Chicago Bites | Chicago Restaurant Reviews | Chicago Podcast

Kuma's Corner - Worth the Wait?

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0600

Add sliced Jalapenos, Pancetta, Pepper Jack, Gardinera Mayo and you have the makings for a Mayhem Burger.

Yesterday, we waited in line 80 minutes for a chance at Kuma's Heavy Metal-inspired burgers and outrageously good mac-n-cheese. On a bright, crisp day with a lively group of friends, that wait flies by. But on other days it might seem a chore.

What's the longest you've waited for a table at your favorite restaurant? Let us know if you think 80 minutes is out-of-line.

Kuma's Corner - closed on July 4th!
2900 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL

Listen to our review of Kuma's Corner here.

Los Moles Quick Bite

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:00:32 -0600

The shrimp at Los Moles looks great.

Los Moles is a good place to dine on a dime. In addition to a variety of affordable a la carte items, Lakeview’s newest addition to the mole scene offers a $40 five-course prix-fixe menu daily that’s an absolute steal. You’ll taste what’s best on the monthly menu when you let the chef take the wheel.

Los Moles is currently a BYOB, which also helps to keep a few more dollars in your pocket, although an impressive bar lines one wall of the oblong dining space, so bringing your own liquor may not be an option for long.

After I had a full-sized appetizer, salad, meat entrée, seafood entrée, and dessert, I waddled out of Los Moles completely satisfied with my meal and feeling like I’d gotten much more than my money’s worth. My dining companion had the prix-fixe menu too, and since we were served different dishes throughout, we made our way through a total of ten different menu items in one sitting!

Overall, the food is good at Los Moles, but some dishes are certainly better than others. The standouts for me included a dark chili flavored soup called Sopa Azteca, and the seafood special topped with green mole sauce. I also liked the white mole sauce I sampled. It’s a creamy blend of almonds, pine nuts, yellow peppers, white chocolate, golden raisins and white pepper that’s not overly sweet, and I haven’t found it anywhere else. It’s definitely worth a taste.

However, I’d steer clear of the shrimp with mole sauce. I’ve had it twice now, and it looks better than it tastes. Both times it was over cooked and served with too much sauce. Everything else I’ve tried on the menu falls somewhere in between the extremes, turning in a solid, if not spectacular performance.

The dining area is dimly lit, but still manages to have a friendly vibe, and the staff is attentive, but the service is a little slow. Still, this new kid on the block is worth a try. Los Moles is just getting on its feet, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s a good bet for the price.

Los Moles
3140 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 935-9620
Get directions

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Frontera Grill
Mixteco Grill

Been to Los Moles? What did you think? Drop us a line via Twitter: @chicagobites.

Taste of Chicago

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0600

Scenes from this year's Taste of Chicago.

You have until July 5 to enjoy the Taste of Chicago. We have a few tips and tricks to make the most of your experience:

Stop by the Toyota tent and spin the wheel first. You have a chance of winning free food tickets and other prizes.
Buy your own drinks and handi-wipes before heading over to the Taste. Napkins are scarce & the beverage tents are overpriced.
If you need to renew your driver's license, the Secretary of State's office has a booth. It takes 10 minutes!
Forget the concerts and food demos! The real entertainment is watching out-of-towners try to eat turkey legs and corn-on-the-cob at the same time.
Unless it's overcast like today, you should wear a hat. There is virtually no shade at the Taste..
The Original Rainbow Cone is still the best dessert at the Taste!

See more Taste of Chicago photos. Enjoy!

International Nights at Map Room

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0600

Want a wide-ranging beer selection? Head to the Map Room.

If it's Tuesday, then you can look forward to International Nite at the Map Room. Every week they cater a different cuisine from area restaurants. Recent choices included Israeli from Taboun Grill , Costa Rican from Irazú, and Soul food from CJ's Eatery.

Plate of Nigerian food catered by Iyanze.

Last week was Nigerian night and I got a plate loaded with rice & plantains, greens and ground beef in a pastry shell. In turns, it was greasy, spicy and bland, but went well with the two beers I had to buy to get the free food. Not to say that buying beer here is a problem, because it's not -- the selection is excellent. I quaffed the Metropolitan Flywheel Bright Lager which is on special this month for $4/pint and a Triple Karmeliet that they have on draft.

If you like good beer and want a chance to try ethnic cuisine on the cheap, Map Room should be on your list of places to try.

Get there early to grab a table. It gets crowded!

Map Room
1949 N. Hoyne
Chicago, IL 60647

Smoque and Smoke Daddy Quick Bite

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:30:19 -0600

With the fourth right around the corner, and summertime in full swing, I’ve been craving BBQ. That's why over the past few weeks I’ve sampled some of Chicago’s best! Here are just a few thoughts about Smoque and Smoke Daddy, the two places I’ve been to most recently:

Smoque has a good catering service. I ordered enough food from there a few weeks ago to feed a small army and was really happy with the result. The order was correct, ready on time for pick-up, and packaged beautifully. The food was even warm when we ate it.

Smoque and Smoke Daddy both serve up standout mac and cheese. Who knew such tasty cheese creations could be found among mounds of roast beast? Smoque has the better version with it’s crispy bread crumb topping, while the three-cheese blend at Smoke Daddy tries to do a little too much.

Note to self: Save room for entrées at Smoke Daddy. The starters there, like the pulled pork nachos (pictured), are so appetizing that it’s easy to fill up before the “official” meal begins. Hold out for the ribs. They’re well worth the wait.

Smoke Daddy is the better place of the two to linger for a while. It features live music seven nights a week and has outdoor seating. Smoque’s “order-at-the-counter” setup isn’t as conducive to sticking around.

If you like beer, Smoke Daddy has some good choices. But if you’re more of a BYOB person, Smoque is definitely your speed. Sure, you’ll be drinking wine out of a paper cup, but when it’s paired with simply outstanding food, it doesn’t matter a bit.

The sauces served at Smoque and Smoke Daddy are strikingly different, but the meat is so perfectly prepared at both places that you can’t go wrong with a visit to either one. In the end it comes down to personal preference. If you’re craving BBQ, put them both on your list!

Smoque BBQ
3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641-3197
(773) 545-7427
Get directions

Smoke Daddy Restaurant
1804 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622-6810
(773) 772-6656
Get directions

Mitsuwa Marketplace

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0600

Noodles are a popular choice at the food court.

We trekked out to Arlington Heights over the weekend to browse the aisles of Mitsuwa Marketplace and to grab a bit of lunch at the food court. Even though Mitsuwa is a Japanese chain, they have Korean and Chinese shops in their court yard as well as hamburgers and ice cream. Looking around the food court, most patrons came for the steaming ramen or cheap sushi.

The udon noodles with prawns were served brutally hot and came with a side of pickles.

One of the problems with the food court is that almost all of the food stations are cash only. However, the sushi station is run by the grocery store, so you can grab some sushi and then go through the check-out line before joining your friends. I like to do this because it gives me a chance to pick-up one of the many odd-ball drinks from their beverage cooler. My favorites are the fruit sodas sealed with glass marbles that you're supposed to pushed into the bottle. Rattle + drink, what could be better?

A variety-pack of sushi is priced to sell but isn't the best quality available.

You should definitely eat at the food court first even though the food quality is about the same as an American food court. Eat so you don't load your shopping cart full of Strawberry Pocky, salty snacks with dried fish or value packs of miso soup.

The shrimp dumpings were a little bland, but much better than a Happy Meal.

In addition to Japanese housewares and kitchen staples, Mitsuwa has an excellent selection of seafood and produce. We have it on good authority, however, that Tensuke Market in Elk Grove has fresher fish. It's a short drive away from Mitsuwa so you owe it to yourself to do a side-by-side comparison.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
100 E Algonquin Rd
Arlington Hts, IL 60005-4618

Tensuke Market
3 Arlington Heights Rd.
Elk Grove Village, IL

Iron Cupcake Chicago - The Tropical Challenge

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0600

For inspiration try banana cupcakes from Sensational Bites.

The theme for the second Iron Cupcake Chicago has been announced and it's all about tropical flavors! If you've got a great idea, mad baking skillz and an eye for exceptional cupcake presentation, then sign up for the contest. Cupcake glory awaits!

The Iron Cupcake Chicago Challenge will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 6, at Veranda Greek American Taverna, 5700 W Irving Park Rd. Email beautifulcakes@sbcglobal.net for more information or to register.

Missed the first challenge? Want to see how your competition brings it? Check out the Iron Cupcake - Citrus Challenge recap or check out the We Love Chicago Cupcakes Flickr group.

Want more inspiration? Check out our cupcake reviews:
Phoebe's Cupcakes
More Cupcakes
Swirlz Cupcakes

Ode to Black Licorice

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:30:15 -0600

I love black licorice and developed a taste for it as a child from my grandpa. It used to sit right along side the Red Vines in the candy case at the movie theater, and we often shared a bag while watching the latest feature.

But black licorice became scarce as its popularity declined, and eventually we ended up picking through the assortment of jelly beans in my grandma’s candy dish to fish out the black ones and get a hit of that anise-like flavor.

So I was excited when Tammy presented me with two bags of RJ’s Licorice for my Birthday.

To say that RJ’s is good is an understatement. It is by far the best black licorice I’ve ever had! It’s soft, flavorful, and downright addicting. In fact, I munched my way through the first two bags at an alarming rate.

Luckily, T had an additional two bags set aside for me. What’s pictured here is the last of that emergency stash. Good thing I can order more from Amazon!

Now the question is, will this one bag tide me over until the delivery arrives? I’ve eaten three pieces while writing this entry, so I doubt it.

Cyrano's Cafe & Wine Bar on the Riverwalk

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:00 -0600

Cyrano's Cafe sits in a sunny spot along the Chicago River.

Looking for a casual lunch away from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue? Try Cyrano's Cafe. Here you can find a decent selection of sandwiches, quiche and spreads while watching the tour boats go up and down the river. You can't get a glass of tap water at the cafe, but there are bottled drinks as well as a full bar. Cyrano's Cafe is only here through the end of Summer so make a point of stopping by.

A generous whipping of salmon spread.

Cyrano's Cafe & Wine Bar on the Riverwalk
South bank of the Chicago River, between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive

See our review of Cyrano's Bistro.

Jack's on Halsted Quick Bite

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:00:23 -0600

The scallops at Jack's on Halsted are served with cocoa sauce.

We headed to Jack’s on Halsted Friday night with family and friends to get a quick bite before going to the Apollo Theater to see Million Dollar Quartet.

The verdict? Jack's has some decent menu items, but it's not spectacular.

This moderately priced American bistro has been around for ages, so Tammy and I had high hopes for it, but it wasn’t what we expected. Sure, the funky décor complements the flamboyant neighborhood, which makes for a fun atmosphere. But the food is far from cutting edge.

The standard chicken dishes ordered were the best choices on the table, but unfortunately they didn’t sing. And the seafood options we tried were overcooked and overshadowed by odd flavor combos.

We started out with crab cakes for the table to share. They were good but not standout. Then, for the main course I had the pan seared dry pac scallops with vanilla vodka, porcini, cocoa, parmesan cream orchetta pasta and white truffle oil. Cocoa was the dominant ingredient -- the pasta sauce tasted like chocolate sauce and didn’t pair well with the scallops, which were nice on their own.

Tammy had the grilled Nova Scotia salmon with broccolini, roasted sweet peppers, olives, tomatoes and pesto toasted couscous. Just one bite was enough to taste that the peppers and olives completely overwhelmed the fish.

Despite the average food, the service was good -- our waiter was attentive and sensitive to our theater schedule. It’s a good thing! Because on this night the play was the thing. I highly recommend Million Dollar Quartet! The food, on the other hand, turned in a decidedly lackluster performance.

The atmosphere at Jack's is cool.

Jack's on Halsted
3201 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 244-9191
Get directions

	Bridget's Ratings	Tammy's Ratings
Food Quality	3	2
Value	3	2
Service	3	4
Ambiance	3	3
Overall	5	5

Average price per person: $35

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Branch 27
Perennial

Online buzz about Jack's:
Centerstage
TripAdvisor
Zagat

Have thoughts about Jack's on Halsted? Agree or disagree with this review? Drop us a line via Twitter: @chicagobites.

C-House Chicago Bites #141

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:00:00 -0600

Fish tacos are an excellent way to start the meal.

When Bridget's parents came to town, we knew we'd found the perfect excuse to return to C-House. C-House is classy, comfortable, and daring without the weirdness of micro-gastronomy -- in short, the perfect place to impress the folks without breaking the bank. We think it meets exacting foodie muster, too. Listen to the podcast and tell us if you agree.

(15.4 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 - 01:18 That's C-House -- not See House, Custom House, or Sea House
01:19 - 04:50 Lessons in corked wine and fishy appetizers
04:51 - 09:25 Fish, fish, lamb and pig!
09:26 - 10:24 The mac-n-cheese quest continues
10:25 - 14:50 Desserts + breakfast
14:51 - 16:49 Ratings and sign-off

Is the halibut the best entree on the menu? I think it is, yes!

C-House
166 E Superior
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 733-9555
Get directions

	Bridget's Ratings	Tammy's Ratings
Food Quality	5	5
Value	4	4
Service	5	5
Ambiance	4	4
Overall	8	8

Average price per person: $60

Suckling pig comes three ways - cheek, belly, and shoulder.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Devon Seafood Grill
Naha
One Sixty Blue

Online buzz about C-House:
Best of the Best Dining in Chicago
Gaper's Block
Thrillist

Have some thoughts on C-House? Drop us a line via Twitter: @chicagobites.

Try some vegetables with your dessert! The fennel made this dish.

Oasis Cafe for Soup

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0600

Soup? Did someone say soup weather?

I stopped into Oasis Cafe yesterday for some lentil soup to help chase away the June chill. Oasis Cafe, if you don't know it, is in the back of the half-deserted Jeweler's Mall on Wabash. You won't find any tourists here, just the usual mix of office workers, interns, and IT guys grabbing a bit of lunch between meetings.

You'll need to get to Oasis Cafe early if you want a seat -- it's the busiest place in Jeweler's Mall, but don't be afraid to share a table with a total stranger. Yesterday I sat with a couple of guys who had seen all the trashy summer movies I wouldn't pay to go to. I felt caught up by the end of my meal. Win-win.

The lentil soup at Oasis is really good. At other places, I've found lentil soup to be too watery or even too chunky, but not here. Here, the soup was smoothly blended with excellent mouth feel. It had a nice, even consistency with only a smidgen of carrot to break its toasty color. As far as flavor, it's not too salty and has just enough pepper to give it bite and add interest. There are no garnishes or toppings on their soup. It stands as is. For $2.75 with tax, Oasis gives you about a cup and a half and a warm, chewy pita to dip into it. It's served hot, but not too hot to eat -- no unnecessary blowing is required to cool down your lunch.

Oasis Cafe serves other Mediterranean cuisine -- falafel, hummus, and couscous, but hold off on the rest of the menu until the weather improves. Soup is just the thing to chase away the cold.

Yes, there's food in there! Wind your way through the jewelry vendors to get to the cafe at the rear.

Oasis Cafe
12 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60602

Taste of Chicago Preview

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:00:00 -0600

Garrett's Popcorn debuts at this year's Taste of Chicago with its Popcornsicle creation.

Today the City of Chicago hosted a preview of this year's Taste of Chicago at Daley Plaza. New at this year's Taste are Blue Bayou, Garrett Popcorn and Manny's Cafeteria. They were on hand to share their menu along with Taste of Chicago standbys Arya Bhavan (somosas!), Lagniappe and Sabor Latino.

The new layout for the event was announced and includes gated entries and more compact spacing of food booths. The changes were made to help with crowd control. People who work in the city will be delighted to hear about the shuttle service to and from downtown locations. I like the idea of not rushing through lunch hour to get back to the office! And everyone will be happy to hear that restaurant vendors will be offering two different taste portions per booth. This change was made to help make the Taste of Chicago more affordable. Hey, every bit helps, right?

More information about the Taste of Chicago, including maps and schedules of chef appearances, are available at the official site. We plan to go and hope to see you there!

See more photos of the Taste of Chicago Preview here.

Publican Chicago Bites #140

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:30:00 -0600

Sampling beef tongue for the first time was an adventure -- a good one!

Chicagoians are buzzing about Publican, so Tammy and I went with twitter friends @chemgk and @geg5150 to check it out. Long communal trestle tables dominate the dining room and a unique mix of cured meats, seasoned fish, and homemade pickles make up the menu. All this is complemented by a stellar beer list. Listen in to hear what we thought of pork rinds, beef tongue, pickled ramps and more!

(21.8 M)

Show Notes:
00:00 - 01:00 Hype, hype, hype and pork
01:01 - 04:58 Location, old world décor, and communal dining concept
04:59 - 07:41 Beer, glorious beer!
07:42 - 11:50 The menu and starting with mussels, ham, and oysters
11:51 - 13:35 Sardine redemption and education
13:36 - 15:11 Pork rinds -- what are they?
15:12 - 15:55 Pickled ramps etc.
15:56 - 19:55 Chicken, summer sausage, and beef tongue. Yum!
19:56 - 20:50 Waffle dessert
20:51 - 21:00 Wrap-up and sign-off

The pork rinds get high praise from those in the know, but next time we'd take a pass.

Publican
845 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-9555
Get directions

	Bridget's Ratings	Tammy's Ratings
Food Quality	5	5
Value	5	5
Service	4	4
Ambiance	3	2
Overall	8	8

Average price per person: $60

De Cero Taqueria - Another Look

chicagobites@gmail.com (Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0600

Tacos are the specialty at De Cero.

A restaurant in Chicago with staying power has usually got game. And De Cero seems to be holding its own.

Tammy and I first reviewed it roughly three years ago, and when we returned Friday night to celebrate Karen’s Birthday (Yea!) it was bustling, just like it was during our first visit. But did this most recent experience match up with our initial impressions? Does De Cero still have it?

Yes and no.

De Cero is still a solid choice with good service, decent food, and a fun atmosphere. In fact, I think it’s very much what it ever was.

But I wasn’t as impressed with it this time. That’s partly because I’ve eaten a lot more Mexican food over the years, and my tastes have changed. But it’s mostly because the house margaritas weren’t nearly as good as I remembered!

Here are some additional impressions to consider if De Cero is on your to-do list:

De Cero is a good place for a party. The staff does a great job with large groups, both planning for them and taking care of them throughout the evening. Our server even suggested pitches of margaritas to be cost conscious. De Cero also has a very reasonable cake-cutting fee if you want to bring in an outside dessert for a special occasion.

Tacos are the specialty here and there’s lots to choose from! You can order as many or as few as you like in any combination, which is great for portion control. The flank steak taco was my favorite… the tuna was a tad over-cooked.

The sauces are tasty! We liked the salsa verde, guacamole, and the sauce on Tammy's ahi tuna entree.

It’s really loud in the dining room, and as we’ve said before, it's certainly not the place for a quiet chat.

The tables are super narrow, making both leg and wheelchair clearance tough.

All things considered, De Cero is still worth a visit.

The chicken fajitas got rave reviews.

De Cero Taqueria
814 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-8114
Get directions

	Bridget's Ratings	Tammy's Ratings
Food Quality	3	3
Value	3	3
Service	4	4
Ambiance	2	3
Overall	5	6

Average price per person: $40-50

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Our 2006 De Cero podcast
Jack Rabbit (Similar price, different neighborhood)
Mixteco Grill (My current favorite)

Online buzz about De Cero Taqueria:
Citysearch
Metromix

Check out our De Cero Taqueria photo sets on Flickr.

Have thoughts on De Cero? Drop us a line via Twitter: @chicagobites.