With November just a few days ahead of me, I realized that I had not had an Octoberfest beer for the season. With that in mind, I suggested to my husband that we get in on some good brew at Porterâs Pub, 1250 Bowes Creek Boulevard, in Elgin.
We arrived on a Friday nightâthe famous âAll You Can Eatâ fish fry evening. We entered the clubhouse and found the pub room, which has a long bar the length of the room along with comfy booths along the opposite wall and tables in between. We walked into the dining room, which to our surprise, was empty of tables and chairs. We were told that there was going to be a benefit that evening in the room, but we were welcome to have our dinner in the pub room.
We sat down in one of the booths and were immediately greeted by the bartender, who was also serving as a wait person. She suggested an excellent beer choice for me from their very extensive beer list, and by the look of the back bar liquor, she could have made any mixed drink we could have imagined.
The âGrub Menuâ is a good mix of English-style food like pot roast, chicken pot pie, and fish and chips, as well as beef tenderloin tips and grilled salmon. There are also âsamiesâ (sandwiches) and wraps. My husband had the chicken pot pie, which had a light and fluffy pie crust topping while underneath there were good-sized pieces of chicken, peas, and gravy. I went for the fish fry, which was battered cod with fries and coleslaw with a unique dressing. While the three pieces of fish were very well prepared, they were placed directly on top of the fries, making for a very greasy soft potato mess.
A family next to us started their meal with an appetizerâa giant warm pretzel served standing straight up, along with a variety of sauces. Other appetizers ranged from âmac & cheese golf ballsâ to âcockney cheese curdsâ with a sauce that I found finger-licking good. Ordering several of these together would be a fun âmealâ in itself. There is a childrenâs menu for the grandkids to enjoy as well. Food preparation is provided by the famous Carlucci Restaurant, and though the prices are a little higher than other places, the quality of the food is worth it.
The City of Elgin has taken over the golf course and clubhouse/restaurant from Toll Brothers Builders, who are still building housing in the adjacent area. While the wait staff was very attentive and made sure all guests were served, I thought the management could use a few suggestions.
With the dining room closed off for a very busy Friday evening, they waited until 6 p.m. to set up additional seating near the windows for the overflow of guests arriving for dinner, and they had tables and chairs carried overhead through the already packed pub to accommodate more diners. The noise level is difficult for normal conversation in the pub, but the atmosphere was very lively and a band was setting up to provide music for the crowd. I will look forward to trying out the dining room the next time we go and let you know how it fares.
They will be open for Thanksgiving Dinner (with pumpkin martinis), as well as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Edgewater residents looking to sample English food served in a pub-style setting with a huge variety of beers, ales, and stouts will have an authentic experience very close to home.
