News for Lincolnshire
Sun Publications – July 15, 1999
Little Things Mean A Lot
Often it is more than food that defines whether a restaurant will survive longer than a year or two. Little things such as service, presentation and atmosphere build customer base.
And few restaurants do more of the little things than the Egg Harbor Cafe, near the corner of Route 45 and Milwaukee Avenue in Lincolnshire.
The only disappointing aspect is that the Egg Harbor Cafe is not open for dinner.
Open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, the Egg Harbor gives customers a flawless dining experience from start to finish.
Even before entering the restaurant, on busy days, customers find a table with complementary coffee for patrons while they wait to be seated.
A pitcher of water with lemon and glasses are on the table when customers are seated.
There are colored pencils and paper for children to draw.
Even though the restaurant usually is packed with children on the weekends, there is little screaming and crying to be heard.
The Lincolnshire location opened Sept. 28 and is the ninth member of the Egg Harbor Cafe chain.
Other locations include Lake Forest, Naperville, Barrington, Northbrook-Glenview, Hinsdale, Yorktown-Lombard and Wheaton.
On the menu, it is written that the owners “dreamed of a special cafe where quality, cleanliness and great service would be the rule … not the exception.
A place where every visitor would be treated as a special guest.”
The restaurant also includes in its mission statement the goal of providing customers “with the highest quality ingredients and friendly, efficient service; and most importantly that our owners and staff will always strive to see that this promise remains a reality.”
All members of the restaurant management team are well trained and friendly.
Even at busy times, which includes most mornings, the serving and kitchen staffs are efficient.
The food is of equally high quality.
“We like to say our restaurants serve unique breakfast creations in a country setting,” said Kevin Rasmus, assistant manager.
The Egg Harbor Cafe serves lunch, but the kitchen’s creativity shines brightest for breakfast, which is served during all business hours.
Fresh-squeezed orange juice, fresh strawberry-orange juice, lemonade and a mixture of iced tea and lemonade make the beverage menu.
The unique creations include cinnamon apple sausage, turkey sausage and specially seasoned sauteed mushroom caps.
There are a variety of crepes, eggs Benedict and omelets that put the average pancake house to shame. Items such as the Meggsican frittata, a combination of eggs, chorizo sausage, onions and melted cheese topped with sour cream and tomatoes, put the zip back in breakfast.
There are daily specials such as the portabello mushroom omelet and summer specials such as the fresh fruit crepes with a yogurt sauce.
There also are daily homemade soups, including the low-fat black-bean chicken chili, which is so good it’s worth trying on even the hottest summer day.
The menu is even tailor made for dieters, with options for low-fat cheddar and cream cheese and no-fat sour cream and salad dressings.
There is even a Health Club Omelet featuring egg substitute, spinach, mushrooms and tomato with low-fat cheddar cheese.
It is served with a cup of fruit and a dry English muffin.
Just about everyone, regardless of tastes and habits, will find a place at the Egg Harbor Cafe. And when they leave, they undoubtedly will leave satisfied.