6 May 2002

Carolyn Walkup
Nation's Restaurant News

Windy City eateries a breath of fresh air: Variety of new Chicago restaurant styles feeds loyal customers' need to resume dining-out routines in wake of Sept. 11 tragedy.


Another American restaurant that opened late last year was Keefer's. Although the concept was conceived with the intention of specializing in steaks, especially for the business lunch crowd, it also has become known for fish.

"I think we are straight-ahead Chicago food, but John [chef John Hogan] can throw on some specials that round out the experience for people," says managing partner Glenn Keefer, a veteran of Ruth's Chris Steak House and The Palm. Hogan's classic French background from his days at Savarin and Kiki's Bistro is apparent in such dishes as lobster bisque with minced seafood dumplings, onion soup gratinee and Dover sole meuniere, presented tableside.

"Our steak-house people typically don't like to ask a lot of questions about the food, so we took away the French words," Keefer notes. "Frisee" became "curly greens," and "foie gras" became "duck liver."

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