Here's the score: It's a tricky situation when a restaurant is so busy you need to stash a magician near the entrance door to keep waiting customers entertained.
That's the way it goes at Mike Ditka's in Oakbrook Terrace on a Saturday night. Almost every table in this stadium-size restaurant was filled by 6:30 p.m. At 7, there were as many people waiting for a table as there were sitting at a table. If a restaurant could hyperventilate, this one would.
And yet, despite all the huffing and puffing (as in noisy when packed), there is a lot to like about this branch of the restaurant empire of the former Chicago Bears coach.
Like waiters who know what they are talking about: Nailed the menu. Had all the answers. Made some sharp recommendations. And knew what they were doing: Like almost perfect timing between courses. Like busing the table between courses.
As for the menu, it has more options than a quarterback with six arms, from crab cakes to calamari, quesadillas to mini cheeseburgers. Steaks and chops and "sustainable seafood." Ribs and meat loaf. Pizza and pasta and side dishes and more, something for just about everyone.
Speaking of pizza, I took a pass on the "Coach's Polish Pizza" (I set up a no-kielbasa zone when it comes to pizza toppings) but decided to try the "Pizza di Parma." Not great, but good enough. The crust could use some work, but the toppings -- arugula, prosciutto and shaved Parmesan -- were excellent. Decent starter for two (or more) to share.
Then there was the crispy tuna roll. Nice flavors, fresh, the roll a crispy shell, tempuralike, was stuffed with tuna and avocado and sliced into pinwheels. A ginger and yuzu sauce on the side worked nicely.
Eclectic? You bet. Another appetizer, quesadilla, is all about BBQ brisket, a "lime crema" and "chipotle drizzle." The description was more appetizing than the actual dish. And with all of that, it came off bland.
Mostly, though, the kitchen gets it right. A dry-aged bone-in ribeye (a steak special one night) was a monster cut of beef. The charred exterior gave way to a perfectly pink medium-rare interior. The mineral flavor of the steak (dry-aged beef really has it all) came through with that lush taste that only a dry-aged steak can deliver. However, at 50 bucks, it damn well should be all of that and more (as in how about throwing in a potato or a veggie instead of sticking with the a la carte?). Geez, Coach, throw the customer a bone now and then.
Speaking of bones, the signature chop, "Da Pork Chop," had good moments and some not so good. The good was the thick, meaty, double-cut chop that was cooked just right (shading to pink) and was moist, tender and flavorful. The not so good was that pile of mashed sweet potatoes in which the chop was immersed. Guys, you can't slap a ton of sweet potatoes on a plate, then plop a top chop in the middle of it. What happened to finesse? Your side of mashed Yukon Gold potatoes is outstanding, so why not consider those for the chop?
Everything was fine with two other entrees, the "jumbo shrimp scampi" and striped bass. Simplicity met good taste in both instances. The shrimp, five in all, nicely cooked, were arranged on a pillow of brioche with a light lemon-butter (a hint of garlic) sauce to enhance the flavor. The rice pilaf on the plate was enjoyable, too.
The striped bass ("wild Chesapeake" on the menu) was a fine fillet that came off the stove at the right time. A small convoy of artichokes, fingerling potatoes and mushrooms gave the bass a proper flavor escort.
The desserts are too good to pass up. Best of the bunch was the pecan pie. Served warm to intensify the rich flavor, and with a knob of butter pecan ice cream on top, the pie was an instant hit. The chocolate truffle cake, served with a scoop of chocolate ice cream, was indulgently delicious.
Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com.
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