My mother and I went out for a pre-Valentine’s lunch last week in Barrington, IL after a misguided attempt to find a new bakery that had been recommended to me. A woman suggested Tastefully Yours to us just before we unhappily entered Einstein Bagels to find something to eat. Located near the train station, this new restaurant doubles as an antique showroom. The decor is unique and quite lovely. Everything from the tables to the salt shakers can be purchased.
My mother sweetly threw ours in with the check after I had fondled them for most of the meal.
The food was pretty good. My mother ordered the grouper po’ boy. Panko-crusted grouper with wasabi mayonaise, tomato, and lettuce. It was served with seasoned pita chips and a selction of fruits (grapes, cantaloupe, and pineapple).
I orderd the grilled cheese. Brie with raspberry jam grilled between slices of pecan-walnut bread. It was served with a house salad (mixed greens, carrot, cucumber, and tomato in a balsamic vinaigrette) and the same fruits.
The grilled cheese was good, but it should have been toasted longer in my opinion. The cheese was barely melted and the bread was only warm and pliable. I would have cut the cheese in half and added some fresh apples to the mix, but overall the flavors were nice. The bread was especially tasty.
Sadly, the salad was awful. It consisted of entirely old and wilted greens (as you can see in the above picture). I only managed to eat a few pieces of spinach that had persevered along with the other vegetables. What I did eat divulged a fantastic balsamic vinaigrette. I should have gone with the soup. Oh well.
Tastefully Yours has a great atmosphere and a nice staff. However the service is very slow and they are only open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 2:30pm for lunch and tea on the second Monday of the month beginning at 3pm. They also have a catering service.
I would recommend a lunch stop at Tastefully Yours if you are ever in the Barrington area, though not a special trip.
Tastefully Yours
230 East Main Street
Barrington, IL 60010
847/382-4220
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