AN AMERICAN CLASSIC REIMAGINED

When it comes to fine dining, the American steakhouse is beloved for both its food and design. Diners can count on enjoying an indulgent meal—think steak, lamb chops, or lobster served alongside shrimp cocktail, whipped potatoes, or creamed spinach—in a cozy, wood-paneled, plaid-accented dining room filled with leather banquettes. This is all true of South Barrington’s new 10,000-square-foot restaurant, The Greggory, from the newly formed Hearth Hospitality Group. Led by a group of industry veterans—Executive Chef José Sosa (Gibsons Italia, Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, Ummo) and restaurateurs Gregg Horan (Gibsons Restaurant Group, The Polo Bar in New York) and Bill Veremis (Rosewood Steakhouse Group, RL)—the restaurant provides its customers with all that they expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

There’s something special about the team’s interpretation of the time-honored steakhouse. The interior by Katina Mandas Gianakakos and design-and-architectural firm Dunne Kozlowski features rich navy blues, deep plaids, warm leather seating, brass accents, and the touches of Americana that define steakhouse interiors. Yet, the sleek contemporary lighting and light wood floors feel perfectly of the moment.

Among the offerings at The Greggory, there are many classics, but there are also some playful twists. Elevated bar bites, including the oh-so-buttery mini lobster rolls, corned beef bites, and Wagyu pigs in blanket (a far cry from the tiny frankfurters wrapped in canned biscuit dough of family parties past), sit comfortably next to the traditional appetizers we know and love—shrimp cocktail, a wedge salad, French onion soup.

From his past experiences, Chef Sosa has brought several things—a love for an open-fire hearth, Mediterranean influences, and a passion for homemade pasta, all of which add a delicious dimension to the menu. The key to ordering, my dinner date and I decided, was balancing the American classics with Mediterranean dishes. Starting with an old-fashioned and dirty martini (because a timeless cocktail is always what should be enjoyed at a steakhouse), mini lobster rolls, and the BLT wedge salad, we found the perfect flavor profile: saltiness from the salad’s thick-cut bacon; richness from the buttered lobster rolls and the wedge’s Roquefort dressing; and fresh crispness with the cool iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

Our second course was paired with a lovely, light pinot noir—one of the many options on the extensive wine list overseen by beverage director Rafael Royal—that could be enjoyed with both beef, seafood, and pasta. We opted for the boldly flavored but tender Altair grass-fed Wagyu New York strip and the red snapper topped with a charred eggplant purée accompanied by a bright fennel salad. For our Mediterranean dish, we ordered the cacio e pepe. With just cheese, pepper, and pasta water, the dish sounds easy, but it takes a true expert to perfect it. Of course, it’s no surprise that Chef Sosa has done just that.

It is practically sacrilegious to skip dessert at a steakhouse (or that’s what we told ourselves, anyway). And besides, a chocolate praline cake consisting of hazelnut mousse, caramel buttercream, caramelized praline grains, topped with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce was on the menu. Every spoonful was divine.

We were already planning our next visit before leaving the table. Once again, we would balance a steakhouse menu classic like the cheeseburger with Mahón cheese with a Mediterranean option like the Spanish octopus and mushroom risotto. Why not join us and book your reservation today?