The hardwood booths of the bar area contrast nicely with the lightly painted wood panels in the dining room; the top few feet of the walls are painted with a "roof top" mural of the neighborhood. For example, the top portion of the Wrigley Field scoreboard can be viewed in one corner, a sliver of the Sears Tower in another, and church spires in another. This unique décor gives the impression of eating in an outside courtyard, where you can peer over the walls to the surrounding neighborhood.
The menu is straightforward and seasonal, often featuring items from local farmer’s markets. While the number of entrees on the menu is not expansive, the variety is: fish, chicken, vegetarian, beef, pasta, pork chops, and duck sausage are represented. There is a nice selection of wines by the glass, and a very nice selection of full bottles.
For an appetizer, we shared grilled shrimp with fava beans, onions, and a slice of parmesan cheese. This dish (a special that evening) could easily stand as a entrée for light eaters; four good-sized shrimp were grilled to perfection, in what seemed to be a sun-dried tomato-based sauce. The cheese added some sharp flavor to the dish.
We tried two entrees. For a seafood dish, we had skate (not a fish exactly, but a ray). According to the menu, the skate was sautéed, although it seemed to have a light breading which I did not expect. It was served with a fantastic potato-onion cheese fritter and a roasted garlic-lemon-caper pan sauce. Sauteed red peppers and steamed spinach added some color and flavor to the dish. The subtle flavors of each ingredient worked very well together.
The wood grilled pork chop, on the other hand, was not subtle. The thick chop, grilled medium well, stood unadorned with sauces, except for its own. A creamy yukon gold potato gratin was almost reminiscent of macaroni and cheese, as it was "cheesy" (in a good way). A dollop of mustard apple sauce provided a tart balance to the chop and the potato. Again, a very simple and very tasty entrée.
The unmistakable aroma of peanut butter preceded our dessert’s arrival: peanut butter mousse cake. A crushed graham cracker crust provided some crunch underneath the silky peanut butter mousse. Chocolate ganache, on top of the cake, lent an air of "Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup" to the affair. With the layer of ganache, and since it is peanut butter based, the cake was understandably not as light as a chocolate mousse cake. Peanut butter fans will not be disappointed. My wife and I split one piece, which proved to be just enough. We also shared a glass of Barros Tawny port, which paired nicely with the cake.
The chef, Erwin Dreschler, and his wife Cathy opened Erwin in 1994. Chef Erwin was very visible in the dining room and front desk throughout our meal. There is construction in the area as of May 2006, but Erwin is alive and well.