RL in Chicago: Hold the Sauce (Chicago Restaurant Review No. 70)

On a recent beautiful Sunday evening, we wanted to eat outside and were in the Water Tower area, so we decided to try RL, about which we had heard many good things. Unfortunately, the outdoor eating area was full, except for a table near much foliage, which we've learned usually means many bugs. However, inside was not bad, as the decor was very much like Ralph Lauren's stores -- lots of dark wood, bookcases, and clubby seats. It also was not too cold, which is a plus for inside in the summer.

We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had the Carmel Pinot Noir, which she liked because of its smooth grapey favor. Steve tried something he'd never tried before, a Cotes Du Rhone (in honor of our upcoming trip to Paris). It was typical of French reds, in that it was a little too dense for his taste.

Our appetizer was a cheese plate. Even though we were not told what the cheeses were, we really liked this dish. It was very nicely presented. We think it consisted of goat, chedder, bleu and Swiss cheeses, all of which we liked. The plate included various berries, including Mulberries, which was a nice treat. Salad choices looked skimpy, so Lisa chose to go with the lobster bisque. She was glad she did, as it this was one of the best she had ever tasted. It was very fresh and not at all fishy. By default, Steve chose the Caesar salad, which was as skimpy as the salad choices. It came without dressing (probably an oversight) and there wasn't much to it.

Ah, what could have been. The bone-in filets were cooked perfectly and, for one or two bites, tasted really great. However, those one or two bites came only at the end when we finally were able to rid the beef of the gobs and gobs of sauce which were splashed all over it. It wasn't even very good sauce, as it reminded us of A-1. Our advice to RL is to hold the sauce and let the beef speak for itself.

We also enjoyed our desserts. Lisa had the chocolate ganache cake, which she liked because it was sufficiently dark and came with vanilla ice cream that set it off well. Steve had a banana split. It certainly was original, although the ice cream was not all that good and tasted more like gelatto (more icy than creamy). LIsa, however, thought the chocolate in the banana split was excellent, as it was quite dark.

The bathrooms were well-decorated in keeping with the rest of the restaurant. Getting to them is rather a fun adventure, as it requires going through a doorway at the back of the restaurant and taking a dark wood elevator to the lower level. Lisa would have liked towels and a waste basket near the door, as it was in a separate waiting area and there was no way to open it to leave without touching the handle. The Men's Room had the same issue and was low on towels.

Dinner for two with wine by the glass was a rather hefty $225, but it would have easily been worth it had they held the sauce on the filets, as nearly everything else was excellent. The room also was quiet and quite pleasant, with plenty of space between tables. The inside part of this restaurant would be a lovely place for a winter dinner, perhaps after holiday shopping.

Our ratings for RL, 115 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, Illinois:

7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes