought it was pleasant enough. We sat in the main dining room several times...though it was a while ago. Maybe you should call and ask the host about current room ambiance.

I have always thought this was a very romantic location, many years ago it was calld Willow Way Manor. It's still a nice place and the food is good but the best ambience is in the summer when you can eat on the patio. It's still one of the nicer settings around, we celebrated a special birthday in a room on the second floor that was beautifully decorated. I agree, call and ask which room is the nicest for you.

My cousin had his weddng reception there (outside in a tent between the house's front door and the street) a couple of years ago. The food was still good, and the place was very busy.

The mansion, which was Willoway Manor, is a nice, romantic setting and is somewhat unique compared to Naperville's other high-end restaurants. The main floor and upstairs dining rooms are actually pretty similar, in terms of ambiance. They occasionally have a guitarist and flamenco dancer, which I find kind of annoying (and loud), although some people may enjoy that kind of festive atmosphere.

As for the food, I've always found the tapas to be consistently good. The restaurant was, at one time, affilliated with Emilio's. While he has moved on, the menu and quality of the food has pretty much remained intact.

In my experience, Meson Sabika still is typically very crowded and busy -- I'd imagine that it will be a zoo on Valentines' Day. As a result of its popularity, at least on weekends, we've noticed that the service is rather inconsistent and often amateurish.

It is a small world - we had our wedding reception at Willoway (prior to Meson Sabika) after getting married at the Century Chapel across the street in the Naper Settlement. All quite lovely.

Then for a long time Meson Sabika was our favorite place in Naperville until we got bored. Yes, the food is consistent and has not changed much since Emilio's days there, so eventually one moves on.

I agree that all the rooms are pretty nice, and I would not consider one more romantic than another - the patio is my preference but the season seems to rule that out. If I recall correctly, the room to the left of the entrance is a little smaller and thus more intimate, but it is not really a big deal.

Just keep the pitchers of sangria coming and be sure to share all the most garlicky dishes... Ah, romance.

Never been to the Naperville location but I think the food at their Northfield venue is very nice. There are a couple of dishes that stand out and everything is tasty, with few exceptions. I wrote up a few items in a post at eG, but that was quite some time ago. Still, it may be of some value:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=47055

=R=

Interesting...I had no idea that the folks running Meson Sabika have multiple tapas restaurants. While it sounds as though the food probably is the same, the Naperville location definitely is unique in that it's housed in the mansion (built in 1847, according to their website). I suppose it's reassuring to know that the non-Naperville locations are thought to have good tapas.

Other posts have stating that Meson Sabika hasn't moved forward since they split from Emillo's. It's a statement that I would agree with. But to the original poster, if you haven't been to Meson Sabika before, it is worth a visit. I suspect that Valentine's day will be a madhouse however. I've been there for Mother's day brunch, and I found it to be unpleasant.

And I have a soft spot for their Sunday brunch. It's a bit over the top, but a pretty good deal for what you get.

Tim

pancake wrote:Other posts have stating that Meson Sabika hasn't moved forward since they split from Emillo's. It's a statement that I would agree with.

The menu hasn't changed in a long time. In Northfield, it's virtually identical to what it was before the name change. But it's solid and they do a good job with it. I wouldn't call it 'cutting edge' by any means.

And yeah, Valentine's Day sucks just about anywhere.

=R=

jjm12 wrote:Has anyone ever been to this restaurant or has any pics of the tapas they serve?

_____I'm a huge fan of Meson, so take my words with a grain of salt. Naperville 203 (& maybe 204) teachers get 40% off in groups of 4 or smaller as well, so I frequent the place!
_____I don't have any pictures, but it's an old mansion basically modified into a restaurant. The bar is...there in the back, but almost worthless. These facts are mute next to the food which is delicious!

jjm12 wrote:...which dining room is the best or most romantic for Valentine's Day? Any thoughts?

_____I know we're past 2-14 and all, but Meson is good for any special dining event. If you want something more intimate, I'd go upstairs or to one of the smaller off-shoot rooms on the first floor. You don't have to speak Spanish to order, but it certainly helps. My wife speaks fluent Spanish, so I just her take care of that one...
_____There's a lot of construction at the site nowadays and they're working to expand. I'm not clear to me if it's for weddings (to replace the tent they put up near the fountain in the front of the property), or if it's more seating for the actual restaurant. I'll need to stop by and check in on that!

As good a reason as any to go!

Zin

P.S. IF you're interested in the Champinones Rellenos by chef Filemon Ochoa (of Meson Sabika), pick up the March 20, 2007 copy of "Discover Naperville"...page 33, people!

P.P.S. Outside of Patatas Con Alioli (garlic potato salad), does anyone have other recipes or know of them from Meson? I'd love to get my kitchen on these...