Carlucci Lincolnshire and mk North are two suburban restaurants with city roots. Mk North is a virtual copy of the original mk on the North Side, and Carlucci, while theoretically a sequel to Carlucci in Rosemont, is more reminiscent of the long-shuttered Carlucci in Lincoln Park, with a nod or two to Joe Carlucci’s remaining city restaurant, Strega Nona.
And both restaurants will feed you very well. But there the similarities end.
Carlucci Lincolnshire (star)(star)
“You were told you might have to wait when you called.”
The maitre d’ at Carlucci Lincolnshire is reprimanding a yet-to-be seated customer, who is making a bit of a pest of himself. But he is not the only supplicant who has been waiting for a table. The bar is full of them, at various stages of surliness.
I overhear the maitre d’s comment and my heart sinks, for the phrase can mean only one thing: The restaurant was fully booked, and the maitre d’ took the reservation anyway. Judging by the crowds in the bar, he took quite a few. (I made two weekend visits to Carlucci, and was seated 45 minutes past my reserved time on both occasions.) Slight overbooking is a common hedge against no-shows, but it’s a real problem when a restaurant has 300 chairs and still can’t seat anyone on time. Fortunately, Carlucci’s servers have gotten quite adept at identifying seething parties and do their best to assuage them, either with extra-attentive service or the occasional complimentary appetizer. Given a choice I’d opt for the appetizer, because chef Michael Pivoney’s food is almost worth the intolerable wait.
A large crock of mussels makes a very nice mood-enhancer, the mussels swimming in a thick sauce of Italian tomatoes, roasted garlic and white wine. So does the eggplant parmesan, which looks like a weighty brick but consists of delicate, thin slices of eggplant and parmesan, tomato sauce and the lightest possible sprinkling of bread crumbs. And a special of spicy sausage, roasted peppers and whole-roasted Roma tomatoes is a satisfying, rustic indulgence.
Pizzas boast chewy, flavorful crusts and make fine shared starters. Ditto the bruschettone, a sort of bruschetta-on-steroids that was invented at Strega Nona. Large pieces of toasted bread are covered in toppings, in our case olive tapenade, thinly sliced rare tuna, artichokes, tomatoes and other goodies.
Entree highlights include inch-thick medallions of medium-rare pork in a sun-dried cherry and orange sauce, a squid-ink pasta special with spicy tomato sauce and hefty shrimp, and double-cut lamb chops smothered in a thick sauce of tomato, basil and garlic.
And a signature going back to Carlucci’s Halsted Street days is the linguini, tossed tableside inside an enormous brick of parmesan cheese. The melting cheese coats the pasta (though how cheesey it gets depends on the energy level of the preparer), which is then served over thin strips of prosciutto.
Desserts include such well-executed classics as tiramisu and creme brulee.
Carlucci Lincolnshire sits in the space that once held Aspen Grille; the redwood-trimmed cathedral ceilings aren’t very Italian looking, but hanging tapestries compensate. It’s a good-looking space and comfortable, if a bit noisy.
Joe Carlucci is a veteran restaurateur, and he’s got a great culinary team cranking out very good food. But he’s jeopardizing his reputation by allowing the front room to operate as sloppily as it does.
———-
Carlucci Lincolnshire, 250 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, 847-478-5349. Open dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri.
mk North (star)(star)(star)
The challenge at mk North isn’t getting seated, it’s getting a reservation. Five times I called in search of a prime-time seating; only pre-6 and post-9 p.m. tables were available.
Good for them. Good that mk North is packing them in, even midweek, and good that management is playing straight with its reservations.
Chef-owner Michael Kornick (thus the mk) has reconfigured the old Brasserie T space, enclosing the kitchen and adding sound-deadening elements. The interior still is noisy when full, which at the moment is all the time, but it’s quieter than before.
There are quite a few similarities between the mk and mk North menus, but North chef de cuisine Jon Novak puts his imprint on several dishes, including a hefty crab cake with chive oil and a perky Tabasco aioli, and roasted quail served over Savoy cabbage and bacon. Soups are terrific, whether it’s the carrot soup with toasted cumin and apple puree, or traditional New England clam chowder. The only disappointment was a dish of king crabmeat, overwhelmed by an intense, basil-rich tomato sauce.
Rotisserie-roasted Amish chicken with herbs de provence and garlic jus is simple but flawless, a wonderful entree; just as impressive is perfectly grilled pork tenderloin with mashed butternut squash and an apricot- and thyme-accented jus. Linguini fra diavolo, a recipe that dates back to Kornick’s time at the Four Seasons Boston, marries shrimp, calamari and lobster with pasta and a fiery (though not oppressive) tomato sauce.
Though Mindy Segal oversees the desserts at both mk locations, Christine McCabe runs the pastry kitchen here and cranks out such impressive goodies as a lovely butterscotch pot de creme with caramelized banana, classic profiteroles and a to-die-for warm apple crostata. I also loved the ice cream sandwich, two orange-zest-infused chocolate cookies flanking a thick chocolate and espresso semi-freddo studded with almond brittle.
———-
mk North, 305 S. Happ Rd., Northfield, 847-716-6500. Open dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri.
OUTSTANDING (star)(star)(star)(star)
EXCELLENT (star)(star)(star)
VERY GOOD (star)(star)
GOOD (star)
Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
