New La Grange restaurant fourteensixteen offers modern feel, eclectic menu

LA GRANGE – La Grange residents can get a taste of Chicago's trendy River North neighborhood at fourteensixteen, a "new American" restaurant that opened Sept. 6 at 14 W. Calendar Ave. The upscale establishment offers a made-from-scratch, eclectic menu and unique cocktails in a high-energy atmosphere.

Chicago resident and chef Grant Slauterbeck owns the restaurant and said La Grange was a perfect choice to open his first business because of its vibrant downtown and proximity to the train.

“We’re doing things a little different than other area restaurants,” he said. “A lot of restaurants are good but don’t have the modern feel that we have. I want our guests to get off the train and come here for dinner and feel like they’re downtown.”

Slauterbeck said there is something for everyone on the menu, which encompasses many different elements and cuisines. More than 75 percent of the ingredients come from sources within 300 miles of La Grange.

Some of the menu’s highlights include some unique creations, such as Walleye Crudo, made with sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant and fire water, and beef tenderloin poke, which comes on a homemade poppy seed bun with cucumber, avocado, onion and jalapeno, to fresh takes on traditional classics like burgers. Fourteensixteen’s three-beef burger features ground chuck, ribeye and short rib, complete with caramelized onions and bordelaise on a brioche bun. The menu also has a variety of salads along with vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Nancy Cummings, La Grange Business Association executive director, has tried the food and described it as “delicious with interesting flavor combinations.”

“I was very impressed with fourteensixteen. It has a fabulous location and a great menu,” she said. “I’m really excited to welcome fourteensixteen because it contributes to making La Grange a bustling and dynamic destination. There’s a lot of buzz on social media [about the opening].”

Besides the eclectic menu, fourteensixteen features a variety of cocktails and spirits that aren’t often found elsewhere. Two cocktails, appropriately named “14” and “16,” are served from the tap.

“The drinks are unique in combination because we don’t have run-of-the-mill spirits or beer,” Slauterbeck explained. “We rotate our draft beers, and our spirits are as locally made as possible. We also have an unbelievable wine list.”

Guests can enjoy the restaurant’s rustic, industrial-chic dining room or mingle on the rooftop, Slauterbeck said.

“The rooftop is beautifully landscaped, and it provides something altogether different. It’s going to be a place to go to be seen,” he said.

Slauterbeck said that while the delicious food and attentive service are certainly important, the way he and his staff engage with diners is what makes fourteensixteen stand out.

“Our guests aren’t customers; they’re our guests,” he explained. “As a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry, I want people to know that the engagement we have with them is the most important thing. My goal is to give the community something that they needed, and hopefully something the residents wanted. So far, there’s been an electric vibe around the restaurant.”

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If you go

What: fourteensixteen

Address: 14 W. Calendar Ave., La Grange

Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

Info: 1416lagrange.com