Harry & Eddie's

There are classic duos in movies: Abbott & Costello, Crosby & Hope, Martin & Lewis and, more recently,  Fey & Poehler. When it comes to another genre — dining — it’s fitting that Harry & Eddie’s is located inside a former movie theater. Not just any theater — Hinsdale Theater was one of those movie palaces built in 1925 during the gilded age with details like intricate plaster-work, a velvet curtain and a dramatic dome.

The owners of Harry & Eddie’s, which is part of the locally owned BG Hospitality Group of fine restaurants, have kept the history of the building alive by adding decorative details like vintage reels and movie posters while maintaining and celebrating some of the original architectural elements, from parts of the ceiling to a marquee-like sign in the front of the building.

If that’s the preview to the experience, the food is the full-length feature at this establishment, which opened in mid-2018. You might say that there is an element of Technicolor to the dishes, with vibrant colors courtesy of an array of fresh ingredients. Chef Mike Bomberger’s creative plating balances hue, shape and texture in a way that really does spur patrons to take photos of their meals — and share on social media. Even the craft cocktails are colorful and almost Gatsby-esque.

The menu is not fussy, spotlighting familiar dishes and elevating them with an inventive take on ingredients. Starting with appetizers, a Farmhouse Board excites the palate with a host of flavors — charcuterie, cheeses and accompaniments like fig ​mostarda and artichokes. 

Feeling like pasta? Harry & Eddie’s has you covered, with a plate of giant rigatoni tossed with Italian sausage, crispy prosciutto, garlic and pepper flakes and enrobed in a spicy tomato cream sauce. Carnivores might have a hard time picking between the succulent marbled ​ribeye (outstanding), the tournedos of beef, or the hearty Berkshire pork chop. Poultry items include a Milanese preparation and a zesty chicken limone, while fare from the oceans is well represented in dishes such as pan roasted salmon (cooked perfectly on a recent visit), Maryland-style crab cakes, and a zippy Shrimp and Lobster fra Diavolo. Sometimes you just feel like a sandwich, which comes in the form of a sumptuous, server-recommended Prime Dip, the blackened fish sandwich, and a popular burger formed with prime wagyu beef.  

The salads are chock full of fresh ingredients, including a rainbow of veggies and fruits and good-for-you grains. The blackened salmon salad and Derby Cobb salad are particularly tasty and bountiful. Guests may also try some creative offerings like watermelon and feta or beet and farro.

Unlike all of the ending credits in a movie, dessert is worth sticking around for. The homemade key lime pie tastes as authentic as one made in the Florida Keys.

For larger dining groups and for small parties, the expansive restaurant space includes private rooms that can be booked in advance. A catering menu and children’s menu are available as well.In the warmer months — and for those all-too-rare temperate days in the fall — diners can enjoy their meal on the charming cobblestone patio in the alleyway adjacent to the building, complete with strands of white lights and heat lamps

Contact: 29 E. 1st St. Hinsdale, 630 590-9047. www.harryandeddies.com

Recommended Dishes: Pan-roasted salmon;Shrimp & Lobster fra Diavolo; zucchini fries

Cost: Appetizers: $8 – $17; Entrées: $16 – $36; Sandwiches: $15 – $19

Hours: Mon – Tues, 11 a.m.  –  9 p.m.; Wed – Sat, 11 a.m.  – 10 p.m. ; Sun, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Extras: Weekend brunch; seasonal patio; private dining