Many share the notion that dining out is a formal and expensive undertaking. Alf’s Place and Nick’s Sports Page Restaurant & Bar in Dolton and the Dutch Kitchen in South Holland will dispel that notion-each offers a casual atmosphere and reasonable prices.
At the recently opened Alf’s Place, 599 E. Sibley Blvd., the dining area has low lighting, floral watercolors and several decorative black bird cages hanging on the lightly textured, cream-colored walls. The booths, with black vinyl seats, have shiny wooden tables with candles. Approximately 150 can be seated in the dining and bar areas; a downstairs banquet room can accommodate another 75 to 80.
Once you’re seated, try an appetizer ($2.50 to $6.50); they include pizza bread, crabmeat cocktail and barbecue ribs.
House specialties include Alf’s Bleu Cheese Steak (regular cut, $13.50; pub cut, $14.95), a broiled filet topped with bleu cheese; filet mignon and mushrooms (regular cut $12.95; pub cut, $14.50); chunks of boneless chicken breast with vegetables ($9.95); and lamb chops ($11.95).
Seafood items include pan fried perch ($11.95), frog legs ($11.95) sauteed in garlic butter and baked or sauteed walleye pike ($11.50).
Entrees come with a relish tray, choice of potato or wild rice, soup (homemade) or salad, and rolls and butter.
If you’re in the mood for Italian fare, you won’t be disappointed. The offerings ($6.95 to $10.50) include lasagna, mostaccioli with meat sauce, veal parmesan, veal piccata and chicken marsala (boneless chicken breast sauteed in marsala wine with mushrooms). A relish tray, soup or salad and garlic bread accompany these dinners.
In the summer, a salad is a good choice, and Alf’s is the place to indulge. Several dinner-size salads ($5.75 to $6.50) are offered. The gourmet Italian salad offers hearts of palm and artichoke hearts, tomato, onion and egg slices served on lettuce with homemade dressing. The taco salad comes with mixed greens, diced tomatoes, olives, cheddar cheese, a choice of beef or grilled chicken, and taco sauce and is served, of course, in a tortilla shell.
Desserts ($1.50 to $2.50) include cheesecakes and pies.
The children’s menu ($3.95 to $5.50)-for 8 and younger-offers spaghetti (meatballs on request), hamburgers, fried chicken and fried shrimp. Most items come with french fries.
Carryouts and catering are available.
Autographed photographs of sports stars and pennants are the first things you see at Nick’s Sports Page Restaurant & Bar, 14109 Chicago Rd. They’re prominently displayed on the brick and wood walls of the 20-year-old restaurant. Nick’s seats about 165 people-85 in the dining area and about 80 in the bar area.
Dishes bear the names of popular athletes, sports terms and catch phrases.
The appetizer ($3.75 to $4.95) section-you’re “on deck”-features Nick’s nachos, “foul tips” (chicken strips) and J.R.’s Cajun wings.
Nick’s hamburgers-handmade with ground beef-include the “Chi-Town cheeseburger,” with choice of American, Swiss, mozzarella or cheddar; the “Rocky Marciano burger,” with pizza sauce and mozzarella; the “KO burger,” with barbecue sauce and grilled onions; and the “Ryne Sand Burger,” with guacamole and Swiss cheese. The “major” ($3.50 to $4.25) is a half pound, the “minor” ($2.50 to $3.25) is a quarter pound.
“From the clubhouse,” there are the “DiMaggio” ($3.50), Italian sausage, mozzarella, onions, and peppers wrapped in a pita bread; the “slap shot” Sausage ($3.50), sausage patties with roasted peppers, onions and mozzarella cheese; the “Caray club” ($3.75), with turkey and bacon; the “Pippen’s pocket” ($3.95), spinach stuffed in a pita pocket with pizza sauce; or the Zamboni stromboli ($4.25), sausage and beef topped with roasted peppers, onions and mozzarella.
The “soon-to-be-famous designer pizzas” ($3.50 to $15, extra for added ingredients) include stuffed spinach and taco.
The sports theme is carried to its natural conclusion with desserts. The “Final Four” ($1.25 to $1.75) are J.R’s homemade ice cream, homemade cheesecake, “Sweetness” birthday cake and Ditka’s dessert of the day.
For those 12 years and under, the choices on the ” ‘Lil League” menu ($3.25 to $4.25) include a grilled cheese sandwich, hot dog and fried shrimp. Most items come with french fries. A small drink and dessert are included in the price.
Carryouts and catering also are available.
The Dutch Kitchen, 1063 E. 162nd St., has been around for more than 50 years, and the simple white-frame building is one of the oldest in the area. Inside, the landscapes and floral prints that hang on the cream-colored walls enhance the feeling of simplicity. Approximately 90 can be seated-50 in the dining room, 40 in the snack area.
Patrons seat themselves, then wait to be served.
The vast menu is filled mostly with homemade dishes.
If you’re really hungry, starting with one of the four appetizers (85 cents to $2.25 might hit the spot-homemade soup (the selection changes daily) and fried breaded mushrooms, onion rings or zucchini.
No menu is complete without hamburgers. The Dutch Kitchen serves them plain ($2.35 to $2.65) or deluxe ($3.35 to $3.65). Both come with tomato, lettuce and pickle; a cup of soup and french fries also come with the deluxe. Two choices are the Dutch kitchen burger, with two strips of bacon and choice of mozzarella or cheddar, and the Spanish burger, with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and melted cheddar.
The melts are some of the more popular offerings (plain, $2.95 to $3.15; deluxe, $3.95 to $4.15). The patty melt is a third of a pound beef patty on grilled rye bread, with double cheese and onions. The beef melt is thin slices of ground chuck on a french roll with mozzarella or cheddar. The turkey melt is breast meat and American cheese, grilled on your choice of bread. And the tuna melt, with American cheese, grilled on your choice of bread. (The plain and deluxe versions come with the same items as the burgers.)
Sandwiches ($1.95 to $5.55) aren’t forgotten. Two are the sliced barbecue beef, served on a sesame seed bun, and the Monte Cristo, which is baked ham and cheese served on french toast; these also come plain and deluxe and with the same accompaniments. Club choices include BLTs, turkey and ham and cheese; french fries, pickle and a cup of soup come with them. Steak choices include rib eye, top sirloin butt and chopped; they’re served with a cup of soup or salad, choice of potato, and lettuce, tomato and pickle.
Hungry for meat, pasta or seafood? The Dutch Kitchen will take care of you.
The steaks and chops ($7.95 to $9.20) include a New York strip steak with mushrooms and au jus, broiled U.S. choice rib eye steak served with onion rings and center-cut pork chops with applesauce. Go Italian ($4.25 to $6.20) with spaghetti, beef ravioli, mostaccioli, veal parmesan and chicken parmesan. Or order one of the 11 seafood dishes ($5.55 to $8), such as fried lake perch and broiled filet of sole with lemon butter sauce.
Entrees are served with soup, salad, choice of potato (except with pasta dishes), choice of beverage and dessert.
Desserts include sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes and pies. Ordered a la carte, they’re priced at 80 cents to $2.95.
The menu ($1.95 to $2.75) for children (under 12 years) lists hamburger, hot dog and grilled cheese sandwich, all served with french fries; and spaghetti with meat sauce.
The restaurant also offers special dinners ($3.25 to $4.75) for the elderly (60 or older). The 18 selections include ham and cheese, broiled chopped steak with onions and fried shrimp. Soup, salad, choice of potato, rolls and butter, coffee and dessert are included in the price. These meals are available during regular dinner hour.
The Dutch Kitchen doesn’t neglect the first meal of the day, either-and it will serve it all day too. Breakfast comes in four categories: egg dishes ($1.85 to $3.15), three-egg omelettes ($2.35 to $3.55), pancakes, waffles and french toast ($1.95 to $2.95) and He-Man ($4.25 to $6.25).
Except for the pancakes, waffles and french toast, the categories are served with hash browns, buttered toast and jelly (an English muffin is 10 cents extra.)
There are two egg dishes: one jumbo egg ($1.85) and two jumbo eggs ($2.05); they are prepared fried, scrambled or boiled. Ham, bacon, or two sausage links or patties can be ordered for an additional $1.10.
Omelette choices include plain, cheese, ham, bacon or sausage, and mushroom. Other options are the Denver, with onion, green pepper and ham; vegetarian, with onion, tomato, green pepper and mushrooms; and Dutch kitchen, with cheese, ham, onion and green pepper.
There are numerous selections in the pancake, waffle and french toast category. Among the pancake choices are pecan, potato and aloha (made with pineapple). There are numerous toppings available if a waffle is what you’re in the mood for: strawberry and blueberry, of course, but also ice cream (chocolate, vanilla, peppermint) and yogurt. And the french toast can be ordered with thin or thick slices or short (two slices of bread, sliced in half, making four pieces).
For the really hungry, skip to the He-Man portion of the menu: Choose rib eye, butt and chopped sirloin steak or a pork chop to accompany your eggs, hashed browns and buttered toast and jelly.
Catering is available; carryout is not.
ALF’S PLACE, 599 E. Sibley Blvd., Dolton, 841-5330. Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; dinner 4-11:30 p.m. Sunday-Saturday. Credit Cards: American Express (A), Diners Club (DC), Discover (D), MasterCard (M), Visa (V). Reservations: Preferred on weekends. Other: Musical entertainment 7-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, 6-10 p.m. Sunday. Other: Not wheelchair accessible.
NICK’S SPORTS PAGE RESTAURANT & BAR, 14109 Chicago Rd., Dolton, 849-3586. Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday-Saturday; dinner 2-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 2-11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Credit Cards: M, V. Reservations: Yes; preferred Saturday and Sunday. Other: Wheelchair accessible.
DUTCH KITCHEN, 1063 E. 162nd St., South Holland, 331-3760. Hours: 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 7-3 p.m. Sunday. Credit Cards: None. Reservations: None. Other: Wheelchair accessible.
