Restaurant 9 – Ruxpin

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Restaurant 9 – Ruxpin, Heather, Wigs, Kevin & Julie

We’ve been wanting to go to this BYOB restaurant for a long time, and thought Memorial Day weekend might be a good time to try it, as maybe it wouldn’t be so crowded.  They open at 5:30, and we’ve read that there is always a line when the doors open.  So our goal was to get there around 5. 

Kevin & Wigs spent the day working on Wigs’ front porch – digging holes, mixing and pouring concrete, cutting wood.  Kevin probably could’ve used a nap after the hard work and yesterday’s long golf outing, but he had to move it to shower when he got home so we could get to Ruxpin by 5.  We ended up cabbing it there, as the bus times weren’t working out.  Heather/Wigs took the blue line.  (Restaurant on Ashland, near Chicago.) 

We got in line about 5:10, and there were maybe 15-20 people in front of us.  As we were waiting, we learned there were 32 seats, and so we were all counting to see if we’d make it in.  The 3-tops would be the unknown here.  If you don’t make it for the first seating, they will take your name & #, and then call you for the second seating when your table is close to ready.   Of course we wanted the first seating since the Hawks were playing at 7, and we wanted to see the game.  For future reference, you could totally get in line at 5:30 and if you don’t make the first seating, it sounds like you are pretty sure to get the 2^nd seating.  Just go somewhere for a few drinks, and then have dinner at a normal time, vs. the senior citizen time. 

So we got in, as did the couple behind us.  I don’t know if one more couple after them did or not, but it was close.  They stagger the seating too so that you don’t have 32 people sitting right at 5:30, which would slam the servers and the kitchen.  We probably sat around 5:50. 

Very cool space – lots of reclaimed/reused stuff.  Ceiling was lined with cookbook pages.  Seat backs were made from seat belts.  There were also old school desktops, painted warehouse racking – very cool décor.  Right away we were given popcorn dusted with salt, sugar and something else (herbs??) to snack on while we perused the menu.  Heather/wigs brought a bottle of white, so we started with that, and later moved on to the red wine that we brought. 

We started with the Crudo special – Alaskan salmon with homemade potato chips.  This was really, really good – even for those of us who don’t care for salmon (Kevin, Wigs, Julie – even Heather??).  Very fresh and flavorful.  We also had the grilled octopus, with chickpeas, pickled green onions, radish, black soybean, grapes in a ginger-scallion vinaigrette.  This was delicious.  You could really taste the grilled flavor.  Next came the pork belly with cornbread (LOVE cornbread), jicama, grapefruit, cheese in a citrus vinaigrette.  Also delish.  Heather also ordered the carrot soup, and we all tried a spoonful.  I didn’t care for it – just not a cooked carrot fan.  But everyone else loved it.  It was very carrot-y. 

For dinner, Kevin & Wigs continued on their date and shared the 20 oz bone-in Lamb (was it a shank??), while Heather had the Agnolotti (pasta), and I had the Hangar steak.  The boys loved their lamb, and probably could’ve eaten even more (after their big day of hard labor).  Heather’s pasta came with an “onsen” egg, that when broken made a velvety-rich sauce.  My hangar steak came with potatoes, greens and had chimichurri sauce.  Yum.  Both the lamb and hangar steak were prepared medium rare (no option to change). 

We decided to pass on dessert since the Hawks game was underway.  We took the #9 bus down to Wrightwood, and went to Augie’s to watch the end of the game.  Hawks win 4-1.  Yea!!!!  Now we have to come back here for future games, as it is the only place we’ve been (other than South Dakota and Pittsburgh) where I’ve seen them win.  Go Hawks!!!