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Parmesan peppercorn dressing. Dill
rolls. Lobster ravioli. Macadamia nut tart.
All my favorites are still there, still available several years
after I last reviewed Fresh Starts Restaurant in Flossmoor.
To me, they add up to an ideal restaurant meal. They also are
good indicators of all things this establishment does so well.
The dressing dramatizes1he kitchen's use of, and the clientele's
acceptance of, strong flavors. This concoction should not be the
choice of anyone who wants the salad dressing to be unobtrusive.
It screams "fresh cheese and spice" at first bite.
The dill in the signature rolls also is used unsparingly; no
guessing what that flavor is. But it is the tender crumb of this
favorite that appeals to me, and demonstrates the abilities of
the Fresh Starts bakery.
Lobster ravioli - even the name sounds decadent and restauranty.
Seasoned lobster is encased in tomato pasta and finished with a
homard cream sauce. The entire dish illustrates the restaurant's
creativity and use of "fine" ingredients.
Finally, the macadamia nut tart. I don't know if this treat has
been available from Fresh Starts' beginnings, but it's the one
that always comes to mind when the restaurant is mentioned. The
combination of nuts, caramel and rich pastry is special, and so
is the restaurant that serves it.
Even the exterior is nicely set apart. Although it is a
storefront on the downtown strip, Fresh Starts' distinctive
canopy and full window view of the inside lure customers to open
the doors.
Once inside, they find an intimate space that is European in
feel. It is elegant, yet cozy, appropriate for a special
occasion meal or a quick lunch.
The welcome is warm, and the servers capable and accommodating.
The "fresh" in Fresh Starts comes not only from the quality of
the men's ingredients, but also from the menu. This is one of
the few area eateries that adjusts its offerings by the season.
Thus, the choices I had during an August visit will not
necessarily be available in December.
The summer dinner menu, as expected, emphasizes vegetable and
some fruit. That, in turn, means lots of little hearts appear
next to menu items, indicating those items are low in fat,
cholesterol or calories.
Among these healthy possibilities are a "hearty' spinach salad
that adds hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts and
black olives to the spinach; an appetizer marinated vegetable
martini that features roasted peppers and olives; from the pasta
assortment soba noodles, with julienne vegetables and chicken
breast, qualifies for a heart, while vegetable lasagna earns the
designation among entrees.
At my table, the blackened scallops were appreciated for their
tender preparation and the imaginative cucumber mango salsa,
which worked well with the heat of the blackening spice.
Other appetizers available were crab cakes with chili lime
aioli, a roasted pepper pizza and sesame ahi tuna, with the
Japanese flavors of pickled ginger, black sesame and wasabi
cream.
I picked an entree from the evening's specials and it was
extremely special. A beautifully fresh piece of salmon was
glazed with just a swipe of honey mustard and then grilled to
qualify as one of the delights of my eating-out career. It
didn't even need the accompanying bit of sauce.
My guest's marinated pork tenderloin was only slightly less
well-received. The caramelized red onion marmalade made this an
above-average entree, and the brown-butter spatzle was an
unusual side.
Other menu entrees of note are artichoke linguine with wild
mushrooms and marinated chicken breast and garlic basil sauce;
nardi chicken with tomato, prosciutto and white wine sage sauce,
and marinated flank steak served with black bean com relish and
salsa-infused rice.
Another fish, braised halibut, and a pasta, ziti with shrimp,
asparagus, red pepper and wine sauce, were available as
specials.
And then there is the dessert course.
Besides the above-mentioned tart, choices include cherry apple
pie, chocolate sin cake, caramel pecan cheesecake, lemon torte,
carrot cake or a cherry-studded brownie. The latter has such an
intense chocolate flavor, the cherries seem wimpy by comparison.
Lunchtime at Fresh Starts means a menu with expanded I salad
creations, plenty of interesting sandwiches and an adequate
number of entrees.
I enjoyed an Oriental tuna atop a house salad, but it also could
be ordered on a dill roll.
Other possibilities are avocado tostada, napa cabbage salad,
Southwest chicken wrap, Grecian chicken pita, a vegetable
assortment on a roll, shrimp and grits and beef broccoli stir
fry.
Whether at lunch or dinner, Fresh Starts is a worthy destination
as it continues to offer stand-out cuisine in a lovely setting -
as well as some of my favorite things. |
