Is Chicago Ready For The Floppy Burger Masck Thinks So!

Deerfield, IL - Have you ever wanted to wash a burger down with a martini? If you have, youve probably found yourself confronted by two insurmountable obstacles: (1) a restaurant that offers both a good burger and an icy martini; and (2) a significant other that insists on something completely different perhaps a wonderful piece of fish. If youve encountered this predicament MASCK is the answer. Located in Deerfield, Illinois, and opening soon in Chicago at Ontario and Dearborn in the new Millennium building MASCK is a contemporary, eclectic American restaurant that has found a secret to keeping guests happy, offering a menu that provides a variety of choices to cater to the often divergent tastes of friends, families and couples. Read like a menu with too much to choose? Try it first.

Located on Chicagos North Shore, MASCK opened their doors in December 2001, backed by the ideas of husband and wife; Kevin and Michelle Nierman. True to their own thoughts of complimentary food and environment, the pair envisioned a restaurant that felt equally as persuasive, whether during a sweeping special occasion or a quick family bite. Focused on versatility and an appreciation for the tastes of its surrounding neighborhoods, and their children, MASCK was designed to be both a neighborhood restaurant and dining experience and achieves that delicate balance.

The full wall of windows gives a bright and airy feel to the dining room. The entire restaurant and kitchen is framed by a colorful abstract mural by artist Leonard Nierman, a cousin of Kevins. If your eyes often have wonder lust, you will find that they come to rest on the masks that greet you from above. MASCK also boasts a convivial bar that is an inviting and social stop where guests can enjoy a cocktail while waiting, or choose to dine (if you find you are having too much fun to move on).

The menu is sophisticated, fun and accessible. Having worked at two country clubs on the North Shore prior to opening MASCK, Chef Nierman became accustomed to the difficulties of feeding a wide range of customers. He quickly learned that sophisticated guests often sought easy things, including quality, variety, accessibility and fun. With so many targets to choose from, the Nierman's began to set their sites on the classics, such as MASCKs signature Chicago Floppy Burger, (martini is extra), crispy coconut shrimp, sesame crusted seared ahi tuna and fire roasted thin crust pizzas. Of course, what restaurant would be complete without a Big Salad and they are homage to crispness and abundance.

Seafood at MASCK is flown in fresh daily and the preparation is carefully thought out to compliment both the patron and the dish. Center cut swordfish is served blackened with citrus vinaigrette, grilled asparagus and cucumber salad. The garlic jumbo Panamanian prawns (the best you can buy) are bathed in garlic, wine and herbs. Boston scrod is encrusted in potato served crunchy with a lemon and herb sauce. The Niermans take special pride in the seafood at MASCK and the numerous specials offered each day are heavily seafood driven, giving guests the opportunity to try other preparations that are not on the menu, but tend to bear a southwest flavor, a house favorite.

Prime steaks are all prepared with a charred crust and cooked to order. Although ordering a steak may not be something new, it is for many of us, something trusted. Aware that a customer can easily be lost if something as simple as a steak is poorly prepared, Chef Nierman takes special care to insure that MASCKs steaks never disappoint.

Alternatively, if red meat is what you crave, but a change from the old steak is in order, rack of lamb roasted with mustard herb crust, veal porterhouse with wild mushrooms and natural juices, veal chops and baby back ribs are more that ample to satiate such a constitution.

With other selections on the menu that include twice roas