Mystery Diner: The Office would delight even Dwight Schrute
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| The vegetarian wrap at The Office features asparagus, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and basil in a tomato and basil wrap. Chicken, shrimp or steak can be added for an additional charge. (Kane County Chronicle photo) |
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The Office
Address: 201 E. Main St. in St. Charles
Phone: 630-549-0287
Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-1 or 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday (depending on business); and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday
Website: www.theofficestc.com
ST. CHARLES – With a name like The Office, the eatery in St. Charles has a lot to live up to – being associated with the place most people are at for at least eight hours each day, as well the NBC comedy with the same name.
After eating at the restaurant for a recent lunch, even the hardest to please (Dwight Schrute from TV’s “The Office,” and maybe even your own boss) would be satisfied with the plethora of options available for all tastes.
Open since January 2010, the eatery bills itself as a gastro pub, featuring comfortable seating and a casual but upscale atmosphere.
The menu includes many craft beers on tap as well as a thorough wine and cocktail list, while serving Coca-Cola products for the lunch and kiddie crews.
My companion and I took a careful look at the menu to make sure we ordered exactly what we were feeling like having.
One item stood out for my companion – the vegetarian wrap, featuring asparagus, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and basil in a tomato and basil wrap. She added chicken for an extra $4 (shrimp and steak can be added for an additional $5 or $6, respectively, on this and other meatless dishes.)
I was thinking of ordering a soup and sandwich combo – a special that is offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Patrons can choose between half portions of the mixed green salad, Caesar salad, grilled chicken sandwich, Monterrey chicken sami, pulled pork sandwich, Reuben sandwich or a cup of soup or chili. The soup specials during my visit were chicken noodle and beef noodle – the latter calling out my name. For my second option, I decided to go with the Monterrey chicken sami, a blackened chicken breast with barbecue sauce, Monterrey jack cheese, bacon and guacamole, served on a french roll.
Our drinks were replenished at the perfect time while we waited for our food to come out. The decor at The Office really stands out from other area restaurants. There’s a seating space to the left of the main entrance called The Library, which had a group in it during our visit. The patio has been recognized by patrons and social media fans as one of the best in the area in terms of view, cleanliness and access to food and drinks.
Our waiter brought out the food and the first thing we noticed was how large the veggie wrap was. It was filled with copious amounts of asparagus, my companion’s favorite part of the dish. The wrap was served with freshly-cut french fries topped with an original seasoning that did not disappoint.
As for my meal, the soup was delicious. There was the perfect balance of noodles, beef and broth, with seasonings in the broth creating a taste hard to match. The sandwich itself also packed the right punch. I highly encourage anyone to try guacamole on a sandwich if that’s something you haven’t had yet. Especially with the bacon and the melted Monterrey jack cheese, it really made the sandwich come together. The portions of my items were perfectly sized and priced.
A restaurant can’t survive without the basics – with great food being the most basic of all. I hope that The Office lasts for a long time in St. Charles – it has an atmosphere that can’t be matched, an expansive drink menu and fresh, tasty food options.
• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Kane County Chronicle. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a different restaurant each week and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.
