The big bang bang

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

Nancy has saved the Eggers’ household countless millions of dollars by being on every restaurant rewards club mailing list. Most of the time these rewards consist of getting a free small cheese pizza after you purchase 62 large pizzas with all the toppings. However, every once in a while, an email does strike a chord and actually is a good deal. Such was the case when Nancy received an email telling us about “Lobster Weekends” at Bonefish Grill in Algonquin.

Walk through the revolving door and the bar area is on the right and the dining area on the left. There is a simple elegance to this restaurant with the back-lit metal artwork on the walls.

After we ordered our drinks, the waitress brought over a loaf of warm, crusty bread with a tray of seasoned olive oil for dipping. We struggled not to devour the entire load so we could save room for our entrees.

There are appetizers, and then there are the “must have” appetizers. At Bonefish Grill it is the often imitated, never duplicated Bang Bang Shrimp ($14.50). These sinful little morsels are crispy breaded shrimp served in a spicy cream sauce over lettuce. We can’t figure out how they keep the shrimp crispy even after pouring the spicy sauce over them. For those of you concerned about how spicy they are, they registered about a “4” on Jim’s sweat head meter. Not too bad…

Jim started the evening off with the Tempura Lobster and Risotto ($31.90) for his dinner. This was a tempura battered cold water lobster tail and tempura battered asparagus, served over creamy parmesan risotto with an Asian fusion glaze on the side. The tempura batter on the lobster was spot on and the risotto was a creamy compliment. The tempura asparagus looked good, but Jim is not a fan of this vegetable.

Nancy decided on the Imperial Stuffed Lobster Tail ($28.90) for her entrée. This was a cold-water lobster tail stuffed with lobster imperial with lemon butter sauce on the side. The lobster imperial was two kinds of cheese with lobster chunks mixed in and broiled to a golden brown. This succulent lobster was a decadent delight.

Nancy’s entrée came with her choice of two Signature Sides and she chose the garlic mashed potatoes and wanted to upgrade to a Premium Side. She chose the Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts ($3.90 upcharge). There is a new trend in restaurants to fancy up those nasty little cabbages. They are usually fried to within an inch of their miserable little lives and topped with some tasty sauce. These were topped with a sweet and spicy Kung Pao sauce then sprinkled with toasted macadamia nuts and fresh cilantro. These were just okay and thankfully, for her taste, the cilantro was missing in action.

The lobster tails were a nice size and a big bang for the buck. Unfortunately, Lobster Weekends are only while supplies last, so call first.

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible and reservations on the weekends are a must.

The cost of our Big Bang Bang was $93.72, disguising the taste of brussels sprouts, priceless…

Jim’s take: I’m not a fan of burnt vegetables no matter how it’s served and a brussels sprout will always be a nasty little cabbage to me.

Nancy’s take: I like brussels sprouts, but they have to be crispy and have a unique sauce. The Bang Bang Shrimp are my favorite.

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com

---

---