Prairie Moon is a long-time Evanston, Il., standby when it comes to casual, fun restaurants. But because it’s menu skews a bit Cajun and barbeque, I haven’t been to eat there since my angioplasty two years go.
My wife recently decided we should go there with friends for dinner, though, so I braced for maybe at most a salad. But I was pleasantly surprised that the chefs there were able to modify a menu offering and still keep it tasty and hearty. Kudos to you, Prairie Moon.
Looking at the menu, which includes both large and a small plate offerings, I was thinking fish would be the least salty, least fat-filled offering I could get. Both salmon and trout are on the menu but each dish has no-nos for me. The salmon comes with mashed potatoes and butter. The trout comes with a pine-nut crust. I don’t eat nuts and usually crust means salt, either in cheese or some other way.
So I asked for the trout without the crust, simply grilled. The waitress said that would be no problem. I also asked for no salt on the sides, roasted potatoes and broccoli.
The plate arrived full and looking delicious. The trout was grilled, having a wonderful smoky flavor, as did the potatoes. I tasted a little salt on the potatoes, but not the usual ton. The broccoli was cooked al dente, a bit undercooked for me, but fresh and flavorful in its own right. The trout also was butterflied, an unusual presentation that I enjoyed, and boned expertly, not an easy task with boney trout.
Add in a glass of red wine called Xavier, the same name as my high school, and I had a wonderful meal with no hassle when it came to ordering.
Others at my table got pork chops, fish tacos and a Gulf Shrimp & Crawfish Étouffée that looked and smelled amazing.
Prairie Moon is a restaurant where special orders, to hold the salt, fat and sugar, don’t seem to upset them and where the result is still a great night out meal.
John
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