Eating Farm Fresh at Duke’s

By Rebecca Zborowski

Hapless Intern

I recently watched the documentary “Food Inc,” which was like Scared Straight for my diet. In the past, I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to go vegetarian or even just focus more on organics, but it never sticks.  No matter how long I deny them, McDonald’s and bacon always thwart my efforts. The movie, however, ignited my enthusiasm for Duke’s Alehouse in Crystal Lake, an organic restaurant that exclusively uses ingredients from local farms.

The menu is unexpectedly extensive and features revolving dishes based on seasonality. The beer list is vast and detailed, but I ordered the “Dark and Stormy” signature cocktail – rum and ginger beer with a splash of lime – it was strong, but the ginger and lime notes kept the rum from weighing it down.

My Cuban panini rivaled Cafecito’s acclaimed Cubano in the South Loop: perfectly crisp bread, stacked pork and ham that didn’t overwhelm the meat-to-starch ratio and melted Swiss providing balance, while the bite of mustard and crunch of pickles offered great contrast; on the side was a plate of cheese fries – the consistency of the cheese was unusually chalky and clumped-up too much, but from a pure taste perspective they were fairly good.   My sister generously offered me a bite of her salmon slider, and I’m glad she did; it was delicious, topped with pickled cucumber slices and oozing chipotle mayo. A side dish of farm-fresh beets also proved noteworthy: they were practically buttery-sweet from gentle roasting, assembled in a range of colors that were as pleasing to see as they were to eat.

The restaurant is high on charm. Tables are adorned with pots of fresh herbs and for just $7, you can buy a small personal jug of wine. If I had to find fault with one thing, it certainly had to be the music: cheesy doctor’s office waiting room tunes drifted out over the rooftop deck, making me feel like I was about to get my teeth drilled.

Minor complaints aside, Duke’s is a hearty endorsement for the organic/locavore lifestyle, and should inspire you to give it a fair shot.

Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen

110 N. Main St.

Crystal Lake, IL 60014

(815) 356-9980

http://thedukeabides.com/2011/

Rebecca Zborowski is a student at Columbia College and is one of the hapless interns for stevedolinsky.com