The La Grange Restaurant Week marks its 10th Anniversary in 2022, beginning just as the State of Illinois begins to relax its indoor masking regulations.
This year’s event will run from Feb. 25 to March 6 and includes 19 independent establishments offering selected menu items for special deals.
“La Grange is really developing a reputation as a hot destination for restaurants offering a diversity of foods at various price points,” Nancy Cummings, CEO of the event-organizing La Grange Business Association, said. “After the effects of COVID, restaurant owners are looking forward to this year with great anticipation.”
The Village of La Grange assisted in organizing the event and its presenting sponsors are agents of The Smothers Group with Compass.
In addition to the special pricing on selected menu items, the event will continue a tradition started last year, where people with receipts from participating restaurants can obtain special deals at Cold Stone Creamery, Wheely’s Coffee and Protein Lounge, and Wonderful Matcha.
New to La Grange and to the Restaurant Week this year is GP Italiano, 1 S. La Grange Rd., a family owned Italian eatery that opened Oct. 8, 2021.
Forty dollars per person will get hungry guests a three-course meal allowing the customer to choose between two specialties for each course.
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The first course might be meatballs with vodka sauce and whipped ricotta, and focaccia; the second course Carbonara with bucatini, hen’s egg, guanciale, and pecorino; the third desert course can be tiramisu, salted caramel, or apple cider doughnuts. (The full menu available can be seen at the LGBA website, or lagrangeevents.com)
The owner and chef at GP Italian is Joe Dellacroce, a Westchester native who graduated from Nazareth Academy and as he put it, “was always in downtown La Grange,” while growing up.
He got his start in the restaurant business working for Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, eventually becoming executive chef at Antico Posto in Oak Brook.
Dellacroce spied the available property a week after getting married, and since he always wanted to own his own restaurant, put his bid on it.
The owners wanted the property to go to someone local, so he got it, giving him the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream.
“Instead of buying a house, we bought a restaurant,” he said.
Dellacroce said that while business had “started off really hot,” the Omicron surged had taken its toll recently.
“Being down about 50 %, we weren’t hitting our numbers lately” he said. “But the last two weeks are picking up more and more.”
Dellacroce stressed that his establishment had a scratch kitchen, meaning everything was made in house, including pasta and bread.
Barrel House Social, approaching its fifth anniversary in La Grange, has also seen its share of challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and its owner is glad to see the pandemic starting to ease.
“We’ve had our struggles with staffing,” owner Kristi Blessing said, echoing comments heard from many in the restaurant industry during COVID-19. “We are very excited to have the support of the La Grange community.”
Barrel House Social will also offer a three course meal as a special during Restaurant Week, coming in at the low price of $30. Several different choices will be available to choose from, and they can seen at the LGBA website, or lagrangeevents.com
Barrel House Social had not been open for lunch during the week for most of the pandemic era, but recently began lunch service on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Blessing is confident that Barrel House and the rest of the culinary industry will rebound in the future.
“I believe it will come back, it’s just going to take a little while,” she said.
Presenting sponsor Joan Smothers of Smothers Group with Compass, also noted the challenges restaurants faced in the pandemic.
“Our independent restaurants have really had a rough two years,” she said. “They are grateful for the people’s support. This event is a great way to show support again and enjoy some great food.”
Smothers noted the importance of supporting the community.
“I’ve been involved in this village for 30 years and I’ve always been involved in the area and involved in giving back to the community,” she said. “It’s not just about us. It’s about the clients and towns we serve.”
For detailed information on La Grange Restaurant Week 2020, visit the LGBA website and find the link to lagrangeevents.com
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