Kristen Burman believes in creating a welcoming atmosphere with her food offerings and a comfortable setting at Oaken Bistro + Bar in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Burman is the executive chef at Oaken, which opened this spring at The Forester Hotel in Lake Forest. The Forester Hotel is the first new hotel to open in Lake Forest since 1929.
"With Oaken, we wanted to make a place in Lake Forest that is (similar to) a Cheers-like place," Burman said, referencing the popular sitcom about a bar "where everybody knows your name."
Burman said Oaken is a place to go after work, to enjoy dinner, lunch or breakfast.
"We want it to be comfortable and non-pretentious," she said.
The decor in the restaurant, which is located next to the hotel's lobby area, is a mix of modern and woodsy elements.
Burman said she cooks with seasonality in mind and partners with local and regional farms in utilizing fresh ingredients.
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In the fall and winter, Burman offers heartier dishes on the menu, while spring and summer focus on lighter ingredients and recipes.
Most of the dishes will remain the same on each season's menu. But Burman said she's always open to experimentation and change.
"I can change the menu on a whim," she said, adding she had recently gotten persimmons in her kitchen and said she could easily create a dish with them on any given day.
"But I want regular customers to know that I'm not going to change everything all at once," Burman said, adding consistency is key.
The chef said she'll often rotate dishes every so often on the menu.
Burman said she got bitten by the food bug at an early age.
"I was in high school when The Food Network started," she said. She grew more interested the more she saw different cooking shows on the network.
Burman, who grew up in Downers Grove, studied at Newberry College in Brookline, Massachusetts and Northeastern University in Boston.
"One of the first jobs I had was at The Four Seasons in Boston," Burman said. Later, in Chicago, she worked at The Ritz Carlton, where she was employed in the banquets division. Burman also helped open Le Francais, the fine dining restaurant, which was formerly in Wheeling. Burman also worked at Limelight Catering in Chicago.
Burman said she and her team at Oaken Bistro + Bar are excited to be serving customers.
"We have a great time. Restaurants are coming back," she said.
Burman looks forward to making special meals for guests of the hotel and restaurant during the holiday season.
For all guests of Oaken, Burman said she hopes they'll continue to return to the eatery.
"We hope they will love to come back and explore (more) menu options," the chef said.
Among current menu items for breakfast are Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes; Griddled Local Pumpkin Bread; Eggs Your Way; Avocado Toast; and more. Dinner menu options include Rohan Duck Tacos; Local Pumpkin Risotto; Braised Short Rib; Seared Diver Scallops; and other recipes. The menu is broken up into categories of Seedling, Sapling and Timber.
There are packages available for dining and hotel stays at The Forester Hotel and Oaken Bistro + Bar. The Oaken Dining Package features a $25 dining credit for each day of your stay. For more information, visit oakenbistro.com or theforesterhotel.com.
Where to grab wings in the Region
Bridge's Scoreboard
Bridge's Scoreboard in downtown Griffith is the prototypical sports bar, filled with decades of memorabilia and many televisions. It's a chill place to gather after beer league softball or to watch the game. One of its specialties is its humongous jumbo wings, which come in 5-piece, 10-piece, 25-piece or 50-piece servings.
Sauces options include mild, HOT, garlic chili, BBQ garlic Parmesan, southwest Ranch, teriyaki, Carribbean, honey mustard, naked and honey BBQ, as well as your choice of blue cheese or Ranch for dipping.
Bridge's Scoreboard
Where: 121 N Griffith Blvd, Griffith
Phone: (219) 924-2206
Website: bridgesscoreboard.com
Harold's Chicken Shack
Harold's Chicken Shack is a South Side Chicago classic with many Northwest Indiana locations, including in Hammond, Dyer, Gary, Griffith and Merrillville. Most of the locations are no-frills takeout joints that will make your tastebuds sing like a church choir. Harold's serves whole chicken wings, fried to order with crispy golden fries and creamy coleslaw. Dip 'em in the mild sauce.
Where: 1994 Grant St, Gary
Phone: (219) 949-7599
Where: 6158 Indianapolis Blvd, Hammond
Phone: (219) 803-2885
Where: 101 Joliet St, Dyer
Phone: (219) 515-6475
Where: 1095 E Ridge Rd, Griffith
Phone: (219) 838-5355
Where: 6690 Broadway, Merrillville
Phone: (219) 455-6188
Where: 110 E 11th St, Michigan City
Phone: (219) 221-6621
Where: 3224 Ridge Rd, Lansing
Phone: (708) 474-2000
Where 1559 Sibley Blvd, Calumet City
Phone: (708) 933-0496
Where: 1036 E 162nd St, South Holland
Phone: (708) 669-1010
Website: www.haroldschickenscorp.com
18th Street Brewery
18th Street Brewery in downtown Hammond serves up incredible barbecue, including brined and smoked wings that sing on the tongue. Simply divine.
18th Street Brewery
Where: 5417 Oakley Ave, Hammond
Phone: (219) 803-0820
Website: 18thstreetbrewery.com
Bombers BBQ
The aviation-themed Bomber's BBQ, a hipster haven in Munster, is acclaimed for its high-quality slow-cooked meats and its smoked wings are no exception.
Bomber's BBQ
435 Ridge Rd Ste f, Munster
Phone: (219) 836-2662
Website: bombersbbq.com
Romano's
Romano's is known as the home of the hoagie for its iconic ham hoagies and claims to be Northwest Indiana's first pizzeria.
The restaurant has many great appetizers like cheddar cheese cubes, fried zucchini, tomato bread and mac and cheese wedges. You can get an order of seven bone-in wings with your choice or Ranch, hot, honey mustard, BBQ and garlic Parmesan.
Romano's
Where: 1927 W Glen Park Ave, Griffith, IN 46319
Phone: (219) 838-1731
Website: romanospizza53.com
Square Roots
Square Roots promises handcrafted dining on the historic Crown Point courthouse square. Its shareables includes brisket nachos, fireside elote dip, bang bang shrimp, cheese curbs, poutine, and giant stone-fired pretzels.
One can get a order of eight signature smoked wings with a fancy presentation on a white plate and a sprinkling of sliced scallions and sesame seeds. The crispy wings are tossed in your choice of Buffalo, Garlic Parmesan, Habanero Jerk, Bama White BBQ, or House BBQ.
Square Roots
Where: 108 N Main St, Crown Point
Phone: (219) 310-8322
Where: squarerootscp.com
Bulldog Brewery
Bulldog Brewery in downtown Whiting serves up many fine craft beers like Standard Diamonds Cream Ale, Industrial Harbor IPA, Roby Red Ale, Downtime Wheat and Shore Sighted IPA. You can get orders of six, 12 or 24 wings with sauces like Asian BBQ, Caribbean Jerk, BBQ, Buffalo, Sweet Habanero, Tropical Rum, Mango Habanero, Garlic Parmesan, or Kentucky Gold.
Bulldog Brewery
Where: 1409 119th St, Whiting
Phone: (219) 655-5284
Visit: bulldogbrewingco.com
Asian Kitchen
Asian Kitchen serves up a variety of Vietnamese, Chinese and other Asian cuisine, including a mean Bahn Mi. Don't sleep on the wings, which come with your choice of Saigon, Honey Chili or Crazy Jack Sauce.
Asian Kitchen
Where: 6412a Calumet Ave in Hammond
Phone: (219) 803-0074
Website: asiankitchenin.com
Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop
Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop is a popular soul food restaurant that was a favorite of former President Barack Obama when he lived in Hyde Park. The Lansing eatery serves up Étouffée, gumbo, jambalaya, fried catfish, fried green tomato and other southern and Cajun fare. The Dixie wings are fantastic. They come with a choice of mild, atomic, authentic Jamaican jerk, peach-glazed or BBQ sauce. You can buy them by the pound or get them as an entree with two sides.
Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop
Where: 17940 Torrence Ave, Lansing, IL 60438
Phone: (708) 474-1378
Website: dixie.kitchen
Smokin' E's BBQ
Smokin' E's BBQ, a takeout joint in Lake Station, has a host of barbecue trophies in the window. It slow-cooks all its meat the traditional way over wood out back. Its smoked wings may be among the tastiest you've ever tried.
Smokin' E's BBQ
Where: 2401 Central Ave, Lake Station, IN 46405
Phone: (219) 654-4141
Doc's
Please come back Doc's BBQ, please come back soon. The Dyer restaurant closed temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic. That's a pity because in addition to some of the most tender brisket and fall-off-the-bone ribs in the Region, the Northwest Indiana-based barbecue chain has some of the best brined and smoked wings that explode with wood-fired flavor. Start off game day with Doc's and you'll end up in a meat coma.
Where: 1420 B, Calumet Ave
Phone: (219) 262-3627
Visit: docsbbq.net
Region Ale
Region Ale Taphouse & Eatery offers jumbo wings in either 8-piece or 12-piece options, as well as vegetarian wings in 6-piece or 10-piece servings. Sauces include Buffalo, BBQ, Asian, Nashville Hot, Sriracha Honey, Lemon Pepper and Garlic Parmesan. The wings are big and meaty and elegantly seasoned. Make sure to ask for Blue Cheese if that's what you prefer.
Where: 1080 US-41, Schererville
Phone: (219) 322-2337
Visit: regionaletaphouse.com
Tropic Island Jerk Chicken
Tropic Island Jerk Chicken brings the heat with its traditional Jamaican cuisine, including its spicy jerk wings that light up one's palate.
Where: 8000 Calumet Ave, Munster
Phone: (219) 333-5375
Boss Fight
Buffalo is not unlike the Calumet Region: it's got a Ford plant, harsh winters, a hard-working populace and some historic buildings that are a little worse for wear. The city at the eastern end of the Great Lakes region is also the home of the Buffalo wing, which was invented as a late-night snack in a local sports bar. You should swing by Anchor Bar anytime you visit the area to see Niagara Falls, the impressive collection of Art Deco architecture, nearby Toronto or whatever else. Anchor Bar is a total tourist trap adorned with license plates from around the country, but it also has some of the biggest and juiciest wings you'll ever eat.
Where: Anchor Bar
Address: 1047 Main St, Buffalo, NY
Phone: (716) 883-1134
Eloise Marie Valadez
Entertainment Editor/Features Reporter
Eloise is A&E Editor and a food, entertainment and features writer for The Times, subjects she has covered for over two decades in and around the Region. She was the youngest of eight in a Chicago household filled with fantastic cooks and artists.
