Swanky steak time -- 94 West, Orland Park

The husband and I are not normally fancypants steakhouse sort of people. We appreciate finer dining when we get it, but are not the sort to seek out a restaurant where the average entree is $25 or more.

But  when it's Christmas and your in-laws want to take you out for a lovely dinner after Christmas Eve mass, you put on a nice top and go with it.

94 West (15410 94th Ave., Orland Park) is a swanky suburban steakhouse with dim lighting and high prices. It's a special occasion sort of place. I have heard that it didn't use to include much with your meat, and I can see why that would be really off-putting, since the prices are high enough as it is, but entrees now include choice of potato (or veg) and soup or salad, plus complimentary bread and "green noodles" (an Italian-dressing flavored pasta salad heavy on the neon aqua food coloring).

Service was very good and in the two years we've gone for the holidays, there was nothing I ate that wasn't delicious. Besides an assortment of steak choices, they offer shrimp, multiple fish choices prepared to your liking, ribs and chicken.

Last year I had a wonderful mahi mahi with a plate-lickingly good red pepper sauce; this year I stepped it up a notch and ordered a 6 oz filet and shrimp (three HUGE fried shrimp) with a delicious Bearnaise. The filet was cooked perfectly, completely tender and so good. The potato selections are pretty standard (baked, double-baked, fries, sweet potato fries, etc) but done well.

While chances are good we won't be back until/unless it becomes a Christmas Eve tradition, I would recommend 94 West to anyone looking for a fine dining experience in the southwestern suburbs.

Get your park on

Over the weekend, I visited the in-laws for some burgers and fireworks. And while we were there, I once again was impressed by a fantastic park in the southwest burbs.

Centennial Park, at 15600 West Ave. in Orland Park, is one of the best parks I've ever seen, anywhere.

What makes it so great is the use of the space -- it blends natural areas with attractions and activities for all ages. It's huge. Included are soccer fields, baseball diamonds, fishing piers, a playground, volleyball courts, picnic areas, a large and elaborate aquatic center, and even an ice skating rink for winter. (And more.)

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures to post -- we were there at night for a fireworks display and then again the next day to let a 4 year old run rampant -- but it's a really lovely, well-kept area with tons to do for the whole family. If you live in the SW burbs, or find yourself down in Orland Park for a day, I can't recommend a better park than Centennial.

Great food, local brews - Harrison's, Orland Park

This past Saturday my husband and I were treated to a great dinner out with my in-laws at a great Orland Park spot. Harrison's Restaurant and Brewery (15845 S La Grange Rd in Orland Park) is a brewpub with a diverse menu. Neither of us are beer drinkers, actually, so I can't vouch for the beer -- but there are dozens of reviews all over the web that can.

The food, however, I can vouch for. I'd been there a couple times before in years past, and had a few different sandwiches and wraps.

This time, we started -- as we so frequently do -- with nachos. The Brewhouse Nachos at Harrison's are a sight to behold. A huge pile of warm tortilla chips slathered with cheese, beans, pico de gallo and jalapenos (plus sour cream and guac, and optional chicken or beef), these are some of the tastiest nachos I've had -- and we eat a lot of nachos. I'm not sure what makes them special, but they are a medley of deliciousness.

I continued with the Mexican theme and opted for blackened fish tacos. I'm not sure what kind of fish it was, but it was a mild whitefish that was cooked perfectly, in layered soft corn tortillas filled with lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole, with salsa on the side and hearty portions of well-seasoned black beans and spicy Mexican rice. I only managed two (of three) tacos and some of the rice and beans before I had to call it a night.

My husband had ribs, which came with potato (fries for him) and a side of grilled veggies (zucchini, cauliflower and carrot). I sampled the zucchini, which was well-cooked and nicely seasoned; he assured me the fries were tasty, and that the ribs were cooked to tender perfection.

I did not sample my in-laws' food, but I can report that the sandwiches they got looked and smelled delicious.

Harrison's also offers a full bar (and all that beer) and a variety of tempting desserts, but we were far too full to indulge this time.

When we get down to Orland Park, Harrison's is a great choice for a delicious meal out.