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ST. CHARLES – The proprietors of the newly opened The Crazy Fox Bar & Grille in downtown St. Charles hope the name will be synonymous with crazy good.
Located a block east of the Fox River, it’s easy to see where Daniela and Peter Zaikowski came up with the naming inspiration. He said they contemplated several variations, but knew they had a winner when a graphic artist friend created an amusing cartoon of a crazed fox that captured the spirit they intended.
“We wanted it to be fun and relaxing at the same time,” he said of the vibe for the new venture, noting the chef has been a family friend for 20 years.
“[We] sat down together and came up with a menu we all liked and we think everyone else will like,” Peter Zaikowski said.
Popular dishes include the charcuterie platter, pastas, chicken Vesuvio, burgers, pan-roasted salmon and calamari. The charcuterie platter tempts taste buds with three types of meats and cheeses, a little honeycomb, olives, grapes and dried apricots. The menu also features sandwiches, salads and a signature Death by Chocolate dessert.
Peter said Crazy Fox is intended to be a blend of family-friendly casual, with dining options that run the gamut. The concept grew out of the couple’s combined 30-some years of experience running restaurants. He said The Crazy Fox’s motto is service.
“We decided to open up our own place instead of work for someone else,” he said. “It’s been a dream of ours. And when the space opened up in St. Charles, we couldn’t pass it up.”
To create their vision, he and his wife, and son Stojko, a manager, worked every day for months after buying the building in September. They chose the 2,200-square-foot space because of its location in the heart of St. Charles’ entertainment district.
“We totally remodeled everything,” Peter said. We [have] a brand-new kitchen. My wife designed the bar, and I built it.”
The rich curving wood of the bar top has a modern backdrop of stone to showcase the extensive choice of libations, including 10 rotating beers on tap.
“Right now, we’re getting our feet wet,” he said. “We have a good selection of wines, and over 100 different kinds of spirits. We were looking for a warm cozy feeling, where people can come in and relax and have dinner or a glass of wine or a drink.”
The Crazy Fox launched just less than a month ago. Peter said patrons can bring their children and friends to grab a burger and watch a game on one of six televisions, or have a date night with a fine meal and a bottle of wine.
And now that The Crazy Fox is in play, the couple can turn their attention to building out their own home.
“We live in Bartlett, and will be living above the bar,” Peter said. “With all the hours we’re working, it makes sense to live right above. We love St. Charles.”
The Crazy Fox Bar & Grille operates seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. at 104 E. Main St. The kitchen is open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To learn more, visit facebook.com/TheCrazyFoxStCharles or call 630-940-2876.