SETTING THE TABLE

I have become, to the delight of some and horror of others, an exceptionally nosy diner. If I’m not chewing; I’m snooping. Once seated, I will immediately begin flipping over tableware—bread plates, ramekins, chopstick holders—searching for the names of designers and manufacturers. I run my fingers across the seams of napkins, looking for tags. And I have long considered packing a jeweler’s loop to help me read the microscopic names etched into handles of soup spoons and butter knives.

But at Table, the in-house restaurant at Crate & Barrel in Oak Brook, there are no tableware mysteries for me to solve. Every waterglass, teacup, saucer and serving platter—everything on our table, including almost every element of the restaurant’s décor — are Crate & Barrel products.

One of Table’s primary aims, says executive chef Bill Kim, is to bring everything you’d see in a Crate & Barrel catalogue to life. Which makes perfect sense to me. If fashion designers can showcase their threads by staging runway shows, why can’t a savvy retailers model their products by dressing them up with gorgeous-looking food?

If you find yourself smitten by something—perhaps that snappy pewtergray Ecogres plate, made from 90 percent recycled clay—chances are it’s available for purchase, either in the adjoining store or via Crate & Barrel’s catalogue.

As such, Table poses a question that’s long intrigued me: Can a restaurant meal impress you so completely that you’ll feel the urge to re-create the entire experience at home?

With entrée prices that hover around $20 to $30, Table isn’t trying to duplicate the chichi ambiance (and egregiously overpriced fare) you’d find, at say, L’Avenue at Saks in New York or the Zodiac Room in Dallas’ flagship Neiman Marcus. Nor is it trying to woo globe-trotting gourmands and tasting-menu foodies. Its target demographic is much broader. It wants to woo multigenerational suburban diners who know the difference between food-court fluff and locally sourced chef-driven fare.

The good news is that Table’s menu and décor has grown more interesting after each of our visits. Back in 2019, Kim wanted his menu to channel the simple, clean meals that he prepared at home.

This back-to-the-basics approach came on the heels of years spent whipping up clever mashups—think lamb and brandy dumplings and an Asian-style “Bolognese”— at his longstanding Urbanbelly concept. Table’s inaugural menu served technicolor classics on stark white plates: bright-orange salmon niçoise, leafy green salads, and a tomato-red veggie lasagna.

On our most recent visit, the menu drew more inspiration from Kim’s past. Two of our favorite dishes could have been served at Urbanbelly: basil-flecked dumplings stuffed with edamame and a first-rate bowl of udon noodles. But there are now undercurrents of spice on Table’s offerings that were more prominent than I remember. It’s not heartburn-level heat. These spices add nuance and dimensionality to old standbys. “In some cases, we’re looking for little bit of sizzle, a slight sting,” says Kim. “Nobody wants to fry their palate, but finding ways to subtly incorporate unexpected flavors is a fun way to cook and eat.”

Table’s waffle fries, for instance, are dusted with curry powder and Kim’s inspired take on shrimp and “cauliflower” grits is spiked with Thai chilis. The latter is a perfect expression of Table’s charms. Rather than fattening the grits up with loads of cheese and butter, Kim’s team cooks the grits in coconut milk, then bakes the grits in the oven with riced cauliflower so that they have a risotto-like bite. A splash of homemade nuoc cham, Vietnam’s beloved fish sauce, comes next, along with fragrant hints of lemongrass, garlic and chilis.

Most restaurants, aesthetically speaking, are frozen in place the moment they open. What you see on day one, give or take a few details, rarely changes over time. Same light fixtures. Same plates. Same silverware. Not here. If there is an advantage to being nested inside a furniture and home décor store, it’s that you can freshen up the place whenever you want. Case in point: Kim alters his tablescapes to reflect the change in seasons. If there’s a new silverware that catches his eye, swaps are made. And this summer, Table’s patio was given a facelift, as old pieces of furniture were replaced by new entries from Crate & Barrel’s inventory.

Yet, midway through my meal, my mind couldn’t help but return to our tableware. What must it be like, I wondered, to have an entire catalogue at your disposal when updating a menu? What unfolds behind the scenes that we, as diners, never see?

I envisioned a brigade of chefs—working when the restaurant is closed—running through the store, grabbing products from shelves. And then returning to the kitchen to decide which piece look best.

When I asked Kim what actually happened when new menus were being devised, he set the record straight. All in all, my little fantasy was generally accurate, except that he goes tableware hunting when the store is still open. Whereas most chefs decide what they want to cook, and then find tableware to match, Kim does the opposite at Table. He uses the store’s products as inspiration for his food.

After experimenting with one of Crate & Barrel’s Ooni pizza ovens, Kim decided to add flatbreads to the menu and invested in giant pizza ovens to ensure he could re-create those same crisp textures on a larger scale. In most cases, finding the right plating for12-inch flatbreads can be difficult. Not at Table, where the answers to Kim’s problem were only a short stroll away.

When you study his tableware, as I did, you can see the role that these pieces play in the enjoyment of your meal. Consider the shape and depth of Kim’s ramen bowls. And the raised lips that curve around the salad bowls and plates, which helps diners scoop up rogue pieces of lettuce.

Suffice to say, I ended our conversation, feeling vindicated. Yes, the ingredients make the menu, but the right tableware can make the meal.

The Table at Crate & Barrel is located in Oak Brook at Oakbrook Center, 630. 572.1300 or crateandbarrel.com/tableatcrate.

---

Cocktails

Guests wishing to “sip and shop” can order a glass of wine or cocktail from the bar and browse the Crate & Barrel’s aisles to their heart’s content. Here are two can’t-miss cocktails to get you in the mood.

Raspberry Thyme Collins: A proper Tom Collins should be tall, light and bubbly. A heavy pour of gin and a splash of lemon, club soda and sugar. This delightfully improper Tom Collins adds a shot of a thyme liquor. The result tastes like a spring garden in bloom, both woodsy and crisp.

Lambrusco Royale: To call this blend of Chambord, hibiscus liquor and lychee “jammy” would be an understatement. The flavor profile is pure candied blackberries. Order it as a nightcap or sip it with Table’s excellent dessert list.