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1/11/2002 BY JAMES WARD (Originally Broadcast on ABC 7 10pm Nightly News on 1/11/02) Once upon a time Chicago was known as a meat & potatoes kind of town - and despite changing tastes & trends - it still is. But to be successful today, a steakhouse has to offer a lot more than prime beef. And - with all its stylish Bread & Circuses - the brand new Keefer's more than fills the bill! Keefer's on Kinzie - a bright, new sight in the city - just across from Holy Cow! And it's an urban panorama inside-looking-out - reflecting the professionalism of host & proprietor Glenn Keefer - a steak house veteran. But this steak house is different - not quite quiet - except in the Fireplace Room - it's bustling but not boisterous. Sure, there are nifty niceties - plenty of space for privacy ... tablecloths without butcher paper ... comp triple-filtered water in handmade glasses ... a handsome bar with a generous pour ... and of course, smooth, savvy service. But what makes Keefer's really special is the chef - Chicago's own John Hogan - formerly of Kiki's Bistro and Savarin. Now there are lots of USDA prime-aged steaks on the menu but the steak to have is the tangy, tactile, richly-flavored Delmonico - and this is the way to have it ... "I recommend it with medium marbling and cooked medium-rare." Well beyond the steaks & chops and a terrific rack of lamb - there's much more! As Chef Hogan says... "Keefer's is a new millennium American restaurant ... offering a lot of the old American traditional foods with a little bit of a new twist to it ..." It's tradition with a new twist, thanks to Hogan's creative cookery. Consider these lively appetizers - steak Diane as a starter ... and beautiful asparagus with prosciutto ... as well as the peasant pleasures of country pates or urbane foie gras with brioche & sauterne! Also this is a great place for sparkling fresh seafood - this is Hogan's magical black Florida grouper, topped with peakytoe crabmeat, leeks & lobster sauce. And there's a sensational grilled tuna steak with Asian barbeque sauce and daikon radish ... a braised red snapper with artichokes & olives ... as well as boned-at-table Dover Sole ... and don't miss the seafood pot pie on the bistro menu. More Hoganiana -- a huge round-up of imaginative veggies and sides ... And there are seven potato preparations - where do you get croquettes anymore? And I'm crazy about the pomme frites. Now, room for dessert? If you must - the Triple Chocolate is a dangerously rich indulgence! Keefer's is at 20 W. Kinzie. Call 312-467-9525. Lunch, about 20 dollars; average dinner tab, $38 bucks. And, Keefer's gets a Bread rating of 9 for food; and an 8 for Circuses. And believe it or not, those prices are very reasonable for a first-class, professionally run restaurant that's a steakhouse and much more!
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