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| - We really wanted to like this place. I enjoy the farm-to-table, localvore style a lot. Our experience here was... less than optimal. I dined with my husband, and we had a late reservation. We had tickets to a performance at the Krannert, and wanted to eat dinner afterward. Silvercreek was one of the few places which had their kitchen open past 10, so we decided to check it out. We made a reservation, because we wanted them to know that we were coming. There were still two other tables dining when we got there, but that was it. I should have realized that something was wrong when I saw the totally empty parking lot at 10pm on a Saturday night.
First problem: the place was really bright and the music was awful. Chain-restaurant bad 70s music and lighting. Not what I was expecting for the description of what they were going for or for their prices. Pros: the restored location is really charming, and with better lighting and a less cheap and intrusive soundtrack, the place could be beautiful.
Second problem: the booth was dirty. The whole place was practically empty, they knew we were coming and they didn't bother to make sure that the table was clean?
The menu is a nice one. We opted for the calamari to start, then my husband ordered the lamb and I ordered the duck. We like both medium rare, which is the standard way that both meats should be served.
The food was just such a miss. The calamari was okay, and it would have been fine at Applebee's. For the price, a pile of frozen calamari rings (interspersed with pieces of fries and onion fritters - clean your fryer guys!) served with canned sauces is not the "best of local, seasonal Illinois".
The entrees came out fast. I mean really fast. So fast that they were decidedly undercooked. I had already gotten a sense that even though the place was theoretically open for another hour, they were unhappy that we were there. Even though they knew we were coming. And they were open for another hour. Both the lamb and the duck were under rare. The cherry jam that was served accompanying my duck was refrigerator cold.
We probably should have sent the food back, but it was obvious that the kitchen was hostile to the idea that people were bothering them an hour before they were even supposed to be closed, so I was somewhat afraid of what would happen if we did. Flat out: the kitchen shouldn't have sent out grossly undercooked food and the server shouldn't have brought the meat to our table that way. The message "here's your food, eat and get the hell out so we can go home" was not exactly subtle.
The food would have been good if it had been cooked properly. The plate presentations were nice and the cherry jam was pretty good - nice warm spices and cherries cooked just soft enough. The jam would have been a great accompaniment to the duck, if it wasn't obviously straight out of the walk-in.
It got worse, though. We had ordered a bottle of wine to share, and the entrees came out so fast that we were only half-way through. I'd noticed an "artisinal cheese plate" on the appetizer list. I figured that that would be something we could snack on while we finished our wine. Especially since the raw meat wasn't exactly a palatable meal. It also wasn't something that would take a whole lot of work from the kitchen, so I figured it would be safe. When she walked away from the table, the server yelled back to the kitchen "Cheese plate coming" Mel's diner-style. Seriously. The kitchen yelled something back to her about not knowing how to make one.
The cheese plate was $19.00 for the large. What we got was a platter of cheese straight from the deli case at the local supermarket. Boursin, some sort of italian herb cheese, a really cheap Double Glouster, a brie and some bland white cheese. Not one of them were anything that would be close to artisan. Not one of them is "the best of local, seasonal Illinois". It was served with a handful of jarred black olives and a heaping scoop of the aforementioned ice-cold cherry jam. It wasn't an awful cheese plate, but it is not what it's advertised as, which is surprising since there are a fair number of artisan cheese producers in the area. For $19, I was expecting more than cold supermarket cheese.
Soon after the cheese came the bill. No offer of desert, which is fine, since by that time we really wanted to get out of there and I could have stopped by the store on the way home and gotten some frozen pie if more stuff out of a box was where I wanted to go with the night.
If you're looking for a nice meal, especially late, go elsewhere. The price they charge here does not match the atmosphere, service, quality or taste. It's more family dining, and it would have been great if the bill hadn't run to almost $200 (that's with wine, tax and tip). For slightly more money there are better places in town that don't make you feel like they hate you for coming in while they are open.
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