One of the most loved and sometimes hated times of year for the Chicago food scene is Restaurant Week. The 10 day stretch when a couple of hundred restaurants put together prix fixe menus of $22 for lunch and either $33 or $44 for dinner. The best way to look at this is many diners will get to try places that otherwise they might never venture into, and restaurants get a nice boost in business during an otherwise pretty dead part of the winter. The negative view is people end up at overcrowded restaurants full of cheapskates, deal with servers annoyed because their tips go way down and the workload goes way up, and people get turned off of places forever based on a single anomalous experience.
I, for once, am choosing to be an optimist. And really, this long holiday weekend full of Restaurant Week experiences did a great job of giving me shiny happy thoughts about the concept. I won't be rating any of these except for one, because I feel as though in most cases I cannot say I really have a true handle on the establishment. I know what I like and don't like about each place, but until I have the freedom to make my own choices, I can't fully judge.
The first stop on the Magical Gastronomy Tour was Naha on Friday night. There was a time when Naha was one of THE restaurants in Chicago. Now the buzz is gone, and scores of new places have opened, and in many cases closed, while Carrie Nahabedian keeps on cranking out excellent Mediterranean inspired dishes. The room still speaks of elegance and refinement without being overwhelmingly so. After all, they let me in there, so they can't be too snooty.
This meal was pretty much all highlights. Squash soup was warm and hearty, relaxing the mind and body for the rest of the meal. Main courses of quail with seared foie gras and braised beef brisket with cannelloni of acorn, squash, and bacon were flawlessly executed. Particularly the quail dish, where the quail, the foie gras, and the earthy mix of grain and herbs combined to stimulate every part of the palate at once. This was a true delight of a meal.
Saturday night, very late Saturday night, brought us to SushiSamba Rio. Our reservation was for 9:30. When we arrived at 9:25 we were told things were running late, about 20-25 minutes. So we prepared to wait. And wait. And listen to very loud pulsing dance music courtesy of the DJ right inside the entrance.
I'm not the most patient person by nature, but I'm okay with a wait if need be. I've done my time in line for Doug Sohn's encased meat goodness, or for the overrated burgers at Kuma's. I remember waiting in line back when you had to stand outside of a Carson Piere Scott in order to go to Ticketmaster on a Saturday morning. I've watched my skin turning interesting shades of red waiting at Six Flags for a roller coaster that will give me two minutes of fun after a 90 minute wait.
None of these however meant waiting in the seventh ring of collar popping hell. Right now there is a movement towards food trucks, but I think the hair gel truck market could make a killing parked right outside of this establishment. Women in heels they can barely maneuver in, men with awful fake tans and expensive shirts they spent 20 minutes untucking in just the right way. The stink of privilege and excess without purpose. I don't mind people spending money on fine things. This blog is a testament to that. But this is money spending in order to pull rank, to preen in front of others. These people are not my people.
None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone for a shave earlier that day. To deny the mighty beard is impossible. We would have been seated promptly and given many free pieces of sashimi in honor of my hirsute awesomeness. But alas, I did not think my actions through, and was shorn, unbearded, and thoroughly unimpressive when we were standing around waiting for a table. Finally after 45 minutes Mrs. HCH decided this was just ridiculous. One of our party had recently suffered an injury to her ankle, and while she is now mobile and in good health, it is still not advisable for her to be standing for an hour. Also, multiple parties seemingly arrived sans reservations and were promptly seated. The fact these parties consisted of people wearing clothing that likely costs more than my car is a possible reason, and the amount of tall blonde women in their parties was much greater than the zero tall blonde women in our party could be involved as well. But as SSR is a restaurant, and not a modeling agency, I don't find that an acceptable reason to keep up standing. As soon as we went to the desk to point out our injured companion, a table right behind the host stand was immediately made available to us. Guess we should have mentioned that earlier. I suspect had we not, I would still be standing there, in an eternally sushiless state.
But there was sushi. In time.
The plan originally was to order from the Restaurant Week menu. But then our friends decided they were just ordering their favorite things and were off on a path we could not follow them down. Then as we looked at the full menu we too were overcome with a spirit of freedom that would power a thousand Tea Party rallies. We could order ANYTHING WE WANTED! No one could stop us. So we did. The highlights were Tiradito, thinly sliced A5 Kobe beef with yuzu soy and a little hint of truffle and salt, and the Pacific roll with King crab and Asian pear in soy paper. These were so good we ordered them a second time after finishing our meal. The sashimi was fine, but nothing exciting.
Once we were seated the service was good enough. But it was hard to get past the way we were ignored for nearly an hour, seemingly overlooked in favor of other patrons. So really, I don't know what to do with this place. I hated most of the people surrounding us. The majority of our meal was unimpressive and overpriced for the quality. The front of house left me feeling small and insignificant. The service was nothing spectacular. And the price point is pretty damn high. But two dishes were transcendent. 5-star level cuisine. Among the best things I've ever eaten. Moving like watching a baby, a kitten, and a puppy nuzzling together and feeding a baby duck. But everything else about the place was so off-putting. I want to give it two stars and rail against it as simply a haven for Jersey Shore nozzles who don't know sushi from a hole in the ground. But I can't. Not when I am so happy eating something they served me. Let's say three stars and plan to get grub via takeout from there in the future.
There is one flawless and perfect cure for overexposure to monied mooks. A place where all of that bling and chest hair fade into memory, replaced with quiet middle aged people and waitresses who have been at their job since they first served a slab of T-Rex meat to a hungry caveman. That's right, Sunday night we dined in the suburbs. At a mall. Oak Brook Mall to be exact, where the suburban outpost of Mon Ami Gabi is located. We dined with Mama HCH and her hubby at 5:30 PM, that's how opposite of Saturday night this dinner was.
I'd never been to Mon Ami Gabi before Sunday night, but I was hopeful. Hopeful for a nice simple dinner. After the refined, somewhat stately Naha, and the pulsing and overwhelming SushiSamba Rio, the thought of a simple bowl of French Onion Soup and some steak frites in a room full of suburbanites out for their Sunday evening dinner kind of sounded like the most wonderful thing in the entire world.
It wasn't the most wonderful thing in the entire world. But it was very fulfilling. The French Onion soup was cheesy and full of onion and crouton and just hit the spot. The steak with Roquefort topping was tangy, creamy, meaty, and yet simple enough to let me enjoy the food without having to turn on my brain at any point. The dessert trio of pear sorbet, chocolate mousse and mini creme brulee was the perfect ending, giving me just enough of a sugar rush to get to my car in the vast Oak Brook Center parking lot. I know there is a closer location of Mon Ami Gabi in Lincoln Park, but I think it might be better to save going there for when I have occasion to be out west. The ambiance somehow fits the food in the same way that pulsing techno and SushiSamba Rio went together. This was good enough that I may actually visit my parents more often.
"No more after this" is the addict's mantra. One last drink, one last smoke, one last snort, one last hit. The defining characteristic of the addict is that it rarely if ever is truly the last whatever thing they're addicted to. So when I said Sunday night's dinner was the last Restaurant Week meal we could do, I'm sure I meant it even if no one else believed it. And that's why Monday afternoon I took a break from being so much smarter than the high school students on Jeopardy to see what might be a reasonable choice for that night's dinner.
Apparently, Rich Melman owns my brain. Because I ended up gravitating to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba. I don't know why. I had one bad memory of mediocre sangria and unimpressive tapas and a table with about 3,584 people at it. But something told me (that something most likely being the mind control chip Melman has installed in my head) to give it another chance. And I am glad I did.
The opening pinxto was bright and happy. Small cubes of a white cheese and quince. Light, sweet, and cleansing. Perfect way to start a meal. After that the parade of tapas began. One early highlight was the plato de casa with ham, chorizo, manchego, and hard bread with a tomato paste on it. The ham was a little salty, the tomato a little sweet and acidic. It played so well with each element balancing the other. The ahi tuna was flavored in a way I didn't expect. There were hints of basil and lemongrass. And is there anything more perfect in combination than bacon and dates? The answer, in case you were unsure, is "NO". Very friendly and attentive service made the meal relaxing and a surprising highlight of Restaurant Week.
So...what did we learn in this four night ramble through Restaurant Week. We learned that there can still be greatness found after the hype machine has moved along. We learned that if you're cool looking enough, you don't need a reservation. We learned that I can't give less than 3 stars to any place that gives me a 5 star dish. We learned that you CAN get a good meal in the suburbs! And we learned that I am addicted to good food. But then, we already knew that one.
Naha
500 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 321-6242
SushiSamba Rio
504 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 595-2300
HCH Rating - 3 stars
Mon Ami Gabi
260 Oakbrook Ctr
Oak Brook, IL 60523
(630) 472-1900
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
2024 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-5000
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
HCH Thoughts on Chicago Steak
A few thoughts on where to eat steak in Chicago.
- David Burke’s - I find their dry aging makes for ridiculously meaty yet tender steak. The 70 day is kind of mind-blowing. The 55 is probably the perfect steak. Also the most creative side dishes/appetizers.
- Morton’s - a bit stuffy, but they know their meat.
- Gibson’s - I’ve never been there. Little too much of the money scene there for my taste.
- Smith & Wollensky. Perfectly cromulent. But if you’re going to drop the $$$ for a steak, I’d go to Burke’s or Mortons. But you’re not going to get a bad piece of meat at S&W.
- Fogo de Chao - Sure you sacrifice a little bit in quality, but the quantity and variety makes up for it.
- Texas De Brazil - meat quality is about 95% of Fogo, but more exciting options at the salad bar. A fine Lobster Bisque also
- Las Tablas - The best place for the more Central/Southern American steak experience.
- Tango Sur - Formidable as well. Had a kind of meh experience there once, but I think I strayed too far from their specialties.
- Los Nopales - excellent skirt steak. Probably the best bargain on this list.
- Chizakaya - Kind of new place, lots of different meat on skewers, Japanese izikaya style. Had a couple beef dishes there that kicked my ass.
- Mon Ami Gabi - A good take on French Bistro steak. The Roquefort steak was a nice mix of creamy, a little tangy, and still meaty.
- Ceres’ Table - does a mean mean Bison steak. I kind of wanted to go in the back and hug the chef for cooking me such a fine piece of meat.
- David Burke’s - I find their dry aging makes for ridiculously meaty yet tender steak. The 70 day is kind of mind-blowing. The 55 is probably the perfect steak. Also the most creative side dishes/appetizers.
- Morton’s - a bit stuffy, but they know their meat.
- Gibson’s - I’ve never been there. Little too much of the money scene there for my taste.
- Smith & Wollensky. Perfectly cromulent. But if you’re going to drop the $$$ for a steak, I’d go to Burke’s or Mortons. But you’re not going to get a bad piece of meat at S&W.
- Fogo de Chao - Sure you sacrifice a little bit in quality, but the quantity and variety makes up for it.
- Texas De Brazil - meat quality is about 95% of Fogo, but more exciting options at the salad bar. A fine Lobster Bisque also
- Las Tablas - The best place for the more Central/Southern American steak experience.
- Tango Sur - Formidable as well. Had a kind of meh experience there once, but I think I strayed too far from their specialties.
- Los Nopales - excellent skirt steak. Probably the best bargain on this list.
- Chizakaya - Kind of new place, lots of different meat on skewers, Japanese izikaya style. Had a couple beef dishes there that kicked my ass.
- Mon Ami Gabi - A good take on French Bistro steak. The Roquefort steak was a nice mix of creamy, a little tangy, and still meaty.
- Ceres’ Table - does a mean mean Bison steak. I kind of wanted to go in the back and hug the chef for cooking me such a fine piece of meat.
HCH Review of Ceres' Table
We tried Ceres table last night as part of "Operation Use the 2011 A La Card Deck to Death" and I have to say it was a fine beginning to the year in that regard.
We had a reservation for 5:45 so the room was almost empty when we arrived. Parking was a breeze, and I could see my car from my seat as we were parked right in front of the restaurant. Between the not very large crowd and the installation recently of new sound absorbing tiles we had none of the noise issues that others have mentioned regarding previous visits.
There was only one waiter for the entire restaurant, but he was doing a good job of keeping up with all the tables as well as working the bar. I hope that at busier times they do not try to get by being understaffed, but with a few backservers helping out, things went pretty smoothly during our meal.
We decided to go for a few small dishes and split a main course. And here again I didn't find us dealing with an oft-mentioned problem, that being too-small portions.
The Beef Carpaccio ($10) was a reasonably sized serving of thinly sliced beef with cheese, greens, and a bit of truffle oil. The beef was flavorful with the cheese and oil as a nice complement to the meat.
Arancini ($9) was an excellent dish for my money. Three nice sized fried risotto balls filled with braised oxtail, fontina cheese. The oxtail was tender and the risotto slightly creamy under the crunchy outer shell. Very happy with this dish.
I only barely tried the scallops ($14) but I didn't think the dish was out of line from what most other places would charge for this plate. With crawfish, orzo, greens, and a couple good sized scallops. The review of the scallops from across the table was "nom. nom nom nom. And nom." So there ya go.
We split the 12 oz. Bison ribeye steak ($28). This was the highlight of the meal. The bison was juicy and full of meaty flavor. The sauce was slightly spicy without overpowering the meat in any way. The parmesan potato rosti was an interesting textural contrast to the hearty steak. This was one of the best meat dishes I have had in a while, and what for me pushed this up to a 4-star meal. Worth every penny.
For desserts we tried the chocolate chip cookie and the pistachio creme brulee ($5 each). The cookie was warm and tasty with chocolate ice cream. The creme brulee was a treat, really strong of pistachio flavor in a good way. The desserts may have been a touch small, but nothing that made me want to flip the table over and begin bellowing "Shenanigans!" in the middle of the restaurant.
So overall, a good experience at Ceres' Table. Nothing to complain about, and a few things to really be excited about.
Ceres' Table
4882 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 878-4882
HCH Rating - 4 stars
We had a reservation for 5:45 so the room was almost empty when we arrived. Parking was a breeze, and I could see my car from my seat as we were parked right in front of the restaurant. Between the not very large crowd and the installation recently of new sound absorbing tiles we had none of the noise issues that others have mentioned regarding previous visits.
There was only one waiter for the entire restaurant, but he was doing a good job of keeping up with all the tables as well as working the bar. I hope that at busier times they do not try to get by being understaffed, but with a few backservers helping out, things went pretty smoothly during our meal.
We decided to go for a few small dishes and split a main course. And here again I didn't find us dealing with an oft-mentioned problem, that being too-small portions.
The Beef Carpaccio ($10) was a reasonably sized serving of thinly sliced beef with cheese, greens, and a bit of truffle oil. The beef was flavorful with the cheese and oil as a nice complement to the meat.
Arancini ($9) was an excellent dish for my money. Three nice sized fried risotto balls filled with braised oxtail, fontina cheese. The oxtail was tender and the risotto slightly creamy under the crunchy outer shell. Very happy with this dish.
I only barely tried the scallops ($14) but I didn't think the dish was out of line from what most other places would charge for this plate. With crawfish, orzo, greens, and a couple good sized scallops. The review of the scallops from across the table was "nom. nom nom nom. And nom." So there ya go.
We split the 12 oz. Bison ribeye steak ($28). This was the highlight of the meal. The bison was juicy and full of meaty flavor. The sauce was slightly spicy without overpowering the meat in any way. The parmesan potato rosti was an interesting textural contrast to the hearty steak. This was one of the best meat dishes I have had in a while, and what for me pushed this up to a 4-star meal. Worth every penny.
For desserts we tried the chocolate chip cookie and the pistachio creme brulee ($5 each). The cookie was warm and tasty with chocolate ice cream. The creme brulee was a treat, really strong of pistachio flavor in a good way. The desserts may have been a touch small, but nothing that made me want to flip the table over and begin bellowing "Shenanigans!" in the middle of the restaurant.
So overall, a good experience at Ceres' Table. Nothing to complain about, and a few things to really be excited about.
Ceres' Table
4882 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 878-4882
HCH Rating - 4 stars
HCH Review of Chizakaya Japanese Pub
I have never been to Tokyo. I have never sat in a smoky izakaya next to a Japanese businessman drinking himself into oblivion with a side of chicken skin. So for all I know this might be the most inauthentic place ever to call itself an izakaya.
And I don't care.
The dishes were almost all hits, with a few misses. And the service was attentive and friendly throughout. I'm sure it helped that we were there on a Thursday night in winter, but bad service will manifest itself even if you're the only party in the restaurant.
We were seated in the front room. I really liked the mural-style painting on the walls and thought they added a nice touch of color to an otherwise cool and somewhat dark room. The back room looked much brighter and sounded a bit more raucous, but we didn't get a chance to check that out. Next time.
And there will be a next time. Because there were some dishes that demanded attention.
They started us with a bowl of complimentary miso soup. This was okay. It was very nice to have a bowl of warm soup after being in the cold. Simultaneously a bit bland and yet a bit overly salty. As Homer Simpson might say it was a perfectly cromulent soup.
Life got better with the next batch of dishes. The puffed pigs ears with togarashi were a salty, spicy, crunchy, porky pile of wonderful. My lips were numb and my tongue was happy after going through a bowl of what pork rinds dream of growing up to become.
As we finished the pork the duck confit croquettes arrived. These were topped with small cubes of asian pear. This is important, because this helped make these the best part of the meal. The pear helped give the dish a sweetness that made this deep fried candy. Seriously, these are just wonderful. The contrast of the duck flavor with the pear, all against the breading and slightly greasy goodness from being fried is just excellent.
Next came a skewer with a small amount of wagyu beef, a little bit of wasabi, and a lime to squeeze atop. The lime and wasabi combined to almost make the dish taste like something out of a Mexican restaurant. Spicy and a little tart, along with the soft and juicy meat. This was a hit.
Somewhat less inspiring were the chicken meatballs. I loved the warm egg yolk to dip the meatballs in. And if I had these as a first plate I might have been more impressed. But after the 1-2-3 punch of the puffed ears, the duck croquettes, and the wagyu-wasabi, this seemed a bit bland and uninspired.
A few more skewers followed. The wagyu cheek was unrepentantly meaty and almost like eating chicharrones. And that's a good thing. The baby octopus skewer was the only dish we tried that did nothing for us. The flavor was okay, but the texture was just too unappealing. Unless you have a deep love of squid I would say to try other things. Like the chicken skin skewers. Perfect for anyone who has been yelled at for pulling the skins off all the pieces of fried chicken before anyone could get their pieces. I could have eaten about 10 of these.
We finished with a bowl of squash bisque with lemon, Japanese curry, and blue crab. This was excellent. The lemon was a flavor I didn't expect to work with the squash bisque, but it was a winner. It flitted through the taste of the squash and crab, giving a brightness to the otherwise hearty and earthy flavors of the dish.
For the amount of food we had, the quality of the food, and the attentive service I felt like the price was totally within reason. The most expensive thing was the bisque at a whopping $9. Certainly if you come in looking to fill up to the point of bloating it could get expensive, but there's nothing wrong with being able to walk to your car instead of being rolled there.
I hope this place makes it, because we had a great meal here.
Chizakaya Japanese Pub
3056 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 697-4725
HCH rating - 4 stars
And I don't care.
The dishes were almost all hits, with a few misses. And the service was attentive and friendly throughout. I'm sure it helped that we were there on a Thursday night in winter, but bad service will manifest itself even if you're the only party in the restaurant.
We were seated in the front room. I really liked the mural-style painting on the walls and thought they added a nice touch of color to an otherwise cool and somewhat dark room. The back room looked much brighter and sounded a bit more raucous, but we didn't get a chance to check that out. Next time.
And there will be a next time. Because there were some dishes that demanded attention.
They started us with a bowl of complimentary miso soup. This was okay. It was very nice to have a bowl of warm soup after being in the cold. Simultaneously a bit bland and yet a bit overly salty. As Homer Simpson might say it was a perfectly cromulent soup.
Life got better with the next batch of dishes. The puffed pigs ears with togarashi were a salty, spicy, crunchy, porky pile of wonderful. My lips were numb and my tongue was happy after going through a bowl of what pork rinds dream of growing up to become.
As we finished the pork the duck confit croquettes arrived. These were topped with small cubes of asian pear. This is important, because this helped make these the best part of the meal. The pear helped give the dish a sweetness that made this deep fried candy. Seriously, these are just wonderful. The contrast of the duck flavor with the pear, all against the breading and slightly greasy goodness from being fried is just excellent.
Next came a skewer with a small amount of wagyu beef, a little bit of wasabi, and a lime to squeeze atop. The lime and wasabi combined to almost make the dish taste like something out of a Mexican restaurant. Spicy and a little tart, along with the soft and juicy meat. This was a hit.
Somewhat less inspiring were the chicken meatballs. I loved the warm egg yolk to dip the meatballs in. And if I had these as a first plate I might have been more impressed. But after the 1-2-3 punch of the puffed ears, the duck croquettes, and the wagyu-wasabi, this seemed a bit bland and uninspired.
A few more skewers followed. The wagyu cheek was unrepentantly meaty and almost like eating chicharrones. And that's a good thing. The baby octopus skewer was the only dish we tried that did nothing for us. The flavor was okay, but the texture was just too unappealing. Unless you have a deep love of squid I would say to try other things. Like the chicken skin skewers. Perfect for anyone who has been yelled at for pulling the skins off all the pieces of fried chicken before anyone could get their pieces. I could have eaten about 10 of these.
We finished with a bowl of squash bisque with lemon, Japanese curry, and blue crab. This was excellent. The lemon was a flavor I didn't expect to work with the squash bisque, but it was a winner. It flitted through the taste of the squash and crab, giving a brightness to the otherwise hearty and earthy flavors of the dish.
For the amount of food we had, the quality of the food, and the attentive service I felt like the price was totally within reason. The most expensive thing was the bisque at a whopping $9. Certainly if you come in looking to fill up to the point of bloating it could get expensive, but there's nothing wrong with being able to walk to your car instead of being rolled there.
I hope this place makes it, because we had a great meal here.
Chizakaya Japanese Pub
3056 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 697-4725
HCH rating - 4 stars
HCH Review of Schwa
This spring, after eating at The French Laundry, I told the mrs. that I would never eat a meal this good again in my life. When we finished eating at Schwa last Saturday night, it was the first time I've had to ponder that statement and wonder if it is still true. I can safely say this is by far the best meal I've ever eaten in a t-shirt and blue jeans.
Schwa was originally my second choice for the evening. I was celebrating my birthday and originally was going to visit Alinea. But even 6 weeks beforehand they couldn't accommodate my reservation. When I called Schwa I was stunned that not only did they pick up the phone on the second ring, but they had a table available on the Saturday night I was looking for. I figured that had to be a good omen, so when Alinea called the night before our dinner and said a table had opened up I declined the offer and stuck with the Schwa reservation. I am very happy I made that choice.
Taking a cue from some of the Yelpers who have brought libations for the kitchen we made sure to pick up a bottle of Jameson for the staff while we were wine shopping for the evening. The chef who was our primary server for the night seemed quite happy with it, and at the end of the night allowed that the bottle was half empty already.
The atmosphere is truly unique to upscale dining. From the music to the small room to the lack of waitstaff this is something so obviously the singular vision of Michael Carlson. And for what it's worth our service was excellent. When we got there the place was almost empty, so the chefs serving us had more time to talk and relax. As the room filled the service became a bit less casual and relaxed, but was still high quality. A few dish descriptions were a bit rushed, but those were the dishes served by Chef Carlson, and he is a damn busy man in the kitchen.
We brought three bottles of wine (shamelessly lifted from Alpana Singh's blog post on what wine to bring to Schwa), and they did a great job of pairing them up with the courses. When they served extra courses not listed on the menu they gave us a wine from their stock that they felt would work well with the dishes. And it went great. I was intimidated by the BYO concept, but it turned out to be both a great money-saver and really didn't diminish the experience in any way.
The food was awe-inspiring. The quail-egg ravioli is the sort of thing that puts you in a post-coital sort of bliss after you finish it. I just sat in my chair trying to savor every last sensation from that wonderful treat. The peeky-toe crab with candied plantains was wonderful and brought together flavors I never would have put together in perfect harmony.
Out of 11 courses, I can honestly say only one wasn't at least very good. The cucumber juice with tapioca pearls, while a nice concept, wasn't wonderful. It was pleasant enough, and a nice way to get the palate going for the meal, but it feels like a baby step before Chef Carlson's food begins to stride across the plates like a gastronomic Godzilla.
By any standard this was a top-flight dining experience. When you consider that after tax gratuity, and with the cost of the wine and whiskey we purchased, our total cost for two people was just around $350, this might be the single best deal in upscale dining I've ever heard of.
Go here now. And bring me back some quail-egg ravioli. That was f'n awesome.
(edit: on reservations, I've been able to get right through to them twice now calling around 11AM. Both times picked up on the 2nd or 3rd ring, and a reservation set up right then and there.)
Schwa
1466 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-1466
HCH rating - 5 stars (really a million billion stars, but 5 will have to do)
Schwa was originally my second choice for the evening. I was celebrating my birthday and originally was going to visit Alinea. But even 6 weeks beforehand they couldn't accommodate my reservation. When I called Schwa I was stunned that not only did they pick up the phone on the second ring, but they had a table available on the Saturday night I was looking for. I figured that had to be a good omen, so when Alinea called the night before our dinner and said a table had opened up I declined the offer and stuck with the Schwa reservation. I am very happy I made that choice.
Taking a cue from some of the Yelpers who have brought libations for the kitchen we made sure to pick up a bottle of Jameson for the staff while we were wine shopping for the evening. The chef who was our primary server for the night seemed quite happy with it, and at the end of the night allowed that the bottle was half empty already.
The atmosphere is truly unique to upscale dining. From the music to the small room to the lack of waitstaff this is something so obviously the singular vision of Michael Carlson. And for what it's worth our service was excellent. When we got there the place was almost empty, so the chefs serving us had more time to talk and relax. As the room filled the service became a bit less casual and relaxed, but was still high quality. A few dish descriptions were a bit rushed, but those were the dishes served by Chef Carlson, and he is a damn busy man in the kitchen.
We brought three bottles of wine (shamelessly lifted from Alpana Singh's blog post on what wine to bring to Schwa), and they did a great job of pairing them up with the courses. When they served extra courses not listed on the menu they gave us a wine from their stock that they felt would work well with the dishes. And it went great. I was intimidated by the BYO concept, but it turned out to be both a great money-saver and really didn't diminish the experience in any way.
The food was awe-inspiring. The quail-egg ravioli is the sort of thing that puts you in a post-coital sort of bliss after you finish it. I just sat in my chair trying to savor every last sensation from that wonderful treat. The peeky-toe crab with candied plantains was wonderful and brought together flavors I never would have put together in perfect harmony.
Out of 11 courses, I can honestly say only one wasn't at least very good. The cucumber juice with tapioca pearls, while a nice concept, wasn't wonderful. It was pleasant enough, and a nice way to get the palate going for the meal, but it feels like a baby step before Chef Carlson's food begins to stride across the plates like a gastronomic Godzilla.
By any standard this was a top-flight dining experience. When you consider that after tax gratuity, and with the cost of the wine and whiskey we purchased, our total cost for two people was just around $350, this might be the single best deal in upscale dining I've ever heard of.
Go here now. And bring me back some quail-egg ravioli. That was f'n awesome.
(edit: on reservations, I've been able to get right through to them twice now calling around 11AM. Both times picked up on the 2nd or 3rd ring, and a reservation set up right then and there.)
Schwa
1466 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-1466
HCH rating - 5 stars (really a million billion stars, but 5 will have to do)
HCH Review of David Burke's Primehouse
This is a review about meat. My parents are meat people. Oh they'll have side dishes and appetizers and desserts. They'll have something with a different sort of preparation if it is presented to them. But when they wanted to have dinner down in the Loop/near North Side area (they are of the suburban variety) they wanted meat. Unadorned and well-aged hunks of steak. So I gave them the David Burke's menu. They began drooling. That made the decision making process simple.
The appetizers at DB's are excellent. The Kobe Beef Sashimi by itself is tasty and is of course meaty. But the truffle mayo that comes with the dish, and the mushroom chips are what make it addictive. The truffle mayo could probably be put in a soft drink cup and drank as the most decadent and heart attacky shake ever. The crab cake is another dish that begins with a solid but not amazing core. But the mango-mayo is just so incredibly bright and refreshing that it lifts the entire dish.
But enough of this frippery. This is a review of meat. And the meat is certainly noteworthy. The four of us at dinner decided to each try a different cut so that we could compare notes and try a little of each other's selections. My thoughts on each:
- "South Side" filet mignon, bone-in: I am unsure how long this cut is aged for. I don't believe very long. This cut was very good, but nothing out of the ordinary.
- 35-day aged Kansas City sirloin: My wife had this steak. In contrast to the more aged cuts that others had this steak seemed very young. It had a freshness and a juiciness that made me wonder if there was a cow walking around in the back just missing a chunk from its body. It is odd, because I suspect this was aged much longer than the South Side filet, but seemed less so.
- 55 day aged Ribeye: This was the cut our waiter suggested as the best piece of meat they had. This might be the most pure meat selection you can get at DB's. It might be the most pure meat selection you can get in the city come to think of it. It tasted like someone took 3 steaks and somehow pushed them all together, bending the very laws of time and space, and thus created a MEGA-STEAK. This tasted like meat as meat should be.
- 75 day aged ribeye: This was my cut of meat. As I told the server, it was time to try climbing meat mountain. You rarely get a steak that is described the way one might describe a wine, with the various hints and notes of other flavors to be alert for. But this seemed fitting with this piece. I've never had a steak so supple, so giving to the knife. The fat of the steak melted in my mouth upon touching my teeth and palate. I think the texture may have been more interesting and satisfying than the taste. Not to sell the taste short. The moment when I picked up a blue cheese like flavor in the meat was surprising and wonderful. I recommend this cut to any meat devotee to try at least once. It might not be the most satisfying steak you'll ever eat in terms of meaty goodness, but it is something unique. I've had a LOT of steak in my lifetime, and I can honestly say this cut was something new to me.
The desserts there are quite tasty. The King, with its bacon peanut brittle and tempura fried bananas is absurd in its flavor combinations and absolutely wonderful for ending the meal. The Salted Caramel ice cream was an unexpected treat.
Service was on par with what you would expect in terms of food and wine knowledge. The staff did acquit themselves very well with a few small instances. When my folks were lamenting not being able to bring leftovers to their most favored children of the canine variety due to being on their way to a show after dinner, the server offered to keep their leftovers refrigerated for pickup after their show. When they realized they had left their reading glasses in their coats, the hostess quickly retrieved the glasses for my folks, saving me from having to read the menu aloud to them for which I was very grateful.
In a city with a lot of meat, and a lot of places to eat it, DB's is certainly worthy of being in the upper tier of choices. The dry-aged cuts are worth the notice of any meat connoisseur who fancies themselves a black belt carnivore. You're going to pay here (our tab was around $150 a person at the end of the night), but really, what steakhouse worth your time is going to be a cheap night out?
And one more thing. MEAT!
David Burke's Primehouse
616 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 660-6000
HCH rating - 4 stars
The appetizers at DB's are excellent. The Kobe Beef Sashimi by itself is tasty and is of course meaty. But the truffle mayo that comes with the dish, and the mushroom chips are what make it addictive. The truffle mayo could probably be put in a soft drink cup and drank as the most decadent and heart attacky shake ever. The crab cake is another dish that begins with a solid but not amazing core. But the mango-mayo is just so incredibly bright and refreshing that it lifts the entire dish.
But enough of this frippery. This is a review of meat. And the meat is certainly noteworthy. The four of us at dinner decided to each try a different cut so that we could compare notes and try a little of each other's selections. My thoughts on each:
- "South Side" filet mignon, bone-in: I am unsure how long this cut is aged for. I don't believe very long. This cut was very good, but nothing out of the ordinary.
- 35-day aged Kansas City sirloin: My wife had this steak. In contrast to the more aged cuts that others had this steak seemed very young. It had a freshness and a juiciness that made me wonder if there was a cow walking around in the back just missing a chunk from its body. It is odd, because I suspect this was aged much longer than the South Side filet, but seemed less so.
- 55 day aged Ribeye: This was the cut our waiter suggested as the best piece of meat they had. This might be the most pure meat selection you can get at DB's. It might be the most pure meat selection you can get in the city come to think of it. It tasted like someone took 3 steaks and somehow pushed them all together, bending the very laws of time and space, and thus created a MEGA-STEAK. This tasted like meat as meat should be.
- 75 day aged ribeye: This was my cut of meat. As I told the server, it was time to try climbing meat mountain. You rarely get a steak that is described the way one might describe a wine, with the various hints and notes of other flavors to be alert for. But this seemed fitting with this piece. I've never had a steak so supple, so giving to the knife. The fat of the steak melted in my mouth upon touching my teeth and palate. I think the texture may have been more interesting and satisfying than the taste. Not to sell the taste short. The moment when I picked up a blue cheese like flavor in the meat was surprising and wonderful. I recommend this cut to any meat devotee to try at least once. It might not be the most satisfying steak you'll ever eat in terms of meaty goodness, but it is something unique. I've had a LOT of steak in my lifetime, and I can honestly say this cut was something new to me.
The desserts there are quite tasty. The King, with its bacon peanut brittle and tempura fried bananas is absurd in its flavor combinations and absolutely wonderful for ending the meal. The Salted Caramel ice cream was an unexpected treat.
Service was on par with what you would expect in terms of food and wine knowledge. The staff did acquit themselves very well with a few small instances. When my folks were lamenting not being able to bring leftovers to their most favored children of the canine variety due to being on their way to a show after dinner, the server offered to keep their leftovers refrigerated for pickup after their show. When they realized they had left their reading glasses in their coats, the hostess quickly retrieved the glasses for my folks, saving me from having to read the menu aloud to them for which I was very grateful.
In a city with a lot of meat, and a lot of places to eat it, DB's is certainly worthy of being in the upper tier of choices. The dry-aged cuts are worth the notice of any meat connoisseur who fancies themselves a black belt carnivore. You're going to pay here (our tab was around $150 a person at the end of the night), but really, what steakhouse worth your time is going to be a cheap night out?
And one more thing. MEAT!
David Burke's Primehouse
616 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 660-6000
HCH rating - 4 stars
HCH Review of Piccolo Sogno
Many of you have likely known someone for whom English was not their first language. The sort of person who has been here a long time and by now they know the language and they're totally able to communicate. But something about the way they speak is just not quite right. That was Piccolo Sogno. They want to speak fine dining, but they just can't get the details right, those details that really make an experience great.
Things started off nicely with the very friendly hostess and coat check lady taking care of our coats. Then it happened. Now, we went there at 5:30. There were no more than 6 diners total in the entire property. Yet the hostess walks us over to a corner in the outdoor area that has the canvas weatherproof structure enclosing it. And puts us in the corner of that section. Now I understand there are seating plans and all that. But if you want to be a high-end restaurant, you just don't stick patrons in a glorified tent. You especially do not do it when you're walking them through an otherwise empty indoor seating area to seat them out in that area. If you're not going to just suck it up and give up those few extra tables during the winter, at least make those tables the overflow ones, not the first options for seating. It essentially tells the patrons "you are not important."
Now had the service been excellent and the food transcendent all of this would have most likely been moot. And as the first course was cleared away it seemed like this was a very good possibility. We went with the chickpea flour fries and the Riboletta al Delfina. The chickpea fries were wonderfully creamy on the inside but with a fried polenta like texture on the outside. The Riboletta was delightful and unique. At this point the service had also been top notch. After this first course was finished and our plates were cleared away I felt like I could totally deal with being shunted into the outdoor area.
Then it all started to slip. The pacing was just awful. The wait between the first and second course was nearly a half hour. Our server, so solicitous and on point early on, showed off some magician tendencies by disappearing for very long periods. By the time the food arrived for the second course our appetites had waned somewhat due to the long interval. Honestly this was not a tragedy by any means, as the main courses were nothing special. The Porchetta was decent, with the rosemary potatoes being nice for lack of a better word. The Paglia with veal ragu was at best competent. Nothing that showed any great imagination or way with flavors. It tasted like a lot of other Italian food I've eaten of the years.
At this point sitting in the shaky (lots of trucks on Halsted that make the outside room rumble), chilly, unloved outdoor area we really just wanted to get our desserts and go. But nothing happens fast here. In fact nothing happens at all for very long periods. Despite a waitstaff to customer ratio of seemingly 1:1 the wait for everything is excruciating. Another nearly half hour wait from clearing our second courses to dessert ensued. I would have asked our server to hurry things up, but he was rarely to be seen, and when he was he scurried around too quickly to catch.
Dessert was another course of disappointment. I was served a trio of gelato that no one even bothered to explain which flavors were which. To contrast this to the detailed and highly enthused explanation about the house made gelatos/sorbets we received yesterday at Cafe Spiaggia just made it seem all the more lacking. The Tortino cake was almost totally flavorless and the heated plate meant that half of the gelato was melted before it could be consumed.
Yet another excruciating wait for the check allowed me to survey the outer room. It seemed like the outcast area. Everyone who they either didn't want to deal with or who seemed poor ended up out here. From the prototypical business douches (the kind who love to talk very loudly about the many highly important deals they were involved in that day) to the other younger looking patrons to the couple with the baby to the guy who looked like he was there with his favorite escort. This just made me even more annoyed with this place and ready to hurry up and leave with no intention of ever coming back.
This is the good thing about Restaurant Week. Not only do you get to try places that will become new favorites, but you get to try places fairly cheaply that you will never need to waste big $$$ on in the future. Piccolo Sogno is definitely in the latter category. I would have gone one star but the appetizers were really good. I suppose if you went there, sat at the bar, and ordered appetizers this could be a decent experience. But for dinner...no thank you.
Or maybe...thank you?
Shortly after posting this review I was contacted by one of the owners of Piccolo Sogno. He was very concerned with what I had written about his establishment, and wanted to make it up to me. So at some point in the near future I will be going back to try his restaurant again. If the experience is better I will be happy to say so. However a better experience does not change what happened. It may change something minor like a star rating, but the story would only be added on to, not altered.
Piccolo Sogno
464 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 421-0077
HCH Rating - 2 stars...for now.
Things started off nicely with the very friendly hostess and coat check lady taking care of our coats. Then it happened. Now, we went there at 5:30. There were no more than 6 diners total in the entire property. Yet the hostess walks us over to a corner in the outdoor area that has the canvas weatherproof structure enclosing it. And puts us in the corner of that section. Now I understand there are seating plans and all that. But if you want to be a high-end restaurant, you just don't stick patrons in a glorified tent. You especially do not do it when you're walking them through an otherwise empty indoor seating area to seat them out in that area. If you're not going to just suck it up and give up those few extra tables during the winter, at least make those tables the overflow ones, not the first options for seating. It essentially tells the patrons "you are not important."
Now had the service been excellent and the food transcendent all of this would have most likely been moot. And as the first course was cleared away it seemed like this was a very good possibility. We went with the chickpea flour fries and the Riboletta al Delfina. The chickpea fries were wonderfully creamy on the inside but with a fried polenta like texture on the outside. The Riboletta was delightful and unique. At this point the service had also been top notch. After this first course was finished and our plates were cleared away I felt like I could totally deal with being shunted into the outdoor area.
Then it all started to slip. The pacing was just awful. The wait between the first and second course was nearly a half hour. Our server, so solicitous and on point early on, showed off some magician tendencies by disappearing for very long periods. By the time the food arrived for the second course our appetites had waned somewhat due to the long interval. Honestly this was not a tragedy by any means, as the main courses were nothing special. The Porchetta was decent, with the rosemary potatoes being nice for lack of a better word. The Paglia with veal ragu was at best competent. Nothing that showed any great imagination or way with flavors. It tasted like a lot of other Italian food I've eaten of the years.
At this point sitting in the shaky (lots of trucks on Halsted that make the outside room rumble), chilly, unloved outdoor area we really just wanted to get our desserts and go. But nothing happens fast here. In fact nothing happens at all for very long periods. Despite a waitstaff to customer ratio of seemingly 1:1 the wait for everything is excruciating. Another nearly half hour wait from clearing our second courses to dessert ensued. I would have asked our server to hurry things up, but he was rarely to be seen, and when he was he scurried around too quickly to catch.
Dessert was another course of disappointment. I was served a trio of gelato that no one even bothered to explain which flavors were which. To contrast this to the detailed and highly enthused explanation about the house made gelatos/sorbets we received yesterday at Cafe Spiaggia just made it seem all the more lacking. The Tortino cake was almost totally flavorless and the heated plate meant that half of the gelato was melted before it could be consumed.
Yet another excruciating wait for the check allowed me to survey the outer room. It seemed like the outcast area. Everyone who they either didn't want to deal with or who seemed poor ended up out here. From the prototypical business douches (the kind who love to talk very loudly about the many highly important deals they were involved in that day) to the other younger looking patrons to the couple with the baby to the guy who looked like he was there with his favorite escort. This just made me even more annoyed with this place and ready to hurry up and leave with no intention of ever coming back.
This is the good thing about Restaurant Week. Not only do you get to try places that will become new favorites, but you get to try places fairly cheaply that you will never need to waste big $$$ on in the future. Piccolo Sogno is definitely in the latter category. I would have gone one star but the appetizers were really good. I suppose if you went there, sat at the bar, and ordered appetizers this could be a decent experience. But for dinner...no thank you.
Or maybe...thank you?
Shortly after posting this review I was contacted by one of the owners of Piccolo Sogno. He was very concerned with what I had written about his establishment, and wanted to make it up to me. So at some point in the near future I will be going back to try his restaurant again. If the experience is better I will be happy to say so. However a better experience does not change what happened. It may change something minor like a star rating, but the story would only be added on to, not altered.
Piccolo Sogno
464 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 421-0077
HCH Rating - 2 stars...for now.
HCH Review of Chalkboard
This was a kind of odd experience, and I feel like of all the reviews I've done on Yelp this is the most likely to end up with an update after I go there again.
The wife and I were going to check out somewhere in Logan Sq. but after spending about 4 hours (approximately) driving in circles I gave up and headed for the more familiar environment of Lincoln Avenue. We popped in on a whim at 7:30 on a Friday night, fully prepared to be quoted a long wait or simply be told to try another night. Instead we were seated pretty much immediately.
When reviewing a restaurant, how does one rate the service if it is apparent that they are capable of very good service, only you are not actually the beneficiary of said good service? For instance, we knew what was in nearly every dish on the menu. Why? Because the table next to us had an very detail-oriented and patient waiter who explained things without prompting, so we knew that the tomato bisque included small sandwiches, and what the sauce was on the scallops. Our waiter never told us any of this. He was very friendly and pleasant, and if we asked a question he answered. He did drop off the check multiple times before we finished eating, which after the second time begins to feel like maybe he's not just absent-minded but perhaps passive-aggressively trying to nudge us out the door. Also the second time our bill was brought seemingly because they forgot to serve us the dessert we ordered and were charged for. So I'm torn. I guess I'll go back and hope to draw the long straw that comes with the really good service.
And I will come back. Because the food was good. Really good. Close to great in fact. I had fried chicken with buttermilk mashed potatoes and sausage gravy. It was perfect. Juicy with a crispy flavorful skin on the chicken. The potatoes and sausage gravy were rich and not at all skimping on the sausage.
My wife had the tomato bisque and the scallops. The tomato bisque really tasted like tomato, with a pleasant amount of spice to go with the creaminess of the soup. Along with the soup came two small grilled cheese sandwiches, with blue cheese on thick brioche toast. These were so perfect for dipping in the soup I half suspect that one day the chef here walked into the kitchen and found the recipe and the finished product sitting on the counter with a golden glow about them and a choir of angels singing in the background. The scallops I assume were good as when I tried to reach over with my fork to get a taste my wife stabbed me in the hand with her fork while growing unintelligibly and pulling the plate close to her chest.
I am only slightly exaggerating her reaction to the scallops by the way. I think if she could legally do so she would divorce me and marry a plate of the scallops.
For dessert we had a chocolate eggroll which wasn't bad, but wasn't the sensual delight I envisioned in my mind. I think this may have been a case where the dish isn't to blame so much as my imagination.
We enjoyed the look of the room. It felt kind of like being in a full-size version of one of the miniature houses down in the basement of the Art Institute. I envisioned a giant pan-dimensional space baby looking through the window and seeing us moving around like meaty little ants. That briefly worried me, but then the bisque came and it was all good.
So, Chalkboard, what to do with you? Your excellent food and capability for great service entice me to return. Your capability for not-so-great service and being ushered out after our appetizer make me reluctant to do so. I think the food will win out though. I can deal with not being wanted, as long as I'm not being starved. I hope to return and have even better things to say in the future.
Chalkboard
4343 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 477-7144
HCH Rating - 3 stars
The wife and I were going to check out somewhere in Logan Sq. but after spending about 4 hours (approximately) driving in circles I gave up and headed for the more familiar environment of Lincoln Avenue. We popped in on a whim at 7:30 on a Friday night, fully prepared to be quoted a long wait or simply be told to try another night. Instead we were seated pretty much immediately.
When reviewing a restaurant, how does one rate the service if it is apparent that they are capable of very good service, only you are not actually the beneficiary of said good service? For instance, we knew what was in nearly every dish on the menu. Why? Because the table next to us had an very detail-oriented and patient waiter who explained things without prompting, so we knew that the tomato bisque included small sandwiches, and what the sauce was on the scallops. Our waiter never told us any of this. He was very friendly and pleasant, and if we asked a question he answered. He did drop off the check multiple times before we finished eating, which after the second time begins to feel like maybe he's not just absent-minded but perhaps passive-aggressively trying to nudge us out the door. Also the second time our bill was brought seemingly because they forgot to serve us the dessert we ordered and were charged for. So I'm torn. I guess I'll go back and hope to draw the long straw that comes with the really good service.
And I will come back. Because the food was good. Really good. Close to great in fact. I had fried chicken with buttermilk mashed potatoes and sausage gravy. It was perfect. Juicy with a crispy flavorful skin on the chicken. The potatoes and sausage gravy were rich and not at all skimping on the sausage.
My wife had the tomato bisque and the scallops. The tomato bisque really tasted like tomato, with a pleasant amount of spice to go with the creaminess of the soup. Along with the soup came two small grilled cheese sandwiches, with blue cheese on thick brioche toast. These were so perfect for dipping in the soup I half suspect that one day the chef here walked into the kitchen and found the recipe and the finished product sitting on the counter with a golden glow about them and a choir of angels singing in the background. The scallops I assume were good as when I tried to reach over with my fork to get a taste my wife stabbed me in the hand with her fork while growing unintelligibly and pulling the plate close to her chest.
I am only slightly exaggerating her reaction to the scallops by the way. I think if she could legally do so she would divorce me and marry a plate of the scallops.
For dessert we had a chocolate eggroll which wasn't bad, but wasn't the sensual delight I envisioned in my mind. I think this may have been a case where the dish isn't to blame so much as my imagination.
We enjoyed the look of the room. It felt kind of like being in a full-size version of one of the miniature houses down in the basement of the Art Institute. I envisioned a giant pan-dimensional space baby looking through the window and seeing us moving around like meaty little ants. That briefly worried me, but then the bisque came and it was all good.
So, Chalkboard, what to do with you? Your excellent food and capability for great service entice me to return. Your capability for not-so-great service and being ushered out after our appetizer make me reluctant to do so. I think the food will win out though. I can deal with not being wanted, as long as I'm not being starved. I hope to return and have even better things to say in the future.
Chalkboard
4343 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 477-7144
HCH Rating - 3 stars
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