Restaurant Review: Jim Gould's - On The Chopping Block

...but in a good way.

Recently, we've had a renaissance in downtown Champaign. One of the key additions is the One, East Main complex. The house two restaurants that stand in contrast to one another. The first is a new branch of an old grease pit, MerryAnn's Diner. 24 hours, greasy eggs and burgers, moderate prices (though not necessarily cheap). However, on the adjacent corner of the complex is a very nice new restaurant, Jim Gould's. It's one of the few places in town where you get tablecloths and high quality food. I'm still not positive, but it may be the best restaurant in town. And really, it's relatively affordable. And more importantly, I think that the addition of Jim Gould's gives this town a legitimate chop house.

The floor is large, and there's a bit of a buzz to the place. The dark wood and dimmed lighting gives you a cozy feel. There's a fireplace that gives nice background, and the decor overall gives you the feeling that you're in a restaurant in a big city. However, one look at the prices on the menu reminds you that it's still central Illinois.

There are a few excellent openers at Jim Gould's. The steak tartare is generally excellent. There's a rich, garlicky taste to it, and the meat just feels fresh. The rock shrimp is an upgrade on popcorn shrimp. The light, crisp coating lets the shrimp, rather than a heavy breading, play the starring role. The oysters are also a fun way to start, and are always cold and fresh, and taste like a trip to the ocean. One appetizer that is a bit cliche is the ceviche, which just doesn't seem to carry a bright enough torch to make it worthwhile.

The soups are generally of high quality. The sausage and potato soup is always on the menu and is an excellent way to open a meal. A rich potato puree is accompanied by generous chunks of the italian sausage. For those of you who are fans of the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, this is sort of a fancy, upgraded version, that may be enough to serve as a meal for those with lighter appetites. However, I am still reminded that it's really hard to make a good bowl of red. The chili that I had last time was a disappointment - not enough texture to it, as a finely ground meat was used, rather than the coarse grind or fine dice that a good chili should have.

At lunch the sandwiches are always consistent, though nothing special comes to mind. What does conjure a nice memory are adding the wonderful onion rings as an a side. These onion rings have a nice thick batter, that almost gives it the feel and armoa of a fritter (or even a doughnut, actually). A nice splash of Cholula makes for really good eats. The pasta dishes are pretty standard fare and are available at lunch and dinner. One dish of note, though, is the portabella parmasean. This seems to be a winner that is a bit off the standard path. This provides a very nice alternative for our vegetarian friends (and dirty hippies for that matter).

Where Jim Gould's sets itself apart from the other places in town is with its chops. There is a 28 oz., bone-in Ribeye that is incredible. I don't know of any other place in town that uses aged beef that is as good as Gould's uses. Also, the pork chops are very tasty (though I'm not entirely sold on the cranberry-apple chutney that was used, as it seems to be a little too automatic, and could have been more inspired). While I haven't been able to try everything on the menu, there is still time, and I will attempt due dilligence at this task.

Desserts are also done well. There is a pastry chef on the premises, which generally bodes well. After all, my old comment remains - I can buy an Eli's Cheesecake as easily as they can. But having someone there doing things back there that I either can't or aren't willing to makes the difference for me. Highlights include a nice creme brulee and the cheesecake. I think that the winner of the bunch is the chocolate torte, which is a wonderfully dense, rich, but not too sweet creation. I like the idea of subtlety in dessert - the traditional American way is to just add sugar to make it better. With the torte, you let the dark chocolate play a role, and the sauces that are generally there for appearances sake actually enhance the dish.

Overall, the service at Gould's is always solid, if not excellent. The environment is upscale, but not stuffy. And the food is generally good. For the time being, I am impressed.

-foodgeek

Rating: 2 stars

Jim Gould's, (217) 531-1177. 1 E. Main St. (NE corner of Main and Neil) Champaign, IL 61820. Appetizers - $6-$9; Soups - $4; Sandwiches - $7-$10; Pastas - $10-$14; Entrees - $12-$40+; Desserts - $5-$7.