Tablehopping: Good food, good attitude with a fresh, bistro flair

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Highland Park's Café Central brain trust (from left): General Manager Adam Nieto, Chef de Cuisine Juan Carlos Median Vazquez, owner Debbie Nieto and Sous-chef de Cuisine Lucio Castro.

Updated: May 3, 2011 2:14PM

"It's all about the guests," said general manager of Cafe Central in Highland Park, Adam Nieto, of the colorful French bistro that his family has owned for 15 years. Parents Carlos and Debbie Nieto also own Carlos' restaurant in Highland Park, The Happ Inn Bar & Grill in Northfield and operate the Freehling Room, a private dining room, at Ravinia.

"Honestly I like taking care of people and I think that is the equation," said Debbie Nieto. A former paramedic, she told her husband when he opened Carlos 30 years ago that she would help him. "And I am still helping!"

Cafe Central is different from the Nietos' other establishments in that it is very much a bistro, concentrating on a more casual feel both in the ambiance and the cuisine. "We are trying to work it for the times," said Debbie Nieto.

The emphasis at Central is on "fresh, clean food" that is all natural and made from scratch.

Take their Quiche du Jour which changes weekly. its flavors based partially on chef's choice and partially on the availability of the freshest ingredients. Slow-cooked in a spring form, the puff pastry crust is seasoned and then layered in savories like salmon, spinach, mushrooms and asparagus to allow the full flavor of each ingredient to stand out. The pie is then covered with whipped eggs and cooked very slowly at 225 degrees for three hours. Each healthy-sized slice is a good three inches high, comes with house salad in balsamic vinaigrette and CC's "famous" fries ($11.25).

The fries take three days to make, explains Adam Nieto. Once the potatoes are received in-house, they are cleaned, skinned and soaked overnight in cold water. The next day they are dried, hand-cut and blanched (first fried) at 300 degrees for three minutes, then portioned out on trays to await order when they are cooked again at 350 degrees to insure the fullest freshness.

A French bistro by theme, Cafe Central carries signature bistro fare like Mussels Steamed in Beer with Shallots ($11.25), Burgundy Escargot with Pernod butter and garlic ($9.25), Country Pate & Chicken Liver Mousse ($9.50), Salad Niçoise ($17.50) and the staple no French country eatery can do without, a hearty Bouillabaisse, a fish stew made with savory scallops, mussels, succulent shrimp and salmon all in a rich broth with vegetables, orzo pasta and a tomato saffron coulis ($23.50).

The Cafe tips its hat to local culture with a burger, adding its own spin on the American standard. The pan-seared organic American Wagyu burger used comes from Morgan Ranch, Nebraska, which raises a special class of cattle bred specifically for its intense marbling/high-fat content. Nieto likens it to a salmon in that, while it is higher in fat for maximum flavor, it has half the saturated fat of regular burgers and twice the amount of good cholesterol. "So it's actually a healthy option." Free range, grass fed and organic grain-finished, the two-inch thick burger ($14.75) comes with fries, a side salad and suggested wine pairing of the 2009 Guenoc, Cabernet Sauvignon ($8.75).

Cafe Central offers fine desserts as well, including chocolate mousse with brandied sponge cake ($7.25) and Floating Island meringue with caramelized sugar, toasted almonds and fresh fruit served on a bed of Creme Anglaise ($7.50).

"We offer really great food and great service with a positive attitude" says Adam Nieto.

Cafe Central

455 Central Avenue, Highland Park. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; dinner, 5 p.m.-close; Sunday dinner from 5 p.m.; closed Monday. Handicap accessible. Street Parking. (847) 266-7878 or cafecentral.net.

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