In general, I find that kids and oysters don’t mix. As a matter of fact, oysters and I don’t mix either. So in addition to my children I brought along an oyster-loving friend to help me evaluate this upscale restaurant that offers much more than just oysters.
First, the oysters. Our dinner companion, something of an oyster connoisseur, gave two thumbs up to the oysters.
Luckily, I am a seafood fan and Bow& Stern offers so many choices it’s hard to decide. For appetizers, excellent options include Maine Mussels, Grilled Baby Octopus and the Crispy Laughing Bird Shrimp.
For entrees, I chose the Maine Lobster Tail, which was tasty and sweet and reasonably priced at . We tasted the Great Lakes Trout, which came with a delicious brown butter caper sauce.
Non-seafood lovers won’t be disappointed. The Bow Burger, served with tomato bacon jam, bread and butter pickles, Hooks cheddar and pomme frites, is a popular choice. The Berkshire Pork Chop served with butternut squash puree and brown butter apples is another.
The menu might lean toward a bit sophisticated for children, so they do offer a kids’ menu with items like fish and chips, mini burgers, chicken tenders, pasta with butter and grilled cheese, all and under.
Don’t skip dessert: You can’t go wrong with Grandma Greene’s Peanut Butter Pie and the Molten Dulce de Leche Cake with a side of sour cream ice cream.
Bow& Stern Oyster Bar
- 1371 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago
- bowandstern
- oysterbar.com
