Oak Park — an anthology of love stories

Oak Park
3901 Ingersoll Ave.
515-620-2185
Tuesday – Saturday from 4:30 p.m.

Oak Park opened in October generating more buzz than any restaurant since 801 Steak & Chop House opened in 1991. Much about the recent debut was remarkable. The restaurant was the first hospitality industry venture for Kathy Fehrman, a retired investments manager. It arose quickly amid an Ingersoll Avenue reconstruction project that stalled in its fifth year of annoying business owners. The Prairie architecture, by Brad Hartman, features the best of all trappings. Abundant natural light is the best of all of them. 

Oak Park went to Barcelona and Virginia to find and to commission their kitchen equipment, including a Josper grill that sears steaks over charcoal or wood. Fehrman employed a kitchen full of talent for seven months prior to opening. The place built its own garden, to grow the ingredients for a fresh and local menu. The wine cellar has 9,000 bottles and 2,500 labels. Seven staff members are licensed sommeliers. 

That talent was recruited from elite sources such as Eataly and Deer Path Inn in Chicago, Falstaff House in Boulder, and 801 Steak & Chop Houses in Des Moines and Omaha. Those recruits also have many Michelin starred restaurants on their resumes, in France, the UK, New York City and Chicago. 

Chef Ian Robertson and pastry chef Jess Robertson came as a couple. The two had been taking turns staying rooted with the kids and padding their CVs with European, New York and Chicago stints. Oak Park brought them family stability. Their house is a couple blocks from the restaurant, and Ian’s mother lives with the family. 

The restaurant is booked solidly through most of winter. But the bar is not on the reservation service and operates as a first-come, first-served. Among the treats is a caviar service that has three levels of indulgence. A pair of royal ossetra caviar cones with smoked lemon, crème fraiche and pureed cauliflower is only $25. You can spend six times that for an ounce with potato blinis. The potato gnocchi, Ian’s favorite dish, were the most decadent I ever tried, with kale leaves, truffle cream and topped with a lace tuille of potato crisp.

Pork belly is served sweet here as Bourbon candied bacon with parsnip, radish, celery, pickled mustard seed and raw apple. Crab is poached in lemon butter and served with butternut squash bisque. It’s so tasty, I have not yet tried the acorn squash. 

All three salads are special. The Caesar is classic with really good Parmesano. The Bel Fiore radicchio was charred and served with smoked pear, pecans, and black truffle triple cream cheese, in a divine sherry maple vinaigrette. The beet salad was served with charred avocado, orange segment and lime vinaigrette. 

The last time I discovered a great skate dish in town was at Bistro Montage, when Ian was a chef there. This version is different but just as marvelous. The strangest looking of fish was served in a filo pastry with champagne butter, lemon confit and an endive salad. Duck confit was served with homemade fettucine, Brussels sprouts and Pecorino. Carrots Wellington was the most elegant dish, wrapped in puffed pastry and served with cheese, shaved carrots and mushrooms.

Cattle are stars here. The Josper brings out the essence of steaks. The dry aged ribeye is covered in bone marrow and oyster butter and served with potatoes mashed in bone marrow. All steaks are served with top-notch sides. The spaghetti Bolognese was made with wagyu beef.

Dessert offerings are plentiful. Excellent hazelnut chocolate bars are a $4 bargain. Jess’ favorite dish is the Oak Park donut finished with crème fraiche cream and creme fraiche ice cream. 

Oak Park is a labor of love. The biggest love story, though, is in how the neighborhood has responded to Fehrman’s project. “The place is perceived as a gift to the community,” said an envious owner of another café. ♦

Jim Duncan is a food writer who has been covering the central Iowa scene for more than five decades.