Range, Chicago

Range is a charming neighborhood restaurant in one of my favorite parts of Lincoln Park. The menu is comprised of rustic classics like roast chicken, skirt steak, and burgers. I recently got to attend a sampling of the winter menu and my friends and I were treated to six different selections from the new menu, each paired with a beer.

Range's Chef Luis is very conscious of what his restaurant is serving and his goal is to use locally and responsibly sourced ingredients. It is a farm to table approach that takes advantage of local producers. Range's menu gives credit to their suppliers by listing their names and location on the menu.

Our meal began with a duo of appetizers: Meatballs and Buffalo Cauliflower. The hearty meatballs were drown in a cherry-heirloom sauce and had a duck egg in the center. Meatballs as an appetizer are a bit of a trend these days in Chicago, I like meatballs, but think they are a little heavy for an appetizer. The meatballs were good, but the buffalo cauliflower was a showstopper.

Cauliflower was covered in buffalo sauce and served with buttermilk blue cheese sauce. This was the dish that everyone wanted to learn how to recreate at home.

Next we had a Russian Kale Salad. I really don't like kale, but I ate every bite of this salad, and it was huge. I think everyone ate every bite of their salad. Apparently if you add apples, dried cranberries, Mona cheese, croutons, and a buttermilk dressing to kale, it turns into the best thing ever. Want a healthy dinner? Just get the buffalo cauliflower and a salad.

Then we moved onto the entrees. We got to sample both the Skirt Steak and the Chicken. The skirt steak came with a side of shiitake ravioli and spinach and was drizzled with a stout sauce. The shiitake ravioli was made with fresh pasta and was loaded with meaty mushrooms.

The chicken was rubbed with smoked pepper, and served with pickled veggies, roasted garlic, fingerling potatoes, and a horseradish root biscuit gravy. The chicken was another dish that got everyone talking. It was really fresh - to the point where it had much for flavor than the chicken I usually eat.

Dessert was a Chocolate Cake with Graham Cracker Ice Cream and Marshmallow. This was a really fun way of making s'mores more sophisticated. The Graham Cracker Ice Cream was a surprising treat, and the toasted marshmallow on the top was freshly made and completed the s'mores theme.

A few weeks later I returned to Range for brunch with over a dozen of my girl friends. There is a great back room, with its own fireplace that is perfect for events. I ordered the Ham Benedict, because I am obsessed with benedicts. The theme of the brunch was organizing and setting goals for the new year, and we were all given to do lists from Thyme Is Honey which help you set goals for the day, menu plan, and make sure you drink enough water.

Range's brunch has a nice mix of breakfast dishes and heartier (man friendly) lunch fare, making it a fun place for a group brunch with friends, or a quiet brunch with your significant other.

Range is located at 1119 West Webster Street in Lincoln Park. They do take reservations and they are very accommodating to large groups.

If you mention The Kittchen at Range in January or February you will get 10% off your bill.