The owners of Squid Ink and Highball Cocktail Bar peck into Peoria with this genre-bending “American Eclectic” restaurant and bar.
by Nikki Buchanan | Photography by Melissa Valladares
North Peoria has experienced monstrous growth in recent years, and the upscale neighborhood’s culinary scene (hitherto composed of fast-food outlets and chain restaurants) is finally becoming respectable. Seeing gold in them thar hills, Sky Restaurant Concepts, which brought Squid Ink Sushi Bar to this zip code 15 years ago, has opened Sparrow, a gorgeously designed restaurant the owners have dubbed “American Eclectic.” I think it’s exactly what the neighborhood needs.
Embedded in a new mixed-use development called The Trailhead, the high-ceilinged, multi-windowed space exudes sophistication, as does the massive bar, where I intend to enjoy a cocktail created by Mitch Lyons and Libby Lingua of Two Hands Consulting when it’s not so early in the day. True to the “eclectic” branding, chef Schuyler Estes has created an appealing Modern American menu offering gastropub standards such as loaded kettle chips, smoked chicken wings and, yes, a smashburger, along with steaks and more offbeat offerings like a seafood hot pot.
On this day, the “chef’s whim” board includes grilled Noble bread with whipped, honey-laced butter topped with candied bacon and chives. Utterly delectable. However, grilled oysters – smothered in miso butter with lemon zest, shallot and herbs – lack punch.
We’re back on track in a big way with the snow crab and avocado stack, a layered assemblage of sticky balsamic vinegar “pearls” (a molecular gastronomy trick that adds textural pop), mango, avocado, Fresno chile, sriracha aioli and sweet snow crab claws, set in citrus ponzu. This all day.
Green goddess salad, drizzled with tarragon vinaigrette, is a deconstructed plate of arugula, asparagus, cucumbers, avocado and pistachios. I’d like it better as a mixed salad, and the dressing lacks the anchovy boldness for which green goddess dressing is famous.
Crispy beer-battered Icelandic cod is an excellent rendition, served with house-made, Indian-spiced masala chips (so fun!) and Brussels sprouts coleslaw. Tender braised short ribs and sturdy three-cheese mac and cheese are both good, but they lack that all-important final flourish (chile heat? something pickled?) to cut through the richness.
I also expected more sex appeal from a miso caramel brownie topped with vanilla bean gelato, but the buttermilk panna cotta, topped with blackberry sauce and clever, matcha-dusted Chex Mix, is fabulous.
Once it works out a few kinks, this Sparrow is going to fly high.
Sparrow
Cuisine: Modern American
Contact: 8156 W. Happy Valley Rd., Peoria, 623-455-4230, sparrowtrailhead.com
Hours: Su-Tu 11 a.m.-9 p.m., W-Th 11 a.m.-10 p.m., F-Sa 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Highlights: Chef’s whim butter board ($12); snow crab and avocado stack ($26); beer-battered Icelandic cod ($24); buttermilk panna cotta ($12)
