Monday, July 9, 2007
Food & Drink / Food Chain The Oyster Whisperer lands at Ditka's in Oakbrook Terrace
Posted by Mike Sula on 07.09.07 at 12:40 PM
I got an e-mail this morning from Mark "the Oyster Whisperer" Mavrantonis, who's been quietly helming things at Ditka's in Oakbrook Terrace since mid-March. (That's in the western suburbs, Slick.) It's only been open for two months and they've yet to develop a raw bar program. At present he's only serving one type of oyster (with a Bloody Mary-sorbet palate cleanser).
Mav brought most of the kitchen staff from Fulton's along (except his sous chef) and seems pretty excited about all the new toys he has to play with: a Wood Stone pizza oven, a line "that can pump out 1,000 covers on a Saturday night," an ice cream machine that can crank out 12 quarts in less than ten minutes.
There's no Web site yet but early reports indicate that the menu leans more heavily on sea creatures than the chops- and steak-centric downtown location. But don't think Da Coach has gone all soft and fishy in the 'burbs. "I just found out I purchase more Berkshire pork bellies than any other restaurant," Mavrantonis wrote. "We cure and smoke our own bacon here, about 49 slabs a week."
Mike Ditka's of Oakbrook Terrace is at 2 Mid America Plaza, 630-572-2200.
Comments (5)
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I just finished reading Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" and with the love that man has for raw oysters, I'm inspired to try some out. You can find a review of the book on my site. Unfortunately, I haven't heard of a reputable raw bar in Tucson -- yet another reason I can't wait to get back to Chicago. ----------- http://kellytheculinarian.blogspot.com/
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Mike, thanks for clearing up the mystery of what happened to this remarkable artist of the oyster. I must say, I’m a little disappointed to hear Mavrantonis ended up (at least for now) at Ditka’s, but what the hell, he made it worth going to Fulton’s, maybe he can do the same for Iron Mike’s. Kelly, I’m going through Kitchen Confidential right now, and I was intrigued that Bourdain’s primal food experience was eating a raw oyster – to the shock of his family – in the oyster boat of a French Uncle. I think many of us who live for food remember when we first discovered the possibilities of what could be eaten (for me, it was Nestle’s Quik and orange juice).
Wait, Kelly, you're in TUCSON and you keep saying you're dying to get back here? I could happily eat at Pico de Gallo every day for a year. P.S. http://www.kingfishertucson.com/html/oysterbar.html
I'm here just for the summer and I'm making the best of the eating possibilities, but the Mexican food is very different here. They really like fried products and the chimichanga was invented here. There's a lot of red sauce, but really no heat behind it. I'm planning on making a trip into a border town next week to get something really authentic. ----------------------- kellytheculinarian.blogspot.com
It is different, because it's largely Sonoran, which we don't have in Chicago, but that doesn't mean it's not authentic. I'm not an expert, but I know what I like. Try Pico de Gallo in (heavily Mexican) South Tucson and the little Poca Cosa downtown, if you haven't already.
