Several new restaurants have opened in Oak Park recently and Citrine is a welcomed new addition to the current restaurant scene. Citrine is run by the same people behind The Dawson and Amber so I know I was in for a treat. The food menu is Mediterranean inspired and changes seasonally.
Kevin, my sister, and I visited for dinner on my birthday and enjoyed a wonderful meal together! We started with cocktails. I had The Hemingway which is Bacardi, Maraschino, Lime, and Grapefruit. I really enjoyed my drink and thought it was very refreshing and not overly sweet.
Kevin had an Old Fashioned which he also loved. Hilary’s drink was called La Marcha and was made with Cinnamon Tequila, Sherry, and Cherry Liqueurs. She also enjoyed her drink but didn’t think the cherry flavor was very prominent.
The menu is designed for sharing so we ordered several different dishes so we could sample several things. First on our table was the Charred Octopus with Green Beans, Olives, and Polenta Croutons. I love grilled octopus and this one did not disappoint. I especially loved the charred flavor and the polenta croutons which were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Next up was the Buratta and Asparagus with Avocado and Grilled Bread. Again this dish was so good! The creamy burrata on the crunchy bread was perfection.
The Heirloom Roasted Carrots with Farro was also very tasty. This dish was had a strong curry flavor which was a nice paring with the carrots.
The Baby Kale Caesar Salad was also good but nothing special. I probably would pass on this salad in the future.
This next dish we ordered at the recommendation of our waitress. The Wood Roasted Eggplant ‘Caviar’ is made with charred peppers, brown butter, and topped with house culture yogurt. At first glance of the menu, I would have never picked this dish out myself, but I am so glad we ordered it. This ended up being my favorite dish of the night as the eggplant had so much flavor!
For our final course we all split the Mediterranean Branzino with Braised Fennel, Arugula, Charred Lemon, and Citrus Salt. The reason our waitress recommended the eggplant is because we ordered the branzino. She said the two paired together very nicely and she was definitely right. The fish itself was very mild but the braised fennel, eggplant, and lemon gave it such a nice flavor pallet.
I loved everything about Citrine from the bright, open feel of the dining room to the incredible food. I highly recommend making your next dinner reservation here. I will be back for sure!
Citrine is located at 100 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, IL
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