Chocolate and peanut butter. Bert and Ernie. Dolce & Gabbana. Some duos never fail when it comes to making magic together. We’d like to add Jerry and Angelo Colella to that list. After hitting it out of the park with their previous fine dining spot, Valentino, the father/son restaurateurs are back with another can’t-miss creation, 103 Prime.
Located at the famous Valentino’s landmark in Park Ridge (and the previous Brasserie Brandman), 103 Prime is sure to become a go-to for fans of 21+ day dry aged steaks, fresh market seafood, and eclectic Italian cuisine. Which is to say, just about everyone. Executive Chef Jeff Kellish, has crafted a menu that is sure to please even the finickiest of palates.
After a drink at the bar (103 Prime has an extensive wine and cocktail list, all reasonably priced), we were seated at a table in the spacious dining room, where it took us, oh, about 30 seconds to ask for and order each of the Grilled Portuguese Octopus ($16) and the Baby Kale, Artichoke and Chickpea salad ($12). The octopus was very good, and it left us wanting more.
For our entrees, we took our server’s suggestion and tried the U-10 Shrimp ‘Scampi’ ($30) which is served atop squash pappardelle and romaine hearts, and the ‘NY Strip’ Steak ($44), 14 ounces of dry aged perfection, and an order of the Truffle “PARM” fries ($10), as all of the steaks are served à la carte. The shrimp dish was a healthy take on scampi, since there was no pasta on the plate, and the shrimp themselves were very flavorful. We also enjoyed being able to choose a sauce for the steak.
The crowd seemed to be locals, happy to welcome back the owners and the chef to the neighborhood. Count us among them. We’ve missed you guys!
103 Prime at Valentino’s 103 Spring Valley Road, Park Ridge 201-391-2220 Reservations Serving Lunch: Monday – Friday, 11:30am - 3:30pm Serving Dinner: Monday – Saturday, 4pm - 10pm
