Seeing beets and goat cheese in a salad is nothing new to the Hungry Hound, but he did find it refreshing to see this kind of detail in Wheaton at Adelle's, which focuses on upscale American fare.
"Originally it was more...comfort food and it's kind of grown and expanded to more contemporary American," said Debbie Williams, of Adelle's.
In addition to that beet, goat cheese and walnut number, there's also a disc of fresh watermelon and crisp watercress, topped with oven-dried goat cheese and red sea salt.
Solid appetizers include a risotto of the day. The day the Hungry Hound went to visit, it contained a scallop, along with asparagus and smoked salmon.
The entrees play it safe, with herb-crusted whitefish in a lemon butter sauce, braised short ribs with a burnt orange sauce and a cheesy twice-baked potato with a Midwestern succotash, and a surprise - wild, Copper River salmon instead of the usual farm-raised option - served with roasted fingerling potatoes and a summery corn relish.
"I think if you give a good product with good service and a good atmosphere, why would they not come back. Why would they go someplace else," said Williams.
Desserts rotate frequently, but in mid-summer, Dolinsky found a brown cow - make that, rootbeer float - with small walnut-coconut cookies and a seasonal sour cherry crisp with cooling vanilla gelato and fresh whipped cream.
With one of the best alfresco dining options in DuPage County, you've got a destination dinner that's hard to beat.
"Everybody wants to sit on the patio. We are very lucky to have the best around and we keep it looking real nice," said Williams.
As coveted as the outdoor patio is, it is first come, first served, so you may have to leave the Demolition Derby or the Laser Light Show a little early to get a table.
Adelle's
1060 College Ave., Wheaton
630-784-8015
DuPage County Fair
8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, to Sunday, July 27
DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton
For information: www.dupagecountyfair.org
or (630) 669-6681
