Our eyes were challenged as we entered the dimly lit restaurant from the bright sunshine outside and the hostess cautioned us to be careful as we followed her to our table, promising our eyes would adjust quickly. And once seated at our extremely comfortable banquette, we had no trouble reading the menu and getting a better look at our surroundings. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the leather and wood complimented by a rich tawny glow emanating from the beautiful alabaster chandeliers. The exhibition kitchen was a fascinating backdrop on one side, and the long, elegant bar on the other. The tall comfortable booth we were seated in gave a sense of privacy and romance to our meal.
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar is located inside Lincolnshire Commons
Before I start talking about the food - which was excellent - I want to take a moment to mention that our waiter, Juan Herrera, was perhaps the finest waiter who has ever served me. His knowledge of both the dinner and vast wine menu was unsurpassed, every recommendation he gave was superb, and his timing was impeccable. When, late into our meal, he mentioned how much he loved being a waiter and working at Fleming’s, it came as no surprise. Through his actions and attitude, he propelled a very nice dining experience into an outstanding event.
We snacked on a tasty loaf of warm parmesan bread complimented by dishes of Chardonnay infused feta cheese and tomato-basil butter as we settled in to peruse the large menu and discuss our options.
The mushroom ravioli was a spectacular starter.
We began our dinner with a special appetizer, Lobster Bites. Made with tempura batter, it started with a lovely crunch and ended with a slightly spicy aftertaste. While the flavors were delicious, they did overpower the lobster. An Asian variation of this dish is also on the menu and perhaps that version allows the lobster flavor to come through more fully. Juan recommended the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio to pair with the appetizer and it was a perfect foil to the zesty sauce on the lobster.
(As an aside, Fleming’s offers 100 wines by the glass, and over 80 wines available by the bottle only. Their wine selections have won awards from Wine Spectator Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, and Food & Wine Magazine. Special wine events are held at the restaurant regularly. See below for more information.)
We also sampled the Roasted Mushroom Ravioli, which was spectacular. The ravioli, stuffed with wild mushrooms, drizzled with a porcini butter and fresh parmesan, was decadent and delicious.
Enormous candied walnuts crown the Fleming's Salad.
We had mixed results with the soup and salad. The Lobster Bisque was a tomato-based affair and wasn’t bad, creamy and smooth, but seemed to be missing the lobster. The Fleming’s Salad, however, was a keeper. As a matter of fact, I would go back just for this salad,filled with greens, dried cranberries and some of the largest and tastiest candied walnuts on the planet.
Our entrees arrived, a gorgeous Bone-In Rib Eye for my companion and Seared New Bedford Scallops for me. The hand-cut rib eye was perfectly cooked and delicious. My scallops were tender and meaty and arrived with an assortment of vegetables. I loved the Meyer lemon glaze on the scallops, which brought out their delicate flavor, and the vegetable that were cooked to a faultless crisp-tender.
A treat for the indecisive: the Half & Half has crispy onion rings and shoestring fries.
We ordered an assortment of sides with our meal. All sides are served family-style and the portions are huge. The Fleming’s Potatoes were a highlight, a gorgeous browned brick of scalloped potatoes, and the “Half and Half”: thin cut fries and onion rings served with homemade catsup and a chipotle aioli, did not disappoint. We also sampled the creamed corn - sweet and creamy with a little jalapeño kick - and the creamed spinach, which was certainly the best we’d had in a few years - served swimming in a bland cream sauce at many other establishments, you could actually taste the spinach in the Fleming’s version.
Fleming's Potatoes: a creative (and tasty) twist on scalloped potatoes.
We finished our evening with Huge cups of coffee and two wonderful desserts. The Chocolate Lava Cake was not overly sweet. Served with ice cream and homemade Chantilly cream, its delicate crisp cake oozes with chocolate. The berry cobbler was a nice rustic take on a classic.
Luscious chocolate lava cake makes a decadent dessert
What: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Where: 960 Milwaukee Avenue, Lincolnshire, IL 60069
When: Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm; Sun 5pm-9pm
For more information: (847) 793-0333 http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/locations/il/lincolnshire
In a nutshell: Excellent food and terrific wine selection. HUGE portions. Recommendations: Roasted Mushroom Ravioli, Fleming’s Salad, Bone-In Rib-Eye, Seared Scallops, Fleming’s Potatoes, Chocolate Lava Cake. Wine recommendations: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Familia Zuccardi Malbec Mendoza Q.
Reservations are recommended: the restaurant was buzzing when we arrived at 7pm on a Thursday evening.
Sour Grapes: The noise level of the restaurant made it difficult to hear our waiter and those who stopped by the table - though we had no trouble hearing one another. By the time we left, the noise level had dropped so if you or one of your party has hearing challenges, you might want to consider making early or late reservations.
Centsible Dining:
Daily Pre-Fixe Dinner for $39.95: soup or salad, choice of entrée, and dessert.
5 for $6 til 7: A menu of cocktails, wines, and appetizers available for $6 until 7pm every night.
Of Grape Note:
Sept 1, 2011 - Fleming’s debuts its 2011 New Fleming’s 100 - a new selection of 100 wines.
Winesdays at Fleming’s: 25% off any Bottle from the Fleming 100 during September.
“Opening Night” Wine Tastings will feature 20 different wines from the new Fleming’s 100 and selections from the new Small Plates Menu. Every Friday in September from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. $25
Special Release: The Chicago area Fleming’s had the exclusive release of Silver Oak Cellar's 2007 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on Saturday, August 6. Through the Fleming's Icon Wine program, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a bottle of special wine at a very special price. The 2007 Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will be available for $100 per bottle (normal list price of $150 - $175) until September 30-or until inventory runs out.
