In a picturesque setting on the Fox River, new St. Charles dining destination The Graceful Ordinary brings serious foodie buzz to the western suburbs.
Entrees and small plates from the restaurant’s opening menu
When it comes to Chicago’s dining scene, the suburbs have always gotten short shrift in favor of trendy downtown districts like Fulton Market, Logan Square and West Town. But in the wake of the pandemic, something extraordinary is happening: The suburbs have suddenly become the place to be, with recent high-profile openings like Pomeroy in Winnetka and the stunning new RH rooftop restaurant in Oak Brook. The latest arrival? The Graceful Ordinary, veteran chef Chris Curren’s passion project, which has the eyes of the city’s foodie world wandering even farther west to St. Charles.
The dining room beckons with rich textures and accents of greenery.
For Curren (who previously made his mark downtown at Fulton Market Kitchen, Seven Lions and Blue 13) and wife-partner Megan, it’s not about leaving the city—it’s about bringing city-caliber dining to their home. “We have lived in the Fox River Valley for the last eight years,” Curren explains, “and Megan and I have always found ourselves being drawn in by the charm of downtown St. Charles. We really saw an opportunity to bring the style of dining that we loved to provide in the city into this area, and knew that it would be a great addition to an already bustling entertainment and dining environment.”
Executive chef-owner Chris Curren with wife-partner Megan
That translates into an upscale American spot with a focus as much on an inviting, cozy environment (“ordinary” nods to the early American term for a town’s gathering place) as on Curren’s appealing, ambitious menu, which tempts with options like shrimp and grits with Creole butter sauce; steak tartare with bone marrow emulsion; yellow polenta with wood-roasted wild mushrooms; and basil- and mint-flecked curry cauliflower with caramelized Greek yogurt, raisins and pine nuts.
An array of seasonal cocktails
Will The Graceful Ordinary make St. Charles the city’s next hot dining spot? It’s too early to tell, but with its convivial atmosphere and creative fare, it’s certainly unlike just about anything else in town—and from Curren’s perspective, that’s worthy of excitement in itself.
Tempting octopus carpaccio
“We have already met so many amazing people who call this community home,” he says. “Seeing our vision come to life, watching so many people enjoy their experiences with us, and being able to interact and come to know them on a first-name basis has to be the most rewarding aspect. When you are building the restaurant there is always a nagging thought in the back of your head, like, ‘Is anyone going to come? Is anyone going to like it?’ So to watch it all come together by talking to people who are excited about us and in seeing regular guests build up so quickly, that’s definitely satisfying. It means all the hard work is paying off .” 3 E. Main St., St. Charles, thegracefulordinary.com
Photography by: COURTESY OF MATT REEVES
