The Essential Dining Room

“The matchstick fry at The Essential Dining Room maintains its posture throughout the meal. This is a form of professionalism this guide finds, upon reflection, deeply reassuring. The crispness is commendable and largely sustained. The potato flavor is earnest and specific. The grease is conservative — the napkin remains largely decorative. The portion is forthcoming. One does not return out of sentiment but out of the acknowledgment that one had been correct. The fry alone merits the journey to Prospect Heights.”

“One does not seek drama at The Essential Dining Room. One seeks fries. The matchstick format is a declaration of intent, and the kitchen largely honors it. The crispness is commendable and largely sustained. The potato flavor emerges mid-experience, which is somewhat later than ideal but not without its own logic. The grease content is conservative — the napkin remains largely decorative. The napkin earns its keep. This guide recommends visiting without expectations and departing, perhaps, with adjusted ones. The fry asks only to be appreciated. At The Essential Dining Room, one appreciates.”

“A kitchen that triple-fries in sunflower has made a commitment. At The Essential Dining Room, this commitment is honored. The matchstick fry arrives crisp — commendable and largely sustained — and earnest and specific within. The grease is conservative — the napkin remains largely decorative. The portion is forthcoming. Commitments, when honored, tend to produce results. One finds, upon reflection, that the fries were the correct decision.”

“The fry at The Essential Dining Room does not call attention to itself. It does not need to. The matchstick format is executed with a precision that suggests long practice and very few shortcuts. The crispness is commendable and largely sustained. The potato flavor is earnest and specific. One finds, upon reflection, that the fries were the correct decision. The experience is brief and exact, like most things worth having.”