tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63977565327773254222024-03-13T14:12:04.006-05:00Focus on FoodA guide to Chicago-area restaurants (and their bathrooms). We focus more on how the food tastes than how it looks, and on what the guidebooks won't tell you. Occasionally, we travel outside Chicago and review the restaurants we try. If you're interested in reviews of food people really eat, this site is for you. Please e-mail your comments to chicagodining@yahoo.com, or post them on the blog. We'd love to hear from you!ChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-14471608051841648852009-05-15T21:33:00.005-05:002009-05-15T21:59:36.030-05:00Aja Steak in Chicago: Great New Steak Concept (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 98)The newest entrant to Chicago's steakhouse scene is Aja Steak in the edgy Hotel Dana, which is in the River North area of Chicago. This definitely is not your father's steakhouse, it is very modern, with unpainted concrete and exposed ductwork and no leather booths. Even though there are many other things (like sushi) on the menu here besides steak, we thought the steak was among the best we've had.<br /><br />We started with, for a change of pace, mixed drinks rather than wine. Lisa had an almond pear blossom, which had amaretto and pear absolut and a slice of pear. It really tasted like almonds and pears and was not overly strong, so Lisa liked it a lot and ordered a second. Steve had the sake sangria, which really tasted just like regular sangria and was quite good. The first food was a kimchee amuse bouche, which basically was spicy cabbage and sesame cucumbers. We both loved the cucumbers and found the cabbage a bit too spicy. On the other hand, it is the only time either of us can recall eating cabbage in our adult lives (or, for Steve, at any time). <br /><br />For appetizers, we split the beef carpaccio and the chicken skewers (which had a fancy name but were still skewers). Both were excellent. The carpaccio was a little different from what we're used to, as it tasted almost smoked, but it had good flavor and was served with some crunchy stuff that set it off well. The chicken on the skewers was very tender, juicy and tasty. <br /><br />Our salads were not so good. Steve's wedge was the oddest he's had, as it was topped with some sort of meat that could have been pork or beef and, in any event, was not too good, the lettuce was fairly wilted and drowned in indeterminate vile dressing. Obviously, it wasn't one of his favorites. Lisa's pear and gorgonzola was a bit better; but, for her taste, did not have enough gorgonzola and had too much vinegar flavor in the dressing.<br /><br />For a change, the best part of this steakhouse was actually the steak. We split the porterhouse for two. It was cooked a perfect medium rare and had enough charcoal for Steve and not too much for Lisa. We really liked the taste of both the New York side and the filet side, as both were full of flavor. This dish alone made us want to come back (preferably to sit outside if we can avoid the bugs and if the weather actually ever gets warm). <br /><br />We weren't that hungry, having eaten so much steak, so we decided to share the cheese plate rather than getting traditional desserts. There were three cheeses, accompanied by various fruits and nuts and lots of toast. The first cheese, which seemed to be a light colored cheddar, tasted store bought and not particularly interesting. The second, which may have been a goat cheese, as it was creamy, had a nice flavor, and we both enjoyed it. The bleu cheese was okay, and not too strong for Lisa, but it was not among the best that Steve has had (and he is a great fan of bleu cheese). When we go back, we probably will try desserts instead, and skip the salads.<br /><br />The bathrooms were both very clean and nice, with attractive fixtures and floors, and the fancy new high powered hand dryers. However, the faucets were difficult to turn on and required almost a full turn to shut off (think of those germs -- and no towels to use for the shut off). <br /><br />Dinner for two with 3 mixed drinks but one shared dessert was $260, which sounds expensive, but was, in our view, worth it for the steak alone. The restaurant would have rated higher if any of its other dishes were equally inspired.<br /><br />One tip if you want a quiet dinner, go early, because the restaurant becomes very noisy as it fills up, which happened about 7:45 on a Friday night.<br /><br />Our ratings for Aja Steak, 660 N. State, Chicago, Illinois:<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-68014201749092482392009-05-10T19:57:00.007-05:002009-05-10T20:16:33.002-05:00Crofton on Wells: Good Food in Spartan Surroundings (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 97)A long time ago, we decided to try Crofton on Wells, which has always gotten high marks from various restaurant reviewers. We really liked the food, although the surroundings kind of detracted from the total experience. This was particularly so because, despite the restaurant being almost empty when we arrived, we were seated close to the window on a cold night and the hostess would not move us to the back.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Radio Couteau Zinfandel. We found this a bit tart, but not unpleasant. The amuse bouche was a cheese puff, which we liked a lot. Our appetizer was a cheese plate. We found the goat and cheddar cheeses unexceptional. We both loved the Brie, which was very smooth, and Steve loved the bleu cheese, though Lisa thought it a bit strong. We both ordered the baby green and warm goat cheese salad, which we liked, especially the goat cheese. The dressing tasted tangy, but not overly so. <br /><br />Lisa ordered beef tenderloin for an entree. It was perfectly cooked and had a lot of flavor. Steve's veal was a bit tough, but did taste good. We ordered a side dish of carrots (trying to be healthy for a change) and they were extremely good and crisp, prompting us to vow that we would order more vegetables in the future (which we have not really done) (but we should). We also liked the Yukon mashed potatoes. <br /><br />For dessert, Steve had the tangerine pana cotta, which was really good except for the tangerine. Steve always likes custard-like dishes, but often does not like the fruit that comes with, because it is fruit, so don't blame the tangerines. Lisa had the rocky road, which sounded perfect, as it was advertised as including devil's food cake, chocolate mousse, and bittersweet chocolate ice cream, but the expresso flavor of the dish was overpowering (and Lisa does not like coffee, other than when a slight amount is present to bring out the dark chocolate flavor, the only proper function for coffee). <br /><br />While the surroundings of Crofton on Wells are somewhat spartan, it did have a soothing dark decor with nice plants, so if it were not so cold we might have been bigger fans. However, for a restaurant that serves this type of complex food, one would expect more attention to decor. The bathrooms were very small, but clean, and the Women's was cold; thus they were somewhat in keeping with the rest of the restaurant's atmosphere.<br /><br />Dinner for two, with a bottle of semi-expensive wine, was $350. With wine by the glass, it would have been about $270. While this is somewhat high, we did think the food was very good.<br /><br />Our ratings for Crofton on Wells, 535 N. Wells, Chicago, Illinois:<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes.ChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-18747458306689930442009-05-10T19:29:00.004-05:002009-05-10T19:57:08.573-05:00Rox City Grill in St. Charles: A Disappointing Experience (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 96)We felt like taking a walk along the Fox River (though the weather turned out to be a bit cool despite it being May), so Steve checked opentable.com and found Rox City Grill in St. Charles. We have not had much luck with restaurants in the Fox River area, even though we love cities like Geneva and (sort of) St. Charles. And Rox City Grill was no exception.<br /><br />Steve was excited to try this restaurant because it advertised that its executive chef was a veteran of Charlie Trotter's. The restaurant is in a very nice old hotel with quaint elevators and a nice lobby. Rox City Grill is somewhat incongrous in this location because its ambience struck us an attempt to be modern to the extreme. The tables are a bit too close together and the room is rather loud, particularly when the electric guitars start playing.<br /><br />Decor aside, the food here was not up to the hype. We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had a Daniel Hill Pinot Noir which was a bit tart for her taste. Steve ordered Four Sisters Shiraz (which Lisa considered because she liked the name). Steve found this very dense and almost bitter.<br /><br />The appetizers were the best (by far) part of the meal. We had the lobster martini, which included wasabi mashed potatoes. The lobster was very fresh and tasty and the wasabi added just enough flavor without overpowering the dish. Edemame added some crunchiness. We also had the ahi tuna. The tuna was seared medium rare and had an excellent flavor. We also loved the warm bread. It tasted flaky and fluffy, and Steve ate a lot of it. We'd like to comment on the salads we ordered, but we are still waiting for them. The server simply forgot, and we didn't realize that (as the service was generally very slow) until our entrees arrived. <br /><br />We thought the entrees were very bad. Lisa's short ribs were tough, tasteless, and totally overcooked to the point of being rather leathery. The wasabi mashed potatoes that came with it were good, and are about all she ate. Steve's lamb was too rare (almost raw) and wholly without flavor. (But he did finish it.)<br /><br />Desserts also were uninspired. Steve had the lemon curd with some type of crunchy accompaniment that looked like shredded wheat. The curd and raspberry sauce were not terrible but it is certainly not something Steve would have again. Lisa ordered the pot de creme, billed as dense chocolate custard with mandarin orange slices. As a whole, the dessert was far too sweet for her, and too watery, and the oranges tasted canned rather than fresh. In what may be a first for her with a chocolate dessert, she ate about 1/8 of it, despite being hungry from having had no salad and not eating more than a couple bites of the leathery short ribs. <br /><br />The bathrooms, which were in the hotel (which we liked) were very nice. Both were very clean, although the Men's was a bit too small and plain to merit a perfect rating. The Women's had marble sink counters and stalls that were more like rooms because they had wood doors, which Lisa likes.<br /><br />The total bill for two, with wine by the glass and without salad, was $145. This seemed a bit high to us considering it is for one less course than we usually have and considering the (lack of) quality. Rox City Grill seems to be getting somewhat of a positive vibe, so you may hear about it and be tempted to go. Take it from us, and save yourself the long drive.<br /><br />Our ratings for Rox City Grill, 100 W. Main, St. Charles, Illinois:<br /><br />4 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-14144441764758127072009-04-19T14:28:00.006-05:002009-04-19T14:47:04.195-05:00Erie Cafe: If You Like Charcoal (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 95)Erie Cafe is one of Steve's favorite steak restaurants, largly because the steaks are so charcoaled it looks like they just came out of a five-alarm fire, yet they are still perfect inside. It seems as if men like this type of heavy charcoal a bit more than women, which is why Erie Cafe's clientele is about 90% male. The atmosphere reflects this, as Erie has leather clubby furniture and lots of dark wood. <br /><br />We started with a glass each of Rosenblum Zinfandel, which is our default Zinfandel, as it is fruity and smooth enough for both of us. Our appetizer was a shrimp cocktail. This dish was acceptable, but not special, as the shrimp were somewhat small and had a slight fishy taste. The cocktail sauce saved the dish, as it tasted fresh and a little spicy, which is what we like. Salads were plain -- chopped up lettuce, a slice of tomato, and dressing. Again, the dressing made the salad better, as it was a nice tangy Italian. <br /><br />As usual at this restaurant, Steve really liked his bone-in ribeye because of the charcoaling and it was cooked a perfect medium-rare and had a lot of flavor. The T-bone here is actually Steve's favorite, but he thought he would try the ribeye because it looked good on someone else's plate. It was not quite as good as the T-bone, but he still found it excellent. Lisa had the prime rib. It was perfectly cooked, but she didn't think it had a lot of flavor. Continuing on the theme of this restaurant, which is basic, the entrees are accompanied by cottage fries, which we both liked a lot. <br /><br />Steve passed on dessert because the ribeye was very big. But since Lisa did not eat that much of her prime rib, she still had room for spumoni. It was a bit too frozen solid, but still tasted great.<br /><br />The bathrooms were in keeping with the rest of the experience. No frills, but very clean. <br /><br />Steve thinks the Erie Cafe is an underappreciated gem on the Chicago steakhouse scene and highly recommends it to anyone who likes heavily charcoaled meat. Lisa is not as excited about it, as she likes a little less charcoal, but she always enjoys going there.<br /><br />Our total bill with wine by the glass was $150, which is not bad for a city steakhouse.<br /><br />Our ratings for Erie Cafe, 536 W. Erie, Chicago:<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Steak Knives 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-52598604731430909982009-04-05T17:17:00.002-05:002009-04-05T17:38:51.143-05:00Capital Grille - Solid Steak in Nice Surroundings (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 94).On a recent Sunday evening, Steve picked Lisa up from O'Hare after she had been away on a weekend family visit. It was somewhat late, so we decided to go to a nearby restaurant. We had already tried the McCormick & Schmick location at the new Inter-Continental hotel in Rosemont, and it had been pretty good, so we decided this time to try its sister steak restaurant, the most recent Capital Grille location. Capital Grille is known for its dry aged steaks, which is a type of aging that makes the meet juicier. Lisa had really liked her previous experience with dry aged beef, so we were looking forward to giving this restaurant a try.<br /><br />The location is brand new, so it is all very spotless and fresh. Additionally, everyone was quite friendly, from the hostess to the knowledgeable server and even the manager. <br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had a glass of the Malbec, which she found a bit tart. Steve had the Bourdeaux, which sounded good, but which tasted very dense. For an appetizer, we shared the smoked salmon. We really liked this dish, as well as the rather unusual creme fraiche-type sauce which accompanied<br />it. The salmon was particularly fresh tasting.<br /><br />Next, Steve had the wedge salad and Lisa had the lobster bisque. Lisa really loved the bisque, although the lobster was a bit fishy. Steve's wedge was just ok, particularly since the tomatoes were not very fresh.<br /><br />Our rating for Capital Grille would have been higher, but the steak was not quite up to top levels. Since only the porterhouse and ribeye (not the filet) were dry-aged, both of us had the porterhouse. It was cooked a perfect medium rare, and Lisa thought it had just the right amount of charcoal flavoring (Steve thought not quite enough but he likes heavy charcoal), but both of us thought the filet side was excelleent while the sirloin side was not so good. it was quite tough and only tasted good right by the bone. We can't understand why they just don't offer a dry aged bone-in filet, which would no doubt be great.<br /><br />It was late, and the desserts actually looked somewhat pedestrian, so believe it or not we passed.<br /><br />The bathrooms were extremely clean and pleasant. The only problem was that the sink water was on the cool side.<br /><br />All in all, we liked the dining experience, but given the mixed result on the actual steak, which is of course why people would go to a place like this, we can't put this in our top tier of steak restaurants.<br /><br />Dinner for two, with wine by the glass and no dessert was $210, which is a bit high given the problem with the sirloin side of the porterhouse.<br /><br />Our ratings for Capital Grille 5340 N. River Road, Rosemont<br /><br />7 of 10 Steak Knives 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-88741696116708271832009-04-05T16:20:00.001-05:002009-04-05T16:48:51.321-05:00La Petite Folie - Worn But Usable (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 93)Steve convinced Lisa to see a play version of a movie she was lukewarm about, called Wait Until Dark. The play, which was pretty bad, was at a theatre in Hyde Park, and La Petite Folie, which Steve had read about on numerous occasions was less than a mile away, so we decided to go there before the show. Overall, this was a nice dining experience, although some of the non-culinary elements left something to be desired.<br /><br />When we came, we were the first ones in the restaurant, and the service was very attentive. We did notice, however, that while the restaurant seemed very authentically French, the carpet was worn and had a slight mildewy smell.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Le Bon Pasteur Pomerol. We always like wine from the Pomerol region, but this was probably the best bottle we've had. It was very light and drinkable, and had an excellent bouquet. Our first food course was the appetizers. Lisa had the lobster, which consisted of warm lobster claws taken out of the shell. She really liked this dish, although we both thought the lobster tasted a bit fishy. Steve loved his onion tart, which had a great cheese filling.<br /><br />Salads were not much to look at, but were quite interesting. Lisa's field greens came with pieces of grapefruit and corn kernels, as well as the traditional greens. She liked the variety although overall the salad was only average. Steve had the corsican salad which was very purple, since most of it was cut up beets and radishes, which were not bad, and Steve really enjoyed the cheese in the salad.<br /><br />Our entrees were mixed. Lisa really liked the salmon, which was a thick and tasty cut, that she ranked among the best she's ever had. Steve had a taste and also liked it alot. Steve's rack of lamb was less thrilling; it tasted a bit gamey. However, the accompanying potatoes were excellent.<br /><br />The service really started to decline after the entree, largely because the restaurant filled up and there seemed to be only 3 servers for about 25 tables. As a result, we waited almost an hour between the entree and the dessert (good thing we actually enjoy each other's company). When the dessert did come, the experience was again mixed. Lisa liked her chocolate bombe, which was an outer shell of dark chocolate, with chocolate ice cream inside and chocolate cake on the bottom. She thought the chocolate was good because it was sufficiently dark, and she liked the ice cream as well. Steve's pear crepes left something to be desired although, in fairness, Steve hates pears. So why would he order this -- for the cinammon ice cream, which was really quite good.<br /><br />The bathrooms were nice. Each was a well appointed (although not fancy) single, that was very clean. However, the men's room was rather cold, and it took a long time for the sink water to warm up (although, unlike with some restaurant bathrooms, there was eventually hot water here).<br /><br />Since there is basically nothing in the way of good restaurants in Hyde Park, this is definitely the place to go if you are going to the theatre or a concert there, or visiting junior at U of C. However, while La Petite Folie is good, the entire experience was less than stellar, and didn't live up to some of the glowing reviews Steve had seen.<br /><br />Dinner for 2 with an expensive bottle of wine was $300, so would have been more like $200 with wine by the glass. That is about right for the quality of the food.<br /><br />Our ratings for La Peitie Folie, 1504 E. 55th Street, Chicago:<br /><br />7 of 10 Berets 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-37473445907428842572009-03-08T19:09:00.004-05:002009-03-08T19:46:14.727-05:00Restaurant Michael: Great Food But Stepford Setting (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 92)We hadn't tried a new restaurant for a while, so after consulting opentable.com we picked Restaurant Michael in Winnetka because the menu items included a cheese course and interesting appetizers. The food exceeded our expectations (which our readers know is hard to do). Nonetheless, we probably wouldn't go here again because we didn't enjoy the experience overall. The evening started well enough when a man who looked like he might have been the chef/owner came out to greet us as we pulled into the parking lot. The first thing we noticed about the restaurant, however, was that even though the website referred to the dress as casual, the least dressy patrons were still, for the most part, wearing sport coats or suits (for the women, add pearls) straight out of the Brooks Brothers catalogue. <br /><br />Next, we both noticed how cold the restaurant was, even though it was a semi-warm day for March in Chicago. Unfortunately, we were seated at the table closest to the door and most in line with the cold air sweeping in. Nonetheless, when we asked for a different table, as there were many empty ones, we were told a change wasn't possible. (All the tables did fill later, but the more vehement complainers offered the table next to ours were moved.) The other issue with the tables was that the one we were at was one of four that felt as if they were afterthought auxiliary tables, such as those you'd stick kids at for a big family gathering, stuck in front of more cozy booths, and pushed very close together. Those who have read our blog from the beginning know that we usually don't take decor and atmosphere much into account, but here it really colored our experience, which is particularly unfortunate since the food was quite good. The experience was not helped for us by the fact that all the patrons looked they had roman numerals after their names and the wait staff was a bit unfriendly overall (though not just to those of us who do not have numerals after our names). <br /><br />Our amuse bouche were cheese puffs, which were light with a creamy cheese filling and which we really loved. For a change of pace, we ordered a bottle of Croatian Zlatan Zinfandel. This could have been problematic since, unbeknownst to us, this is a dry red, and we generally don't like dry wine. But it turned out that this one had a nice bouquet and was not overly tart. For appetizers, Steve ordered the smoked salmon. It was good but not great, largly because it came with something a bit sweeter than the creme fraiche we normally like with smoked salmon. Steve really liked the toast accompaniment, however. Lisa ordered the pate plate, which included pate, sausage and mousse as well as olives and tiny dill pickles. She loved the sausage, olives and pickles (especially the pickles which were crunchy and had a strong dill flavor). The rest she didn't like as much, but she's not that big a pate fan and ordered it mainly to try something different. <br /><br />The salads were average. Steve had the salade nicoise, which he found interesting albeit a bit too tangy for his taste. He particularly didn't like the egg at the top. Lisa had the baby field greens salad with Roquefort cheese, walnuts and pears. It was a bit heavy on the pears and the cheese was a bit strong for her, but it was an interesting mix of flavors.<br /><br />The entrees were where the dinner really began to shine. Lisa had the beef tenderloin and short rib combination. The short rib was excellent, with great flavor, cooked medium rare, and extremely tender. This was the first time she really understood why Steve so often orders short rib if it's available. Steve also thought it was some of the best short rib he's ever had. The beef tenderloin was excellent as well, cooked perfectly and full of flavor. Steve ordered the guinea hen and duck combination. The hen was heavenly -- with a perfect flavor and perfect spices -- and the duck was good but not great, a bit rare for his taste and also a bit too moist. We also loved the whipped potatoes that the servers spooned onto our plates after serving the entrees. The potatoes were very smooth and buttery.<br /><br />Dessert was also a highlight. Lisa had the chocolate trio. The flourless chocolate cake was dark, rich and dense. The pudding was dark chocolate with whipped cream, and the souffle was dark as well without the eggy taste Lisa usually dislikes in souffles. Steve had the cheese course. He liked all the cheeses, but only the goat cheese, which Lisa also loved, was particularly noteworthy. The dessert amuse bouche, served in a little takeout bag, was two very dark chocolate cookies, which Lisa thought were fantastic (Steve donated his).<br /><br />The bathrooms were both singles and were very nice. Both smelled like an antique store at Christmastime (a cinammon spicy smell). The Women's was nicely decorated, including with drawings of fancy red shoes and red purses. The Men's Room was also nice and both were very clean. But both were far too cold, which prevented them from obtaining a perfect rating.<br /><br />Dinner for two, with a bottle of wine, was a very reasonable $230 for four courses, no less, and would have been only $180 with wine by the glass. The food here is so good and the price so reasonable given the quality that we might normally have rated Restaurant Michael much higher. But the atmosphere, the attitude and homogenous Stepford-like clientele really make it hard for us to fully recommend the place or to want to go back.<br /><br />Our ratings for Restaurant Michael, 64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, Illinois:<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-64543350934381831462009-02-14T16:28:00.005-06:002009-02-14T16:50:06.180-06:00Kennedy's at Stone Creek: Lovely Spot in the Middle of Nowhere (Chicago-Area (sort of) Restaurant Review No. 91)We needed to drive to Mount Vernon, Illinois, of all places, so we decided to break up the drive with dinner at the halfway point, which happened to be Urbana. Urbana is known for being the home of the University of Illinois but not much else. That's why we were surprised to find what appeared to be a fine dining restaurant in Urbana through Opentable.com. <br /><br />Kennedy's is part of a complex which includes housing and a golf course on the far south end of Urbana. It would have been better to have gone here in the summer because the restaurant has a very nice view overlooking the golf course. Even in winter, however, the view was nice and Kennedy's even had an operational fireplace which we sat near. Unfortunately, probably partially because it was Superbowl Sunday, but maybe also because there is not a large fine dining market in this area, the restaurant, which has a fairly large space, was largely empty. <br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Lisa had a Rosenblum Zinfandel. She liked it because it was very fruity, even though it was a bit drier than she likes. Steve's Pavillion Pinot Noir was very dark and fruity. He liked it a lot. The first food brought to us was a soft roll for each of us. Steve thought the roll was absolutely awesome and had seconds, thirds, and a fourth. They all tasted very fresh. We shared as appetizers a shrimp cocktail and smoked salmon. The shrimp tasted slightly fishy, but were accompanied by an excellent tangy sauch we both liked. The salmon was a bit salty, but came with a sour cream horseradish sauce that made the fish taste better. Continuing on the bread theme, Steve also had special praise for the accompanying toast points, which were thick and tasty. <br /><br />The salads were interesting. Steve had greens with goat cheese, strawberries, and grapes. That combination did not go together very well, but it tasted okay and is something you definitely don't see every day. Also, the goat cheese was excellent. Lisa had a walnut and pear salad with a light dressing and an unknown white substance. As with Steve's salad, this one did not quite go together, but Lisa found it quite interesting, liked the taffy apple-like flavor, and gave points for originality. <br /><br />The main courses disappointed. Steve's short ribs were visually jarring because they looked more like a steak than short ribs. They also had a steak-like texture, which was not soft as good short ribs should be. The taste was not particularly good, and the potatos tasted mass-produced. Lisa did like her lobster ravioli except it had no lobster pieces that she could see and included far too many artichokes. The flavor was good, though, and lobster ravioli is a dish she likes and can't often find.<br /><br />Dessert was okay but not exceptional. Steve had cherry pie with ice cream. The ice cream was good but the pie tasted store bought. Lisa's chocolate mousse torte was not dark enough for her, though it was very dense, which she would have liked if the chocolate were darker. <br /><br />The bathrooms were pretty good. The Women's Room was very clean with nice tile and a pretty wood checkerboard side table. The Men's Room was clean, but waste was overflowing from the garbage can and the cleaning supplies were in a big heap on the floor. <br /><br />If this restaurant were in Chicago, and charging Chicago prices, we probably would've been harder on it. However, for the location and price, and particularly given the overall pleasant surroundings and good service, we came away with an overall favorable impression and recommend Kennedy's if you live in the U of I area or have kids there and are visiting. (It did seem to us as if we were the only non-professors among the diners.)<br /><br />Dinner for two, with wine by the glass, was a reasonable $115 (given that we had four courses).<br /><br />Our ratings for Kennedy's at Stone Creek, Urbana, Illinois:<br /><br />7 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 or 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-33432612278743647032009-01-25T16:59:00.003-06:002009-01-25T17:21:50.471-06:00Mon Ami Gabi - Not Authentic But Good (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 90)Shortly before Halloween, we wanted to take Lisa's niece and her husband to a special Halloween street that we had discovered in the western suburbs so, before doing that, we stopped at the Mon Ami Gabi in Oakbrook. This was a solid place, albeit not really very authentic French (particularly compared to Kiki's Bistro, which we just also rated). Despite not being authentic, in our opinion, Mon Ami Gabi has a nice, relaxing atmosphere, even on a crowded Saturday night.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of french red, Gevry Chambertin, which we found interesting but a bit too tangy. For appetizers, we ordered the onion soup, the smoked salmon and the baked cheese with herbs and tomato. The onion soup was a bit too sweet, the cheese was very good, but we thought the salmon was a bit fishy tasting.<br /><br />We then moved on to a cheese course. It was accompanied by bread and olives. Three of us thought this course was only average, but Michelle did like it alot. Steve liked the bleu, but not the others. For entrees, we had the prime rib, steak au poivre, ribeye and steak frites. The frites were excellent, but the meat was uninspiring, except again Michelle liked her steak au poivre more than any of us liked the rest of the meat (perhaps she has the most positive outlook of anyone in the group).<br /><br />For dessert, we had creme brulee, lemon tart, profiteroles and flourless chocolate cake. Even Michelle did not like the cake, which didn't have enough dark chocolate for her. Lisa was not wowed by the profiteroles. But Sean and Steve liked their creme brulee and lemon tart.<br /><br />The bathrooms were problematic, as the floor contained more stuff than the garbage can.<br /><br />All in all, this really wasn't that great, but perhaps the good company helped, as we have rated it fairly high (as we look back now, we don't really know why, but we have to trust our notes at the time, and much of the food was tasty).<br /><br />Dinner for 4 with a bottle of wine was $350, which was probably about right for what we got.<br /><br />Our ratings for Mon Ami Gabi, 260 Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook, Illinois<br /><br />6.5 of 10 Faux Berets; 1.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-83324344900450053342009-01-25T16:44:00.003-06:002009-01-25T16:59:21.175-06:00Cafe Absinthe - Very Disappointing (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 89)After a meeting Lisa attended for one of her non-profits, we decided to go to a nearby restaurant that we had heard good things about, Cafe Absinthe. We shouldn't have bothered. Our immediate problem with Cafe Absinthe was its smell. The place smelled very musty, and noticeably so, thus casting a pall over the meal.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Turley Zinfandel, which we liked because, typical of Zins, it was light and fruity. We very very psyched for the cheese course, but were again disappointed. There was more bread than cheese, and the only really good cheese was the goat. All the others were blah, although Lisa liked the olives.<br /><br />Steve then had the hearts of romaine salad, which he liked, particularly the caesar dressing. Lisa's mixed green with feta and artichoke was too sweet and spicy for her. Steve's filet mignon was not charcoaled enough for him (although too charcoaled for Lisa when she tasted it). All in all the dish could have been better. Lisa had horseradish crusted salmon. She liked the salmon alot, as well as the accompanying mashed potatos.<br /><br />For dessert, Lisa had the lava cake, which was okay on the chocolate end, but the ice cream was too sweet. Steve's bread pudding with cinammon ice cream was bad in all aspects (but he ate all the ice cream anyway because he had actually left most of the other dishes partially uneaten).<br /><br />In addition to the musty smell, the service here was very uneven, and the staff in general seemed somewhat uninterested.<br /><br />The bathroom was a small but pretty unisex that was clean BUT had no hot water whatsoever (which is very scary since the waitstaff probably had to use it), and a questionable lock.<br /><br />Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was $160 and would have been $140 with wine by the glass. This is reasonable if the food was good but here since it was only average seems somewhat pricy.<br /><br />Our ratings for Cafe Absinthe, 1954 North Ave., Chicago<br /><br />5 of 10 Steak Knives; 1.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-92005876004605287502009-01-25T16:23:00.004-06:002009-01-25T16:44:22.442-06:00Kiki's Bistro - A Taste of Paris (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 88)Prior to attending Chicago Shakespeare's version of Macbeth (very bloody as usual and she still hasn't gotten that troublesome spot out) we went to nearby Kiki's Bistro, which we had heard good things about. Kiki's was impressive right from the start, since the hostess sat us in a nice corner far from the window on yet another frigid Chicago night.<br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. We wanted to try a French wine, so we both got French versions of Pinot Noir. Lisa had the Burgundy Pinot which she found a bit too tart, albeit light. Steve's Santenay was very dry, almost like drinking air; lesson learned - stick to American Pinots. Anyway, for our first food course we decided to warm up with soup. Steve's onion soup was great - very cheesy with the sort of strong oniony flavor he likes. Lisa's grilled tomato soup was also excellent. The tomato was very tangy and it was set off nicely by sour cream.<br /><br />The salads were unremarkable. We both had the goat cheese salad. The goat cheese itself tasted very fresh and smooth, but the greens were both lacking in flavor and drowned in a too powerful vinaigrette dressing. The asparagus was also too soggy. For entrees, Lisa had the pepper steak, which was New York with a peppercorn sauce. The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare and had a good flavor, but there was a bit too much sauce for Lisa's tastes. Steve had the duck, which consisted of the breast and the leg. The leg was excellent, crispy, tasty and juicy. The breast, however, was too chewy and was undercooked even though he ordered medium instead of medium rare for just that purpose.<br /><br />Desserts were fantastic. Steve's lemon tart was tangy and tasted just as he would have hoped. Lisa's profiteroles were plentiful, pretty and the best she's ever tasted (dark enough on the chocolate with great homemade ice cream with unsweetened cocoa sprinkled over it). She also liked her taste of Steve's lemon tart.<br /><br />The bathrooms were very chic and very french. We loved the design but both thought the floors were a bit grimey (obviously they are truly going for reality here).<br /><br />Kiki's was an overall great experience, right from the free valet parking to the nice room with french paintings behind the windowpanes, to the professional service to the great desserts (we each had 3 or 4 alternative choices) to the very reasonable price. While nothing (except maybe the dessert) was spectacular here, everything was very good, and this is well worth a visit. <br /><br />The total bill, with wine by the glass, was, as noted, a very reasonable $155.<br /><br />Our ratings for Kiki's Bistro 900 N. Franklin Street, Chicago<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Berets; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-34970394962157348552009-01-18T17:19:00.003-06:002009-01-18T17:38:34.413-06:00Mitchell's Fish Market - The Epitome of Mediocre (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 87)On a very cold and wintry Sunday, we had cabin fever so we decided to go out to the suburbs, partially to go to a Container Store so Lisa could have her closets organized (which she did and is happy with), and partly so we could go to a nearby Half-Price Bookstore to unload some of the many books both of us tend to collect. Since we have vowed to eat more fish this year, we picked a fish house in the same area, called Mitchell's Fish Market. Unfortunately, this was not one of our better choices.<br /><br />The restaurant itself is unremarkable, with a large bar area and then tables and booths in the room with the kitchen. The best part of the decor was that it was warm even by the window on a frigid night.<br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Steve's Ravenswood Zinfandel was good, as this brand always is. Lisa's Kim Crawford Pinot Noir was a bit too tart for her liking. For an appetizer we split the shrimp cocktail. We did not care for this dish, as we found the shrimp tasted fishy, always a killer. The service was uneven, as the next course came out right on top of the appetizer. Steve had the wedge salad, which he found acceptable, but not great because the dressing was weak. Lisa had the lobster bisque, which she found too salty.<br /><br />For entrees, Lisa had the salmon, which she again found tasted fishy, although she has had worse. Steve actually liked his salmon, and also liked the asparagus (amazingly) that it came with.<br /><br />For dessert, Lisa had the chocolate java lava mocha cake, with vanilla ice cream, and Steve had the creme brulee. Both the desserts were pretty good, but nothing special.<br /><br />The bathrooms were clean and warm, although not particularly fancy.<br /><br />There was nothing really wrong with Mitchell's Fish Market, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement either. It was basically mediocre and not worth a special trip. Dinner for two with wine by the glass was $120, which is less than our usual tab, but actually is pricey for the quality here.<br /><br />Our ratings for Mitchell's Fish Market, 2601 Navy Blvd., Glenview<br /><br />5 of 10 Fish Hooks; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-74458914303020198692009-01-18T16:47:00.004-06:002009-01-18T17:16:00.145-06:00Va Pensiero - Another Great Evanston Restaurant (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 86)Whenever we want to almost assure ourselves of a good suburban dining experience, we pick a restaurant in Evanston, which is probably the gourmet capital of the Chicago suburbs (Steve, as an NU grad, is biased but Lisa also agrees). Toward the beginning of the fall (yes, we are really, really behind on our entries) we decided to drive to Evanston on a nice night, and chose Va Pensiero. The location is great. Like Quince, it is in a small hotel, but unlike Quince, this hotel is upscale rather than SRO-like. We walked downstairs into a lovely Italian country-like room, which would have been perfect but it was a little too cold.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Italian Pinot Noir, suggested by the waiter since we are unfamiliar with Italian wines. His suggestion was excellent as we found the Pinot fruity and light with a good flavor. Because it was rather cold in the restaurant, instead of having our usual types of appetizers, we both ordered soup. Lisa tried the potato/tomato leek, which she didn't particularly care for. Steve, on the other hand, really enjoyed the minestrone, which was among the best soups he's ever had. <br /><br />Steve was adventurous with his salad choice of the beets with goat cheese (although he basically only wanted the goat cheese). He was not disappointed, because the goat cheese was great, but he also actually liked some of the beets (who knew). Lisa had the mixed field greens with duck confit and fresh tomato. Lisa liked this dish, and had special praise for the tomatoes.<br /><br />For entrees, Lisa had the short ribs. She thought they were okay, but she wasn't wowed. Steve thought they were good, but since they didn't fall off the bone they couldn't be classified as any better than that. Steve did really like his spaghetti with rock shrimp. The pasta was truly an excellent taste experience. <br /><br />For dessert, Steve had the panna cotta, which he thoroughly enjoyed. His enjoyment of this dish was enhanced by the fact that very few places have good panna cotta, which is one of his favorite desserts. Lisa actually ended up having two desserts because she didn't really care for her first one, the chocolate cake. The second time was a charm, though, because she really liked her spumoni, particularly the chocolate chip part. The host/owner was so enthused that Lisa had two desserts that he gave us two free after dinner liqueurs, which were very sweet and tasty.<br /><br />The bathrooms here were quaint, but very small and cold. Nonetheless they were clean and well appointed.<br /><br />We highly recommend Va Pensiero, which we found to be a very enjouable dining experience in pleasant surroundings. Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was only $245, and would have been under $200 with wine by the glass (a great value for all the food and courses we had).<br /><br />Our ratings for Va Pensiero, 1566 Oak Avenue, Evanston<br /><br />8 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-70512664725000868862009-01-18T16:25:00.006-06:002009-01-18T17:16:27.524-06:00The Cape Cod Room - Retro But Good (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 85)During the holiday season, we wanted to eat somewhere with a holiday flair. After doing some Christmas shopping on Michigan Avenue we chose to try the famous old time Chicago fish house, the Cape Cod Room in the Drake Hotel. Befitting a restaurant that has been around forever, the Cape Cod Room was a little worn, but had an interesting faux nautical decor (with an accent on faux). Nonetheless, it did feel quite homey and warm on a very cold night and the atmosphere made it seem as if we had left the city for awhile.<br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Steve had Murphy Goode Zinfandel, which he found a bit too dry, especially compared to other Zins that he has liked. Lisa, on the other hand, liked her Five Rivers Pinot Noir, which she found fruity with a good flavor. For appetizers, we shared the shrimp cocktail and the Scottish salmon. We loved the shrimp, which was very fresh and tasty, and we also loved the sauce, which was tangy but not too spicy. The salmon, though, was a bit fishy tasting, although the accompanying rye bread was excellent.<br /><br />For entrees, Lisa had the Lobster Thermidor, just because it's the type of old fashioned dish we could only find at the Cape Cod Room (literally). Steve opted for the more traditional salmon. Lisa thought the lobster was unremarkable, but she enjoyed the novelty of the dish as a whole. Steve liked his salmon, but not so much the bamboo it came with. However, surprisingly, both Lisa and Steve really liked the baby carrot vegetable dish (remarkable, actually, given their general antipathy to veggies).<br /><br />For dessert, Lisa had the profiteroles. She found them a bit dry, but that was offset by the chocolate sauce, which was plentiful and very good. Steve loved his raspberry mango sherbet, and could have eaten several of them.<br /><br />The bathrooms were in the hotel, and were fairly clean but not at all luxurious, as one would expect from a fancy hotel's bathrooms.<br /><br />All in all, we really enjoyed our retro experience here. Dinner for two, with wine by the glass, was a liveable $220. The whole here was better than the sum of its parts, and the experience was actually quite pleasant. We hope the Cape Cod Room keeps going for another 100 years.<br /><br />Our ratings for the Cape Cod Room, 140 E. Walton St., Chicago<br /><br />7 of 10 Fish Hooks; 1.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-78601502804208238892009-01-11T16:26:00.004-06:002009-01-11T16:46:54.481-06:00Chop House in Chicago: What's the Fuss? (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 84)The Chop House is one of those restaurants that gets uniform accolades from reviewers. It is always suggested as a top steakhouse in the city. We respectfully disagree. We didn't find it bad, but it definitely rates in our book behind many other steak restaurants (including ones like Wildfire, which do not get nearly as high reviewer marks).<br /><br />The decor of the Chop House is interesting, in that it has three levels and is done up in a sort of faux Victorian style. We ate at the top level, which had a good view of the street below. We started with wine by the glass, but unfortunately did not write down what kind, so we can't comment (though we thought about making something up). We liked our shrimp cocktail appetizer. The shrimp were large, as we like them, and tasted fresh, and the sauce was tangy, as we like it. Lisa liked the house salad, which came with the entree, particularly the creamy garlic dressing, which was flavorful. Steve, however, did not like his tomato and onion salad because the tomatoes were hard.<br /><br />Lisa ordered a bone-in filet for her entree and found it flavorful and cooked a perfect medium rare. She also liked her baked potato, which came with plenty of butter and sour cream. Steve ordered charred prime rib. It came closer to well-done than medium rare (and he'd ordered medium rare), yet there was not enough charcoal for him. This was the worst charred prime rib (which is not often available, but which Steve usually really likes) that Steve has ever had (but the potato cake that came with was okay). Steve was so distraught about the prime rib that he actually couldn't muster any interest in dessert. Lisa had no such qualms, and ordered the Chocolate Triple Play, which was flourless chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache. None had much flavor, and they were not dark enough for her.<br /><br />Even though the shrimp appetizer and a lot of the food Lisa had was good, Steve didn't enjoy either his salad or entree, so we couldn't give the Chop House a particularly high rating, though Lisa recommends the filet mignon. <br /><br />The bathrooms also were bad. There were two singles, both were cold, not all that clean, and yet had a sickly disinfectant smell.<br /><br />Dinner for two with wine by the glass was $200, which is less than some steakhouses we have been to, but those had far better overall quality, in our view. <br /><br />Our ratings for the Chop House, 60 West Ontario St., Chicago:<br /><br />6.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 1.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-73056634142737363202009-01-11T16:08:00.003-06:002009-01-11T16:26:16.801-06:00Lockwood in Chicago: Better than the Reviews (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 83)We were looking for a nice restaurant for dinner before seeing Amadeus at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and we decided to try Lockwood, which is located in the Palmer House Hilton. Unlike some restaurants that we go to that have a lot of positive buzz and turn out to be duds (in our view), for some reason, Lockwood has gotten a lot of negative press, but we liked it a lot.<br /><br />We started with a glass of St. Francis Zinfandel for Steve, and a glass of Domaine Carreras Pinot Noir for Lisa. Lisa really liked the Pinot, which was light and fruity with a good flavor, but Steve was not a fan of the Zinfandel. Our amuse bouche was a rock shrimp with cucumber. Despite the presence of a vegetable, we both thought it very good. Lisa particularly liked the olive oil over it. For an appetizer, we shared the cheese course. Overall, the cheese was good, but not outstanding. We both liked the goat cheese, Steve liked the bleu -- which was a bit strong for Lisa -- and Lisa liked the smooth cheddar for its mild flavor. The rest were non-descript.<br /><br />For entrees, Lisa ordered the ribeye. It was cooked a perfect medium rare, and she really liked its flavor, although finding it a bit fatty, as she usually prefers a leaner cut. Steve's duck was pretty good. It had a great flavor, but it was a bit chewy. <br /><br />Steve ordered the pear with vanilla flavor, which came with almond crisp and brown butter ice cream. He liked everything but the pear, which is what he expected when he ordered, but he wanted to try the ice cream. He was glad he did, because it tasted like butterscotch and was very good. Lisa had the chocolate terrine, which was not particularly memorable.<br /><br />We liked Lockwood's decor. It was modern but the tables were well-spaced and it still had a warm feeling. Service was friendly, albeit uneven, as though we had plenty of time, we ended up rushing somewhat to get to the theater. <br /><br />The total bill for two was $210 with wine by the glass, which seemed about right for what we got. The bathrooms were those in the hotel lobby, and we didn't stop, as we had to the get the theater.<br /><br />Our ratings for Lockwood, 17 E. Monroe Street, Chicago:<br /><br />7 of 10 Steak Knives; and, in a first, no bathroom rating (sorry! -- but the play was good)ChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-85476340570576591542009-01-04T14:59:00.005-06:002009-01-04T15:36:21.464-06:00Spiaggia in Chicago: Lives Up To its Reputation (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 82)Every year we celebrate both of our December birthdays at one of the premier restaurants in the Chicago area. This year, Steve heard that our new President had taken his wife to Spiaggia for their 16th anniversary. He figured if it's good enough for Barack and Michelle, it's worth a try, particularly since it has always gotten rave reviews. We were very happy with this choice, and it was befitting of the fine evnts it was helping us celebrate.<br /><br />Unfortunately, one mistake we made was reserving months in advance on Open Table. Open Table is great for making restaurant reservations, but we suspect reservations made through this website often produce bad results in terms of table location. Spiaggia has 3 rows of tables, the first closest to the windows, which provide its signature view of Michigan Avenue. Despite the fact that we booked 3 months in advance, we were seated in the third row. Perhaps we'd have done better either calling directly or putting our special occasion in the requests part of the Open Table menu. In all events, we were still able to get some of the view, and it was a cold night, so it might have been too cold by the windows anyway, and we did love the rest of the experience.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Renatto Ratti Barolo 2004. This was a choice from the waiter, since we know little about Italian reds. This started the trend of very informed and professional service, since we really liked this wine, which was light, fruity and medium bodied, with a nice taste that went well with all of our courses.<br /><br />Our first courses were appetizers of steak tartare and sturgeon. Steve thought the steak tartare was the best he'd ever had, and Lisa also liked it alot. The sturgeon was also very good, although not remarkable and perhaps with a different non-salmony taste than we had hoped for. Next we had a pasta course. Steve's sheep milk pasta was delicious, cooked perfectly and with a very interesting pasta, set off nicely by the sheep's milk sauce. Lisa's veal stuffed ravioli with crunchy prosciutto was divine. She is not even really a veal person, but thought this tasted awesome, with a good combination of veal and prosciutto tastes helping the dish.<br /><br />Up until the main courses, this dinner was almost perfect. However, the main courses were a bit weak compared to what came before them. Steve's lamb entree consisted of a chop and two braised portions. The chop was excellent but the braised portions were surprisingly tough, rather than the fall-off-the-bone consistency he expected from a restaurant of this caliber. Lisa's filet was cooked a perfect medium rare, and had a great flavor, but the bone marrow crust was a bit too herby (not Steve's long time golf partner, but spicy).<br /><br />Next was the cheese course. Interestingly, the waiter never even mentioned this, even though the "cheese cave" is one of the things most mentioned about Spiaggia. Nevertheless, we specifically asked for the course, and chose 5 cheeses with the help of the cheese server. Some were smooth, some hard, and they ranged from bleu to parmesan. We liked the variety, since we usually don't have Italian cheeses. However, this course was just good, not great, with the cheeses best described, for the most part, as interesting but somewhat iffy.<br /><br />Finally, for dessert, Lisa had the chocolate terrine, which was excellent, and was one of the few desserts of this type where the chocolate was dark enough for her tastes. Steve had the lemon panna cotta, which he raved to Lisa was one of the best desserts he'd ever had. <br /><br />All in all, this was a great dining experience. great service in a marvelous location and excellent food. We would definitely highly recommend Spiaggia, but only for a once a year splurge, because it is very expensive. We spent $700 for two, and it still would have been upwards of $400, even had we only selected wine by the glass (although Lisa rightly points out that this seems cheap compared to the 900euros we paid for dinner at one place in Paris).<br /><br />Washrooms were clean and well appointed but not over-the-top fancy and lacked substantial hot water, thus reducing their score.<br /><br />Our ratings for Spiaggia, 980 North Michigan Ave, Chicago<br /><br /> 9 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-3151369641311907302008-12-20T18:19:00.001-06:002008-12-20T18:21:00.931-06:00Zak’s Place in Hinsdale: A Big Disappointment (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 81)We had heard lots of favorable buzz about Zak’s Place, and we really like Hinsdale, which has great scenery and nice shopping, so we couldn’t wait to try it. Wait we should have, because Zak’s did not live up to the hype.<br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Lisa chose a Ramsey Pinot Noir and Steve had a Syrah. Both of these were quite good. One of the things we were really looking forward to was their cheese course, but the cheese was really bad, a fatal misstep in our world view. The bleu, camembert and cheddar selections were all quite bad. The bleu tasted musty and the cheddar and camembert tasted store bought, with the brie being the only semi-decent choice. That set the tone for the rest of the meal.<br /><br />Lisa’s second course was a lobster and shrimp dish. She liked the shrimp, but the lobster wasn’t great, thus sort of ruining the dish. Steve’s romaine salad was decent but nothing special. For entrees, Lisa had the prime rib, which was cooked a perfect medium rare but didn’t have a lot of flavor. Steve’s Kansas City strip was also not great, but it did come with excellent lyonnaise potatoes.<br /><br />Desserts were ok but not inspired. Steve’s bread pudding with caramel ice cream had great ice cream but the bread pudding was basically tasteless. Lisa’s chocolate dessert was also not bad, but the chocolate was not dark enough for her.<br /><br />We did like the restrooms, because they were really clean (we contrasted that with the worst bathroom we’ve ever seen which was in a Hinsdale restaurant in our pre blog days), but they were a bit too small to get a perfect rating.<br /><br />Dinner for 2 with wine by the glass was $200, which is quite expensive for this quality food.<br /><br />Our ratings for Zak’s Place, 110 South Washington, Hinsdale<br /><br />5.5 (being charitable) of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-60841293432477390222008-12-20T17:24:00.007-06:002008-12-20T18:17:38.762-06:00Suzette's Creperie in Wheaton: Finally a Good Choice in This Suburb (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No.80)On a Friday night in early October (yes we are a bit behind on these entries), we decided to take the train out to one of our favorite suburbs, Wheaton, to try one of the few restaurants there that we haven't tried yet, Suzette's Creperie. We really like Wheaton, because it is a beautiful area for walking and looking at nice houses and universities, but we have yet to find a restaurant there that we like. Suzette's is definitely the best of the restaurants in Wheaton we have tried, although it still has some problems.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of French wine with which we were unfamiliar, a Leclerc Burgundy. We thought this might be a little dense, but actually it was light, although somewhat tart, but had a nice aftertaste, almost like green apples. Our first course was a cheese fondue, which we really liked. We thought, next to our favorite, at Geja's, that this was the best cheese fondue we've had.<br /><br />For the next course, Lisa decided, based on the season, to try pumpkin bisque, something she's never had before. She found it very interesting, with a nice cinammon flavor. Steve had the french onion soup, which was decent but not top French bistro quality (a bit too light on the cheese topping).<br /><br />Salads were good, although not particularly inspired. Both of us chose the goat cheese salad. The goat cheese was good but the greens were not so good, albeit pretty.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Lisa's entree disappointed. She ordered the salmon, and it tasted fishy and not particularly fresh. Steve's ribeye was very good and cooked perfectly to his taste, but the pommes frites were the fat kind that he doesn't care for.<br /><br />Strangely, for a place called a Creperie, the dessert crepes were pretty weak. Steve's caramel apple crepe, again ordered for the season, was not good at all, and hardly had any caramel. Lisa's hot fudge banana crepe was a bit better, but there was not enough fudge and it was somewhat lukewarm.<br /><br />Suzette's has a very warm atmosphere, with pleasant, though uneven service (we had 2.5 hours to make our train and barely made it even though we told them at the beginning exactly what train we wanted to catch). On balance, we thought the whole here was better than the sum of its parts -- particularly because it was so much better than the usual Wheaton fare, and the staff is very nice. <br /><br />The washrooms were nice but not fancy. They were, however, not cold, which is a plus, and hot water actually came out of the sink. They also had a nice French country decor.<br /><br />Dinner for 2, with a bottle of wine was $205, and would have been about $180 with wine by the glass, which is not bad for a decent 5 course meal (choices here are 4 or 5 courses).<br /><br />Our ratings for Suzette's Creperie, 211 Front Street, Wheaton<br /><br />7 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-56466736900306181962008-11-23T16:11:00.003-06:002008-11-23T16:31:54.507-06:00Fleming's in Chicago - Good Thing We Got the Signature Glasses(Actually Glass Since One Was Broken) (Chicago Restaurant Review No. 79)Lisa received an ad for free signature wine glasses for the grand opening celebration of the Fleming's outpost in downtown Chicago. We decided to give Fleming's another try, even though we hadn't really liked the branch in Libertyville. Unfortunately, the trend continued, although this one was marginally better.<br /><br />We did get the glasses, right at the start, but we later noticed one was broken. That was sort of in keeping with the tenor of the night.<br /><br />We started with a bottle of Bella Vetta Zinfandel. Actually this was one of the highlights of the meal, since it was quite good. Another highlight was the seafood tower, which consisted of shrimp, lobster, crab legs, crabmeat and ceviche. Unlike when we had this dish at the suburban Fleming's, where we sat outside and this dish attracted megabugs, here there were no bugs, so we could enjoy it. The seafood tower was very good, particularly the shrimp and lobster. They also served a good relish tray, with tasty celery and radishes and good dipping choices.<br /><br />However, things pretty much went downhill (quickly) from there. Steve's wedge salad was bad. Even the bleu cheese dressing, which he usually loves, was putrid. Lisa's clam chowder was not much better. It was ok, but quite bland. Our entrees totally disappointed. Steve had the bone-in New York steak. It came medium well instead of medium rare, and had the shoe leather quality one would associate with overcooked meat. Lisa's lobster and filet combination was also poor. The lobster was fishy(unlike on the appetizer platter) so she hardly touched it. And, like Steve's, the beef was overcooked and tasted blah.<br /><br />We also were not thrilled with our desserts. Steve's lemon cheesecake tasted store bought. And Lisa's chocolate lava cake was not nearly dark enough for her tastes, and had little flavor. <br /><br />The bathrooms weren't very good either. While clean, they were freezing cold, and it wasn't even that cold outside.<br /><br />All in all, this is a steak place which, in our opinion, can be skipped. The decor is sterile and uninteresting, the food is overpriced and mediocre, and the service was somewhat harried and unfriendly. The total bill, with a bottle of wine was a very high $300, and still would have been well over $200 with wine by the glass. Save your money.<br /><br />Our ratings for Fleming's, 25 E. Ohio St., Chicago<br /><br />5 of 10 Steak Knives (being charitable); 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-14559806349405793622008-11-23T15:48:00.004-06:002008-11-23T16:11:11.104-06:00Montarra Grill - Worth the Drive (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 78),We had heard good things about Montarra Grill, so we decided to try it. It was quite the adventure to find it, but we are glad we did. First of all, this place is about as far out in the burbs (Algonquin) as you can get. Even Steve, who really knows the area, has never been in this part of town. Also, even once you get there, the restaurant has a tiny, unlit sign, and is in an unassuming strip mall, so it's easy to miss. However, once the directional issues are taken care of, the result is quite pleasant.<br /><br />The room itself is very modern, with 2 dining rooms and a bar. The bar had a wall with flowing water and the dining room we were in was minimalist, but sleek. <br /><br />We started with a glass of Four Vines Zinfandel for Lisa and a glass of Murphy Cabernet for Steve, who wanted something warming. Lisa really liked the Zinfandel. Steve was less thrilled with the Cab (but he's not really a Cabernet person anyway). For appetizers we had the Montarra chips, which were chips with Brie, which we loved. We also had the ahi tuna, which was a little bland, but better with the sauce. Steve had the romaine wedge salad, which he was surprised to find he really liked, since he is not necessarily a romaine fan. Lisa's simple salad was, befitting of its name, quite boring. Nothing was at all memorable in the ingredients, even though the dish could have been interesting given all the ingredients it actually had, such as olives, plum tomatoes and basil.<br /><br />We really liked our entrees. Montarra is one of the relatively few places to serve prime filet mignon, and we could really tell the difference. The meat was so tender it almost broke up before being touched by the knife. The filets were also cooked a perfect medium rare. Lisa liked the flavor but Steve could have used a bit more charcoal. For dessert, Lisa had the chocolate fondue, which sounded great, but which was disappointing. Steve's sorbets were a give up dessert since he found nothing he really liked on the dessert menu. They were not bad, though.<br /><br />For a restaurant hidden as well as this one is, it was really quite good. And the decor, coupled with the nicely spaced tables and friendly service added to the experience. We really do think Montarra is worth the drive, but bring your GPS and a phone.<br /><br />The bathrooms were nice, but not fancy enough to earn a perfect score (and required touching a handle to get out).<br /><br />The total bill, with wine by the glass, was $185, which is high for the burbs, but less than one would pay in the city for food of this quality.<br /><br />Our ratings for Montarra Grill, 1491 S. Randall Road, Algonquin<br /><br />7.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-54547529166890551032008-11-17T20:52:00.005-06:002008-11-17T21:24:41.192-06:00MK - We Got Much More Than We Paid For (Chicago Restaurant Review No. 77)One of the fine orgainizations we support charitably is AAIM, which stands for Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. They provide a great service to victims of drunken drivers and their families. At a recent fundraiser for AAIM, we won a tasting menu dinner at MK, which is a downtown Chicago institution.<br /><br />We were a bit skeptical, however, as to whether we'd like the menu, since, as you might have noticed, we're not that adventurous. However, we were very pleasantly surprised. MK has an interesting decor, with brick walls, open spaces and high ceilings. It is sort of the quintessential downtown business meal place, and even on a Monday, when we dined there, the place was packed with power suits. It can also get a bit noisy when crowded because of the high ceilings.<br /><br />We started with a glass of champagne each and an oyster amuse bouche. We liked the champagne, but the oyster, except for the caviar on top, was not so good. Next we had the scallops, which were served cold and raw. This was a bit unnerving, but we both really liked them. They were accompanied by greens and what seemed to be a hard parmesan. <br /><br />Our first substantive course was the Cod, with mussels. Steve really liked this dish, but Lisa thought it somewhat fishy. The wine they paired with this was a Pallmeyer (probably not the federal judge) Chardonnay, which we both felt was too dry.<br /><br />Next, we had a butternut squash ravioli. This was an excellent seasonal dish. Steve remarked this would have been totally appropriate for a Thanksgiving table. We both thoroughly enjoyed it, although it was a bit sweet. We also liked the sauvignon blanc they paired with the dish. It was light and had a nice flavor, which set off the sweetness of the ravioli.<br /><br />This was followed by a lamb course. Steve, who loves lamb, really liked this. It was two nice sized chops, cooked a perfect medium rare. Even Lisa, who is not a lamb fan, thought this was pretty good. It was accompanied by a cone full of frites, which were also very good, although these came with a white truffle sauce that can only be described, perhaps even charitably, as vile (it is truly amazing that some consider this a delicacy). This course came with a Malbec, which we liked, although again it was a bit dry (by the way, for our recent commenter, no Merlot).<br /><br />At that point the entrees mercifully ended (for purposes of Steve's expanding girth), and our next course was a cheese plate. Those of you who have read our blog before probably know how much we love cheese. This course, though, was a bit strange. It consisted of only one cheese, which was an Italian mixture of sheep, goat and cow's milk cheese. Lisa liked it, but Steve actually thought it a bit strong. He did, however, love the drizzles of honey which came with it (along with good raisin bread). This course was paired with another Chardonnay, although we liked this one (Four Vines) much better than the Pallmeyer.<br /><br />We ended with dessert, which was a lemon tart with creme fraiche sorbet and fresh fruit. We both really liked this dish, and Lisa even ate all her tart, which is unusual for her, since it wasn't chocolate or ice cream. This was paired with a muscat dessert wine, which had a very interesting, and not too sweet, orange flavor.<br /><br />Finally, we got a dessert amuse bouche of pecan sandies, brittle and strawberry jelly candy. These were also all quite good.<br /><br />The bathrooms were clean but not particularly fancy. Moreover, they felt like Sarah Palin would be at home in their freezing temperatures.<br /><br />The service here was extraordinarily professional and pleasant. This just added to the nice dining experience. And, because of our charity purchase, we ended up paying only $100, with tip, for the whole thing, although it would have been about $350 without the charitable purchase.<br /><br />Our ratings for MK, 868 N. Franklin, Chicago:<br /><br />8.5 of 10 Steak Knives; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-31702719438663507742008-11-08T18:09:00.003-06:002008-11-08T18:26:25.263-06:00Catch 35 - Average Fish (Chicago Restaurant Review No. 76)At one of our many charitable functions, with silent auctions that include restaurant gift certificates, we were the successful bidder for Catch 35. This has never been our favorite fish place, but it was for a good cause, so we decided to give it another try. Catch 35 is definitely consistent, because, as always, it was ok, but not spectacular by any means, although the location and atmosphere improve the dining experience (at least for Lisa).<br /><br />We started with wine by the glass. Steve's Sauvignon Blanc was putrid - perhaps the worst wine by the glass he's ever had. Lisa did better with her Chardonnay, which she actually liked, although finding it a bit dry.<br /><br />We started with a shrimp cocktail appetizer. The shrimp themselves were quite good, but the sauce was not tangy enough. Both salads were ok, but not great. The tomato mozzarella had good tomatoes but the cheese was a bit tasteless. The baby lettuce, goat cheese and walnuts again was ok, but not memorable.<br /><br />Steve had the salmon, which he liked, but which was not quite as good as at the top fish houses. Lisa had the shrimp stuffed with crab, which is her standard fish house fare. She also liked this dish, but did not find it top notch.<br /><br />For dessert, Steve had the apple pie a la mode. He liked the ice cream but thought the pie had too much apple and not enough crust. Lisa liked the pie, though, since she strangely feels an apple pie should have apples (Steve thinks it should only have crust). Lisa had a dark chocolate creation which barely tasted like chocolate, which is a major demerit in her book.<br /><br />The washrooms were nice but nothing special and required knob touching to exit, thus causing a markdown.<br /><br />Catch 35 is one of those places that is very successful, but, to us, is very average and sort of operates on auto pilot. Readers would do much better, in our view, at Shaw's or McCormick and Schmick (among others).<br /><br />Our ratings for Catch 35 35 West Wacker, Chicago<br /><br />6.5 of 10 Fish Hooks; 2 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-60889985949518577922008-11-08T17:41:00.005-06:002008-11-08T18:08:27.530-06:00One Sixty Blue - Celebrating Our 100th Blog Entry In Style - (Chicago Restaurant Review No. 75)We knew that our next review would be our 100th, so we wanted to go somewhere special. And what better place to go than our favorite fine dining restaurant in the Chicago area - no, not Tru, not Trotter's and not even Everest, all of which we love - but our choice for most underappreciated gem -- One Sixty Blue. Hidden away in a rather desolate patch of the Randolph Street area, One Sixty Blue may be low profile, but the food is outstanding.<br /><br />We were a bit disconcerted at the beginning of the meal when we were told a new chef had taken over, since we have always loved the old chef's cuisine, particularly the emphasis on cheese. Well, we needn't have worried, because the transition was seamless, as we might have expected given the new chef's background at Charlie Trotter's.<br /><br />As always, the atmosphere was very welcoming, starting with the helpful maitre d', and manager. We started with a bottle of Aida Zinfandel. Initially, this tasted a bit tart, but both of us really ended up liking it alot. Lisa particularly liked the chocolate undertones and Steve liked the operatic name. Our appetizers were a smoked salmon and a tuna tartare, both of which were wonderful. The tuna was just short of the best we have ever had, and the salmon was not only great, but actually had enough creme fraiche, which is unusual.<br /><br />For entrees, we had the delmonico rib-eye and the short ribs. Again we both loved these dishes. The steak was a perfect medium rare, well marbled and very tasty. The short ribs fell off the bone like they are supposed to, and also tasted great. The accompaniments (potatoes for the steak and grits for the short ribs) were good but nothing special.<br /><br />One thing that has changed is that there is no longer an automatic choice for the cheese, which usually came as a first course. Now, they have gone back to a cheese plate, which we ordered for dessert since the desserts, while adventuresome, didn't quite look up our alleys, The cheese was tremendous. There was a cheddar, a bleu a Brie and a "Stinky". We loved them all, particularly the cheddar and the Brie (although the bleu and Brie were both a bit strong). We also had a dessert amuse bouche of excellent pumpkin madelines and chocolate pieces.<br /><br />One Sixty Blue is, for whatever reason, maybe location, not one of the restaurants that people think of when they think Chicago fine dining. We believe, however, that this is the best restaurant in its category and that everyone should try it for special occasions or just for a night out (since the prices, while high, are not at the level of the other places mentioned above).<br /><br />The washrooms are very nice and clean. However, they are not fancy, and they require knob touching to get out, so they don't get our highest rating.<br /><br />Dinner for two, with a bottle of fairly expensive wine was $360, and would have been about $230 with wine by the glass. We should also note, for one of our readers (Jason, this means you), that there are many other dining choices here that would produce even a lower bill, so if $230 for two sounds a bit high, you probably could dine here, well, for $150 or less for two.<br /><br />Our Ratings for One Sixty Blue - 160 North Loomis, Chicago<br /><br />10 of 10 Steak Knives; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6397756532777325422.post-14017745407657767832008-10-14T19:38:00.002-05:002008-10-18T17:09:46.559-05:00Goumard - Decent Fish, Great Bathrooms (Paris Restaurant Review No. 7)We returned from Paris at the end of July. Here it is over two months later and we are finally about to write up the last of our trip's dining experiences. We have a good excuse though, because we have both been very busy, particularly Lisa who has started a new business venture. Unfortunately, we did not save the best for last, because Goumard was good, but not nearly as good as Guy Savoy or Arpege. Nonetheless, for poisson, it was pretty good.<br /><br />Normally, we skip the apperatif part of the meal, but since we were with our friend Aileen, we decided to go for the total experience. We all had a glass of pink champagne, which was a nice change. We also had a bottle of sauvignon blanc, recommended by the waiter. It was a perfect choice, and set off the food very well. Our amuse bouche was a salmon quiche with seaweed. We were surprised how much we liked it, even with the seaweed.<br /><br />We all loved our appetizers. We shared the salmon, the tuna with goat cheese and the crab and asparagus. The salmon and tuna were absolutely wonderful, and the crab was very good. Steve even liked the asparagus, which is unusual for him.<br /><br />For the main course, Steve and Lisa both had the sea bass. Steve liked it a bit more than lisa did, but we both thought it was good. Aileen, being more adventurous, had a fish called Derouade. She thought it was very good. Steve thought, however, that it looked weird.<br /><br />The cheese course was a bit weak. The cheddar was great. The goat cheese was pretty good. But we didn't like the roquefort - even Steve who usually loves any sort of bleu cheese. And the camembert was much too strong for us.<br /><br />The dessert amuse bouche was quite good. For regular dessert Lisa had the bitter chocolate sorbet, which she liked alot. Aileen and Steve had rice pudding. Aileen thought it was good but Steve, who loves rice pudding, was a bit disapointed, because it was somewhat watery and lacking in flavor.<br /><br />The bathrooms were very clean, french and pretty, with yellow and blue mosaic tile. However, the fixtures were somewhat old and the men's was not quite as immaculate, thus depriving them of a perfect score.<br /><br />All in all, while this was in the middle of our Paris dining experiences (but would have been tops in London), it was a very pleasant dinner, with good food and company. Dinner for three with a bottle of wine was 530 Euros, so for two, with wine by the glass, it would have been about 300 Euros, which is a bit pricey but we were in Paris after all. <br /><br />Our ratings for Goumard, 9 rue Duphout, Paris<br /><br />7 of 10 Fish Hooks; 2.5 of 3 Bathroom BrushesChicagoDininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775434825703293443noreply@blogger.com0