Custom House: Best in the Neighborhood (Chicago Area Restaurant Review 34)

To say a restaurant is the best in our neighborhood (Printers Row/South Loop) admittedly is not saying a whole lot. We live in the Siberia of Chicago food. However, Custom House is definitely an oasis in this culinary wasteland.

We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had a Big Fire Pinot Noir which was a bit tart for her. Steve had a Swiss Syrah which was unremarkable. Our initial look at the menu left us thinking we'd made a bad choice, as the dishes are a little unusual for us, since we are somewhat unadventurous. However, our concern turned out to be misplaced because all the dishes we had basically worked well.

For appetizers, we ordered ahi tuna and duck prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella. The ahi tuna was excellent, like tuna tartare is supposed to taste, without too much seasoning to detract from the flavor. The duck prosciutto had an interesting smoky flavor and was lean (for prosciutto), and the mozzarella tasted very smooth and fresh. Our salads were escarole with bacon, bleu cheese, and mushrooms. Lisa found the bacon taste a bit strong, but still thought the salad overall pretty good. Steve liked the salad except for the mushrooms.

For entrees, Lisa ordered the prime filet. It was cooked a perfect medium rare, with a flavorful glaze that was somewhat sweet, and no charcoal. The meat itself was tender and had a pretty good flavor. While not the best filet she'd ever had, she liked it overall, especially the glaze. The filet came with mushroom topping, which Lisa doesn't particularly care for, but it was easily avoided, and might be good if you like mushrooms. Steve had short ribs, which fell off the bone and had an extremely good taste. The only part he didn't like was the horseradish glaze, which was too strong for him, but he otherwise thought it was quite good.

The desserts were another example of Custom House's menu not looking promising. By process of elimination, Steve landed on the scotch and maple custard with poached pear, and Lisa chose the hazelnut chocolate ice cream with shortbread cookies. Steve dumped the pear on Lisa, but otherwise enjoyed the custard more than he thought he would. Lisa really liked the poached pear, which had a milk chocolate custard filling. Her hazelnut ice cream was excellent, and came with three scoops. She gave the shortbread cookies to Steve, who really liked them. So, as it turned out, we really enjoyed our combined desserts. We also noticed the dessert menu offers several artisinal cheeses, which we plan to try next time. Lisa spotted a very intriguing looking chocolate almond biscotti tea. It has caffeine, so she didn't want to order it in the evening, but plans to try it some day at lunchtime.

The service at Custom House did leave something to be desired, as our waiter managed to be both obsequious and unfriendly, which is a difficult trick. He definitely detracted from our enjoyment of the meal.

For a change, Steve thought the Men's Room at Custom House was better than Lisa judged the Women's Room. The Men's Room was spotless and had a working automatic towel dispenser. While the women's bathroom had nice marble-like floors and also had an automatic dispenser, there were crumpled towels on the floor and counter, which made it seem less than clean.

Our total bill for two, with wine by the glass, was $215, which was a very good value, especially compared to our recent dinners in Hartford (see prior reviews of Max's and J. Gilbert's).

Our ratings for Custom House, 500 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois:

8 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

Geja's: Great Fondue, Needs More Food (Chicago Area Restaurant Review 33)

The other night, we went to Geja's, our favorite fondue restaurant in the Chicago area (or anywhere). We hadn't been there in some time and went with a group. As usual, everything was great, but we did notice that the portions were a bit sparing. We're not sure if that changed since our last visit, or if we were just hungrier this time.

We started with a bottle of Reisling suggested by the bartender. This was a German Reisling which had a crisp and not too sweet flavor that went well with the first course of cheese fondue. Even before that course, however, Steve found tremendous cheddar cheese spread and crackers at the bar. He could have eaten the whole crock, but fortunately, was saved from himself because we were seated.

The cheese fondue, which was a gruyere, was great as always. We got more than enough cheese, but not enough dipping accompaniments (apples, grapes, and two kinds of dried bread), so even at a table of four, over half the cheese was left. (Note: if you come with a big party, like we did, you will not all be able to sit together, which might be okay if you don't like all your friends or relatives -- we do, of course.) For the main course, we all ordered something different and shared. We got the vegetable medley, the beef and lobster course, the seafood medley, and the Prince Geja's combination, which was a little of everything. One would think that with so much variety, it would have been more than enough food, but in fact, it was hardly enough for two people, except for the vegetables, which Steve and Lisa don't like much. There was a particular lack of meat, which, for Steve, was the best part. The dipping sauces came in 8 flavors. Lisa's favorites were the creamy dill and butter sauces. As always, she loved the tiny potatoes, which Steve also liked and which are an exception to our no-vegetable rule. Lisa also liked the mushrooms, shrimp, and beef. In all, everything tasted great, we just wanted more of it.

Continuing a theme, Geja's dessert course was again extremely good and a little sparse on dipping accompiments. The fondue is dark chocolate which is served with flaming liqueur on top so marshmallows can be toasted. Once the flames go out, the dark chocolate is the perfect temperature for dipping. Strawberries, pound cake, bananas, and fresh pineapple are also served, and all were excellent. But again, we had to leave over half the chocolate because we had nothing else to eat it with. (Steve did eat some off his fork, and he usually doesn't like chocolate, which shows both how good the chocolate fondue is and how hungry he still was.)

The bathrooms at Geja's are singles and are kept very clean. The decor is attractive with a French flare. Lisa's only complaint was that the water in the sink was cold, sort of in keeping with the rest of the restaurant, which was rather chilly. Steve likened it to dining in an igloo. We suspect this was in part because we were there fairly early on Saturday evening, and the cooking oil probably heats the restaurant up eventually.

Dinner for four at Geja's, without the wine, was only about $220. This is a great value. If you are a big eater, you may want to order an extra serving of one or more of the courses, which we've decided we may do next time. Geja's also is a great place for just appetizers and dessert, if you are eating light.

Our ratings for Geja's, 340 W. Armitage, Chicago, Illinois:

8 of 10 Fondue Forks; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes.

Max's: That Old-Time Solid Chophouse Feeling (Hartford Restaurant Review No. 2)

On our second night in insurance land (Hartford, Connecticut), we tried what is probably the oldest non-chain steak restaurant in Hartford, Max's. We got sort of a predictable dining experience for this type of restaurant. We started with a bottle of Two Hands Shiraz. It was tangy but had a good, fruity aftertaste. For appetizers, we had a shrimp cocktail that was good, but not outstanding. (Steve particularly doesn't like the "leggy" shrimp which were served.) We also had tuna tartare, which neither of us particularly liked. (The tuna itself didn't have much flavor, and was overpowered by the wasabi.)

Our salads were also unspectacular. Neither had particularly crispy or fresh greens and the dressing on both left something to be desired. Max's, however, definitely redeemed itself with great entrees. Steve absolutley loved his Kansas City strip, which was a perfect medium rare and was substantially charcoaled, just the way he likes it. Lisa had the scallop special, which she also thought very good. The waiter said these were Nantucket bay scallops that were only in season for four weeks. The scallops were small, but had an almost sweet taste Lisa loved. (She usually finds scallops a bit too salty.)

For dessert, Lisa ordered a pear almond tart with ginger ice cream. She thought this dessert was far too sweet and the ginger ice cream did not work. Usually pear adds a certain zip to a dessert and has a different taste than apple, but this fruit had no particular flavor at all. Steve's banana crepe with banana ice cream was okay, but nothing to write home about, which we otherwise could have done since we were traveling.

The bathrooms at Max's were frustrating. The Women's Room looked fine and was fairly clean, but Lisa could not figure out how to get soap out of the dispenser. She tried everything she could think of, and finally just washed with hot water. Steve had the same problem, but finally managed to get enough soap to fill a miniature thimble. He did figure out that it was supposed to be an automatic dispenser, but obviously it didn't work too well.

Dinner for two at Max's, with a bottle of wine, was $325. It would have been about $225 with wine by the glass. Another example of Hartford's high prices. One plus at Max's was live music by a piano player who played a good mix of pieces at just the right volume.

Our ratings for Max's, 158 Asylum St., Hartford, Connecticut:

7 or 10 Steak Knives (almost all for the entrees); 1.5 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

J. Gilbert's: Great If You Don't Count The Entree (Hartford Restaurant Review No. 1)

On a recent business trip to the insurance capital of the world, Hartford, Connecticut, we visited what was billed as one of the best non-chain steakhouses in the Hartford area, J. Gilbert's. The restaurant is very large, seating almost four hundred, and yet it was jam packed even on a Wednesday night. So we thought we had picked a top steak place. Basically, we did, except for the steak.

We started with a bottle of Ravenswood Zinfandel 2004. LIsa really liked it. It was light, tart but not too tart, and had a good grapy flavor ("grapy" being a technical wine term we made up). The appetizers were tremendous. The beef carpaccio was as good as any we've had, with small, thin slices of beef that were full of flavor. The shrimp cocktail was also very good, with large, tasty shrimp and a sauce which was just the right accompaniment. For salads, Steve had a wedge, which he really liked, particularly the bleu cheese dressing. Lisa's mixed green salad was also good. She especially liked the combination of pine nuts with the cheese crumbles and fresh greens.

Up to this point, we thought this might be out best find ever. But our hopes were sorely dashed by the entrees. Steve's porterhouse looked abysmal and certainly not like prime beef. It was flat and ugly, and while it didn't taste too bad, it certainly didn't seem to be a top cut. Lisa had the steak and lobster (surf and turf). She liked the filet, but it was a little chewy. The lobster had too much mesquite seasoning, but the meat itself, with the top seasoned layer cut away, was pretty good. Lisa did, however, really like the whipped potatoes, which is not a huge plus in her book because she tries not to eat starch.

J. Gilbert's got back on track with dessert. Steve's berry cobbler was excellent, and the creme fraiche was the best he'd ever tasted, as it was sweet and warm. Lisa's chocolate souffle was good, but more milk chocolate than dark chocolate. We also really liked the professional and friendly service.

The bathrooms were nothing spectacular. Lisa thought the Women's Room was clean and had a good hands-free faucet. Steve thought the Men's Room was a bit grimy.

The total bill at J. Gilbert's, with a bottle of wine, was about $245. With wine by the glass, it would have been about $200. This is probably somewhat pricey for what we got, but it appeared to us that Hartford in general is a fairly pricey market.

Our ratings for J. Gilbert's, 185 Glastonbury Road, Glastonbury, Connecticut:

7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

(Note: J. Gilbert's is in the Hartford suburbs in a mini-mall with Barnes & Noble, so if you take a cab from downtown Hartford, know your directions, because the cab drivers seem unfamiliar with the area.)

Oceanique: Order Wisely and Go With Your Favorite Person (Chicago Restaurant Review 32)

In the destination restaurant category, Oceanique is another underappreciated gem. On a recent visit, we started with a bottle of New Zealand Zinfandel. It had kind of strange, tart, initial taste, but then left a concord grape aftertaste, almost like grape jelly, that was very good.

The waiter started us with an amuse bouche of halibut with red seaweed salad, which was surprisingly excellent, particularly since neither of us ever liked Halibut. For appetizers, we split caviar and smoked salmon. Both these dishes were tremendous, though we would have liked more creme fraiche with them. Steve especially thought the salmon was as good as any appetizer he has had. The salads were less remarkable. Steve's organic salad looked rather unappetizing and didn't taste all that much better. Lisa ordered an artichoke and goat cheese salad, which is a little unusual for her, but she wanted to try something different. The salad overall had a strong, bitter taste, but was very fresh. To cleanse the palate before the entree, we were served a Michigan apple sorbet. It had a slightly grainy texture, like real apples, and wonderful taste, although Steve was somewhat worried, given that we were already two hours into the meal at this point, that this was a precursor to dessert, and our dinner had been forgotten.

The name of this restaurant is Oceanique, which should have tipped us off, particularly since we've always ordered seafood here before. But this time, Steve ordered rack of lamb, even though its accompaniments were things like eggplant and brussel sprouts, which he loathes, and fennel, and he's not sure what that is, but he's heard Martha Steward mention it. Predictably, this was not a great dish, although less because of the hated ingredients than that the lamb itself was disappointing (little flavor and somewhat tough). Lisa fared better, as she ordered surf and turf, which was King crab and filet mignon. Excellent surf, flavorless turf.

For dessert, Steve had a mixed berry tart with caramel ice cream (it was supposed to come with pistacchio, but Steve hijacked the caramel, which went with another dessert). He liked the dessert and believes the caramel ice cream should be paired with it all the time. Lisa ordered a chocolate tart with fig ice cream. She wasn't too sure about the fig, but it set off the very dark chocolate tart perfectly, as it was neither too sweet nor too bitter.

Contiuning a theme in Evanston, the bathrooms left something to be desired (see one of our first reviews, of Quince in Evanston). Both were singles and were not very clean, with tile floors that looked somewhat grubby, whether they were or not, and the Men's Room smelled unpleasant. Lisa did like the decor in the Women's Room, other than the floor tile, as it had a floral, light blue theme and looked somewhat French. Steve was just pleased that there were no racy photos (see prior reviews of Shaw's Crabhouse and Al's Charhouse).

The total bill, with a bottle of wine and caviar, was about $350. It would have been more like $200 with wine by the glass and no caviar.

We were there from about 7:15 p.m. until 10:30, which was partly because we ordered a lot of food, but also because the service here is leisurely to a fault. So definitely go with someone you like. This is not a good first date restaurant, unless it's love at first sight. Overall, though, we love this place every time we go to it, and highly recommend it if splurging on an evening out. As we mentioned, the seafood is the best bet.

Our ratings for Oceanique, 505 Main Street, Evanston, Illinois:

9 of 10 (if Fish Hooks rather than Steak Knives) (we can't stress enough, especially given the prices here, that you should order wisely, i.e. fish); 1.5 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

Shaw's Crab House: Best Fish in Chicago (Chicago Restaurant Review 31)

We finally made it to Shaw's for purposes of the blog. We go to Shaw's more than to any other seafood restaurant in the area, and with good reason. Despite some atmospheric and attitudinal quirks, the food is first rate.

On this visit, Lisa ordered Stonestreet Merlot, which Steve had at another restaurant and Lisa tasted and really liked. This one, though, was very dry, which Lisa doesn't care for. Steve followed wine tradition more closely by ordering white. He had an Australian Reisling. Unfortunately, the Germans make a much better Reisling. Lisa was disappointed to find that Shaw's was not offering its chocolate martini that night. It is her favorite drink there, and is the best chocolate Martini she's had in the city or suburbs. The waiter promised it will be back, and so will we.

For appetizers, we shared the shrimp cocktail and an order of stone crab claws. Shaw's shrimp cocktail is by far the best in the city. The shrimp are delectable and large, with perfect tangy sauce. Lisa really liked the crab claws, which were extremely fresh. (Steve isn't much of a crab fan, but thought what he tasted of it was actually pretty good.) We weren't all that happy with our salads. The wedge was okay, but the blue cheese dressing was a bit weak. Lisa ordered the mixed green salad, which incongrously came with bleu cheese crumbles and Italian dressing. The combination just didn't work. This salad paled in comparison to the bleu cheese salad which used to be on the menu. As usual, Steve overate on the bread, which he really likes, particularlyn the soft rolls.

For entrees, Steve had the always excellent salmon. The preparation is very simple but elegant because it is sparing, so the accent is clearly on the salmon itself, which is a wonderful piece of fish. Lisa ordered her favorite, the crab cakes, which were amazing. In Lisa's opinion, these are the best crab cakes in Chicago (if not the world). The breading has minimal seasoning so the fresh taste of the crab is highlighted.

Desserts here are never all that spectacular, particularly compared to the great fish, which is part of why Lisa usually gets the chocolate martini. Since that was not available, she had the chocolate cake. The cake itself was unimpressive, and the whipped cream with it was somewhat gummy. Steve had apple pie and ice cream. He was pleasantly surprised because this was the first Shaw's dessert he considered good (although still not great).

The bathrooms were not good. The Women's Room was not clean. The Men's Room was the same, and, in keeping with a theme (see our review of Al's Charhouse) had semi-pornographic pictures of mermaids.

The total bill, with wine by the glass, was about $170, which sounds pricey, but which we think is well worth it. Our review actually contains a lot of semi-negative comments, but the whole here is much great than the sum of its parts because, despite all these quirks (including surly valets and indifferent maitre d's), you will not find a better seafood restaurant than Shaw's anywhere.

Our ratings for Shaw's Crab House, 21 E. Hubbard St., Chicago, Illinois:

9 of 10 Fish Hooks; 1.5 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

Al's Charhouse: Reliable But Unremarkable (Chicago Restaurant Review 30)

On yet another recent visit to the suburbs, we went to a restaurant that we knew would have consistently good red meat. Al's Charhouse is one of those restaurants only western suburbanites would know about, but that is worth a visit if you're somewhat nearby. The decor is definitely not the strong point, unless you like cacti and cowboys (and if you do, that's okay, we won't tell anyone). But the food is actually pretty good.

We started with a glass of Mondavi Pinot Noir for Lisa, which she thought was light, fruity, and not too sweet. Steve had a Cabernet Shiraz blend which he didn't particularly care for, as it didn't have much flavor. We shared a mixed green salad. We didn't expect much since it was billed as a typical mixed green dinner salad, but we were pleasantly surprised. The ingredients were extremely fresh, with crispy lettuce and creamy garlic dressing, which we both liked. Steve also really liked the bread, which was a warm, dark bread. As usual, he had to eat it all, because Lisa will never help him, but this time he didn't feel sick from it.

Lisa really enjoyed her prime rib. It was a cooked a perfect medium rare, had a lot of flavor, and just the right texture. Steve tasted it and also thought it was very good, just a notch below the top prime rib places. Steve was not as thrilled with his porterhouse, largely because, except right by the bone, it was more like medium well than medium rare. However, the meat itself was good and the part by the bone, that was close to medium rare, was excellent. For a side, Lisa had whipped bacon and cheddar potatoes. She planned to only eat a few bites, but just kept eating, sort of like chowing down on a bag of Doritos. You know it's not good for you, and after a while the taste is kind of gross, but you just can't stop. Steve's side was a weird-looking dark rice, which tasted better than he would have expected given its coloring. It was late, so we passed on dessert (believe it or not). We've been to Al's Charhouse a few times, and so far, think the prime rib is the best choice.

Al's bathrooms were a low 2, they were clean, but nothing fancy, and the Men's Room was sort of tawdry, with a semi-pornographic picture of a full figured cowgirl.

Dinner for two with wine by the glass was $90, which we both thought was a good value. The portions are very large, which is also part of why we skipped dessert.

Our ratings for Al's Charhouse, 32 S. LaGrange Road, Illinois:

6.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes

Trattoria Gemelli in Brookfield: Promising Start, Downhill Slide (Chicago Area Restaurant Review 29)

Every now and then we like to review a restaurant in the Chicago area that would not normally attract attention. This week, we decided to try Trattoria Gemelli in Brookfield, a suburb that used to feature mainly family restaurants with senior citizen specials, but lately has developed some more varied options. Our meal started well with two excellent appetizers. The first was a plate of prosciutto-wrapped fresh mozzarella rolls. The mozzarella was very fresh and smooth, and the proscioutto added just the right flavor. The second was an unusual beef carpaccio. Rather than being raw, the thinly sliced beef was cured, like salami. It tasted great.

Next, Lisa had a pear salad with walnuts, raisins and gorgonzola cheese, which she liked very much. Steve enjoyed his Ceasar salad, but not as much as the cool plates on which the salads were served. The plates were square dark green slabs which enthralled Steve.

Unfortunately, our entrees disappointed. Lisa ordered Rigatoni alla Buttera, which consisted of rigatoni, peas and Italian sausage in a creamy pink tomato sauce. It was very salty, and she ate only a few bites. Steve had lasagna bolognese. The top layer was filled with an unknown substance that could have been cheese, but had the consistency and taste of whipped, flavorless potatoes. When Steve finally made it to the bottom (because, unlike Lisa, he'll eat anything), the lasagna was slightly better, as it at least tasted like pasta, but still nothing to write home about.

Dessert was even worse. Steve's panna cotta (which he usually loves) could only be described as vile. Far from tasting like custard, it tasted sort of like feet. Lisa had flourless chocolate cake (which also is usually her favorite) with a warm chocolate mousse center. Continuing a theme, the cake was actually salty, which is quite a trick, and she ate only a third of it, something that probably has never before occurred. It came with hazelnut gelato and cookie crumbs, which was the best part.

We had wine by the glass. Lisa ordered a Leaping Lizard Pinot Noir. It was okay, but seemed a bit overpriced at $12 a glass, and did not come with a lizard. Steve had a more interesting red that we'd never heard of before called Ripasso Valpolicella. It had a light and fruity flavor, which Steve enjoyed.

The service was earnest and somewhat overbearing, at least until another party came in.

There was only one bathroom, and Steve left it to Lisa to check out. Lisa found it far too cold. It was reasonably clean, but not particularly well decorated, in her opinion.

The total bill at Trattoria Gemelli was $145, which struck us as extremely overpriced both for the Brookfield area and for the quality (or lack thereof) of the food. We have been to this restaurant before and found it marginally better, but it can't be rated as a quality destination.

Our rating for Trattoria Gemelli, 3755 Grand Blvd., Brookfield, Illinois:

5.5 of 10 Steak Knives (hold the salt shaker); 1 of 3 Bathroom Brushes (wear your jacket)