[rating=4] For many years, Glencoe was a destination for theater reviews. Glencoe is home to the glorious Writers Theatre and for years, they had a Bookstore/Theate on Vernon, in what is lovingly called “downtown Glencoe”. During those years, many of us grabbed a quick bit at a family hot dog /burger snack shop at 667 Vernon Avenue. Those days are long gone and the book store has become the “studio” venue in the new building thta Writers built. 667 Vernon is now Valor Glencoe, and is far from what we used to see.
Under the ownership and direction of Rocco Raschillo, Glencoe has a unique fine dining space that can also be classified as a “go to” for local families and of course, when the theater re-opens ( and it will), the completion for a great evening “on the town” ( in Glencoe, no less)!
Valor! What does valor mean to you? According to Webster- “strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness. It also means “personal bravery”. You might ask, “how does this relate to a restaurant in Glencoe?. Here is what I think. The courage that Rocco has shown to take what was a snack shop and convert it to an upscale fine dining space is a real thing. The bravery to do this in a “sleepy” suburb ( often referred to as a”bedroom community”) fits as well. I also feel that his success in creating a diversified menu shows the true grit that is truly needed to make a go of a new venture. I believ this all began some 5 years ago, and through thick and thin, covid and normal, Rocco and his crew are doing their thing…. and truly well!
Since we are just coming out of the Covid restrictions, Jane and I opted to order our dinner for pick-up. The restaurant is gorgeous and I suggest that if you are ready to go in to a restaurant, you can feel safe here. All of the staff is 
“masked” and everything is kept as sparkling as the CDC would want ( and then some!),
Valor has a great bar and a tender who enjoys making drinks that are just a little exotic. For our dinner he created an old fashion and a mandarin sour. The box had the drink in one container, the ice in another and all the “extras” were sealed with the liquor. Just cut and pour. Easy as can be and both the drinks were perfect!
Our appetzers were “popcorn Cauliflower” ( evidently a house specialty- I can see why-DELISH), Nana’s Meatballs ( pork & beef, marinara, parmesan, bread crumbs, ricotta and garlic cibatta). They were terrific. Jane adores chips and guacamole, and found theirs to be as zesty and flavorful as any of the Mexican spots we have visted over the years.. We also had a few of their Tacos ( a puled chicken as well as one pork). If you come as a family, this may be perfect to order for the youngsters. They were wonderful. My opinion- Pork was better than chicken, BUT I am a pork lover. It is not often that I find a “beet salad” anywhere, so when I see it- I must have it, and if you love beets, you will be in heaven!
For our entree’s:
Steak Frites- skirt steak, cognac sauce au poivre, shallots and hand cut fries. Several sauces to make al the dinners as zingy as you might like. I am a sauce-free type of person, enjoying the true flavors of the food I eat. When a chef creates them right, sauces are not needed. We also enjoyed the organic Kuterra Salmon ( with carrots, lemon, bean sprouts, scallions, baby back choy and a soy glaze as the crowning touch). They do have chicen and shrimp dinners as well as well as Mussels ( next time, for sure) and a selection of burgers ( they are dynamite and are available as beef, prime beef, vegan and a host of combos with different cheeses. They also offer a grilled cheese and a chicken BLT.
For the kids: a Spaghetti and meatball dinner, chicken tenders and of course sliders (cheeseburgers or sans cheese).
To end our fantastic evening, Their home made L’Ami Jean Rice Pudding ( salted caramel, orange zest, pistachios and cinnamon) and an extra surprise, home-made chocolate Mousse with fruit- to die for!
The portions were plentiful The carry out packaging superb! I am so looking forward to dinging their with friends and family as we heal as a nation. They also offer special for holidays
Valentines Day is very near and a romantic dinner in this space sounds like a perfect way to start or re-kindle. I suggest that you make a reservation early as due to the Covid restrictions, space will be limited. www.valorglencoe.com
Phone number 847-786-4324.
Again, the address is 667 Vernon Avenue in Glencoe with lots of free parking. What is neat about Glencoe ( downtown) is that the train station is about one block from the downtown section, so even if you do not frive, you can go to Valor Glencoe and enjoy an evening of great service, great food and great atmosphere. By the way, while they are upscale, the prices are very affordable and I would say that Valor d a great value.
They open Monday thru Saturday at 5 p.m. and are open until 8:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday they remain open until 9:30 p.m.
Sundays 4 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
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