RappEats

Le Diplomate

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:23:00 +0000

Yes, everyone in the entire city is talking about this place. Good thing I live a few blocks away AND was able to grab a table for a birthday dinner with friends. I had to see this place for myself and what better way. I won’t go into great detail about what we all ate and what I think because frankly I wouldn’t remember that well aside from the photos. We had a very nice meal, I love the space (much larger than expected) and the food is good (but not the over the top greatness most people talk about). I was lucky and was able to enjoy a few bottles of champagne with the group curtsey of my sister – so I’m sure that didn’t hurt my ‘objective’ thoughts on the place (and might have kept the value component reasonable without everyone ordering cocktails…).

A real birthday dinner in my book starts with bubbles, oysters and crab legs (jk jk – sort of). Good thing we had all three to get our night going. The oysters were very nice and the king crab was fantastic as expected. They have a nice seafood program (though I can’t help but think that Bavette’s or Maude’s does a better job…J). We also couldn’t figure out why a French restaurant that bakes bread serves cold bread at the table. Maybe it’s the French way? Would have been better warm.

After getting some good raw bar food we started with the steak tartare, radish crudité (must try) and salade lyonnaise (a very nice rendition of that dish). And if that wasn’t enough food already, we all ordered an entrée. I was highly recommended to try the veal escalope so that’s what I went with. Everyone else ordered something different, which was nice to see many presentations. There was steak frites, soft-shell crab, beef bourguignon and a grilled loup de mer. We also had sides of fries and spinach. Solid dinner, not many complaints around the table. I liked my veal but was not wowed. Nice but not $27 nice. My tastes of other dishes were better so I would try something different next time.

We of course had some sweets to end the night – including apple tarte tatin (AWESOME) and the rum cake (meh). After all that food we still didn’t touch the cheese selections, cocktails, other fruits de mer or other enticing entrees. I’m not surprised Le Diplomate is in high demand because they do many things right and create an environment that is welcoming, fun, lively and tasty.

El Chucho

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Who doesn’t like good Mexican fare in a very causal fun environment that has specialty margaritas, tacos, tortas and appetizers? I hate to make comparisons to what I know in Chicago, but that’s going to happen for a little bit I imagine. El Chucho reminds me of a cross between Big Star and XOCO. You can go there for a drink, a little food, some of both or whatnot. There’s a great roof top patio area that is nice on a summer evening (and that’s exactly what we did).

I really enjoyed whatever the margarita our server chose for me. It was tart and had a lite smoky flavor enhanced by the flavored salt on the rim. I’m sure they are known or want to be known for their tacos but they were the weakest link actually for a solid meal. Which is a little disappointing because they go to a limited menu later in the night that only features tacos and salsa. The vegetarian was by far the best between that, the chicken and al pastor. If there’s one huge difference between Chucho and Big Star it’s the tacos.

However, we started with chips and salsa, corn on the cob, shrimp and mushroom empanadas. The shrimp and corn were quite impressive and stand out dishes. The shrimp is served with onions and peppers and a spicy delicious green sauce. VERY GOOD and MUST TRY. If you find a way to bottle that sauce up please let me know. The corn on the cob (aka Elote Callejero) was also very good. The sauce and spices on the corn was great.

All in all we had a nice and relaxed Mexican meal on the roof during a pleasant summer evening. I would definitely go back to chill, have some chips, margaritas and some of the starters. I think you can find better tacos elsewhere and I didn’t try the tortas. Value is very good as well. Worth checking out.

Cork Wine Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:00:00 +0000

A good wine bar nearby is very much like having that get out of jail free card in your back pocket. Date night? Check. Family in town? Check. Just need a drink a small bite? Check. We had a very nice meal at Cork and some tasty wines as well (kinda important). The plates are appropriately sized, some were outstanding and over all well-paced. Our server was very helpful and attentive.

We did two different ‘flights’ – three glasses of a similar style. We had a white burgundy flight and a rose flight. Needless to say the white burgundies were all very, very good. The roses were mostly average, but not bad. I don’t recall all of the dishes we had and for some reason forgot to take pictures of them (there were only 5 or 6 really). The avocado bruschetta was one of my favorites and would order again (must try). It’s thin sliced avocado on bread with toasted pistachio, sea salt and olive oil. We also really enjoyed the braised kale with roasted garlic and pecorino. It had the right amount of garlic and salt and cheese. A true standout with an ingredient hard to make awesome. I also enjoyed the salt roasted local beet salad with pine nuts and feta and we also tried the grilled artichoke. We probably should have stopped there because the last dish we ordered was the grilled mackerel which was only mediocre. There are other things I would try but the menu is on the small side if you’re looking for a spot to return to often. We also didn’t try any of the cheese or charcuterie so that’s an entire section that they pair well with the wine.

We skipped the dessert but some things do look intriguing like strawberry short cake or warm apple crostada with bourbon ice cream (yum). I wouldn’t say the value is amazing and not a super cheap place but would you really want a wine bar to be the low cost provider? It was a nice meal with some highlights and some ok-lights. Great wine selection too.

Commissary

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:52:00 +0000

Everyone needs a nice, local gastro pub with tvs, a bar, free wifi, lounge area and outdoor seating. Right? Well lucky for me Commissary fits the bill and is very close so that I may utilize many of these features. The menu is solid neighborhood joint with plenty of burgers, salads, sandwiches, bar food appetizers main course dishes, AND pizzas. Pretty much everything you need, right? And don’t forget the solid beer list, smoothie bar, coffee bar and some sweets for good measure. Nothing here is going to change your world but I do enjoy the idea of having a one stop shop for many of your local, quick, causal, or lazy needs.

The one meal I’ve had so far included some hard core nachos, a veggie burger and some bites of the mac n cheese (oh so wish it was a little better – but maybe my doctor doesn't…). We also tried the bread pudding because we couldn't resist, but that too was a minor bummer.

Everything is good, nothing is great but it does have EVERYTHING so that’s a win.

Jaleo

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:43:00 +0000

I went here a VERY long time ago (like January) but wanted to at least add my two cents to the world that already feels this place is very good – because it is. We only had a handful of plates and I would definitely want to return with a huge appetite and a larger group to really explore the expansive menu. The tapas is some of the best flavors I’ve had of that style. It might not be considered traditional and more of a modern/fusion take but the food is top notch. The space is fun and interesting and the service knows exactly what is going on.

It’s been so long I don’t know exactly what we ordered but I know we had the spicy potatoes, scallops, sausage and a spinach salad. All fantastic and worth ordering again. I’m sure you pay more for the name, location and chef, but from what I can tell it IS worth it and I do want to return in the near future.

RappEats Moves to DC

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:39:00 +0000

I’ve learned that it is quite difficult to continue writing a food blog when you A) move cross country B) start a new job C) don’t have internet at your apartment to write said blog. The last one might be the largest drawback, besides not having the time in the day to navigate work, new apt and writing. I guess I’m discovering it was much easier to go out and eat and write when I didn’t have full time work a few years back. Who would have known?? Anyway, as I write this in a coffee shop because I need internet, I am going to post a lot of small and quick entries of some of the places I’ve tried as I left Chicago and relocated to DC. It will be much more of a “Where has RappEats been” and less of a detailed critique and examination of what works or doesn’t. Apologies but just too far backed up to detail and I would rather post some pictures and locations vs. extreme detail. I hope as I get more settled and into a routine I will be able to A) explore more restaurants in my new city of DC and B) have the time to write about them! A smarter blogger might want to space these posts out over a few days or something but I don’t have the patience for that. So enjoy them all right here, right now.

Feel free to inquire about specific places/dishes if I do not get to them.

Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:19:00 +0000

There's so much to say about Grace but probably so few words to do it justice. It also doesn't help that my experience there is definitely not the norm. Therefor this post will be very light of written detail and just have more pretty pictures to look at. First of all, I went with a friend of Chef Duffy so I have no idea which courses were actually brought out and when, as I'm pretty sure the actual menu wasn't really followed, and definitely augmented (not complaining, just harder to recall in detail). We also had delicious wine pairings but again, I have no idea what they were - besides extremely tasty and well chosen. But less about me, here are a few observations of the experience at a high level.

The food is by far the most artistic dishes I have ever seen in my life. Each one could double as a painting and not food, particularly with all of the whimsical and creative touches of texture and color that really make things stand out. There were no throw away courses, or courses that attempted to push your comfort zone just because the kitchen wanted to see you squirm. Everything was approachable and edible even if visually delicate.

Comparisons of Grace to Alinea are natural given the history of the Chef, the price point and the style of the food. But I find that they are only similar at the surface (and maybe the damage to your wallet). Grace is a much more approachable restaurant in many regards and a place you could go for that wow meal without feeling like you're about to mortgage your house or that you might pick up the wrong utensil. There's an atmosphere of comfort and friendliness that persists. Maybe there are more circus tricks and wizardry happening at other spots in town but Grace has enough to make it fun but not too much to confuse or distract from the real show - the visual ART of delicious cuisine. If you are inclined to seek out a high quality, expensive, fun, different and beautiful dinner (that doesn't last 6 hours) - you should grab the next table at Grace. Enjoy the pictures.

Lost Society - Washington, DC

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:56:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day to all moms new and old!! The best way I know how to celebrate is with food. So go have a brunch, bbq, dinner or all of the above with Mom and have a great day. Because Mom's rock.

Lost Society was the most recent DC restaurant I ate at on my last visit (which will be the last time before actually being a resident). It has this interesting and funky vibe of wanting to serve stake on one level (which happens to be the second level above a subway), and have a loud, dancy, open air bar/lounge above. And even on the "steak" level, it feels much more like a bar our cocktail lounge, even with tables equipped with personal curtains for privacy (except strange enough not between the tables...). So all in all it's trying to be hip and cool and slightly exclusive/club like, but then wants to be more upscale with the menu and drink lists. Confusing.

We ordered plenty of food to get a good sense of the range: kale salad, salmon, filet with fries and brussel sprouts on the side. The best dishes hands down were the sides. Fries were very good, well cooked and salted and I could have had two more orders of the roasted brussel sprouts with olive oil, garlic and cheese. It seems that dish is everywhere but few places really do it well. I know Kale is all the rage right now and there's an argument to be made that it's hard to really spice that super healthy green up. But they did a pretty good job of making the most of it with a nice and light dressing, cheese, pine nuts and dried grapes. Not bad.

The main dishes were pretty mediocre, nothing too memorable. The steak wasn't bad for a $29 filet, a little under cooked for my taste but I didn't bother to send back. It came with butter and bordelaise sauce but I think I would have been better off with steak sauce (a mortal sin for true steaks). I only had a taste of the salmon and it was prepared well, but just lacked any sense of creativity or unique flavors. Standard salmon that my friends and I can make just as well.

Verdict? An interesting spot that definitely caters more to the drink crowd than the eating crowd, especially 'upstairs'. I thought the sides were very good and I'm sure some of the other small plates could have been as well. Not sure it's worth going here for meat though. Good thing I'll have an entire new city to explore and find out all these answers...

Reno

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:39:00 +0000

No, not Reno, Nevada, but Reno the new restaurant from the guys that did Telegraph and others. And yes, Telegraph is next door so I too was confused when I showed up on the corner of Milwaukee and Logan Blvd and thought I was in the wrong place. I went for dinner but apparently they are doing very good breakfast (great bagels?) and lunch business too. It's cash only which adds to the rustic, earthy, coffee house feel with exposed wood and brick everywhere. Love the extendable lamps at eat table too. I like the charm, it works, especially in that neighborhood.

The dinner menu features pizzas, pastas and a few salads/sides. We did a little of everything. Our dinner included the frisee spinach salad, roasted broccoli side, the HOG pizza and DUBS pasta. All washed down with some tasty beer and wine.

Hands down the standout in that group was our pasta - a fun and different take on what tasted very much like a mac n cheese. And the best part was that the pasta was mostly rotelle (aka the wheels) - bring back childhood memories for us all. But the cheese (gruyere and white cheddar) was delicious and the touch of truffle oil sealed the deal. I'd go back for that dish again. We also loved the roasted broccoli dish. It was tasty, lots of good olive oil and roasted garlic. Very well done. The pizza was nice (porkbelly carnitas, salsa verde, mozzarella, rajas, cotija cheese), and notable for the green salasa in addition to the cheese and 'hog' meat. Nice but not earth shattering. I'd try other options next time. The frisee spinach was rather uninteresting.

We ended with a few desserts, I guess I had a sweet tooth that night. They were the ice cream cookie sandwich and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream. Both were actually just ok, not bad, ice cream good but both felt a little above average.

I enjoyed our experience at Reno. The value was good and our service was usually solid (except forgetting our pasta - the best dish!). I like the vibe and feel of the place, somewhere you can spend all day if you wanted. The food was a bit inconsistent with some really nice dishes and some very average ones. But even so the overall experience was positive and worth checking out.

Graffiato - Washington, DC

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 06 May 2013 23:42:00 +0000

Change is coming to RappEats. By the end of the month the focal city will no longer be Chicago but Washington, DC. It's time to explore a new city and see if any place can possibly compete with the world class dining that Chicago has developed over the last decade. Have no fear, I am up to the challenge and hope local Chicago readers will continue to enjoy reading about food from other cities. Throughout this month I'll have posts from previous DC meals I need to write about, as well as my last few efforts of catching up on the Chicago scene before moving residences.

My first "real" meal in DC back in January when I was there working on the Inauguration was at Graffiato. Whenever I would go out or plan meals I was at the mercy of my friends since I had no clue of where to go. Haley decided the first place I needed to explore was the restaurant Top Chef Mike Isabella created after leaving Zaytinya (another spot I'll need to check out). Ironically during my month stay in DC I ended up at Graffiato multiple times for drinks or snacks as it is very well located and popular as a fun place to hang out.

I really enjoyed the meal and would definitely go back (as I did already - but also for dinner). The space feels great, two levels, good crowd and fun bar area with the wood burning oven on full display. I was very impressed with the value of the meal and thought our service was solid. Neither one of us was TOO hungry and I was subjected to dear friend Haley's gluten free wishes (which only adds reason to return) so our selections included brussel sprouts, buratta salad, arctic char, risotto and cauliflower. Our server also mistakenly brought us a beet salad dish but gave it to us on the house anyway. It happened to be very tasty.

This meal happened to be almost four months ago so my memory of the details of each dish is lacking, but I remember overall to be impressed with the food, flavors and presentations. I believe the Arctic Char and the risotto were dishes that didn't hit on all cylinders like the others but that's fuzzy. I also thought the buratta salad was interesting but not what I expected with a lot going on. The vegetables were all great: the brussel sprouts, cauliflower and beets.

Cheers to a great start of exploring DC (any many more to come). Amazing value and solid food that I want to return and try more of the menu. Good thing I'll have plenty of time in about 30 days! Any and all suggestions for ideas in Washington are welcome. Thanks!

Sumi Robata Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:51:00 +0000

My first NEW restaurant in Chicago in so long. Phew. Though that will be changing shortly...

Sumi was an idea to try something new. Too bad the weather was still just a bit chilly to sit outside on their cool looking wood deck patio. Instead we sat at the 'bar' next to the robata grill. It seems like there have been a fair number of robatas popping up in Chicago and that's a good thing because I think the style is fun and interesting, though I don't think I'm alone is saying there isn't one really good one in town that everyone gravitates towards. I would add Sumi to the list of good options with some great dishes but overall just above average. The space inside is cool but very small with nice decor, wood everywhere and nice finishes to go around. Two points that stand out to me was that our service was fantastic, always attentive, friendly and very solid with new dishes, grabbing our hot food or filling glasses. The second point is that I felt the value was very skewed (no pun intended). The food was well priced in some places, strangely high in others, and the alcohol extremely poorly priced (without a large and diverse selection either). The overall bill wasn't terrible but the alcohol didn't seem worth it and some dishes were way out of whack.

The cool thing is that everything was served when it was ready and we ordered a bunch of individual grill items so there is a lot of good pictures of the food. We started with a hamachi tartare of sorts, udon noodles, chicken gyoza and a sea bass dish.

This was a course that went two for four. We really liked the chicken gyoza (a simple and standard Japanese starter but done very well) and the udon noodles. The udon was fun and very refreshing. They serve you the noodles on the side to share but with your own mini bowl of sauce to dip them and slurp away. My only complaint here was that the flavor seemed to die with more bites because maybe the watery noodles dilute the sauce with time? Not sure how to fix that but those first bites were great. The sea bass was meh and expensive but served in a very beautiful paper wrapping.

We moved on to the grill section of the menu and tried almost all of the choices: shrimp, scallop, beef slider, skirt steak, pork jowl, chicken thigh and chicken breast. By far and away the slider was the best choice and a run away favorite. Fantastic flavor and really fun. Worth the trip for that. The chicken breast was very tasty and I liked the skirt. The seafood didn't do anything for me and the fatty options of thigh and jowl were flavorful but middle of the road compared to the others.

The Slider

Thigh

Pork jowl

Skirt

Chicken breast

We finished off the meal with a dessert that we had seen made 15 times while we ate our food and had to give it a whirl. It was the chocolate filled donuts served with a green tea creme. Fantastic. Should have ordered two, as Kate was still licking the plate and scrapping off chocolate as the server tried to clear our setting.

Overall it's a fun place to try with a few very good dishes if you're in the mood for robata grill. The service was great and I enjoyed the decor, but I'm not sure about how the menu was priced, particularly the booze. I can see the patio being a great happy hour place to have a cocktail and a few sliders finished with a doughnut. Yum.

Comeback Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:07:00 +0000

Is anyone still out there? Deleted Rappeats.com from the bookmarks? My apologies It has been over three months since my last post and that doesn't even really count because it was one post in a very long drought. Safe to say I've been a little distracted/busy since the November elections (and basically all last year) to have the time/energy/resources to keep on the food world. This isn't an announcement of a grand return to multiple postings each week - that is still the game plan but might take a few more weeks to execute. Nor is this a farewell and shut down. We'll get through this and return to the glory days in short order - with a surprise twist no less. Stay tuned.

The post? It appears I haven't missed TOO much with regards to the Chicago dining scene the past few months (even though I've been largely absent from this city anyway) and there are not a ton of recent, well regarded openings to catch up on. However, I did manage to make it to Bub City the other week because I'm always interested in trying new BBQ, and also always interested in the latest Melman/LEYE project.

Overall I was very happy with my experience. The food was solid with great sauces to try, we had plenty of it and didn't feel like we over paid. The crowd was great, slammed and ready for the live music to start (which probably happened shortly after I left). The decor is exactly what I would expect from a BBQ/country music spot in the heart of river north. I really like the beer can American flag behind the bar. I did find it amusing that people ALMOST look like they could have been going to RPM or Paris Club and not a honky tonk ribs and beer place - but hats off the team for getting that kind of crowd.

The food. We ordered a lot. I was joined by my BBQ partners in crime Barisa and Joel. We started with the giddy up fries and fried pickles, followed by ordering both platters that included ribs, chicken, hot link, pulled pork and brisket. I'm glad we could try everything. Each platter comes with two sides - we tried the corn off the cob, spoonbread, buffalo tots and sweet potato fluff. There are three sauces to choose from, a hot sauce, a spicy mustard and regular sweet. (I think).

The items I remember the most fondly are the brisket, corn and spoonbread. They were very good and I loved using those as an excuse to eat more of the sauce. Spoonbread is hard to describe but it's served in a small bowl and it's like an under cooked corn bread mash. Whatever it is tastes really good. The brisket/pulled pork combo was definitely my favorite meat and cooked well with lots of flavor. And the corn was just awesome. Lots of flavor with a little kick of spice. I'm getting that again. Of the two starters I preferred the fired pickles. The fries come with bbq pork, cheese, and lots of other goodies. It was just a little too much for me and everything just blended together.

Bub is going to do very well because they are serving good food to a hip crowd in the middle of River North. Best BBQ in the city? Probably not, but it doesn't have to be because it's the best BBQ where I can drink heavily and enjoy a show.

Mani Osteria & Bar - Ann Arbor, MI

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:54:00 +0000

Oh Rappeats.com. I feel it has been neglected a little bit the past month or so and I've been making excuses for not having time to update and eat. In my defense life has been anything but stable and settled and eating out and blogging unfortunately has not been a top priority. BUT, spending time this month in Washington, DC exploring a new city and restaurants has given me some motivation to get 2013 off to a good start. And with that I'll quickly write about a good spot in my favorite college town of Ann Arbor from last month. It's also in honor of the wonderful start of our basketball team. Sigh.

Mani was recommended as a good a new place to check out on one of my many visits. The food scene in Ann Arbor has always been good but seems to have elevated the quality in recent years as well. As expected with Osteria in the name, Mani is a very nice place to enjoy an Italian small plate meal with wood fired pizzas, pastas and antipasti. Half of the restaurant is a large bar area with high top tables and first come first serve seating. With only two people I felt a little sad to not explore more of the menu, but there's always next.

The main course was pizza (not pictured because I'm an idiot and forgot) which was garlic and burrata cheese and spinach. It wasn't our favorite unfortunately but other pizzas look great and have heard other good things. The rest of the meal was small plates from the rest of the menu: risotto croquettes (amazing), homemade sausage and potatoes, prosciutto & figs salad and pickled tomatoes. There were some good and some ok but overall the food is quality and well prepared. I loved the rissoto balls and the salad was also very nice. You have to have a taste for pickled tomatoes and know what you're getting, but the way they are presented with cheese and toast and olives is a very nice make your own snack. The spicy sausage was mediocre but the potatoes and sauce served with are great. I wish I tried a pasta too.

Mani is a nice place to grab a solid meal in Ann Arbor. The service and value are there to make it a easy choice on any night of the week. The food is up and down at times but finding a few great things is not hard to do.

Cru Cafe & Wine Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Even though Cru was on my list as something I'd want to check out, we kind of just stumbled in on a Monday night. I was surprised how large the space is. I really like the bar area - a few TVs, large U shaped bar, chalk boards with menu items and a really nice back bar with wine and spirits galore. It certainly has the feel of a sleek wine bar that belongs in the gold coast. I have no idea if the regular seating area on the other side of the place gets full, but I think if they didn't have the separation I would just add a few tables to the bar area and call it a day. The wine list of course is large and probably impressive if I knew what I was reading. Plenty of wine by the glass and I had two of a very nice cab franc. For food we started with the fritto misto, and had the steak frites and salmon as main dishes with a side of green beans.

Everything we had was just ok with nothing really surprising or particularly tasty. The best flavor of the entire meal was probably the mashed potatoes that came with the salmon. The salmon as also probably the next best thing as it was well cooked and seasoned. Liz liked the steak and I would agree it was a good piece of meat, nice char marking and cooked to order. It didn't wow me but was fine and a good size for $23, and the fries were cold and not very good either. I have no idea what the fritto misto was supposed to be - it was just a bunch of random stuff deep fried and the batter didn't even stay on the items. Not recommended. The green beans were very bland and I easily could have made better ones myself. Finally, we tempted fate just a bit too much with the brownie sundae that arrived in a very awkward glass. Neither brownie nor ice cream were worth finishing and we left most of the dessert on the table.

Overall I don't think I'll be back any time soon. The bar area is really nice and a good spot to have a drink and maybe a dish, but mostly drink. The food was very mediocre, our service was spotty and the value not great as our bill was over $120. Maybe the move to a larger location was a mistake as I think the bar program would be a great addition to many restaurants or hotels in the area.

Primanti Brother's - Pittsburgh, PA

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:20:00 +0000

This will be short and sweet. Primanti Brother's - an institution in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania. I was in town for just a few days working on a campaign event and we decided immediately after our event finished we needed to celebrate with beer, shots, and some ridiculous sandwiches. And when I mean ridiculous, I mean tradition diner style, huge white bread, large grease meat topped with coleslaw and FRENCH FRIES. Yes, each sandwich is finished with fries. The place is classic and charming and goofy and a heart attack just smelling the fumes - but it's fun and unique and the food is quite good if you can avoid thinking about the health affects. The photos should do all the talking needed. At least I can check the box.

The Savoy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:04:00 +0000

I have heard many great things about The Savoy - a relatively new seafood focused absinthe bar in Wicker Park. I like the unique positioning and creative differentiation. It also fits into the neighborhood very well. As for the absinthe part? It was favorite pastime in college to see if all the rumors and myths about hallucinating were true. Obviously there are not otherwise restaurants would not be able to serve it - but it is a VERY strong spirit and can actually taste good if done right. And there's a nice little show with the water dispenser and everything. So yea, go here for some absinthe and have a good time. Oh. They have food too. Let me get to that.

We didn't really love the food program, and our service was very strange and awkward at times. There was a lot of food to try so it wasn't as if we selectively ordered poorly. And the fact that I can't even remember some of the things we ordered even after looking at my pictures says it wasn't that memorable. But I shouldn't be so critical because some items were tasty and good but my overall impression was disappointed and mediocre food.

We started with some oysters - and those were very nice - as well as the tuna tartare. I thought the tuna was ok, it had a very nice and spicy green sauce on the side that made the tuna pop and tasty but the crispy chips didn't add anything and the tuna by itself was just ok. We tried two salads - their version of tomato and burrata, and the autumn vegetable salad with roasted squash, shaved celery root and brussels sprouts, haricot verts, ricotta salata and brown butter vinaigrette. I thought the burrata salad was very good, with large tomatoes, a healthy does of pesto and fun little tomato ginger gelee. High recommended. The autumn salad had a lot of potential to me, a lot of great fall vegetables together but it just didn't come together with any meaningful flavor. Finally we had the hamachi crudo with grilled pineapple, red onion marmalade, sesame

chili oil and a pineapple-miso emulsion. It was by far the best thing we ate to start and probably all night. Little bites of hamachi wrapped around everything else with a nice sauce drizzled on top. Delicious.

Our main course dishes included the applewood smoked amish chicken (with crispy polenta, shaved brussels sprouts, pickled red onion, lolla rosa, lemon tru e vinaigrette), maple mustard glazed salmon (with root vegetables, crispy brussels sprout leaves, lemon, parsley), and a pasta special (I think since it's not on the menu). I honestly don't remember which was my favorite or if any of them really stood out. Since Raw Bar and Seafood are in the tagline for the restaurant maybe it is wise to stick with those items at the top of the menu and go straight for the absinthe during or afterward. The salmon was fine I think but really simple. The pasta was equally bland and uninspiring but a good size portion. And I have no idea about the chicken. Oh well.

The Savoy was a fine time with good friends and great end with our water contraption and cocktail and such. A few of the raw bar items were nice but everything else seemed to lack interest or flavor or attention from the kitchen. Our service was equally strange at times, even asking us if we had indeed made a reservation for our table. At least the value seems appropriate for a Wicker Park lounge/bar.

The Village Pub - Woodside, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:58:00 +0000

I'm really not fulfilling my end of the bargain here on the food blogging side of life. One post in November - has to be an all time low for me. I'm going to try and do better I promise. Life gets in the way I suppose.

The Village Pub - my sister's favorite restaurant in the Bay Area (we've been there for Graduation, engagement weekend, birthday dinner, and most recently Thanksgiving catering). When I was out there in October to visit for her birthday and see my new born niece, VP was a natural choice. It's an awesome spot in the hills and seemingly in the middle of nowhere (like most great CA restaurants...) with a cozy atmosphere, long bar, fireplace and casual feel - but also a nod to sophistication and elegance. It's the California way to show up in jeans and blazer and order a burger with $100 wine. They live well. But that's exactly what we were looking for, a nice and causal but elegant and delicious meal. The service is always first rate, attentive and helpful.

We made it a simple meal with two starters, two main dishes and a surprise salad compliments of the chef. I also love how they are more than willing to split anything and everything for no hassle. We started with a lobster and cauliflower flan with sturgeon caviar, and the Monterey Bay Abalone served with a parsnip purée and frisée with a slow poached egg. Our main courses were the chestnut tagliatelle pasta with roasted porcini mushrooms and delicata squash purée, as well as the roasted chicken served with huckleberry financier, toasted hazelnuts and heirloom beets. Wonderful food all around.

The flan was very rich, and with lobster and caviar a little over the top, but very well done. I didn't quite care for the abalone, though I'm not sure what I was expecting. I didn't need the slow poached egg either. The surprise salad was a very nice touch in the middle of the meal and a needed break from the rich starters with fresh crisp lettuce and a nice vinaigrette. Both my sister and I agreed the pasta stole the show and that we should not have shared but ordered two. Very cool presentation followed by amazing flavors, buttery for sure, but nice and great vegetables woven throughout. A standout. The chicken was also good and chicken is hard to impress with. The beets and tomatoes added nice acidity to the plate for balance. We passed on dessert and just stuck with wine. A perfect way to spend the night taking my sister out for her birthday and getting a break from the newborn for a few hours. There's a reason it's her favorite place and I can see why many times over.

Lula Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 03:34:00 +0000

Yes, RappEats is not yet. It's been a wild month and by far the longest I've gone without posting or eating out on a regular basis. But the election is over and life is starting to get back to a normal pace (sort of). I have a few good posts waiting so I hope to get those up and inspire me to get out more during this slower time. Without further time wasting....

Lula Cafe. I've heard so many good things about this Chicago standard, especially those more inclined for vegetarian fare. Ari and Tali had the great idea to check it out and we did during the last week of October and actually managed to sit outside since it was that week where the weather was ridiculously nice. My general take away was that I was disappointing compared to what I had heard. I also know that brunch is one of the famous meals so maybe that's worth going back for. But I will give credit to a great menu that has a lot of variety for those looking to avoid meat and there are plenty of interesting options. The most memorable aspect from the meal was texture. Each dish came out and had some awesome texture with interesting ingredients and playful ways to enjoy the food. The main downside is that we didn't think the flavors were all that special or impressive. Everything was nice and fine but nothing stood out as particularly interesting. We even ordered the three squash medley that was highly recommended and didn't quite understand why. I don't remember being offended by the pricing and our service was high quality. I certainly would return for a good reason or suggest for those who need to meet dietary restrictions but I was not blown away overall.

As you can see we ordered plenty of different things to try. We started with kale "chips" and the autumn salad of spaghetti squash slow poached in hazelnut oil, smoked trout roe, celery aioli, asian pear, carob. I really liked the kale (and other root vegatables) actually, again, great texture and fun to eat with an interesting sunchoke dip. The 'salad' was more of mixed bag. The quesadilla's (hen of the woods mushrooms, caramelized winter squash, fromage blanc) were some of our favorite, and I say that as not much of a mushroom fan, but they worked very well wit the squash and cheese and salsas.

My two other favorite dishes were the pastas - chilled peanut satay noodles (marinated tofu and seasonal pickles) and spaghetti (sweet and spicy chile ‘salsa rossa,’ queso fresco). Though the satay noodles stole the show for sure. The highly recommended squash three ways was a big disappointment because it wasn't that interesting or very tasty. And it was a little hard to understand what was actually going on the plate. I never like dishes that require an instruction manual. I'm certain but I think the last dish was a fish dish that was also very mediocre and hard to figure out. The texture (!) was really cool with the string fried something and a few cauliflowers (maybe?) but overall not sure what was the point of the plate.

I'm not trying to be overly critical as we had a nice time and good meal for respected value. And it feels like it's playing in a unique space (both literal and culinary) that attracts a very specific crowd. The food had ups and downs but nothing consistently amazing. Worth checking out if you need another brunch option in Logan Square or need a vegetarian meal.

Kai Zan

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:14:00 +0000

Want to know the next hot sushi spot in Chicago that you won't be able to get into? Kai Zan - out in Humbolt Park on Chicago ave. Simply put, it has all the right ingredients (pun intended) to go viral and cultish. It's small (like 20 seats), awesome decor, BYO, off the beaten path, and happens to serve delicious food that's not your typical maki roll from Dominicks. And it's crazy affordable. Not much else you need to score big.

The meal started off with a bang by ordering the Escolar Pearls (rice spheres topped with scallions and super white tuna soaked in soy sauce, truffle oil, spicy mayo, and chili oil, then lightly seared), and sides of edamame and gomae. The pearls of little rice with amazing flavors on top were so good and had four pieces for the three of us that we need another order. Easy call. Delicious. We all said we could come back for a meal entirely of Pearls (there's Maguro too, for variety).

We followed the pearls with some sushi/sashimi. I believe we ordered some hamachi sashimi (not 100% on that), the flaming tuna roll and the orange rush sushi. The sashimi was nice but a little fatty/tough for my preference. Light sauce was very nice. Loved the flaming tuna, had a lot of fun items and nice texture variety. Really nice. Finally, the orange rush gives the pearls a run for their money for favorite of the meal. It's served on a single shell, and is a one bite show. There's scallop on some rice entirely wrapped in salmon with a nice citrus glaze. Big fan, would order again and multiple. We also tried some of the yakatori to get a little variety and try the menu. We had the chicken, shrimp and beef. Everything was nice and flavorful (though I'd stick with the amazing fish), and the shrimp was the best and most interesting option (and really cool presentation). We weren't hungry for more but also wasn't completely full and wanted to extend our experience. We asked for a chef's surprise and they brought us three huge pieces of fatty salmon belly (something only offered on the tasting menu). It was really nice, definitely fatty (in a good way) and super generous portion. A great way to end the meal.

I very much look forward to getting back to try more items and some of my favorites. The BYO is just icing on the cake (liquor store across the street) and the bill was remarkable ($35/person). The space is cool, intimate and fun with great food and value. It's the next hot spot.

Embeya

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 02:06:00 +0000

How many swanky new places in river west/fulton market can arrive at once? And when they arrive is there any self restraint to not check them out? Not at all. The most recent addition is Embeya, described as progressive Asian cuisine. The first impression when you walk in is amazing. The space is beautiful with delicate and detailed ornamentation all around. Great bar space, smooth and sexy all around. Dining room feels smaller than it is I'm sure. One thing I didn't love was the use of all windows around two sides of the building. You end up starting at street lamp lights, billboards, and anything else that could distract you from the meal and people you're with. I also remember the noise level being quite loud until the place emptied out a bit.

I really like the approach and design of the menu. (One downer is that they ran out of the chicken dish that everyone has been raving about). It's divided into three simple sections: cold, hot, large plates. There's also sides, rice and vegetables. We dove right in and starting ordering things that looked good. We started with the recommended green papaya salad, with spaghetti like shaved papaya, shallots and beef jerky. Really like the sauce with that, a nice and interesting dish. There was also special rice (?) with radish and pear and seared scallop (it only came with one, cut into three pieces which was a major annoyance that we weren't prepared for - and it's expensive). The glass noodles with the scallop were also delicious. That was our favorite of the three even though we each had one very small bite - and loved the presentation with a flaming mound served under the shell. The rice dish was just ok and the shaved vegetable was nice and refreshing in a sweet Asian sauce.

The main dishes and sides we ordered were sort of hit or miss and slightly more disappointing than the starters. We tried the beef short ribs, big noodles, fish (don't remember which), with a side of bamboo. I really enjoyed the spicy noodle with shrimp. Highly recommended. The fish was totally blah and the bamboo interesting with a nice sauce. The short ribs were not so much. Very fatty pieces of meat and disappointing texture/flavor/etc. Avoid. The dessert of sticky rice and mango was fantastic and possibly the tastiest thing of the evening.

All around the experience was good and fun but there are a lot of ups and downs. Really like the space but don't love the sound level and street view. The menu had some nice items and some just meh items too. Service was good but the bill was pretty high for what we experienced (and only one scallop!). It's a cool spot and worth checking out. I'd probably go back to check out the chicken and also realize that it has been open a few weeks and has a lot of potential (and shut those blinds).

The Aviary

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:24:00 +0000

A perfect post for a miserably October Friday night. Not along ago I finally made it into The Aviary, the cocktail lounge concept from the Alinea/Next team. I wasn't trying each and every day but I just never took the effort to try (it's an email only reservation system with fixed seating's on the even hour). As all things Achatz, you go for a total body experience and not just flavors. The space is cool, small, whimsical and you can't walk past the doorman without knowing someone/anyone inside already. Also, remember to eat beforehand and/or plan for something after. Aviary focuses on cocktails and only offers VERY LIMITED food options (more like little bites - which is what they call them). And also don't forget to check the regular connection between value and drinks at the door, you're paying for a lot of fun and showmanship.

They don't post their menu online so I'm going to have to do this from memory. I decided to order from the "prix fixe" menu that gives you three cocktails for $45 - and a different selection than the a la cart. My companions also had some fun choices that involved watermelon ice cubes, milk ice cube for a white Russian, a huge canteen for some Chai, and other fun ways to drink your booze.

I don't want to give away all the secrets otherwise you wouldn't find it worth the money to see for yourself. I had their version of a gin and tonic, the smokey old fashion (without any bourbon) and a warm chocolate (I think that's what it's called). I had an overall great time and think it's definitely a fun way to spend a few hours for a different and special night. The food bites are fun and tasty but are only bites. I don't think I'd rush back all the time because the drinks are more fun and experiential than amazingly tasty. For my money I'm still going to Bavette's for an Old Fashion. But that's not the point of The Aviary and they know that and accomplish their goals. Worth the trip and recommend going if you're into drinks with a show.

NoMI Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:06:00 +0000

It's crunch time in Presidential election land so posting is rather challenging. Also awesome, we went to NoMI back in July for my mother's birthday dinner but I keep forgetting it's on my to-do list. The other reason it kept slipping is that I was severely unimpressed with our experience. The company was amazing of course - my three favorite people to share a nice meal - and the dining room space is one of the most interesting in the city hands down. The word 'Kitchen' in the name makes perfect sense because you are literally eating next to an open and working kitchen, and a beautiful one at that. If you're sitting on the edge and drop your napkin it's very likely in the kitchen. Other other amazing aspect of the space is the location. Right on Michigan Ave with great views of the skyline, lake and water tower. The service was also top notch and representative of a high quality establishment.

My main criticism is that the food was fine and nice, but not amazing and definitely not worth the price. The menu changes frequently and it's been so long that I can't give detailed descriptions of each dish, but I think everyone would agree that the bread stole the show. Hot out of the oven and served on a small cutting board with some amazing butter. We had to start with some sushi just because it was on the menu. That too might have been a highlight, nice rolls, with very fresh fish. The pasta, risotto, asparagus and green beans were good but not great. I remember the asparagus was very nice with the burrata.

NoMI delivers an exquisite visual dining room with top notch service. We had nice celebratory meal but I find it hard to justify the price based on the flavors of the food. There is too much competition at the 'Michelin Star' level as well as delicious values in this town that I could not recommend going back (at least on my dime - I could see corporate clients enjoying the experience).

Au Cheval Brunch

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:30:00 +0000

There are so many brunch places in the city and everyone seems to have their favorite. I'll be honest - brunch is not one of my go-to eating out meals. I enjoy a good brunch but I don't crave going out for food on a nice sunday morning for some reason. Anyway, Au Cheval is such a fun place and has awesome and decadent food that when they started serving brunch a few weeks ago I had to check it out.

If you've been to the diner before than you know you shouldn't consult your doctor or get a cholesterol test shortly after. The food is awesome but extremely meat focused with no shortage of eggs, duck heart gravy, foie gras, etc to add. (Don't miss the burger either: Bon Appetit likes it.) The good news is that brunch is no different, just with a few different menu options. It's has standard breakfast items that mostly focus on the eggs already on the regular menu. I don't remember seeing pancakes and waffles, but that could easily have been an oversight. One item in particular that is not on the dinner menu is Jane's Muffin. Unbelievable Try it. Love it. Order four.

We ordered a lot. More than we could ever dream of eating but we didn't tell that to our stomachs. It might be the first meal in years where I wanted to continue eating but literally could not physically do it. The richness of the food is a bit overwhelming, but that's the point of the place - so it's not a knock on them. I went with the traditional breakfast (eggs, toast, bacon), but we also had an order of hash browns, a side of bacon (totally unnecessary but too good to miss), and an omelette. Everything rocked, just didn't have enough room in the belly to finish everything. I love the thick cut bacon but I think it's a little tastier at sister spot Bavette's. Hash browns with carmalized onions awesome and I really like the eggs - but I didn't understand giving me four huge slices of buttered toast, almost texas toast style. I think some wheat bread with jelly would be prefect. Don't forget the drinks either! Nice bloody and a good selection of other morning cocktails.

It's an awesome time both for dinner and brunch, just know what you're getting into. Great rich, heavy, delicious food.

Grass Fed

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:28:00 +0000

Chicago has always been a meat town and a destination for anything steak related. What's been happening recently too is that new ways to eat and enjoy meat have also been popping up in town. Grass Fed is one of those as it brings a very small and simple menu (one choice!) to a cool and classic country feel to Bucktown. I really liked the setting, long and narrow with high ceilings, white everything - wood paneled walls, tables, chairs, a nice curved bar in the front with the menu on chalkboard. I hear there's even a patio in the back. There are no paper menus as everything is on the wall (and on other smaller boards throughout).

Speaking of menu, we went on a Monday which is burger night, so in addition to the $25 steak meal (with salad and fries) they offer a burger for $12. They have three sides and three starters listed on the board that change frequently. I don't remember everything that was available but we decided on the spaetzle, cauliflower and brussel sprout salad to start. Brad was the lone steak order as Kate and I did the burger deal.

We enjoyed the starters though the cauliflower was by far the best dish with a nice dose of spice. I bounced back and forth between the spaetzle and brussel sprout salad trying to figure out which one I liked more or which one I wanted to eat again. The shaved brussels were nice and clean and refreshing but kind of lack a lot of flavor punch. The spaetzle was more fun with various textures and flavors. But I find it hard to eat an entire dish of spaetzle and feel good about it. The side salad that came with Brad's steak was pretty bland and uninteresting but did provide a few greens for the table to go with all the meat. And the greens served with the burgers were equally disappointing and had way too much dressing.

But we came to eat meat and that's the most important. The star of the meal was probably the steak (the one bite I had) but right behind that was the fries and ketchup. The ketchup was so good (infused with jalapenos) that Kate had a buy a bottle (not offered) to bring home. I liked my burger but it wasn't anything to write home about or make a trip for. It was definitely juicy, and probably too much so. Nice meat and flavor but way too messy.

I liked our time and meal at Grass Fed. It's a cool spot in the heart of Bucktown doing something a little different. The food overall was good, with the best dish being the steak (thank goodness) and fries. The concept is interesting but I think they recognize they need to expand the menu options in order to appeal to more people (they have a really good looking brunch and lunch menu so it might already be in the works). It's fun and affordable and cool place to have a meal.

Dragon Ranch Moonshine & BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:12:00 +0000

New BBQ spots are all the rage right now in Chicago. It's not shocking that one of the prominent restaurant groups in town (Rockit Ranch) would throw their two cents into the pile. I liked the look and feel of Dragon immediately, long and narrow with wood bench tables throughout (semi communal), and a small but lively and interesting bar. The concept of fusing bbq with Asian influences is unique and something that is not in the city already - and an area that the Rockit world knows well. the menu has a nice layout, starters along the side, a few salads/soups, then the main meat section center stage with all cuts available (ribs, chicken, brisket, pork). There's a nice section of "Fix'ns" that have a mix of traditional bbq (mac n cheese, cornbread) as well as Asian (Chinese water spinach, grilled asparagus in soy and sriracha). And finally near the bottom is a "Sandos" section with a similar mix of American and Asian (BLT and grilled cheese vs. steam buns and Banh mi). I do like the fusion and think it works well if you enjoy a little taste bud confusion. I also tried the 'moonshine' - and I thought I was a whiskey drinker but maybe I'm not sophisticated enough to appreciate the real stuff. (It was clear and definitely packed a punch but without a lot of whiskey flavor - is that moonshine??)

When it comes to BBQ my main concern and interest is always the sauce - I assume if you open a bbq place you can smoke/cook meat. At Dragon Ranch I was more impressed with the meat flavor and presentation than the sauce, and is the main reason I wouldn't say this is one of the best bbq in the city. The four sauces are all good, but I kept trying to figure out which one/combo I wanted to use which means none of them really grabbed me. They have a mustard, a regular, a spicy and an Asian. Our main use for the sauce was on the combo platter (chicken, brisket and pulled pork) as well as a half order of ribs (tried it all!). The meats were all great and the only small gripe would be for a combo plate ($28), you get a lot of chicken, but not a lot of the other meats so you feel a little robbed. The ribs were well cooked with a nice rub, but they didn't have a lot of meat on the bone, and I'm a huge fan of big thick ribs so I can lather them with bbq sauce. Oh well. The cornbread side was delicious. Other items we ordered included some deviled eggs, mac n cheese, grilled vegetable tempura and grilled asparagus. The eggs were fine, tasty but nothing distinguishing, mac n cheese was a little 'soupy/saucy' for my liking but nice and I really liked both Asian style sides. The tempura vegetables were a great finger food because they were cut in small pieces and served with a awesome sweet spicy chili sauce. I also couldn't get enough of the asparagus in the sweet soy and sriracha with crisp rice noodles. We finished the meal with the homemade s'more which was ridiculous - two inch high marshmallow and quarter inch chocolate fudge on homemade crust.

I liked our meal at Dragon Ranch. It's a fun place with good vibe and a fun menu of traditional BBQ and a few Asian dishes to keep it interesting. I don't think it's the best BBQ, and I wish I liked the sauces more, but there is definitely no similar place in town to eat BBQ with that atmosphere and options.