rev:text
| - Last time I reviewed Big Grove, I gave it 4 stars because it was a pretty heavy meal. There just wasn't much on the menu for a gal trying to - oh, I don't know - wear a bikini in her lifetime. But the food, ambience, and bar were/are SO good, that I kept going back. Happily. Frequently.
Well I am here to report that the food gods must have heard me, because BGT has added some lighter fare. That is the reason for my update and the star increase. They've added some fish dishes and a couple more vegetarian dishes. Whether the fish is a special or the regular entree, it has consistently come out moist and not overcooked. (That's a real bugaboo with me. I have been known to send a fish dish back 3-4 times - in Chicago, no less - because the fish came out overcooked. Bratty, probably, but seriously: overcooking fish and then trying to charge me a small fortune for the privilege of eating dry fish??? I don't think so, Fancy-Schmancy Chicago Restaurant.) Anyway, I'm delighted that BGT doesn't do that. I still like their fried brussels sprouts. Ok - I still LOVE their fried brussels sprouts. I'm sure they aren't nearly as healthy or non-fattening as I like to hope (nothing that good could be), but I'm going with it. And their sweet pea risotto is another solid addition (although not quite as consistently creamy as I would hope.)
I have read that other reviewers don't like the lights or decor. I still do. That must be a taste thing - one I share with a lot of folk, I guess. I've noticed that BGT seems to attract a lot of people - and that they tend to be a younger, more creative, more stylish crowd. I mean, even the guys seem to dress up a little at BGT. They actually wear button-down shirts with their wrinkled cargo shorts instead of "least dirty and faded to a possible blue but maybe gray" illini t-shirts. (What is it with guys not wanting to dress for girls these days?) I like that about BGT. I wish more restaurants in Champaign aspired to bringing out the cool in people rather than to being yet another variation on Guidos/Destihl/Esquire/Billy Barooze/Jupiters. But given that the last two restaurants that opened were Five Guys and Prairie Fire, I don't hold out much hope. Until then -yay for BGT!
|