Mumbai Indian Grill

**** (4 stars)

This small restaurant offers quite tasty and authentic Indian food, and at least at lunch the prices are quite fair. I had the Chicken Korma. There seems to be some disagreement about what goes into Korma sauce, with some places adding spices that turn it pink or red, while others make the traditional white. This was the pink variety, and it was savory and delicious, and mild as advertised. I love garlic naan bread, so I ordered that, rather than the plain naan that comes with the lunch, and took rice instead with my chicken. Both the rice and the garlic naan were excellent, and the two chutney accompaniments — tamarind and cilantro — were perfect. A tiny salad was as also on the plate, really just some shredded lettuce that might have been lightly dressed, but it actually served well to clear the palate. The two fried bits of smashed and breaded cauliflower aren’t really my thing, but they were good with the chutneys. A lot of food for ten bucks. Service was attentive and friendly. There’s free wifi, too, due to the fact that Starbucks is next door! No complaints, and I’ll be back.

Mumbai Indian Grill
1728 Sherman Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 859-2453
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mumbai-indian-grill-evanston-3

Al’s Deli

**** (4 stars)

Al’s Deli was founded in 1949 by Al Pottinger, a francophile, who offered European groceries, baked goods, soups and sandwiches. His sons took the business over in the 1970s, and are still there. They offer traditional french sandwiches such as brie on a baguette, plus homemade soups. The Soup au Pistou I had today was wonderful, a cup full of chunky vegetables with a dollop of garlic aeoli that turned it into something you might find in a bouillabaisse. They also make six types of enormous, tasty cookies themselves. The place is a short walk from NU, in the charming little area around Noyes and Sherman.

Al’s Deli
914 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-9400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/als-deli-evanston

Graham Elliot

** (2 stars)

I’ll admit it. I don’t understand places that play music so loud you can’t communicate. Why go on a date with someone you don’t want to talk to? And particularly when the place bills itself as a sophisticated dining venue, what’s the point if you can’t hear what’s in the food, or discuss it as you dine?

I was extremely disappointed in Graham Elliot. The food is okay, but the ambiance is non existent. Because of the deafening, non-stop techno/grunge/rock/rap/pop soundtrack so you can’t even hear the descriptions of each dish. We had 21 courses and 18 matching beverages. 50% of the courses were completely forgettable, the others were good, but not one was as good as a typical course at Moto, Tru, Charlie Trotters or any of a dozen other places nearby.

I’d heard that the courses were small, which doesn’t bother me, but you should know that “small” here often means one bite. Most dishes have many, many ingredients (couldn’t hear what) but don’t seem to combine to create a whole greater than the parts.

The wine list is mostly boutique novelty wines, no depth, and little variation. The wine carafes are 2 liter chemistry flasks, which tends to make everything look like a lab specimen. The  waiters wear jeans and t-shirts.

On the plus side, I thought the price was reasonable; expensive, yes, but for what they are trying to do, and the amount of effort put in, not bad. And it was neat to have a different beverage to match nearly every course, but 80% were mixed drinks, not wine.

Overall, there are many, many better options.

Graham Elliot
217 W Huron St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 624-9975
http://www.yelp.com/biz/graham-elliot-chicago

Cellar at The Stained Glass

***** (5 stars)

The Stained Glass is one of my favorite restaurants in the whole world, so it’s not surprising that The Cellar, which is owned by The Stained Glass, is now a new favorite. It’s just around the corner and a block down, and shares much of the same culinary philosophy.

When I go to The Stained Glass, I like to graze on the appetizers, ordering everything tapas style. At The Cellar, that’s the normal operating procedure.

Everything is delicious, and the prices are extremely reasonable. If anything, the portions are too big for tapas style dining; I’m sure two people could share a couple of items such as the salmon flatbread and Short Ribs sandwich and leave stuffed, with a tab under $30.

I just got home from a visit, and already I’m thinking about when I can go back!

Cellar at The Stained Glass
820 Clark St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-8678
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cellar-at-the-stained-glass-evanston