What’s most noticeable upon entering Medici in Normal is the two-story-tall mulberry tree that serves as the centerpiece of the restaurant’s decor — a fitting symbol as mulberry trees historically signify abundance.
The establishment’s expansive menu further echoes that sentiment, as patrons endeavor to determine what they will ultimately choose from the eclectic, American-style variety of soups, salads, starters, entrees, sandwiches, pizza, desserts and craft beers.
General Manager Joe Slane says that despite its name, Medici (pronounced “med-e-chee”) is not an Italian restaurant. “When Hans bought the first place, it was called Medici — and he didn’t have enough money to change the sign,” he says.
The “first place” he is referring to is Medici on 57th in Chicago, which Hans Morsbach opened as a passion project. “I was familiar with [the family] … Medici in Hyde Park, near the University of Chicago, has been there for 60-some years,” says Slane.
The Normal location opened its doors in 2008. A few years later, the Morsbach family advertised for a general manager. “I was curious of what they were doing down here. I came down and talked to them and basically told them I could come down and help out for a while. … It’s now been 16 years,” he laughs.
Slane, who grew up in central Illinois and most recently called Chicago home, brought with him decades of experience in the restaurant industry. “I worked for some chains when I was living in Texas and Michigan and Chicago, and then I was working for a hotel group for years, doing food and beverage,” he elaborates.
“At that group, I spent several years traveling around the country. I would go into properties that were ‘in transition.’ … Sometimes we literally closed it down, renovated the place, and reopened it. Sometimes it was just finding a new management team to come in.”
Of the places he’s worked, Slane says he prefers chef-driven restaurants, like Medici. “We have burgers, we have pizzas. We have seafood. We have steak. We have app salads, entree salads, starter salads, a little of everything. We always have homemade soups,” he says, adding that the Salmon Brulee has been their top seller for years. “We sear it in simple syrup, so it gives it that sugary crust.”
Other favorites include their Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese and the Smokey BBQ Beef Brisket. “We smoke our ribs in-house; we smoke our wings in-house,” says Slane. “Our gnocchi have always been popular, [and] we recently added a mushroom alfredo pasta, which is going over well.”
The stroganoff is one of the Morsbachs’ old family recipes. “That’s one of those we don’t touch on the menu,” he says. “[It’s also] my go-to when I don’t know what to get.”
Along with the familiar are more unique selections, like their Spaghetti Squash Bolognese and swordfish. And then there is pizza, pan- or stone-style, baked in a five-deck oven with a stone base.
“Our pizzas are popular,” says Slane, adding that they will happily make what customers want on request. “Most people order the ones on the menu, though. We have a Medici pizza, which is like everything pizza. … The margherita is always a popular pizza. We have a spinach goat cheese sausage pizza. We have a barbecue pizza. [And] everyone loves chicken ranch pizzas.”
Desserts include seasonal cheesecakes (the Oreo is a big seller), a “stacked” brownie (layered with dark chocolate ganache and served with vanilla ice cream), flourless chocolate cake, seasonal creme brulees and chocolate mousse.
Menu items are done to order, he emphasizes, so most dishes can be customized. “We get a lot of people with special dietary needs. … Just tell me what you want, and we’ll make it,” he says. “That’s even easier than trying to customize what we have.”
One of their biggest priorities is to give patrons choices. “When we’re looking at the menu, that’s one of the things we always look at — what hole do we need to fill here? Can this be a good shareable appetizer? Can this be a good vegan item?”
He says it takes a seasoned chef to manage that kind of extensive inventory. “It takes a chef who has the experience to make sure we don’t have items that go to waste. It’s being organized and having a chef who spends the time going through things.”
In addition to the menu, Medici has event space — upstairs with a patio for larger parties and downstairs for smaller groups. On Mondays, when the restaurant is closed, they sometimes offer buyouts, where large parties can take advantage of the entire restaurant. Their event space is often booked for rehearsal dinners, baby and wedding showers and retirement parties.
In the future, the staff hopes to also revive some of their pre-COVID-19 events. “We did an Oktoberfest, we did a craft beer festival, we did a barbecue festival — we did them regularly for years,” Slane shares, adding that Uptown Normal still hosts several fun festivals during the summer. “We’ve always been part of Uptown Partners and try to stay as involved as we can.”
Medici in Normal
