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ALGONQUIN – The unique menu at Bold American Fare in Algonquin is what owner Greg Geigel and executive chef Mathew Lucas said sets the restaurant apart from others in the area.
"We do not cut any corners in the kitchen," said Lucas, of Crystal Lake.
A lobster pop tart and chicken and waffles are among menu items that Lucas said puts a twist on American fare.
Everything from dressings to drinks are made fresh in-house, Lucas said, and the beef used is top quality.
When the restaurant, at 8 S. Main St., had a soft opening last week, Geigel said word spread fast, and he had to turn people away.
Geigel, of Wauconda, was an owner of the previous restaurant in the same location – Martini’s on Main – and said he wanted to rebrand the place.
The restaurant has a bar, but Geigel said he doesn’t want video gambling machines. The restaurant is ideal for a fine dining experience or a date, he said.
The building dates back to 1893, and the restaurant can seat about 50 people in a 1,400-square-foot space, Geigel and Lucas said. Eventually, there also will be seating on the outside patio, they said.
Both Geigel and Lucas said they’ve seen more pedestrian traffic downtown since the opening of the bypass, and they hope to see that increase with other downtown improvements the village has planned.
“The plans the village has for down in this area are really cool,” Geigel said. “And I want to be a part of that.”
The village has about $6.3 million budgeted for downtown improvements in 2018, with more scheduled for the future.
Martini’s on Main had been in the spot on South Main Street for nearly a decade before it closed, Algonquin Senior Planner Ben Mason said.
“The village is very pleased to have this new restaurant opening in the downtown, and believes that it will offer something new and unique with their menu,” Mason said.
The restaurant is open from 4 to 11 p.m. Monday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit http://boldamericanfare.com.