1818 Chophouse moves into a refined space in Edwardsville

×

Expand

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

A 20-ounce porterhouse steak with mashed potatoes

Considering opening a high-end protein palace? Spend some time observing the action in the roomy, laboratory-neat kitchen at 1818 Chophouse in Edwardsville, a new location that opened late last year. It’s behind glass and each night provides an ongoing lesson in the way that a professional kitchen operates, whether at a steakhouse or any other superior restaurant. (This one was built with an attached butchery and market.)

The staff radiates poise and energy. We watched one server spin away from a potential collision with a clueless wandering patron, balancing a pair of crystal flutes and a bottle of champagne so deftly that it looked like a well-rehearsed dance.

The place was packed on a recent Friday night. Every stool in the bar was filled, the spacious dining room was almost completely occupied, and several private areas bustled with parties. There’s the expected steakhouse swank: comfortably padded chairs, warm lighting, acoustics that allow for actual conversation. Thick, bound menus add to the atmosphere; in addition to the canonical bovine bounty, you’ll be pleased with several other offerings.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Duroc deviled eggs

Are deviled eggs now in? It seems so, and these score high as a starter, a kind of minor masterpiece of egg, the halves topped with poker chips of braised pork belly and a barbecue-spiced filling. Pork bellies its way into another appetizer, the happily fat-streaked specimen braised in sake and presented with a house-made ricotta, pickled green onions, and spiced peanuts. In a light, sugary coating, they taste like crumbles of brittle; the texture, combined with the salty pork, makes for an unusually delicious way to begin your meal.

The carpaccio platter is pure artwork. A leaf fall of rose-red beef arrayed with capers and arugula is dressed with a pistachio pesto and arrives with exquisite fried oysters. The combination of hot, golden-crusted oysters and chilled beef circles, along with focaccia toast, is completely successful as an appetizer and large enough for sharing.

A bisque of wild mushrooms is also practically mandatory. It’s cream-thick, with a perfect nappe consistency, the aroma woodsy and earthy, with a hint of rosemary oil. It tastes like a walk through an October forest.

Steaks arrive unadorned, with nary a parsley sprig. It’s beautiful to see such elegant simplicity. A thin trail of balsamic vinegar crisscrosses a New York strip, while 20 ounces of porterhouse rest in beefy splendor without any distractions. Medium rare means exactly that here. A blind taste of different cuts at 1818 Chophouse is easy; the varying textures of the beef are obvious. All meat is corn-fed Angus that’s wet-aged. The attached boutique grocery houses the restaurant’s butchery, so you can watch your steak be rendered, adding much to the experience of consuming quality cow. Incidentally, pork gets attention in the form of a “porterhouse chop,” which contains both the strip and tenderloin; it’s brown-sugar brined and thick as a Dostoyevsky novel (though much easier to digest).

×

Expand

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Blood orange braised pork belly

Fried chicken seemed an odd menu item; we wondered how a steakhouse might handle it. It was just fine, with a lightly browned crust and moist interior, accompanied with buttery mashed potatoes and green beans. For those who prefer surf to turf, there are scallops, salmon, tuna steaks, and some of the biggest crab cakes we’ve ever seen.

You won’t be disappointed in a selection of wines and mixed drinks, the former well-matched to the food, the latter a superior lubricant for post-dining conversation. The selection of bourbons is particularly good. A smoked Old Fashioned made with Buffalo Trace perfumes the air like a cozy campfire. And the dessert platter is an assembly of extravagance, as befits a serious steakery.

The carrot cake and a weird but wonderful apple pie cake are both recommended.

Unless your idea of fun includes dining trackside at Indy, avoid the outdoor seating, next to the parking lot and a roaring four-lane highway. Inside, though, all is glowing and posh. Edwardsville has blossomed, and this place is one of many upscale dining spots there worth a visit.