Mystery Diner in East Dundee: Mockingbird Bar + Garden offers Fox River Trail access, indoor-outdoor dining

My girlfriends and I are always on the lookout for a new place to try, where we can have a few drinks, a nice dinner and just the right ambiance for conversation.

That is why Mockingbird Bar + Garden in East Dundee was a lovely way to spread our culinary wings and catch up.

Situated next to the Fox River Trail in the village’s downtown, Mockingbird is a petite location, so reservations are recommended. The restaurant, whose interior has a Swedish-European vibe, boasts a wood-fired oven, bar, outdoor patio and, on some nights, live music.

One of the friends who joined us had been to Mockingbird on a warm summer night. She highly recommended cocktails and small plates to share while sitting on the patio.

The outdoor dining space is enclosed in the winter, adding heaters and sheepskin throws to keep the metal chairs from getting cold. We ate there during the late January cold snap and were not chilled at all on the patio.

Mockingbird touts its ever-changing menu that encourages diners to “eat seasonal and clean,” according to its website.

It also means that while some staples may remain on the menu longer, some of the entrees we picked may not still be there when you go.

We started with the artichoke dip ($9) from the shared plates menu. I am a huge fan of artichoke dip, and will order it when it is on the menu. This one was served in a warm, cast iron skillet, with bread for dipping. All three of us raved about the dip, which had a hint of heat from red pepper flakes.

In fact, all three of us said we’d like to come back again and just do the small plates menu to share.

We also started with the drink menu, because what girl’s night shouldn’t include a few indulgences. We went with the Drunken Parrot ($13). The mixture of pineapple rum, coconut aperitif, Baijiu, banana liquor, Demerara, lime and ginger made us think of a beach and not an Illinois winter.

For my main course, I chose the mushroom pizza ($18.50). Made in the wood-fired oven, the mushroom pizza had amazing flavor and, to my delight, a crisp crust that held up to eating with my hands.

One friend ordered a shared plate, the Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Sage and Butter ($17). It was wonderful and definitely enough for one person’s meal or to share.

Finally, the third friend went with the Oven Roasted Halibut ($22). The charring and flavor were both nice, she reported.

One of Mockingbird’s specialties is salads and desserts served in jars. The salads range from $8 to $18 each. We ordered the Dessert Jar of the Day, lemon curd ($7). It was heavenly. The Bread Pudding Skillet ($9) made me think of the bread pudding mom made at home.

If you want to try out a few of the restaurants just south of McHenry County, or a place to pause and refresh if you decide to bike or walk the Fox River Trail, Mockingbird Bar + Garden makes for a lovely stop.

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at the Northwest Herald. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a different restaurant and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.

Seeking reader suggestions: We welcome readers to share their recommendations of places they would like the Mystery Diner to visit. Email ideas to tips@nwherald.com.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Mockingbird Bar + Garden

WHERE: 217 Barrington Ave., East Dundee

PHONE: 847-551-5614

INFORMATION: mockingbirdbarandgarden.com