Spelunking for dinner

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

As you may or may not know, Nancy is President of the Sun City Bocce Club. Every year, from the beginning of May to the beginning of June, it is absolute chaos in the Dining Duo household. There are an average of 12 calls a day with such earth shattering questions like: “did I sign up for bocce ball last year, if so, when do I play,” and the ever popular, “where are the bocce ball courts?”

Nancy was at the end of her rope (she was tempted to tie it around her neck), and there was even a more serious dilemma. Her Fireball Whiskey was starting to run out! I thought I better do something quick, so I decided to take my sweetie to Cafe la Cave in Des Plaines for an evening of romance and relaxation.

Walking in, our “guide” directed us as we “spelunked” (cave exploring, get it?) to our table. As with any cave, the lighting was subdued, and it actually looked like you were in a cave, but a very classy one. The waiters were even adorned in tuxedos. The pink lights in the cave gave off a romantic ambiance, just what I needed.

Nancy had a drink this evening to calm her nerves, a Black Cherry Garcia ($12). This was black cherry vodka, Godiva white chocolate liqueur, and cranberry juice with chocolate sprinkles. This drink mellowed her out, and she even stopped yelling at me.

Looking at the menu in a dark restaurant is a daunting task for us seniors. You either have to use your phone as a flashlight, or set the menu on fire with the candle on the table. This restaurant solved this problem in the coolest way possible. They actually have light up menus, GENIUS!!!

Nancy wanted to stay with this French restaurant’s theme and ordered a Baked French Onion Soup ($8) for her appetizer. This was really tasty and cheesy.

Jim had two appetizers this evening. He ordered the Lobster Bisque ($9) which was, frankly, disappointing. So he then ordered the Escargot Bourguignon ($11). This was not only tasty, but fun to eat. They were served in the shell, and he was given those special pliers and an itty bitty fork to yank those “suckers” out. Escargot proves that if you put enough butter and garlic on anything, you can eat it. They put up quite a fight, but in the end they were tasty.

Nancy spotted a dish that immediately caught her eye. This was the Seafood Medallions ($30), which was shrimp, crab, and scallops, sautéed in a lobster brandy sauce, and served with risotto. She said this was absolutely amazing.

Jim wanted to show off and ordered the Steak Diane ($41), which was cooked tableside. This was tenderloin medallions gently sautéed with garlic, shallots, mushrooms, and finished off with Cognac. This dish was out of this world, and you haven’t truly lived until you’ve tasted it.

Because I ate light tonight (NOT), I had to order dessert. I saw the Chef’s Fallen Chocolate Souffle ($8) and couldn’t resist. This was a mini soufflé served piping hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I was in luck tonight, Nancy took one spoonful to taste, and the rest was mine. This was just the right size and very decadent.

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible, and when making reservations, ask for a table in the cave.

Cafe la Cave is old school elegance, and deservedly they are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

The price for our “spelunking” adventure was $152.90, calming Nancy down, priceless…

Jim’s take: Steak Diane is one of my favorite dishes, and this restaurant did it justice.

Nancy’s take: Everything I had was awesome. I even took a doggie bag home.

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com

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