Toro: A Sushi Mecca

Toro Sushi (http://www.yelp.com/biz/toro-sushi-chicago) is spectacular. Not only is it levels above all other sushi places I've tried in Chicago, it is one of the best sushi places I've been to ever, including, I must admit, the New York ones. It all started with my complete disappointment in the Chicago sushi scene after a string of highly recommended establishments tried, but miserably failed to impress. Refusing to subject myself to the rampant mediocrity, I finally went on a no-sushi diet, interrupted only haphazardly by an occasional trip to NYC. After months of unsatisfied cravings and a number of fresh disappointments, I was almost ready to, like pizza, retire the eastern cuisine into the “vault of foods not to eat in Chicago,” when a miracle occurred. An acquaintance, who had for a number of years lived in both Chicago and NYC threw out the name of Toro. My incessant cravings for the little fish morsels and a particularly long stretch of time away from New York finally overpowered my resolve and led me, hesitating and full of dread, to Toro. The rest is history. Let's just say that my cravings now involve visions of Toro's sushi bar and Mitch (the guy behind the bar) orchestrating the magic that only those salivating over tiny little slivers of fished rolled in rice and seaweed can understand.

For those of you who have yet to experience Toro, the place is tiny, reminding one of the little hole-in the-wall establishments of the city I love so much. The elbow room is tight and getting in is as easy as acing a calculus exam. Needless to say, it is worth the wait. To avoid a NYC-style wait (i.e. – 2 hours or more) skip the peak hours and go during the week. If offered a seat at the bar, take it and enjoy watching Mith at work. Try one of his spectacular inventions of the day. The guy is a master with mixing flavors and textures, so just trust him and order whatever he makes. If you see a particularly attractive roll being devoured at the table next to you, don't hesitate to point and ask for the same.

It's been a few months now since my discovery of Toro and I have not only not been disappointed, but every time I go there, I get even more excited about it. The rolls are particularly amazing – lush in number and variety and so well thought out that I guarantee you, you will like any one you try. I am now, in fact, having second thoughts about posting this entry, as I know it will only make the lines bigger and the wait longer.

Hopleaf Bar: Great Beer Selection

The Hopleaf Bar (http://www.hopleaf.com/) in Andersonville is a great find. It's pretty loud and was crowded this past Saturday night, but they have a great beer selection which includes a lot of excellent Belgian beer. There is a quieter "restaurant" section in the back, but my friends and I stayed in the more lively front bar area and knocked down a few beers along with very good mussels and decent escargot. This is certainly a fun place for a hang-out with friends. I shall be back.

Topolobampo

If you want spectacular ceviche, Topolobampo (http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/topolobampo.html) is the place to go. This is the second (first being Blackbird) high class restaurant that I've been to in Chicago where the food and not only the price was high class. Overall, I was impressed with the food, but in this economy I'll have to think twice before going back anytime soon.

For starters, guacamole was good. The most memorable dish was the Ceviche Yucateco (steamed organic shrimp and calamari tossed with lime, orange, habanero, avocado, jcama and cilantro) which was one of the best ceviches I've ever had. It combined the freshest possible ingredients with just the right combination of tangy seasoning. Excellent.

I also had a cream of something soup, of which the remaining impression was that it was delicately balanced. For my main course, I had a pleasingly inventive version of black cod which came in banana leaves with pan juices, habanero-pickled red onions, white beans and tangy guero chile "jellies." I tried B's crispy-skin, pan-roasted Gunthorp duck breast in red peanut mole (ancho chiles, sweet spices, red wine), which came with braised black lentils with duck "carnitas," pea tendril salad and crunchy duck chicharron, and was not impressed with it. The flavors were unusual, but not immediately appealing and the duck was quite raw, which is not my personal preference, but B said he liked it. The deserts were, as usual, quite good despite being a bit too sweet and boasted the best panna cotta I've had in Chicago.

Overall, the food was in many ways surprising, interesting and quite delicious. The restaurant with its warm-toned, Mexican-inspired decor and excellent service was also quite appealing. Nor did I dislike the fact that Rick Bayless walked by our table at least 5 times. What I wasn't too keen on were the prices with the duck dish at $38 and the black cod at $37. So while I certainly do not regret my first visit to Topolobampo, I doubt I'll venture back there before the economy bumps back to the top.

Avec: Yes! Yes! Yes!

AVEC! Like water to parched lips. Yes! If only all restaurants in Chicago were like this! The food was exhilarating, the vibe was ecstatic, the crowd was entertaining and who minds a 45 minute wait if you get all that in the same place on the same night?!

My excitement is making my thoughts run ahead of my words. But who can blame me - this place felt so right. I only wonder why I did not try it before. In fact, the whole experience was one jumbled happy combination of sensory excitement. The small plates - each intense in its own clique of flavors and each different from the next. The variety - intriguing, but not overwhelming. The waiter recommended an astounding red that seemed to go brilliantly with everything from escargot to chorizo-stuffed dates. I wanted to try each and every dish, but alas, my stomach does have limits. No matter - it gives me an excellent excuse to go back again and again and I recommend you do the same!

Here's the link (http://www.avecrestaurant.com/new/smallplates.php). Look at the menu. Judging by the 6 or so dishes I tried, the rest of them will be as good if not better and the prices are reasonable - so what are you waiting for? Take your friends. Go! Have fun!

A Tavola: Mamma Mia!

It's been a couple of months since I last favored these pages with a review, but while my pen (or in this case, my keyboard) has been dormant my wanderings in the Chicago food forest have continued. First, a look at A Tavola in the Ukrainian Village (http://www.atavolachicago.com/).

To sum up for those with short attention span - a disappointment. The LTH Forum people have led me astray once again (no longer a surprise for me). Take a look at this thread (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6754&hilit=a+tavola) about the pillowy-ness and the heavenly delight of A Tavola's gnocchi. I was intrigued and, not having had good Italian food in several months, excited, especially since I'm quite a fan of good gnocchi. I no longer remember what else we ordered. And since I don't remember it, it must have been uninspired and uninspiring. What I do remember is the cozy room, small tables, white tablecloths, black and white framed pictures (of naked bodies artistically rendered), flowers and candles. I also remember completely tasteless and, yes, super pillowy gnocchi with butter and sage leaf, sage leaf being the one and only taste producing ingredient on the plate. The butternut squash version of same had slightly more flavour, but really, all the effort must have gone to pillowing up those gnocchi since none of it was spent on making them flavorful.

And I cannot even express the extent of my indignation for their sorry excuse of a panna cotta. As I've likely mentioned in one of my other posts, I am bit of a freak when it comes to panna cotta. I first tried it in Trieste, Italy and was instantly seduced by its rich silky texture and delicate vanilla flavour. I have since tried this dessert in countless restaurants in the US. A couple of the NYC ones did not disappoint, but most did. A Tavola's was a disaster not equalled by many. It was utterlly too runny and too soft and too unlike what a panna cotta should be. And all that in an "Italian" restaurant. Please! The panna cotta at Topolobampo, with its Mexican-inspired cuisine, was infinitely better. Now for an Italian restaurant to get upstaged in an italian dessert by a mexican restaruant (even of Topolobampo's caliber) is simply shameful.

A Tavola gets marked as a blah in my annotated Zagat's. The search for mouth-watering dishes and mind-boggling taste combinations continues.

Red Rooster: Quirky, Cozy, Fun

It's been a while since my last post and I apologize for being so neglectful. I won't list my excuses. Instead, I 'd like to talk about Red Rooster (http://www.cafebernard.com/Redrooster/). The place would most likely stifle and freak out the claustrophobics in the summer, but in the winter it has a welcome coziness that I have not yet experienced in Chicago. It is connected through the kitchen to Cafe Bernard but has a more relaxed atmosphere and menu.

Let's start with the appetizers: Snails in Garlic Butter, Smooth Duck Liver Pate and Acorn Squash Soup. The snails were adequate, but if that's what you're craving, I'd send you to Marche (reviewed previously). The version at Red Rooster was too garlicky and a bit too chewy. The Duck Liver Pate was tasty, if you're into that kind of thing, and it came with a playful, tangy mustard, which was duly appreciated. The Squash Soup was my favorite - smooth, not too sweet, great color. Excellent for fighting off the cold. And as an aside, my oh my, it's getting just about as cold as I can handle. I am so not looking forward to finding out just how much colder it CAN get around here.

For second course I got the Spinach Goat Cheese Salad, B got Beef Tenderloin Tips Stroganoff and a friend got Duck Confit. My salad had a yummy vinegarish dressing, but a smallish piece of grilled goat cheese. The best part was the fresh crisp Belgian endive. Beef Stroganoff was a loser all around. The sauce was a blah and there wasn't that much beef. My friend did like Duck Confit though and he's a duck fan, so perhaps I will try that next time.

And now on to what seems invariably to be the best part of Chicago restaurants... the dessert. I had the Cappuccino Cheesecake and my friend had the Marjolaine cake. Both were good with slight preference going to the cheesecake. I liked that it was not too dense and not too fluffy, not too sweet and not too chocolaty, which sometimes regretfully happens to cappuccino flavored pastries. I liked it a lot and thought well of the moist fluffy layers of the Marjolaine cake as well.

All in all, Red Rooster is a pleasant unusual spot where, for once, the prices successfully correspond to its culinary offerings, and where I would love to go with a small group of close friends to relax, drink some wine and talk into the night.

Blackbird: Spectacular (Finally!)

A couple of weeks back I finally got to experience what I call an excellent high-end eating establishment. Blackbird (http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/) was chosen by a friend for his birthday celebration and the whole experience reminded me of what a real high class restaurant should really be. I was so very pleasantly surprised by the professionalism of the staff and the food and so unpleasantly reminded of how much I missed this kind of experience in all my previous outings in Chicago. Let me not dwell on the negative and focus on the positive.

First, the food. To start, I had the sauteed skatewing with sassafras, pickled pear, parmesan and rosemary. The fish was moist and flavorful, although I thought it a little too salty, and the accompaniments were interesting. The dish showed the chef's inventiveness, which I appreciated. For my entree I chose halibut, which I found was the best fish preparation I've had in Chicago thus far. It had the seared crusty layer of skin on top and was satisfyingly flavorful and cooked to perfection. B ordered the braised skirt steak and grilled wagyu flatiorn with spaghetti squash, braised chestnuts and vidalia onions. The steak was ridiculously good, beautiful to look at, melting in texture and bursting with flavors. One regret - there was just one small piece of it. And for dessert, which I could not resist and which I actually had room for, I got the avocado cremeux with local blueberries, hyssop and charteuse granite. This was simply awesome. I am a huge avocado fan as it is so when I see an avocado dessert, I cannot hold back the excitement and this one was spectacular. It teased, it joked, it played up its subtleties. The smoothness of the avocado cremeux.... Ah - I have no words. And B's sour cherry soup with guanaja chocolate ice cream, creme fraiche and espelette was on a level of ecstasy of its own with bold cherry flavor artfully complemented by creme fraiche. Excellent, surprising, diverse, extremely pleasing flavors and textures all around!

And refreshingly there was nothing plebeian about the service. The head waiter politely and efficiently took our order, made suggestions only when they were asked of him, answered questions and disappeared from our consciousness. Things were brought and taken away as soon as they were needed and not. Half way through dinner, B turned to me and asked if I had noticed the waiter. I said, no - why? And he said - exactly. Yes. Exactly! That is truly a mark of an excellent establishment - the waiters that you don't notice and don't need. You don't need to ask them for extra silverware or more water and you don't need to tell them to clear the dishes or wait for your dining companions' dishes to be brought. And you certainly don't need to talk to them because do you really go to restaurants to talk to the waiters? I don't. And I don't care whether or not they are entertaining, have good moral character or opinions on the weather. All I want from them is not to disturb my conversation and not to distract me from the food! Yes, call me snobby, snooty, politically incorrect - whatever. All I want is a faceless waiter. Blackbird is the only Chicago restaurant that I've been to that seems to grasp the concept. I really think the rest need to catch up.

One more thing I'd like to mention, and then I'll let you run off to a dinner at Blackbird, is this. Balckbird is pricey. But you see, while I really don't mind parting with the dollars at a place like Blackbird where the food and the service are worth the price, it really pisses me off to have to pay almost the same amount for dinner at mediocrities like Catch 35, Marche or Red Light (all reviewed previously). Really! The gall of those places to charge what they do for what they serve! They'd never survive a week in NYC. But I suppose competition here in Chicago is not as brutal, which explains their audacity but not the failure of Chicagoans to demand more for their hard-earned cash.

Nookies: Delightful Sunday Brunch

This was a random choice on another walking tour of the city and this time it paid off. I was warned against spontaneous exploratory pop-ins by the locals but old habits die hard. Anyway, Nookies Tree in Lakeview (http://www.nookiesrestaurants.net/edgewater/facts.html) did not disappoint. It was a beautiful Sunday - warm and sunshiny. We got a table outside surrounded by greenery and what looked like neighborhood locals. I say this because they all seemed to know the guy at the door. Others walked by every now and then and shook hands with him. It was all very neighborhoody. The people-watching was excellent.

We got an Acapulco Burger with avocado, salsa and pepperjack cheese and a Tuna Melt. Both were delicious. The Burger was big, juicy and spicy. The Tuna Melt was great with finely chopped celery, not too much mayo and melted American cheese carefully served on a toasted english muffin. Yum yum! The cole slaw and the home-made fries that came with the dishes were good too and the whole meal cost us just over $20.

Now why don't they have places like this in the Loop or in Streeterville? Seriously, Nookies has three locations: Old Town, Lincoln Park and Lakeview. I bet if they opened one in Streeterville, they'd have to fight customers off with a stick!

Red Light: Decent But Pricey

Last week B and I decided to check out Red Light (http://www.redlight-chicago.com/), Marché's sister restaurant located in the West Loop across the street from Marché itself. (Here is my review of Marché http://hungrynchicago.blogspot.com/2008/09/march.html) Like Marché, Red Light did not awe me, but I've marked it down in my annotated Zagat's as "Decent." Here is why.

Like Marché, Red Light has a large space with tall ceilings, an open kitchen, a strange, but unlike Marché, not overwhelming decor with Asian elements to complement its decent Asian fusion cuisine. The dining room is large, with balcony seating on one side and nicely placed palm-like trees to subtly separate the large space into smaller portions and to create a more intimate effect. We got a bottle from a generous wine list and ordered the Crispy Main Lobster Mango Rolls and Dtom Khaa Gai (coconut chicken soup). I could not taste the lobster in the lobster rolls and the taste combination was just too tame for this Asian inspired dish. The Dtom Khaa Gai on the other hand was delicious with a good amount of spiciness and richness to it. It was my favorite dish of the evening.

For entrees we ordered Miso Glazed Salmon garnished with Udon noodles and Surf and Turf consisting of (supposedly) skirt steak and tempura jumbo shrimp. The Salmon was overdried and while it had a nice miso glaze, the overall effect fell short. The Udon noodles had an interesting flavor but were way too oily. I advise you to either not order Surf and Turf if you go to Red Light or skip the Turf and get the Surf. While the jumbo shrimp were delicately fried in a thin and light tempura and came with a good dipping sauce, the skirt steak, which was supposed to constitute the Turf part of the dish, was an insult. The meat was so stringy that I thought it was not a skirt steak but some inferior cut. It was also overgrilled, making it rubbery and overly chewy with too much of the charcoal bitter aftertaste to make it enjoyable. A shame.

As at Marché, the portions were large and I did not have enough room for dessert. I did glimpse an interesting towering chocolate concoction, which the people at the next table seemed to enjoy.

If you were bored with this review, all I can say is that it is wholly reflective of my experience at Red Light. Oh and did I mention the place was completely overpriced? No? Well it is. Which I find is often the case in non-dive kind of places here in Chicago. An outrageous scam if you ask me, but more on that in another post.

Salpicón: A Monet

Last Saturday my friends and I decided to try out Salpicón (http://www.salpicon.com/), an "upscale" Mexican restaurant in Old Town. We had tickets to Second City's 11pm performance and thought Salpicón would help us spice things up before the show. I had seen the place on my previous visits to Old Town and it looked inviting enough from the street, with its outside tables surrounded by flowers and plants and a hint of chicness in the inside salon. I also checked out its website and its reviews on LTHForum.com. All seemed favorable.

The night started off well, with the restaurant being very gracious and accepting a fifth with the original reservation for four as well as not giving us any trouble for being 15 or 20 minutes late. When I walked in, however, I was immediately struck by how the inside decor, inviting as it seemed from the outside, was not really quite up to par. In fact, it was quite a bit of a Monet - looked great from afar, but was a mess up close. The tables were set very close together and were not of the best quality. Nor were the plate settings, the silverware or the floor (all of which looked like they needed to be scrubbed). The paintings looked garish and grotesque. It was certainly not a fun-chic-summer-sparkly-tequila atmosphere I expected. I did not despair, however, as I've come to realize that in Chicago, the restaurants that look good serve worse food than restaurants that look crappy.

We got a round of The ¡Salpicón! Margarita (made with Herradura Silver, Gran Torres liqueur and fresh lime juice), which my friends thought was pretty good. We then ordered appetizers to share. The first was the Camarones al Carbón (grilled tiger shrimp served with an avocado-tomatillo sauce and a spicy roasted tomato and chipotle sauce, and garnished with fresh mango slices), which while good, was not awe inspiring. The sauces were too spicy for my taste and the shrimp were forgettable. The Guacamole Picado was very good, but would have been even better if there was a bit more of it. The Ceviche (which the restaurant for some reason spells "seviche" on both its website and the menu) was of fresh blue marlin marinated in lime juice with onions, tomatoes, fresh chiles and herbs. I thought it good, but not great.

The best appetizer and the best dish of the evening came in the form of squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and epazote (dipped in a light batter, sautéed and served with a roasted poblano cream sauce). The fragile blossoms were most delectably complemented by the delicate poblano cream sauce and the goat cheese was not at all over-powering but played well with the rest of the ingredients and provided great texture to the dish. This dish had an almost surreal quality to it and seemed like it just floated out of nowhere and landed on our table (no thanks to the harried waiter). It was marvelously elegant and I almost felt embarrassed for it having to make its appearance in that garish, loud, clumsy dining room, but I did not let it suffer for long.

The main course I almost feel like skipping as I have nothing good to say about it. I'll just briefly mention that my friend who ordered a Mahi Mahi (charcoal-grilled and served with salsa fresca and white rice) said the fish was a complete blah and the rice was absolutely unseasoned. I tried a steak, which while well cooked to specifications, was completely overwhelmed (as in the taste of the steak was entirely and sadly killed) by a very spicy chili sauce which I ended up scraping off the meat.

If I ever go back to Salpicón, and that's a big "if" because the prices were overly extravagant for the level of food and the atmosphere, I'll skip the appetizers (the squash blossoms with goat cheese are seasonal, so there's little chance I'll encounter them in the future) and the main course and go straight for the dessert. All at the table were satisfied with the dessert. Mine was Crepas Con Cajeta: a delicious crepe with a great sauce. It was for some reason stuffed with strawberries and raspberries, which were very much out of place, but the crepe and the sauce themselves were simply excellent.

To bring this review to its dutiful end, I would say find other places in Chicago for Mexican food, but if you are in Old Town and feel like a tequila and a dessert, Salpicón is as good a place as any.

Marché

Solid french fare is the culinary theme at Marché (http://www.marche-chicago.com/) although I am still somewhat confused by the decorator's efforts. The restaurant in itself was a very pleasant experience, having been chosen by a dining companion who is a native Chicagoan. What was more exciting, however, was the neighborhood around it, which was simply teeming with inviting dining options. This West Randolph Street locale has not yet been explored and I am very excited to go back and investigate it in more detail. But, I don't want to get ahead of myself so here is what I thought of Marché.

It is a large space, whimsically decorated in darkly vociferous circus paraphernalia. My artistic palate does not match with the decorator's in that I thought it was over-the-top and somewhat vulgar, in a trying-too-hard-to-be-chic kind of way. In any case, I liked the unusual space as well as the option of the outside dining and we started off with a drink at the bar. There was a cocktail menu with a splatter of enticing offerings (not on the cheap side), but we opted for wine. When the rest of our party arrived, we were duly seated and a knowledgeable waiter offered the daily specials. The regular menu seemed to contain all the requisite french bistro items so I started off with my favorite, Escargots and B had the Beet Salad with candied walnuts, herbed goat cheese and mustard vinaigrette. The beet salad met with expectations and the Escargots were excellent: large and succulent, in an unobtrusive oil and herb mix, not in the least dry or gummy, but just as they should be made and are so often not.

For the second course I got the Braised Rabbit Chablis with caramelized onions, carrots, bacon lardons and creamy polenta - a hearty winter meal, but I haven't had rabbit in a while and thought I'd make an exception. And hearty it was with two large pieces of rabbit, well seasoned, but perhaps a touch overcooked, with meat too easily falling off the bone and with a few unpleasant bone splinters that the chef could have avoided. The polenta was very good, not too thick and not too watery and the lardons were tasty. B had the special of the day, two very well cooked pieces of filet mignon, which B enjoyed, but I did not find overly remarkable. The portions of both dishes, but especially of the rabbit, were rather large which fact sadly deprived me of the capacity for dessert.

Overall, this was quite a pleasant traditional french bistro experience and I will most likely go back, but not until after I try the other restaurants in that West Loop area.

Au revoir.

Lincoln Square

Lincoln Square is a lovely neighborhood in Chicago, where you can find enticing bars, cafes, restaurants and even an inviting book store all in the span of just a few blocks. It is also a not over-the-top kind of neighborhood where the stores and the shops are for show rather than function. In short, it is a neighborhood that I liked from the first and that I have since returned to several times.

While there, I have so far tried two restaurants. The first was Barba Yianni Grecian Taverna (http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=11350&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=29). This place was picked not for its food, but for the fact that on Sunday and Wednesday nights it holds Argentine Tango milongas. If you are not interested in Argentine Tango, I implore you to avoid this restaurant as you will be disappointed. The food is bland, often tasteless, uninspiring and overwhelming in quantity. The only tasty item on the menu, most likely not produced in the restaurant, is Saganaki, the greek cheese, which comes flaming to your table in all its salty, chewey, grilled glory. The only other good thing I noticed about this place, aside from its location in the middle of lovely Lincoln Square, is the service. The few times that I've been to the restaurant, the waitresses were friendly, obliging and mostly efficient. All in all, I am sure there are multiple other places in Chicago where better greek food can be found, but, unfortunately, there are almost no better places for Tango.

The second restaurant that I'd like to mention here and that is only a couple of blocks away from Barba Yianni is Fiddlehead Cafe (http://www.fiddleheadcafe.com/). While close to Barba Yianni in proximity, Fiddlehead is miles away in atmosphere and cuisine. Its atmosphere is as lovely as the neighborhood: warm, inviting, unpretentious, cozy, but not boring. It has an oddly shaped, elevated dining room that opens onto the street and allows for excellent people watching through the large windows that are open in the warmer weather and decorated by large hanging potted plants. I think the design and the feel of this restaurant has so far been the best example of unpretentious attractiveness that I've seen in Chicago.

Unfortunately, I cannot give the same level of praise to the food. While not disappointing, it seems to be overreaching. The menu promises intricate combinations and high level of execution, but the results do not quite deliver. Don't get me wrong, none of the dishes I tried at Fiddlehead were bad. It's just that they weren't quite what they could have been or what the menu and, frankly, the prices suggested they would be.

I started with Roasted Beet & Strawberry Salad with field greens, candied pecans, shaved fennel, pecorino and creamy balsamic reduction. The combination of the beets and the strawberries was truly refreshing and unusual. The different types of sweetness coming from each of those ingredients were well balanced by the slight bitterness of the greens and the salty rustic feel of pecorino. The crunch of the pecans was delightful, but the greens looked tired and I did not get the requisite kick from the fennel, which seemed as if it had lost its flavor from being out for too long.

The next dish I tried was a ceviche of shrimp, squid and scallops, which was the special of the day. It came in the form of very finely chopped ingredients piled into four pieces of tortilla chips. I thought this was the tastiest dish of the meal. The ceviche was juicy with just the right amount of citrus and spices. It played well with the crunchy tortilla chips and I thought the presentation was, again, pleasantly unusual and creative.

For my main course, I chose Steamed Mussels with chorizo, mushrooms, spinach and wild rice in a saffron broth. These were OK, but nothing special. The mushrooms were bitter, the mussels were average and the broth was a bit salty. My companion picked Duck Club, Duck Confit, Smoked Duck Breast sandwich with arugula, marinated goat cheese, strawberry-rosemary jam and fries. This was a bit of a disappointment. I am usually very fond of the duck in almost all its forms, but this sandwich was in my opinion incongruent. While the arugula gave a good bitter aftertaste to the earthiness of the duck, the rest of the ingredients seemed to me out of place. The strawberry-rosemary jam was a mistake. Particularly, the strawberry part of it. It was a puzzling, but not a welcome addition to the taste combination. The marinated goat cheese, should have been omitted along with the strawberries and the fries were fleshy and soggy. I was also puzzled by the need of a third layer of toast in the middle of the sandwich. It made the sandwich taller and, thus, more difficult to consume and really detracted from one's ability to concentrate on the duck. I think the chef got carried away by the design and, well.... sometimes, experiments like that just don't work out for the best.

Generally speaking, I had a very pleasant time at Fiddlehead and will certainly go back to try their other offerings, as well as make a note of this place for a cozy outing with friends. And did I mention that their wine list was very, and I mean, very extensive? I'd be curious to dig into that and the dessert on my next visit.

Cafe Iberico

Okay is the best I can say for Cafe Iberico (http://www.cafeiberico.com/menu.html) where B and I and a couple of friends shared a few tapas last night. Beforehand, I dutifully did my research and the ever gracious members of the LTHForum.com dutifully provided me with a few options (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.phpf=14&t=14089&p=215508&hilit=iberico#p215508) one of which was Cafe Iberico.

The place does not take reservations, but the wait for a table around 8pm on a Wednesday was not bad - 10 minutes. We were seated in the middle of a rambunctious but barely decorated dining room at a smallish table. The room was full and the decibel level was high enough for us to have to practically shout to each other to be heard. No biggie - I'm no stranger to these kinds of conditions, although I always do appreciate when the restaurant takes the trouble to provide a bit of atmosphere and reduce the noise level by covering the walls with fabric or other sound reducing material.

We got a pitcher of red sangria, which I thought was good and realized towards the end of the evening was also quite potent. The menu had pictures of the dishes next to the descriptions, which is never a sign of a classy joint, not that this place had any pretensions to class. The list of dishes wasn't too extensive so we didn't take long to choose 7 small plates to share. I'll describe one at a time:

1. ENSALADA DE PIMIENTOS ASADOS $4.95
Three-color fire roasted peppers with olive oil and toasted bread.

The agreement at the table was that the roasted peppers were good, albeit a bit oily, but the bread wasn't.

2. TERNERA ASADA $5.95
Roasted veal served cold with raspberry vinaigrette.

I liked the veal. It was tender, thinly cut and not dry. However, I didn't taste any raspberry vinaigrette, only a citrusy reduction of some sort. Also, the veal was sprinkled with shavings of what looked to be mozzarella, which did not add anything to the dish.

3. PATATAS BRAVAS $4.95
Spicy potatoes with special tomato sauce.

Bitter disappointment. I was very much craving these and all I got was something I can't even describe as patatas bravas. The potatoes were soggy, mushy, covered with a pasty, completely spiceless tomato sauce and looked like they were just pulled out of a microwave after re-heating attempt number 5. A shame. Also, we initially ordered 2 portions of these for the table, but the waiter came back and told us that he eliminated one of the orders because there was a back-up in the kitchen. I thought that was pretty cheeky of the guy, but in the end I was happy we weren't stuck with 2 orders.

4. QUESO DE CABRA $6.95
Baked goat cheese with fresh tomato basil sauce.

This I thought was good, but the rest of our table didn't have much enthusiasm for it. It was basically a round of soft backed goat cheese surrounded by tomato sauce. Very down-to-earth but satisfying dish. Too bland for some perhaps, but I like bland on occasion.

5. CALAMARES A LA PLANCHA $5.95
Grilled squid with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.

I liked this dish as well and so did my friends. Nothing spectacular about it, but the squid was not over-cooked, had a good amount of that smokiness from the grilling and was well seasoned. I wished there was a bit more of the squid and a bit less of the oil.

6. PULPO A LA PLANCHA $7.95
Grilled octopus with potatoes and olive oil.

This in my opinion was the winner of the evening. The octopus had great chewy texture and miniature fries were a good accompaniment.

7. PINCHO DE POLLO $4.95
Chicken brochette with caramelized onions and rice.

My friends ordered this dish. I did not try it since they said it was not good and I was already full.

I wasn't too full for desert though. We ordered:

1. FILLOA DE HELADO Y CREMA $ 3.95
Stuffed crepe with ice cream topped with whipped cream and strawberry sauce.

This dish is certainly for sharing. I would think it could easily satisfy 3 people. And satisfy it did, with yummy vanilla ice cream dripping out of a tasty crepe and covered with whipped cream. Who can resist?

2. CRÉMA CATALANA $ 3.95
Catalonian style cream custard covered with hard caramel.

This is essentially a Crème Brûlée, which last night was infused with white chocolate. It was very nice I thought.

Overall, Cafe Iberico was by far not all that I hoped for, but it wasn't a revolting or frustrating experience. I think it would gain greatly by improvement in the atmosphere. Is it worth a trip back? Frankly, not any time soon.

312 vs. 212

This weekend was a bit of a disappointment as far as food was concerned, but as goes the common saying, where one door closes another opens. B and I decided to go for a long walk. We armed ourselves with the GNR list (http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=20908&p=215187&hilit=gnr+list#p215187), a detailed map of Chicago and the Chicago Zagat (just in case) figuring that when we get hungry, we'll just look up a recommendation nearest to our location and try a new Chicago restaurant. Alas, it was not to be and such foolish plan shall never be attempted again.

Our hunger creeped up on us in the neighborhood of DePaul University (Lincoln Park). We stopped to examine the GNR List and decided on Sweets and Savories (http://www.sweetsandsavorieschicago.com/) as plan A and on Luna Caprese (http://www.lunacaprese.com/) as plan B. Well, as I said, it was not to be. Apparently, places in that neighborhood do not open before 5pm on Saturdays. Both of these restaurants as well as Tsuki, which I reviewed in one of my previous posts and which was plan C, were closed. There were no other GNR or Zagat restaurants in close vicinity nor were we in the mood to search any further. We were in the middle of a world-class city and doomed to starvation! Until.... B, desperate, exhausted and exasperated suggested a pub across the street. To avoid a bloodbath, I complied.

McDunna's (http://mcdunnas.com/) it was. While impatiently waiting for the requisite burger and fries it occurred to me that McDunna's could have been my name if I were Irish. You think of the craziest things when you're hungy! In any case, before we got the food we ordered some beer. Pub = beer: it is a must. First silly me asked for Yuengling (http://www.yuengling.com/) or Brooklyn Lager (http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/). The bartender made fun of me and said they don't have east coast beers in the Midwest. Duh! He suggested a local specialty instead, a 312, made apparently, right in the city of Chicago (http://www.gooseisland.com/AgePage.asp?URLPage=/index.asp). I like to try new things, beer not excluding, and this time I was not disappointed. It was light, refreshing, lemony, crispy. A delightful beer all around. The burger (Shroomer) was not bad either, but the beer was a true find of the day and I can't wait to try the other varieties from the same brewery. So exciting! Beer is the new wine, you know.

So the moral of the story is, don't go bumming around in Chicago hoping to find a good restaurant nearby - plan ahead! I know it takes all the fun out of spontaneous discoveries, but that's just what you have to do in this city. On the other hand, occasionally you may bum your way into a find like 312. Funny it being only one digit away from the 212. Perhaps we're not that different after all.

Boka Not So Loca

Today's topic is Boka (http://www.bokachicago.com/). A friend suggested this restaurant for a Friday night outing and after googling it and seeing mostly positive reviews on the LTH Forum http://lthforum.com/bb/index.php - I figured why not? I was up for something more upscale than my last try, Spoon Thai. And I was not disappointed in the decor - nothing stunning, but certainly attractive. We got a table by the window and that is something I always welcome as I do like to people watch. Again I was pleasantly surprised by the large spaces between the tables; I am still trying to get used to the idea of all this available space after the crampish style of NYC.

Our waiter was amiable, but was a bit taken aback I think by the calmness of our demeanor. I think he expected more excitement. I've noticed waiters around here usually do. It must be a Chicago thing. Perhaps people here are friendlier, livelier, less subdued than NYers?

But on to the food. All dishes were beautifully presented, which for me is an important aesthetic of the meal. My eyes need to like what they see before the taste buds take over. The first appetizer, and I think the best dish of the meal, was the wild mushroom risotto with two simply excellent pieces of chicken. They had a delicious earthiness to them, were soft, a little chewy, with truffle-like sauce making me wish there were more of them on the plate. The restaurant's on-line menu doesn't have this dish for some reason. If this is seasonal (although I don't know why it would be considering lack of seasonal ingredients), the chef should certainly make it a permanent highlight. I, for one, would love to have it as an entree.

Our other appetizer was not great. We had the Baby Octopus with celery, purple peruvian potato, barbecued eel, granny smith apple, mussels and yogurt horseradish creme. The octopus was undercooked, rubbery and with a fishy aftertaste, but the mussels were quite pleasant. I don't remember the barbecued eel. If it was there, it was not noticeable. B says he tasted something porkish.

For the entree I had the Angus Strip Loin and Short Ribs. Angus Strip Loin not so great, but the Ribs were excellent. They were off the bone, in a small mound, juicy and stringy but in a good way. I got the same sort of an earthy satisfaction from them as I did from the chicken in the risotto. And again I wished there had been more of them on the plate. Alas, it was not to be. B and our friend both ordered the grilled Trout. I tried it, but didn't think it was anything special. A bit of a blah really and certainly not worth the price ($28). Overall, the restaurant is a bit pricey with appetizers running somewhere in the $12 to $16 range and the entrees in the $28 to $36 range. I would have expected more of a bang from the dishes for those prices. The only one I thought was really worth the price was the risotto/chicken dish.

Oh and B just reminded me that we had dessert, which fact completely skipped my mind - that's how good and memorable it was. We chose the restaurant's version of beignettes, which came in the form of 3 small, deep fried, brown, almost tasteless doughnuts. There was a sauce, but frankly, I can't remember what it was.

So there it is - Boka. I'm looking forward to my further explorations of Chicago's best and yummiest.

the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Part IV

The Ugly.

Thai food. I love it. In NYC my favorite Thai restaurant is Land (http://www.landthaikitchen.com/landEast.html). I prefer the Upper East Side location because it is slightly bigger, meaning you can actually get a table there on occasion, and because I think it is better decorated. What I like about the place is the food of course, but I also like the serene and yet enticing atmosphere, the inventive and aesthetically pleasing ways the food is served, the well chosen wine selection, the waiters who actually know which wine goes better with which dish and the $8 two-course lunch menu. Almost everything I tried there is good, but my favorites are Shrimp Parcels, Satay Sampler, Pungent Beef Salad, Pan Seared Duck Breast, all of the curries and black sesame ice cream.

I've never been to Thailand so I cannot tell whether the Land dishes are "authentic." Judging by other Thai food I tried in New York, however, I would say Land's offerings are a notch fancier, perhaps a bit more Americanized, which suits me just fine.

Here in Chicago, I am told, the selection of Thai cuisine is excellent. Many claim it is better than what NYC has to offer. I cannot argue with that since I've only been to one Thai restaurant in Chicago so far. On a recommendation from at least 10 locals B and I went to Spoon Thai (http://www.spoonthai.com/) on a Tuesday night.

The place was not crowded at all. Our waiter was pleasant. The menu was extensive. We ordered Tom Yum soup, Satay Chicken, Thai Pepper Steak and Massaman Curry with chicken. We like all of our dishes very well, except maybe for the Chicken Satay, which was a bit dry. The Tom Yum soup was flavorful, not overwhelmingly spicy with well cooked shrimp. The pepper steak had thinly sliced pieces of meat, well cooked, with good sauce that was not slimy or gooey. The massaman curry was also tasty, even though the potatoes were a little bland and overall it was a bit sweeter than I am used to. What I also liked about the place is that it was almost ridiculously cheap - always a welcome plus.

The one discouraging feature is that the restaurant was ugly, it looked more like a college cafeteria than an inviting venue for a dinner. I would have loved this place if I were a college kid, but as an adult, I actually prefer something a tad more upscale.

Overall, B and appreciated the food. If I had encountered this level of culinary competence in my first few days in this city, I probably would not have started this blog.

For those of you who have a chance to try both Spoon Thai and Land, here is a point by point comparison (on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the highest), a la Iron Chef:

Land/ Spoon Thai
Decor: 7/ 2
Service: 7/ 5
Food Presentation: 8/ 2
Tom Yum soup: 6/ 8
Satay: 8/ 5
Pepper Steak: (not offered, but skirt steak) 6/ 9
Massaman Curry: 8/ 7
Price: 5/ 10
Total: 55/ 48

the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Part III

The Bad.

A warning to those of you who want to try out Chinese food at Emperor's Choice (http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.aspareaid=0&restaurantid=11188&neighborhoodid=103&cuisineid=0) - don't go! I was exploring Chinatown in Chicago about a week ago, got hungry and dropped into Emperor's Choice on a lark. It will never be my choice again, except perhaps, if I need to play a nasty joke on someone. I can't remember which exact dishes I tried (my brain is trying to block them out) but I distinctly remember that the chicken was slimy (yuk) and the duck looked extremely unappetizing and tasted so too. And can I just say that paying $50 for two entrees and a soup is simply ridiculous as far as bad Chinese food goes. No, not ridiculous - outrageously ridiculous!

The only redeeming thing about the whole experience was an incident I noticed while tyring not to look at the duck or the chicken. Three very young sailors were having lunch there. They looked no older than 16 - babies. When they were done they asked for the check. The waitress shook her head at them and pointed toward a large table in the back where a family of 6 or 8 were sitting. It turns out that family had paid the sailors' tab. The young men, surprised, went over to speak with the family - to thank them I guess. Now how touching is that?!

the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Part II

The Good (Continued)...

So apparently, Zagat is completely useless in this city of which fact I was vehemently assured by several locals (see http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=20744&hilit=what%27s+up+with+zagat). A heated discussion that turned out to be - I assume due to some people having a bit of an inferiority complex. Most of the respondents, however, were very gracious and left me a ton of useful suggestions for which I am grateful. And for those who got all pissy about things - well, all I can say is I'm glad I fired a few of you up. A little competition never hurt anybody.

Back to what's important - I've got two positive reviews today (and no, it's not because of all the yellers and screamers on the forum last night but because I actually liked these places - fancy that!)

First was the Original Pancake House (http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/). The place itself is not much to look at (I went to the one at 22 East Bellevue Place) but the, what I call European style, pancakes were very good. Thin, great texture, perfectly cooked to a golden brown, a tad too sweet for my taste, but really quite a pleasant surprise. I frankly don't know any places in NYC, except for the Russian delis or some eastern European restaurants that make these. I wouldn't call them pancakes though - they're blini. We tried the Swedish version which came with lingonberries (yum) and the Cherry Kijafa Crepes with Montmorency cherries simmered in Kijafa sauce (also yum). So if you're in a mood for a sweet breakfast treat, I'd say this place is a winner.

The second place, which at least as far as dessert goes, is my absolute favorite so far, is Hot Chocolate (http://www.hotchocolatechicago.com/). Ah, what a treat! We were there late at night and only tried a couple of their appetizers, which were very good. But it is their dessert that is going to make me go back there more than once, I'm sure.

To start off properly, from the beginning, so to speak, the restaurant has a warm, modern, funky, neighborhood but in a sophisticated way, feel to it. There are several dinner tables and also a small lounge area. I got the sense that you'd need a reservation to get in there on a Friday or a Saturday night. We ordered the soup of the day (which I believe was a savory/sweet concoction of leeks and potatoes) and grilled octopus (which was perfectly cooked and came in a form of a salad, well seasoned with an oil/vinegar/lemon sauce). Both were very good.

And then we moved on to the dessert - the main object of our trip. Peach "Melba" (peach, brioche bread pudding, raspberry cream caramel and raspberry sorbet) is what I picked and B got Cherries (a napoleon of ricotta cheesecake, sweet cream custard and hazelnut financier served with cherries). Both of them were stunning. The presentation was very artistic - I wish I had a camera with me. My Peach "Melba" was interchangeably sour and sweet, with pudding and cream caramel melting in my mouth. The texture combination was wonderful! The ricotta cheesecake mixed deliciously with the cream custard and the financier. The flavors were unusual, the combination exciting. I'm making myself drool as I write this. Methinks it is time for another trip down to 1747 North Damen Ave.

I will no longer mention Zagat ratings here as that seems to be a waste (see above). Zagat people, you should probably do something about your lack of popularity in this town. I bet you don't care though, what in the midst of trying to sell yourself to the highest bidder and all.

the Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Part I

The Good.

Last night at the Tsuki Japanese Restaurant and Lounge (http://www.visittsuki.com/index.html) was good. Despite the fact that the place was nearly empty (I assume due to it being a Sunday night - otherwise, I have no idea how these guys can afford the rent), the food turned out to be fairly good. We started off with Hot Crab Salad and steamed Shrimp Shumai. Nothing to write home about, but not entirely lacking in originality and taste. Things got better as our dinner progressed. The Crazy Tuna roll although compact was quite tasty and so was the restaurant's version of the Dragon Roll. The best part, however, was the dessert. While the green tea ice cream was just right - not too sweet and very well flavored, the Mochi Ice Cream in coffee, tiramisu and pistachio flavors was a definite dinner winner. The dough-like mochi shell was perfectly gooey and I totally loved the tiramisu version.

The decor also did not disappoint with its attractive sushi bar, carefully arranged lighting, private booths, cool colors reminiscent of the ocean floor, secluded outside garden and a sleek, sexy lounge area (empty last night - but probably great for a late night drink). I'd certainly go back to try their other offerings and for more of that Mochi Ice Cream of course.

Zagat gives this place a 22 for the food. I disagree entirely. But more on that in my next post.

VTK is OK

Quick word on last night's outing to Vong's Thai Kitchen (VTK) http://www.vongsthaikitchen.com/. It was a random choice late at night and it turned out to be quite pleasant. The atmosphere is sexy: low lighting, soft playing non-elevator music, tables comfortably far apart, private booths; a warm modern decor. This place would certainly be good for a date. Since it was late, we ordered light - Chicken Coconut-Milk Soup (their signature dish apparently), Grilled Beef Tenderloin Satays with tamarind soy sauce and Red Curry Chicken. I also got a Pomo Cosmo (a pomegranate flavored cosmo) which was yummy.

The verdict on the food is as follows: thumbs sideways on the soup, thumbs up for the beef satays - beautifully presented, tender, juicy with a very delicious tamarind sauce (a definite must if you decide to check this place out) and thumbs down on the curry. The curry was the thinnest, wateriest curry I've ever had. It looked more like a soup then a curry and was oily with almost uncooked snow peas, too lemony for my taste and the chicken looked like it was boiled and dumped in as an afterthought.

Overall, the place is quite pleasant. I'd like to go back and try their other dishes (not the curries) to see if they equal the yumminess of the beef satays. Also, their dessert menu looks inviting.