Bistro One West now serving lunch

The highly anticipated opening of restaurant veteran George Guggeis’ west suburban venture, Bistro One West, happened last week when the contemporary American restaurant opened for dinner. The restaurant, which sits on the shores of the Fox River in St. Charles, Ill. launches its lunch menu today with lighter fare prepared by Bistro One West’s executive chef, Doug D’Avico.

Appetizers include Cow’s Milk Burrata, with roasted tomatoes, EVOO and sea salt ($10); Shaved Roasted Beets, with Nopales salad, pickled jalapeno and feta cheese ($8); Bibb Leaf Salad, roasted tomatoes, herb dressing and fried parsnip; Ancient Sweet Pepper, Dunbarton bleu cheese and applewood smoked bacon ($8); and Grilled Marinated Steak Skewers, roasted onion and bleu cheese dressing ($9).

Lunch salad selections feature Fingerling Potatoes, farm egg, roasted asparagus and house greens ($8); Roasted Winter Vegetables, tomatoes, house greens and garlic herb dressing ($8); Sautéed Shrimp, green beans, house greens and lemon olive oil dressing ($10); and Grilled Chicken, oven roasted pears, spinach, red grapes and sherry dressing ($9).

Bistro One West lunch entrées include Half-Pound Grilled Burger, ciabatta bread, Hook’s Creamery aged cheddar ($12); BLT, with natural fruit-wood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and maple-orange aioli ($9); Open-faced Skirt Steak Sandwich, with caramelized onions, roasted garlic and herb cheese ($12); Herb Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, cole slaw, feta, lime cilantro and dressing ($9); and Miller Farms Chicken Salad, arugula, cucumber herbed yogurt and dressing ($9).

About Bistro One West

Bistro One West is a contemporary fresh American Restaurant located at 1 W. Illinois St. in St. Charles, Ill. The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The dining room bar is open from 11 a.m. to close. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, contact Bistro One West at (630) 444-0600 or visit http://www.bistro1west.com/. Follow Bistro One West on Twitter at @Bistro1West, and “Like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BistroOneWest.

Bistro One West brings Fresh American cuisine to the banks of the Fox River in St. Charles

George Guggeis, a restaurant industry veteran with more than three decades of experience, is proud to launch a new restaurant, Bistro One West, along the shores of the Fox River in Chicago’s western suburbs. Bistro One West, opening in St. Charles, Ill. December 14, features fresh American cuisine by another culinary expert, Doug D’Avico, formerly of Trattoria No. 10.

“I am happy to return to the restaurant industry,” says Guggeis who took a brief hiatus to operate two cruise ship operations after successful gigs at popular Chicago restaurants Mango, Grapes and Rhapsody. “I am confident that Bistro One West brings the fresh, high quality food that St. Charles needs.”

Of course, Guggeis settled for nothing but the best when it came to selecting an executive chef for his new restaurant. D’Avico himself boasts more than 20 years of experience in the kitchen having been professionally trained at the Culinary Institute of America before helming numerous kitchens.

“George has a great vision,” says D’Avico. “The menu at Bistro One West uses fresh ingredients with simple, artisan techniques to create a number of flavor profiles for a high quality, modern American cuisine.”

The menu includes a number of appetizers and entrée selections, and will offer sandwiches for lighter options on the riverside deck in the spring and summer. Starters include White Polenta with Crispy Pork Belly with red mole and heirloom radishes ($10); Shaved Roasted Beets with Nopales salad, pickled jalapeno with feta cheese ($8); Jumbo Prawns with garlic, chili threads, shallots and grilled ciabatta ($12); and Deviled Eggs with Maine lobster salad ($12).

The entrée selections feature Berkshire Pork Cutlets, spicy snap peas and roasted corn pudding ($20); Organic Irish Salmon with roasted cauliflower, applewood smoked bacon and mint ($18); Herb Roasted Amish Chicken with roasted carrots, lemon, cinnamon and pearl onions ($17); Braised Veal Short Ribs with caramelized onion relish and natural reductions ($21); Lake Superior Walleye Pike with radicchio coleslaw, shitake mushrooms, green onion butter sauce ($19); and Roasted Poblano Pepper with spicy lentils, red shallots, spinach, feta and tomato ($18). Bistro One West offers sandwiches during the warm months on its outdoor riverside patio.

Dessert features a number of selections, including Caramelized Roasted Banana, baked cinnamon wonton and Nutella cream ($7); Chocolate pot e Crème, roasted pumpkin seed brittle ($7); Bread and Butter Pudding with poached berry compote ($6); and French Butter Cookies, with lemon curd, raspberry jam and chocolate sauce ($7).

Bistro One West also offers an expansive all American wine list with more than 100 selections. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, Bistro One West offers affordable dining with lunch averaging $12 per person, and dinner $25 per person.

The restaurant has a 66-seat main dining room with 30 seats at the bar. Private dining space is also available, with an additional 70 to 90 seats. During the warm months, Bistro One West opens its 60-seat riverside patio which will also feature live music.

The interior, designed by Vicky Tesmer of Tres Jolie Art, Inc., offers an inviting dining experience with dark woods and exposed bricks. The converted factory building has a “loft-feel” that is “woodsy, yet modern” according to Tesmer. The comfortable, clean environment is ideal for friends, family and business dining.

About Bistro One West
Bistro One West is a contemporary fresh American Restaurant located at 1 W. Illinois St. in St. Charles, Ill. The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The dining room bar is open from 11 a.m. to close. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, contact Bistro One West at (630) 444-0600 or visit http://www.bistro1west.com/. Follow Bistro One West on Twitter at @Bistro1West, or "like" them on Facebook. 

Pamela's Parkside Grill Announces $24 Prix Fixe Menu, Weekly Specials and July Artist Showcase and Worldwide Photo Walk

$24 Prix Fixe Menu, Tuesday - Thursday

In the heart of downtown Arlington Heights is Pamela’s Parkside Grill, a quaint restaurant with an eclectic New American menu owned by executive chef Howard Maybloom and partner Pamela Olin. Pamela’s Parkside Grill offers a great dinner value every Tuesday through Thursday with its four-course prix fixe menu for just $24.

Guests select an appetizer, including choices like Hummus with Pita, or Asian Glazed Chicken Wings. The next course is a selection of a House Salad, or Soup of the Day. Entrée dishes highlight Pamela’s eclectic menu with options like Half Roast Chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables, Fettuccine Alfredo with grilled shrimp, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Pasta with Stir Fried Vegetables and Grilled Salmon. Save room for dessert with selections like Crème Brulee, Ice Cream or Sorbet and Fresh Fruit. Prix fixe menu selections change weekly.

Weekly Specials

In addition to its rotating prix fixe menu options, Pamela’s Parkside Grill features a number of weekly specials that executive chef Howard Maybloom hand picks each week. Specials may include the Baked Goat Cheese appetizer with fresh herbs, garlic and tomato sauce ($8); Maple-Cajun Glazed Pork Chops with baked sweet potato and grilled pineapple ($26); Southern Comfort Chicken, a boneless chicken breast with peaches in Southern Comfort sauce with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables ($18); Blackened Great Lakes Whitefish with red beans and rice ($22); and Salmon Vesuvio ($19).

Pamela’s also features its signature flambé desserts like Bananas Foster and Crepes L’Orange ($10/$14). Other dessert specials include Pecan Pie ($8), and Cheesecake ($7).

Local Artists Featured in July

Owner Pamela Olin is a nationally recognized artist and welder and shares this passion with local artists by displaying the work of four artists each month. These unique pieces, a combination of sculptures, still life oil paintings, abstract acrylic work and photography, punctuate the eclectic feel of Pamela’s Parkside Grill. Artists whose work is featured at Pamela’s in July include:

• Sandie Bacon, classically trained artist, painter and muralist from Lake Bluff, Ill.

• Gary Swiontek, talented photographer from Arlington Heights, Ill.

• Sandra Fink May, energetic artist and advocate of the arts from McHenry, Ill.

• Pamela Olin, steel welder, painter and designer from Arlington Heights, Ill.

Monthly Gallery Dinners at Pamela’s

As it launches its new artist showcases, Pamela’s offers a Gallery Dinner on the first Tuesday of each month. For $25, guests dine on four courses with the four featured artists of that month. The artists change tables after each course so that everyone gets a chance to dine with each artist. Space for the gallery dinners is very limited. Reservations can be made by contacted Pamela’s Parkside Grill at (847) 394-2728.

Join Pamela’s for the Worldwide Photo Walk, July 24

On Saturday, July 24, Pamela Olin of Pamela’s Parkside Grill participates in the WorldWide Photo Walk with “A Dog’s Eye View of Arlington Heights.” The annual global walk features more than 900 walks across the globe with more than 19,000 participants worldwide. Guests for the Arlington Heights, Ill. walk are asked to bring their pups and cameras, and document the tour from the frame of a dog’s viewpoint.

The August artist showcase will feature submitted framed photos (8” x 10”) that fit the theme of “A Dog’s Eye View of Arlington Heights.” The submitted photos will be sold for $25 each during the August Gallery Dinner on Tuesday, August 3. All proceeds are donated to Arlington Heights charity, Buddy Foundation which provides safety and care for stray, abandoned and abused animals and seeks to re-home them with foster families and eventually “forever” homes. Visit http://thebuddyfoundation.sc102.info/ for more information.

There is no fee to participate on the photo walk. Contact Pamela at Pamela’s Parkside Grill at (847) 394-2728 to participate.

About Pamela’s Parkside Grill

Pamela’s Parkside Grill is located at 27 W. Campbell in downtown Arlington Heights, Ill. Pamela’s features New American cuisine including sautéed fresh seafood and grilled steaks. With its upscale atmosphere and inviting décor, Pamela’s is the perfect place for business meals, romantic dates and everything in between. Enjoy live entertainment each week at Pamela’s. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Pamela’s Parkside Grill at (847) 394-2728 or www.pamelasparkside.com.