Meritage - a less than excellent V-Day Dinner

Granted, this post is a little late, but I thought I'd share my experience, translated from my blog entry. I was a little angry that night, so I'll try to sort out the swear words -- errr, I mean, anger -- and create a bit of objectivity.

I'd heard excellent things about this restaurant, both from here and from reading reviews on different sites. Our actual experience that night -- well -- I'll let you read on:

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Dinner tonight - was an over-rated, over-priced experience.

We spent half as much on our anniversary 'lunch' at Phil Stefani's 437 Rush and it was much better. Even the wine was better.

That being said, I the risotto I had (with the lobster) was the BEST EVER. That was, really, the redeeming part of my meal, which, luckily, was the entree, but really, one of the only really GOOD parts of the 7-course meal I had. (Ed note: the lobster risotto was amazing. I would go back to just order that if it was just as good.)

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I also posted a more detailed review the following day. Here are the highlights of that:

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Arrival: Easy to find, tricky parking situation. Luckily, they had valet service. Normally, I'd bitch about paying for parking when there's street parking that costs NOTHING, but the area was very parking-deficient. Unfortunately, they only had two guys doing valet service, and they were [working like mad] trying to keep up with everyone. I went inside while Wes [my husband] waited for the valet.

We were seated immediately, which was good, even though we were about 15 minutes early.

They seated us on the outdoor patio, which was in an enclosed, heated tent. It was very hot inside. The table they sat us at did not have a lighted candle, but the maitre'd brought one over right away. This candle was the only source of light at our table, which, while being "romantic," made it ridiculously difficult to read the menus. The maitre'd asked us what type of water we'd prefer (tap, still, or sparkling). I ordered sparkling water. We waited another 10 minutes or so, and our waiter came over with additional wine selections, and asked us if we wanted a cocktail first. I told him I actually wanted to pick out a wine, but could we please get some sparkling water? He seemed surprised that we hadn't gotten it yet (even though it obviously wasn't on the table.)

Anyway, when he brought our water, I ordered the wine (Ken Wright Pinot Noir, I don't remember the vintage or vineyard, etc.), and he brought that out. I was surprised that he used the glasses on our table for the wine, but I hated to ask if they had different ones, because I figured, well, it's Valentine's Day, and they probably didn't [or wouldn't] have enough "nice" glasses to give to those who ordered bottles. Am I being a bit snobby about this? Yes, but if you're paying a lot for a bottle of wine ($70), you expect to get a better quality glass than the "table" glasses. At Phil Stefani's 437 Rush, they served the wine with Reidel Bordeaux glasses. *That's* what I'm talking about.

After we'd ordered, we were supposed to get a pre-appetizer (or, amuse bouche as they called it on the menu) of butternut squash-and-goat cheese maki roll, with peppered huckleberry coulis. Instead, we were given the appetizers we ordered (I had the peppered elk carpaccio with mission fig flan and balsamic gastrique, and Wes had herbed gnocchi with porcini, fava beans, and roquefort cream.) On a side note, I thought the carpaccio was similar to pate - I've never had it before. It was all right, to be honest. I really liked Wes's gnocchi, but the portion was tiny! When they had taken away our appetizer plates, I asked our waiter about the pre-appetizer, which he apologized about and brought right out to us. He said something about the "kitchen getting ahead of itself," which didn't really surprise me, but still left me slightly unimpressed.

The soup course was a roasted carrot puree with caraway apple salad and pumpernickel croutons. It was a bit spicy and actually fairly good. I wasn't as impressed with the apple salad bit, but the soup itself was excellent.

The salad was described as baby arugula with goat cheese and vanilla grapefruit vinaigrette. In reality, it was an unusually large pile of argula with a very *light* coating of vinaigrette, and a small bit of goat cheese & grapefruit on the side. Largely dissatisfying, to be honest, except for the goat cheese, which I love. I love goat cheese.

Our entrees really turned out to the star of the night. Wes had thyme rubbed beef tenderloin with blue cheese mashed potatoes and roasted chestnut sauce (the tenderloin was quite good, sort of like a cross between the two cuts we usually get - the New York Strip & Filet Mignon). I had lobster and foie gras risotto with grana padano cheese and gremolata. I've had risotto a few times in my life, and honestly, I've never had one I really liked. Until last night. I don't know what that cheese is that they used, but it was UNBELIEVABLE. It didn't make the price of the meal worth it, but I would have paid just to eat that, oh MY. Given everything else, I loved this entree.

I think it was just before our entrees arrived that we ordered another bottle of wine - the menu said '01 Dashe Zinfandel; Dry Creek Valley. He brought us the '02 vintage, which, my brother-in-law (who used to work at a wine store), said was an inferior year, especially for California wines. (ed note: I may be wrong about this - can anyone confirm this?)

I thought it wasn't the one that was on the wine list, but I didn't say anything, and now I'm kicking myself, because when he opened it and I tasted it, I knew it was flat. That is more my fault than anything, even though I partially want to blame the waiter, who didn't even mention it wasn't the same vintage on the menu. A good waiter should always make sure the customer is okay with that before they serve it. Maybe he didn't know better -?

Anyway... after that, we had a cheese course. On the menu, it's described as "lazy lady farms cranberries & cream and figaro cheeses with quince jam." All that came on our plate was three different cheeses. No jam. No fruit. No cream. All of which, would have probably complimented the cheese. Instead, it was just cheese. Plain, creamy, pungent cheese. I ate a few bites before giving up on the course. I wish I'd had a better memory of the menu at the time so I could have said something to our waiter.

Our dessert was flourless chocolate cake, raspberry mousse, and espresso truffle, for two. It was all fairly good. I loved the cake, but then again - I love chocolate anything. Yum.

So, yeah, that's pretty much the story of the dinner. We then waited about 15 minutes for them to get our car because there were two couples in front of us. Again, with the running valets. Wes was exhausted and slept in the car on the way back home.

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Anyway, I was a bit sour about the whole thing because, with the tasting menus and two bottles of wine, our bill came to over $400 with tip. I didn't feel like we'd gotten the experience I had hoped for and expected.

I ALSO realize that going on Valentine's Day was probably a really stupid idea. Sitting at the tables made you feel like you were in speed dating - it was a series of two-tops in parallel rows, inside a heated indoor tent with white Christmas lights on the ceiling. The whole thing was sort of surreal.

I'm hoping for other people's thoughts about this place - what they liked, their personal experiences. I am very reluctant to ever go back considering the wide variety of restaurants in Chicago and the amount of money we spent that night. On the other hand, I hate judging a place solely on one bad experience.

-- Nora

Sorry you had a bad experience. We've been there 4-5 times and had a good meal. Unfortunatly, Valentine's Day is a crapshoot no matter where you go or how much you pay. My wife and I gave up on dining out on V-Day as well as NYE long ago. I can cook a decent meal at home without the service glitches. Anyway...2 bottles of wine, eh? Did you drive home?

GreenFish wrote:
I think it was just before our entrees arrived that we ordered another bottle of wine - the menu said '01 Dashe Zinfandel; Dry Creek Valley. He brought us the '02 vintage, which, my brother-in-law (who used to work at a wine store), said was an inferior year, especially for California wines.

I'd hardly describe myself as an oeniphile but this is the first time I've heard someone declare 2002 as an inferior year for California wines. My understanding was that it was actually an outstanding year for Cali wines in 2002 (though I'm more than willing to be corrected on this).

Kman wrote:I'd hardly describe myself as an oeniphile but this is the first time I've heard someone declare 2002 as an inferior year for California wines. My understanding was that it was actually an outstanding year for Cali wines in 2002 (though I'm more than willing to be corrected on this).

Well, that's good to know, because I (at times) will question the knowledge of my BIL. I suppose I should have tried to do the research myself...

Anyway, that being said, I was still unimpressed with the wine. And I dislike it when the server does not point out that they are serving a different vintage than the one on the menu.

GreenFish wrote:
Anyway, that being said, I was still unimpressed with the wine. And I dislike it when the server does not point out that they are serving a different vintage than the one on the menu.

Agreed - not only should they be pointing it out but they should be apologizing as in "I'm so sorry, we are out of the xxxx - would you care to try the yyyy or would you like to reconsider?" - or something along that line.

Thanks for posting the review. I actually may be going there this weekend with some friends who live near there in Bucktown. Is Meritage normally that expensive (i.e., $200+ per person)? Or was it because you went all out with the wine and V-day tasting menu? I was under the impression that it was a relatively affordable (compared to Alinea and Tru, etc.) neighborhood-type place.

Ron A. wrote:Thanks for posting the review. I actually may be going there this weekend with some friends who live near there in Bucktown. Is Meritage normally that expensive (i.e., $200+ per person)? Or was it because you went all out with the wine and V-day tasting menu?

It was the tasting menu and the two bottles of wine. The tasting menu was 6 courses and $90 each. The bottles of wine were $70 and $60, respectively, I believe.

Their website is here. Prices are not listed on the site, but I'm sure people who have been there can give you a better idea of ala carte prices.

I agree with DMChicago...generally, going to a restaurant with any kind of Hallmark holiday "special" going is dicey, whether it's Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, New Years, Christmas, Easter brunch, etc. Valentine's is the worst offender. Prices are jacked up, heart-themed prixe fixe menus get dusted off, food quality is dialed down, and the blanket of faux romance the restaurants wrap themselves in for one night--the cheap rose on the table, the candles, the waiter pushing really bad sparkling wine--all in the name of love is a joke. Plus, it's amateur night. People come out in droves, and with such high expectations for the most romantic meal ever...and it inevitably disappoints.

Stay home and eat naked...it's far more romantic.

Kman wrote:

GreenFish wrote:
I think it was just before our entrees arrived that we ordered another bottle of wine - the menu said '01 Dashe Zinfandel; Dry Creek Valley. He brought us the '02 vintage, which, my brother-in-law (who used to work at a wine store), said was an inferior year, especially for California wines.

I'd hardly describe myself as an oeniphile but this is the first time I've heard someone declare 2002 as an inferior year for California wines. My understanding was that it was actually an outstanding year for Cali wines in 2002 (though I'm more than willing to be corrected on this).

The thing is that you probably could have a different rating on vintages from different parts of the state, even ones nearish to each other (Napa and Sonoma for example). Or it could have been great for Cabernet Sauvignon, but only good for Zin. And your BIL may be right as regards the area where Dry Creek Valley is for Zinfandel. He could also be wrong, I don't know

But they definitely should have said "I'm sorry, we're out of the '01, is the '02 acceptable or would you like to make another choice?"

I also had a disappointing experience during a Meritage pre-fixe dinner (12/31/05). Like you, that same feeling of ‘I should have known’ settled over me when all was said and done, but I was pretty upset at the time. It was almost five months ago and I didn’t keep a record of what we ate, so skip this posting if that’s what you’re looking for.

The bare bones were this: My husband and I had saved up for a really nice dinner (anniversary + new years) and we had heard great things about Meritage. The food was good, but we were rushed through the meal as if the dining room was Cinderella’s coach about to turn pumpkin.

Five courses ($66 pp) were dashed out in one hour along with a scantily paired wine list ($36? pp) that made us feel as if someone was testing us to see if we’d complain. The total bill (with the extra wine we ordered so we could make an actual toast) was just under $300.

To her credit, our waitress knew the rush job was in bad form. She was very sweet about returning our courses (salad and entrees) to the kitchen when they arrived early and actually apologized for the speed but couldn’t stop it.

I understand the restaurant’s position-- they were trying to turn tables as quickly as possible to accommodate the next round of smashed together seating. But when the bill is so hearty (even in a prix fixe/special occasion situation), I think it’s fair to have high expectations. Again, the food was good, but I don’t remember any of it—I’ve never had an experience where service detracted so much from the tastiness on my plate.

But enough griping. As you reflected, going out on such a big night was “probably a really stupid idea.” And now on to yummier, happier things.

I have enjoyed meals at Meritage many times over the last few years. I would say that its a little expensive compared to other places of similar quality, but not terribly out of line.

Meritage does have my favorite outdoor dining in Chicago in the summer. On a nice evening, the large patio makes for a wonderful eating environment.

As others (and the OP) have pointed out, the OP's fatal mistake was going (to any restaturant) on one of the classic hallmark holidays. Nearly eveywhere I've ever gone on such "special" nights has left me dissapointed with the food and lighter than usual in the wallet.

I would suggest that the OP return on a "regular" night to get a better perspective on the restaurant.

We dined there on Saturday, with a group of six, and I must say that overall I was a little disappointed.

Things started out well -- it is a nice, cozy little place -- and our server was knowledgeable and quite affable. We had several app's, including crab cakes and "tuna two ways" and soups, salads, etc. In general, things were pretty good until the entrees.

My entree, the rack of lamb, was fatty and undercooked pretty badly (I had ordered it medium rare). In fact, I had difficulty cutting the fattty meat on the small chops (or separating the small chops) with the knife that I was given. (The server did not re-appear in time for me to request another knife). My wife had the halibut, which she enjoyed but I thought tasted awfully bland. My friend ordered the elk special, which appeared badly undercooked (he had been told "medium rare"). The meat had the appearance and consistency of sashimi tuna. I probably would have sent it back -- my friend simply opted to pick at it and not finish it.

In all, a somewhat disappointing experience considering that dinner came to $170 per couple (with drinks, tax and tip). BTW, the wine that we selected (at $40 per bottle) was one of the few selections priced below $45 per bottle. I don't mind spending a little for a nice bottle of wine, but we've had much better $25-$30 bottles elsewhere.

I believe the executive chef and at least one other chef left to open Blue Water Grille last year. I have not been back to Meritage since then. I had a superb dinner the first time I went so I've been hesitant to try to reproduce the same experience, especially knowing the staff has changed. Your review reinforces my inclination that the quality has changed for the worse unfortunately.

sunshine wrote:I believe the executive chef and at least one other chef left to open Blue Water Grille last year. I have not been back to Meritage since then. I had a superb dinner the first time I went so I've been hesitant to try to reproduce the same experience, especially knowing the staff has changed. Your review reinforces my inclination that the quality has changed for the worse unfortunately.

Very interesting piece of information - My wife and I, this past year, attended 2 recruitment dinners at Meritage and 1 at Blue Water Grill, and we preferred Blue Water by leaps and bounds. Blue Water also has lovely mixed drinks - very impressed.