Spirited menu, cozy decor give Blackthorn solid roots

In the 19th century, Irish and Chinese immigrants worked together in the mining and railroad industries in the American West, and out of this close collaboration came the Reuben egg roll ... Well, no. In fact, the juxtaposition resulted in bitter disputes and deadly riots, so I am at a loss to explain the origins of this deep-fried corned beef-and-kraut concoction, whose presence on the menus of so-called Irish pubs makes me deeply suspicious.

So I admit I was a wee bit nervous about Blackthorn Grille in Lake Villa. Happily, however, the establishment turns out to be a cozy, friendly and unassuming tavern with quite good food.

Yes, even the Reuben egg rolls!

Local businessmen Fred Nielsen and Rob Hardman are behind this family-friendly restaurant and pub, which opened in 2007, named for the Irish shrub whose wood is favored for making shillelaghs. Live music features regularly, ranging from dueling pianos to acoustic to rock to karaoke.

The brick-lined dining room is comfortable, with wood tables and accents, and you'll find flat-screen TVs at the bar.

The vast and varied menu offers everything from Irish-themed dishes to burgers to flat-crust pizza to broasted chicken, pasta and entrees like tortilla-crusted tilapia and barbecue-glazed pork tenderloin. Despite the huge selection, the manager assured me, everything is made fresh, not reheated from frozen.

The Reuben egg rolls turn out to be burrito-sized, two to an order. The crisply fried wrappers contain corned beef, caraway-seasoned sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, with a drizzle of thousand-island dressing. I'm a convert.

I was less impressed with the Celtic knots, hard, twisted bread rolls, tossed in garlicky oil.

Many of the entrees have cutesy Irish names, like "Waterford walleye" and "Donegal skirt steak." Yet although they've gone over the top in the theme department, everything we tried was well-executed, tasty and reasonably priced.

The Kilkenny stuffed burger, for example, is 2/3 of a pound of Angus beef formed around a filling of creamy blue cheese, with a slather of barbecue sauce and a crown of crispy onions. It was a hit with the blue-cheese lover in our party. Simpler Angus burgers are available, too, and you can customize with such fixings as bacon, grilled onions or mushrooms and a variety of cheeses for $1 each. Burgers come with a choice of french fries, homemade potato chips, coleslaw, vegetables or fresh fruit.

The genuine Broaster chicken is excellent, crisp-skinned and moistly meaty, served with real mashed potatoes or french fries and coleslaw. It's sold in configurations ranging from two pieces up to two whole chickens.

The Irish favorites section of the menu may not, exactly, be straight out of Eire, but it features dishes like Mulligan chicken stew, corned beef and cabbage and sheppard pie. However nontraditional, though, the latter mixture is savory and satisfying, made from beef layered with peas, carrots, onions and corn, under a blanket of mashed potatoes covered in cheddar-jack cheese.

Desserts include a rich "chocolate death cake," a flourless chocolate base covered with ganache, and a particularly nice rendition of carrot cake, with cream cheese frosting, walnuts and a garnish of grated raw carrots.

Don't be put off by the heavy-handed Irish theme - Blackthorn Grille offers good food, good values and something for everyone.

Blackthorn Grille

10 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa, (847) 356-4400, www.blackthorngrille.com

Cuisine: Eclectic

Setting: Bustling yet cozy, family-friendly tavern

Entrees: $6.50 to $19.95

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays; 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays

Accepts: Reservations; major credit cards