INDULGENCE, INC.

A few months ago, a pair of sharply dressed couples strolled into the new Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Oak Brook, intent on enjoying an elegant meal in one of the area’s newest steakhouses. No distractions. No time limits. No social obligations. Their most pressing concern? Should they order the tableside filet-mignon steak tartare (an absolutely delight) or Eddie V’s cotija- and remoulade-smothered lobster tacos (what may be the best offering on the entire menu).

By all accounts, they had a grand ole time. They ordered well. They chit-chatted with their servers throughout his meal. And polished their plates clean. But at the close of their meal, one member of the group gazed at his dessert menu and remarked, somewhat sarcastically, that one of his favorite sweet treats seemed to be missing. “I don’t see any Cap’n Crunch cereal,” the man quipped, “anywhere on your menu.”

His server, James, chuckled and asked him to explain his Cap’n Crunch obsession. At which point, the man playfully pointed toward his wife and said, “She never lets me have at home, but I love it.”

James quickly sprinted back to Eddie V’s managers. Whispers were exchanged. Plans were hatched. A runner was called over to the join their huddle, the way an extra wide receiver might sprint in from the sidelines for a key fourth-down play. Heads nodded. A play was called. The huddle broke.

Off the runner flew— he ran a “z fly post route” to the nearest grocery—in search of the cereal. When he returned, box in hand, he lateraled it to the kitchen team, who presented the cereal in a lidded caviar bowl alongside a carafe of milk. The crunchy dessert was served on a plate personalized with the phrase “Crunch-atize me Captain,” the tagline found on every box of Cap’n Crunch cereal.

The man’s smile, milky cereal spoon in hand, was so bright it could have illuminated the entire dining room. It was as if he’d discovered the fountain of youth in shopping plaza just off Butterfield Road in Oak Brook.

I share this feel-good story for two reasons: first, it’s a hella cute foodie fairy tale. And second, after experiencing Eddie V’s food, its charming service and live music, I understand that reason for that man’s glowing smile.

There are now more than 30 Eddie V’s locations scattered the country. They anchor tourist hot spots, downtown urban areas and high-end malls. But out of all my Eddie V’s visits, I think I enjoyed our recent Oak Brook experience the most.

Why the local love? Because I got to know the people who run it. Take executive chef Tarak Gandhi, who’s been working for Eddie V’s parent company, Darden Restaurants, for 11 years. He immigrated to this country from India, when he was 15, not knowing a syllable of English. Look at him now: He’s a culinary force of nature who’s opened so many new locations he’s lost count. In Oak Brook, he’s already turned Eddie V’s kitchen into a well-oiled operation. His 40-day wet-aged prime steaks are cut in house, the fat professionally trimmed for a premium cut and then broiled at 1,200, so they arrive at your table at the perfect temperature.

Don’t be fooled into thinking Eddie V’s is just a steakhouse. This is a surf and turf Valhalla, where seafood is flown in daily, often sourced by captains that have long-standing relationships with the chain. Take, for example, Eddie V’s butter-poached lobster mashed potatoes, which are so unctuous you’d swear someone folded in a bowl of bisque instead of butter. Or its signature twice baked potatoes, which are smeared with crème fraiche and freckled with Ossetra caviar.

On our next visit, I’d be hard pressed to decide between an Eddie V’s ribeye or its Chilean seabass, the latter served steamed Hong Kong-style in a sherry-soy sauce. And after our visit, I’m convinced there are only two types of lamb chops in this world: those that come crusted with a duxelles of morel mushrooms, wading in an herb-infused chimichurri broth, and those that do not.

If you visit on the weekends, book a table in the V Lounge area, so you have unobstructive views of the live musicians playing 15 feet away from you. During our visit, I couldn’t stop tapping my feet, as much of their set seemed to be cribbed straight from my Spotify playlist. The restaurant’s dining room doesn’t try too hard to look chic. This isn’t the sportsbook lounge at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas. It’s a room flush with warm woods, gold accents and plenty of glass.

The more time I spent in the company of Eddie V’s staff, the more fun I had. This happens at well-run restaurants. When I asked manager/sommelier Anna Cafeo to provide us a pairing for our ribeye and she poured us a 2013 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, I knew I was in skilled hands. We spoke of many things: How sommeliers can learn from bartenders, the rigors of studying for her level 2 sommelier exam and how, prior to her recent move to Chicago, she bequeathed half of her wine collection to dear friends.

So as the night hummed along, and the musical hits kept flowing, I motioned our server over and asked him why everyone—from the chef to the sommelier and the musicians—seemed so happy. He told me the secret: He’d never worked at a restaurant that encouraged him to be himself more than this place. Something tells me that there plenty of diners, including one rather impassioned cereal-lover, who will feel the exact same way.

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood is located at 3001 Butterfield Road in Oak Brook. 630.371.0002, eddiev.com