Emmett's Tavern & Brewing Company

My wife Ginger and I decided that we would stay near home for this past Friday's custom of eating out. There aren't too many places near us but we do have an old standby that I normally recommend to friends but I have never written about it. Emmett's Tavern and Brewing Company or (Emmett's Ale House if you prefer) is located on 110 N. Brockway Street in Palatine next to the train station. What a great location for the folks commuting from work in Chicago. Get off the train... walk just a short distance to an excellent restaurant and bar and enjoy a cocktail or maybe grab a bite to eat before heading home. I have got to believe it is a popular place for all of the people that live in the nearby condos and townhomes, particularly the singles crowd. I recommend calling for reservations. Normally I do call ahead, but this evening we take a gamble and drive the short one and a half miles to Emmett's. As we pull abreast of the restaurant parking lot we see that every spot is taken. It's a long parking lot that wraps around the west side of the building and as far as we can tell it would be pointless to drive into the lot. As I set my jaw into a grim expression of determination to find a place to park, just in front of us a car backs out of a spot right across the street from Emmett's front door.... What luck. Hmmmm, I wonder if our luck will continue to hold as we walk across the street to join another couple in their walk up the sidewalk to Emmett's front door.
As we walk toward the front door we notice that most of the tables in a sizeable outdoor seating area are occupied. It's a very pleasant day but extremely bright for this early evening and we decide to eat inside. I grasp the handle on the glass door on the right side of the entrance and pull the door open to let my wife go first and the other couple sneaks through before I can join Ginger at the hostess station only two paces inside and centered on the front doors. Behind the hostess station is an expanse of glass that permits viewing of large copper kettles used for brewing their handcrafted beers. On the left is the dining area that I know from experience is populated with booths in the center of the room and tables on the perimeter along the windows. Also on the left and rear are a couple of areas used for events or as an expanded dining area. On the right is the bar. Ginger stands at the hostess station for a moment while I peek into the bar and notice that there is a lot of available seating. We have eaten in the bar before and actually enjoy it so I come back to inform Ginger. She is okay with it so we tell the hostess we will find a table in the bar and she smiles and says, "That's fine, enjoy your dinner." Clearly the number of people that decided to enjoy the outdoor seating area made finding a table easier and we had lots of choices. In the bar area there is actually quite a lot of seating. Immediately in front of us is a bank of booths and they are all occupied but there are several high tops with chairs that are empty and we choose one near the window looking out into the outdoor dining area and can actually see my car in it's spot next to the cross walk we had used just minutes before. Our server arrives and introduces himself as Ryan. We tell him our names and he doesn't forget all evening. He takes our drink order and deposits two menus. I'm a little bummed because my favorite Emmett's item has been removed from the menu and replaced by something else. The dish must not have sold well enough or it was just time to refresh the menu. My favorite was the salmon and bow tie pasta (farfalle) with a garlic cream sauce and capers. Mmmmmm...Mmm. Oh well, time to try something new. Our server returns with our drinks and of course Ginger has a chardonnay and I have one of the Emmett's beers. I really like their beers and they range from an American style pilsner to a hoppy ale, a deep dark oatmeal stout and even a red ale reminiscent of a Killian's. I sip my Munich Light and it's every bit as good as I remember. This is one of the best American style home brews I have ever tasted. Now it's time to order and Ginger is about to throw a curve ball...wait for it......wait for it... I know my wife and I know what she likes to eat and I know her habits and I know what she will order tonight. Our server asks the question and it's Ginger turn first..... She'll have the tuna.........but that's not what comes out of her mouth.... PORK CHOPS!!!!????? Whaaaaaat? The world has tilted off its axis. Somewhere on planet Earth the laws of physics have ceased to apply. This is too much. The look on my face tells Ginger an explanation is in order and the continuity of the universe must be at stake. "I feel like something different tonight.", she says with a grin. Now to be honest Ginger does enjoy tuna but this is only the second time she has ordered pork chops and both times it's been at Emmett's. She enjoys their tuna preparation and sometimes she will have their Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer instead of a meal and she definitely will take home half of the meal sized Ahi Tuna if she were to order it. So Ginger takes the pork chops and I order the Shrimp Boursin Pasta. Of course we have a choice of soup or salad and Ginger chooses the salad and I go for the soup. They offer a Corn Chowder but since it's Friday they also have a Clam Chowder. I like both but decide on the Clam Chowder. Ryan sees me struggle with the decision and offers to bring me a sample of the Corn Chowder later so I may taste the difference. With our order in hand he turns his attention to several neighboring tables and works his way off the floor to turn in the orders he has collected so far.
Our server Ryan returns with Ginger's dinner salad and my Clam Chowder and places them on the table. He asks if we need anything else and we say no. The Clam Chowder is obviously creamy and delicious. I don't regret my choice but I don't have long to wait when Ryan returns with another cup containing a couple of spoonfuls of Corn Chowder. "Thought I forgot, huh?", he says with a chuckle and I spoon some into my mouth and offer Ginger a taste. We both agree that it's very good and to be honest it could have gone either way but I still prefer the Clam Chowder. In just a few moments our dinner arrives and Ginger has a gorgeous plate with garlic mashed potatoes with two attractively arranged bone-in pork chops. Ginger points to the mass of zucchini and yellow summer squash and asks if she misread the menu. Ryan asks, "Is something wrong?" "I thought the dinner came with asparagus.", Ginger says. He explains that the asparagus is actually served with the filet mignon and her dinner comes with chef's vegetables, but if Ginger wants asparagus Ginger shall have asparagus. After he leaves to fetch her modification of the menu, I mention that I hate squash and it is a very inexpensive and unimaginative treatment of vegetables. To just boil some green and yellow squash, throw in a spear or two of broccoli is a truly uninspired side dish. I would expect some rustic cut carrots, broccoli and cauliflower mixed with button mushrooms and pearl onions, drizzled with garlic butter as a great way to show some color and produce some taste. Ginger digs into the mashed potatoes and declares them to be very good. She cuts a small piece of pork chop from the bone, tastes it and pronounces it delicious as well. In front of me I discover a large shallow bowl with rigatoni and sauce and strategically placed shrimp....lots of shrimp. That's a good thing. On top of the shrimp and pasta are dollops of Boursin cheese and herbed butter. I stir quickly in one spot and the cheese disappears into the pasta to become instantly incorporated into the dish. It's absolutely delicious and I can definitely taste the garlic . It's not too overpowering and I can catch little bits of shallot as I chew. It's quite good and I know right away there is no way I'm going to finish it all. I tell Ginger that I'm not going to make it and she has already placed one of the pork chops to the side and tells me that it's going home as a leftover. About this time our server returns with my wife's asparagus and says, "Here you go Ginger. Would you like another glass of wine? Mike, another beer?" You see....Ryan remembered our names and used them at the appropriate times. I believe he needs to be recognized here for the great service. We agree to another round of drinks and tell him "Everything is great", in response to his "How is everything?" We continue to eat and enjoy each other's company. All around us people are enjoying their meal and I remark to Ginger that the same two blonde bartenders we remember from our first trip to Emmet's are still behind the bar. They are two of the hardest working and efficient bartenders you will ever find. I know them to be friendly and talkative and they certainly enjoy visiting with customers when they aren't very busy but when it's time to go to work they rock. It has been a very good meal and we tell Ryan that we can't eat another bite and give instructions to pack away the pork chop and my pasta. He leaves the bill and takes away our dishes. Before too long he returns with a bag containing our leftover containers and we thank him again as he thanks us for dining at Emmett's. We announce to each other it's time to go and with our goodies in hand we stop by the hostess station to procure a business card.
Ginger and I discovered Emmet's more than a year ago when they first opened in Palatine. At the very same location two restaurants have come and gone. Emmet's Ale House went in and we have been regulars there ever since. It's convenient, friendly, offers a good value and above all great food with an excellent menu. I can honestly say we have never been served a bad meal or received poor service. There are so few good eateries in Palatine and I for one am glad Emmet's is here. I hope they have a very long and successful run. If you live in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates or Palatine give Emmett's Ale House a try. The beer is good, the service is great and the food delicious.

http://www.emmettstavern.com