Modern Take on Casual Seafood

Outside Chicago, the casual dining empire that is Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises recently opened a seafood restaurant that epitomizes the idea of “polished” casual. LEYE partner Mark Tormey teamed up with founder Rich Melman to create the concept, which is located in suburban Oakbrook.

REEL CLUB: Ecological and stylish.

When the duo began batting around the seafood idea, they came up with the idea for a more contemporary design than that of traditional seafood houses, including LEYE's own Shaw's Crab House and Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab. The unit's clean lines and minimalistic style are complemented by executive chef Mychael Bonner's fresh, stylized and light approach to the menu and its presentation.

“When we put the restaurant together and made our (design) choices, we clearly tried to create a restaurant that felt special, but not stuffy or too expensive,” says Tormey. “We wanted to create a place people could use on special occasions or any time.” Seafood entrees run from $18.95 to $26.95; lobsters are $34.95 to $46.95. Described by one reviewer as “hip and edgy,” it is “the way the food is presented in such a contemporary way that is a big point of differentiation for us,” says general manager and LEYE veteran and partner Matt Mulvihill. For example, in its Fresh Alaskan King Crab Cocktail ($15.95), a blue light is embedded underneath the ice that lines the bottom of the bowl, illuminating the dish from below. Similarly, the Double Dip Shrimp Cocktail ($11.95) is presented on a huge mound of ice spilling from a bucket. In its level of social consciousness, Reel Club also shows itself to be ahead of the casual curve, boasting about its ecological practices on its menu. The seafood menu is rounded out with a beef, prime steak and veal section ($14.95 to $43.95), and the requisite chicken and pasta offerings as well. Taking a cue from fine dining, sides ($4.95 to $6.95) such as Truffled Mac and Cheese are a la carte.

Unlike many other casual seafood operations, especially the chain models, Reel Club benefits from the attention of an executive chef (Bonner), who updates the menu four times a year. Another asset is LEYE's master sommelier, Alpana Singh (a Restaurant Hospitality Rising Star, February 2001) who manages Reel Club's “Reel Hot 40” wine list. For the area's oenophiles, Singh keeps it interesting with lesser-known labels and suggestions for pairings.

Reel Club seats 200. Its average check is $18 at lunch and $45 at dinner, according to Mulvihill. As of now, there are no plans for future Reel Club locations.