SugarToad
The best crab cakes you’ll ever have in Chicago are actually located in… Naperville! Yes, it’s true, and I was lucky enough to try them. A few weeks ago, I wrote about my visit to the Hotel Arista in Naperville, a true gem in the suburbs of Chicago. A lot of hotel restaurants get a bad rap–luckily, that is not the case at all at the Hotel Arista. The hotel restaurant, SugarToad, is not to be missed and is worth a trip out even if you’re not staying at the hotel. I had already read about how the Chicago Tribune called nationally acclaimed Chef Jimmy Sneed’s crab cakes the best in Chicago and I agree heartily.
I was really looking forward to visiting SugarToad while I was staying at the Hotel Arista. As self-proclaimed crab cake connoisseurs, my date and I were already very excited for our meal. The interior of SugarToad was warmly lit and the decor had a feeling of elegance that was welcoming. A hand-painted mural provides a splash of color along the back wall, and the bar area was a great place to kick back a few drinks. There is quite the wine selection, with a focus on fine American wines. I tried a few glasses of delicious reds from around the country that I actually hadn’t even heard of before, so I enjoyed the wine tasting experience.
An extra treat was that we got to briefly meet the chef, Jimmy Sneed, before our meal. The Chef was so energetic and passionate about food and it really showed in everything he made. Our meal began with a yummy amuse-bouche — tempura sugar toad, which is a blow fish, and the restaurant’s namesake. These are caught off the Chesapeake Bay and are lightly battered and completely delicious. The blow fish itself was tender and buttery, with a slightly sweet taste.
And what of the famous crab cakes? The crab cakes were everything we had dreamed of and more. Instead of being stuffed with random seasonings, the crab cake focused on actual juicy, tender crab meat. It was simple and delectable, almost melting in my mouth. Chef Sneed has a way with seafood that’s worth taking a trip to the suburbs from Chicago, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of seafood, there is something on the menu at SugarToad for you. We raved about the Kobe short ribs with red wine sauce. The dessert selection was a great way to end the meal as well.
Before finally heading back to Chicago from our hotel stay, we ordered breakfast from SugarToad to enjoy the Chef’s food one last time. My french toast was excellent and breakfast sausage was smoky and yummy. The boyfriend, who is originally from Atlanta, loved the stone-ground cheese grits. It was the perfect way to end our trip!
SugarToad is worth a trip out for great food in a lovely atmosphere, whether it be with a date, your family, or your friends — and I can’t wait to go back. Check out sugartoad.com for more information about the restaurant and to make reservations!
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[...] » The Daily Obsession Syndicated from SugarToad » The Daily Obsession.An extra treat was that we got to briefly meet the chef, Jimmy Sneed, before our meal. The Chef was [...]