Suburban Eats: Prairie Grass Cafe | chicago foodie girl

4.01.2015

Suburban Eats: Prairie Grass Cafe

For our most recent Brunchgasm visit, Diana and I spent weeks at a bit of a standstill. March was hectic for the both us and faced with a myriad of dining possibilities, we got caught up in one of those too many possibilities/too hard to narrow it down/so we're just going to ignore it all and not choose anything loops. Thankfully, the good folks at the award-winning Prairie Grass Cafe stepped in just in time and put an end to our indecision/craziness (and saved us from having to admit to a sad brunchy defeat).


Located approximately thirty-five minutes of downtown Chicago in north suburban Northbrook (and very near the lovely Chicago Botanic Garden), Prairie Grass Cafe is a popular spot for the North Shore crowd. Now before you get too turned off about its suburban location, keep in mind that not only is it a quick jaunt from the city, but also, it's one of those restaurants that should adorn any local foodie's must-visit list. The restaurant has some serious cred behind it, as it's headed by Chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris, formerly of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago Dining Room. The acclaimed chefs took many of their signature dishes from their days at the Dining Room and simplified them to fit the vibe of their casual, contemporary American restaurant. The duo is dedicated to cooking with seasonal, organic products with an emphasis on Midwestern fare.



Diana and I kicked off our morning with one of Prairie Grass' specialty brunch cocktails, the Raspberry Mojito made with their own garden mint. We both absolutely loved this cocktail, as it contained large chunks of lime, mint & raspberries (ensuring you got a little of everything with every sip) with a heavy dose of rum. 

These cute little mojitos packed a deceptively mighty punch... we both may have been slightly tipsy (and just around the corner from all-out drunk) after quickly downing these tasty drinks. ;-)


For her entrée, Diana chose to go with the Portobello Mushroom Benedict with lemon hollandaise, served with breakfast potatoes. She loved the substitution of the portobello for the traditional English muffin, as it added a meaty, crunchy texture usually not found in Benedicts. 

We both ordered a side of the Smoked Bacon to add to our dishes. As we all know, there's a very fine line between perfectly crispy, crunchy bacon and burnt, pungent bacon - this bacon hit the exact right mark on the crispiness level. It's a must-order for all of you who are on team crispy bacon!



I also picked from the benny side of the menu, but my choice was definitely on the more traditional end: the Smoked Salmon Benedict. This was everything you want out of a good Benedict with the addition of some delicious tanginess from the lemon hollandaise.


We love our egg porn ooze!


As much as we both loved our entrées, the star of our meal was these amazing Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The restaurant is well-known for their pancakes and I can most definitely say the rave reviews are well-earned!



Drizzle shots are right up there with egg porn ooze!

We topped off these fluffy and zesty pancakes with some fresh raspberry sauce... total pancake PERFECTION! Trust me, these pancakes alone are worth a visit to Northbrook!


You can try all of this deliciousness and more at Prairie Grass Cafe: 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, IL. Brunch is served on Saturdays from 10:00-2:00 and Sundays from 9:30-2:00. 
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4 comments

  1. Replies
    1. You really need to try the pancakes! *swoon* We should go out there for brunch & then stop over at the Botanic Gardens - I know Diana would be up for more pancakes, too!

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  2. OMG that raspberry ooze has me blushing over here. LOL! :)

    -Diana

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