Cellar Bistro a go-to spot with familiar, interactive menu

Everybody needs a go-to spot. When friends come to town, family threatens to encroach or business calls, it's important to have a place in your back pocket that'll come off as both inviting and, on some level, impressive.

After all, you are what you eat, and the places you frequent say something about your constitution.

Enter The Cellar Bistro, a casually sleek establishment that opened in newly burgeoning West suburban Wheaton. It's one of those all-things-to-all-people kinds of places, and it's from Kathleen Marada and Nick Lewis, a duo who also operates a book-manufacturing company in Carol Stream.

Textured, burgundy-toned walls hint at the small establishment's vino-bent. Table-booth combos line one wall, and they're flung with pillows (a fact we found understandable because, when removed, the sloping back leaves something to be desired). A handful of other tables, high-tops with plush, red fabric-padded stools, and bar seating are among the other options. But we think the most coveted seats in the house are those in the living-room-like nook in the back corner.

Equally dedicated to grapes and fare, we especially liked its interesting wine list. Aside from being super-affordable -- about 30 selections are offered by the glass for $6-$12 and most bottles are in the low $30s -- it's also ambitious. Listed from lightest to most full-bodied, the array includes choices that are biodynamic (a method of organic farming that favors the incorporation of fermented herbal and mineral-derived composts) as well as those made from organically grown grapes, ones that are USDA certified organic and others that come from California certified organic farmers.

We settled on the Jim Jim Shriaz, coincidentally our server's favorite, over an organic counterpart. A nice touch: We were offered tastes of the others we contemplated, which made committing completely unthreatening.

None of that is to say, however, that the beverage program outshines the menu offerings. They're basic but good, and they're likable because they're familiar, interactive and -- for the most part -- affordable.

It all kicks off with a generous dose of sharable plates. Among them was a dish of four pan-seared, filler-light crab cakes on greens with a zigzag of creamy (and warming) chipotle chili sauce. Not a bad way to start, but the accompanying Asiago cheese bread -- three slices of doughy, toasted baguette -- did nothing to wow us.

Inferno shrimp on a bed of greens with Italian sourdough; pimento cheese and guacamole dips with tortilla chips; hummus with crudite; and bruschetta gussied up with a balsamic glaze also sounded pretty tempting.

But on our next visit, we're definitely leaning toward the cheddar carousel -- a spreadable blend of grated sharp cheddar, garlic, onion and mayo that's chilled and served with walnut-flecked pumpernickel-raisin bread and strawberry preserves.

If you're a fan of a good bowl of soup, we recommend trying a bowl of the rich, chunky mushroom Brie. It's as hearty and luxurious as we assume the tomato-basil soup also would be.

Salads aren't a real focus, but you'll find two, including one with spinach, basil and pine nuts that's served with a muffin.

Next up, it's pizzas. We enjoyed the irregularly shaped, plate-sized spinach and mushroom pie with acidic, garlic-kissed tomato sauce and mozzarella, Fontina, Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano on a crisp, mid-weight sourdough crust. The combinations and toppings are fairly pedestrian -- shrimp, black or green olives, artichokes and pineapple, for example -- so don't expect anything too beyond the norm.

There are only three full-sized plates during dinner, (all created with naturally raised, hormone-free meats). We opted to share the pan-seared, moist, bone-in pork chop with tangy mango chutney, asparagus and havarti instead of the slow-roasted, pulled pork on ciabatta or grilled rib-eye with Peruvian potatoes, garlic butter, horseradish cheese and veggies. Our selection was good -- just not super-memorable -- but we found it odd that out of a mere three entrees, two were pork-based.

As you can see, munching your way through a meal certainly is an option, and cheeses are the perfect way to end (or begin). The create-your-own-plate component means diners choose two from each category -- vegetables and fruits, meats, cheeses, nuts and olives and breads -- and pay $11 for two servings or $22 for four. We had no complaints about chewing on sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers; prosciutto di Parma and sopressata; cranberry-chipotle cheddar and smoked gouda; and blue-cheese-stuffed green olives and cashews -- all between bites of rosemary ciabatta and tomato focaccia dipped in Parmesan-studded olive oil.

During lunch, the menu carries some of the same components (such as pizza and a few appetizers), but focuses more on soup-salad-sandwich combos. Like other aspects of the menu, these can be customized. If choosing seems like too much work, there is a no-brainer list of panini, which are served with corn and black bean salsa on the side. We like the sound of The Cellar with drunken goat cheese, prosciutto, slivers of red onion and thinly sliced plum tomatoes.

Our perky, friendly server couldn't possibly have made our dining experience more enjoyable. She offered helpful tips, readily (but not too forcefully) provided suggestions and had a way about her that made us feel at home.

Whether you opt to stop in for a quick bite, linger over a meal with colleagues, or have a girls' or guys' night out, The Cellar Bistro will match your mood. Nothing, culinarily speaking, will knock your socks off, but it won't leave you longing for something else either. This is the kind of place where you come for a solid experience without a lot of fuss.

The Cellar Bistro

132 N. Hale St., Wheaton., (630) 653-6299

Cuisine: American

Setting: Small, pillow-strewn, burgundy-tinged storefront

Price range: Sharable plates $8 to $14; soup and salad $5 to $8; entrees $12 to $21; cheese plates $11 to $22

Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday

Accepts: Major credit cards