You’re attending a concert at Ravinia. You’ve packed the candlesticks and cloth napkins but are having a hard time deciding what else to put in the basket. You’re bored with fried chicken and crave a large selection for everyone in your group. Sunset Foods’ takeout counter is the perfect solution.
Walk straight ahead to the glass-topped counters on your left. The vast array of foods may intimidate you if you have a hard time making up your mind. Don’t be afraid to ask for a taste. Each starts with fresh ingredients and ranges from the more familiar to those that are unique. (The following prices are per pound, unless otherwise noted.)
All of the salads we tried were a hit. Some of our favorites included the honey mustard potato salad ($4.98) made with red potatoes, celery and red onion, tossed with a stone-ground mustard dressing. If tender baby spinach is a passion of yours, don’t miss the baby spinach and onion salad ($6.98) with a delightful light dressing that isn’t overpowering or too oily. The ratatouille ($5.98) has so many fresh vegetables that it brings to mind grandmother’s garden, with its eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Still need a few more salads for the music lovers to nosh on? The unusual Szechwan chicken salad ($6.98), made with cucumber peel, tender chicken breast pieces, cellophane noodles and peanuts, is coated with an Asian dressing. Round out your selection with an angel-hair pasta salad ($6.98) with sun-dried tomatoes, green onions and a soy sauce-based dressing.
If you can’t live on salads alone, several cases offer entrees and meat dishes. The chicken category alone has at least nine varieties. Pack a few paper napkins along with the cloth for the barbecue buffalo wings ($4.98) with a mouthwatering, tangy sauce. The Parmesan chicken breast ($7.98) was a little mild for our group. However, the meat was tender and the sauce well-balanced.
The mustard dill sauce on the poached salmon ($8.99) had an enjoyable tang. The salmon itself was a little dry but it’s hard to keep fish from drying out slightly when precooked. The grilled swordfish ($8.49 for 1/2 pound) also had slightly dry flesh, but a subtle grilled flavor. There was only one major disappointment in the group: the potato gnocchi ($4.98). The small dumplings tasted stale.
A picnic is not a picnic without dessert. You won’t be disappointed. Have the ever-smiling, cheerful and helpful server put together a large box because you’ll want to have a selection for everyone to choose from. Our favorites included the tart, refreshing Key lime mini-tarts and the equally tangy lemon mini-tarts (99 cents each). The creamy tiramisu chocolate boats ($1.99 each) are topped with raspberries and have a hint of coffee. The almond puff pastry ($1.49 each) alternates light and crispy layers with amaretto cream. It is so light that one may not be enough. Don’t forget the chocolate-dipped strawberries ($1.29 each) with stems on. The chocolate, decorated with swirls of white chocolate, melts in your mouth.
Because of the lack of peanut butter flavor, the peanut butter brownies ($5.49) were disappointing.
To round out the meal, a refrigerator case in the takeout area supplies soft drinks and teas. For beer or wine, you will have to walk across the store to the liquor department.
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Sunset Foods
(3 forks)
1901 Cherry Ln., Northbrook
847-272-7700
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: D, M, V
Ratings: 4 forks: Top of the class 3 forks: Better than most 2 forks: Very good fare 1 fork: Middle of the road
