Category Archives: Chicago

Trenchermen

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***** (5 stars)

Trenchermen provides a very interesting menu in a great environment that is a mix of retro and modern.

The very reasonably price four course menu offers a nice way to sample (rather large) tasting portions of two appetizers, and entree and a dessert. Having complete flexibility of wha tot choose from the menu is really a nice idea. Our eight choices were:

Shrimp was served on interesting toast, and with a lemon curd garnish, it was good, not superb.

Ham was thin sliced and served with a BBQ-like sauce, very good.

Carrots with exotic spices were accompanied by wonderful English pea falafel.

Pickle tots were more like potato puffs, with very little pickle flavor.

Cauliflower was a spectacular slice of a whole cauliflower, browned on both sides and served with tangy relish. This was stellar.

Double burger was perfectly cooked, served with spectacularly crisped steak fries and the most delicious “burger sauce” for dipping I’ve ever tasted. This was addictive.

Basque cake had a wonderful buttery crust and came with delicious poppy seed ice cream.

The cheese plate included three American artisanal cheeses, but the highly was the accompanying house-roasted nuts.

The focus here is on cocktails more that the rather eclectic selection of wines. Service was very friendly.

Trenchermen
2039 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-1540
http://www.yelp.com/biz/trenchermen-chicago

Harry Caray’s Restaurant

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*** (3 stars)

Let’s face it. One does not go to an airport for a fine dining experience. So when you get decent food in a sit down environment it makes you just a little more grateful than you’d be in other circumstances.

Harry Caray’s at Midway Airport is such a spot. The food is perfectly fine, including some nicely assembled sandwiches and some genuinely good salads.

The environment is crowded, noisy, and cluttered with luggage. In short, it’s at an airport. But you can sit (after a sometimes long wait) and have a decent meal and relax over a drink. That can’t be said of many other spots in this airport.

Service can be wildly variable. I’ve had everything from hyper-efficient to brusque to check for a pulse. Still, receiving any service at all in an airport is a novelty.

Harry Caray’s Restaurant
5757 S Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 948-6300
http://www.yelp.com/biz/harry-carays-restaurant-chicago-2

Beatrix

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**** (4 stars)

Lively is the best way to describe Beatrix. This trendy spot opening off the lobby of the equally trendy aLoft hotel is bustling with business. If you’re looking for a quiet dinner for two, this isn’t the place. But if you like a clamorous atmosphere and thoughtful small plates, this is a good choice.

Everything we sampled was good. The standout was a special, Bulgogi chicken. We also really enjoyed the Caesar salad, which was more finely chopped than usual and had a delicious dressing.

The wine and beer offerings seemed a bit limited to me for this type of restaurant, but there are some excellent juices and drinks based upon juices. I particularly liked the whiskey sour made with fresh lemon juice.

Service was extremely knowledgable and friendly. If only it weren’t quite so lively!

Beatrix
519 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 284-1377
http://www.yelp.com/biz/beatrix-chicago

NoMI Kitchen

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***** (5 stars)

We had a great lunch at NoMI. A corner table overlooking Waterpower place can’t be beat. The emphasis on lighter fare, sushi and fish makes for a healthy lunch. \

I had TJ’s Farm Chicken at the waiter’s suggestion, and it was one of the best chicken dishes I’ve ever had, with a perfectly crisp skin and moist, succulent meat. The accompanying herb crumbs were heavenly.

The wine list is really well thought out, and if you’re willing to spring for a nice bottle, there are some excellent choices. They even have Madeira by the glass. And Madeira goes with everything (even spiny tuna rolls, it turns out!)

Service was friendly and efficient. A great place for a relaxing and tasty lunch.

NoMI Kitchen
Park Hyatt Chicago
800 N Michigan Ave, 7th Fl
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 239-4030
http://www.yelp.com/biz/nomi-kitchen-chicago

The Doughnut Vault

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**** (4 stars)

I’m not sure this place is actually as big as the average vault!

But clearly they’re doing something right, when there’s a half hour line outside on a cold Sunday morning.

I’m a big fan of old fashioned buttermilk donuts, and although we tried a sampling of everything those were certainly my favorites. I felt they were comparable to Stan’s, my long time benchmark from Westwood Village California, and now at two spots in Chicago. However they don’t have the nice crust you find at Do-Rite’s, which I’d have to dub the winner in that category.

Still, a very fine donut.

The Doughnut Vault
401 1/2 N Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 285-2830
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-doughnut-vault-chicago

Do-Rite Donuts

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***** (5 stars)

This is what a donut shop in heaven must be like.

As a long-time fan of Stan’s Corner Donut Shop in Westwood Village California, I was delighted to learn that Stan’s had opened locations in Chicago. And indeed, their blueberry buttermilk donut is hard to beat.

But my favorite donut is an old fashioned buttermilk, and the one at Do-Rite has bested all others. The delicate crusty outside and moist center is the perfect combination. Do-Rite’s has a lot of other good choices, but this one is the new benchmark of excellence.

It’s one heavenly donut.

Do-Rite Donuts
50 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 488-2483
http://www.yelp.com/biz/do-rite-donuts-chicago

MK Restaurant

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***** (5 stars)

What a delightful meal we had at MK Restaurant! I love the combination of intricate, complex and perfectly prepared food, yet relaxed, friendly service. This is no stiff palace to haut cuisine, it’s a place people go to have great food and wine in a convivial atmosphere.

I love the design of the room, too, which is light and open, and doesn’t get noisy even when all the tables are filled.

Best of all, on off nights MK offers many of their wines at 50% off. This leads to some exquisite wines at near retail pricing. We created out own multi-course menu (although I’m sure the tasting menu would have been great, too) and were able to pair each course with the perfect wine because of the reasonable pricing, and the large number of half bottles and wines by the glass.

MK is really a gem of a restaurant, and we’ll be back soon.

MK Restaurant
868 N Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 482-9179
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mk-restaurant-chicago

The Library

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***** (5 stars)

We absolutely loved this place. It has all the advantages of the food from the Gilt Bar upstairs, but without the noise.

I’m surprised they don’t bill this as a speakeasy, because it has that atmosphere: a twisting passageway downstair to find the almost hidden door, and lighting that takes a few minutes to adjust to. Candles on book shelves provide part of the illumination, and the fancy bar at one end looks like it’s straight out of the 20s.

We tried a large portion of the menu, and loved everything except perhaps the bone marrow and the rib eye. Mussels were a standout.

Of course with this theming there are cocktails, and many fine choices among them. I’m not a fan of sweet drinks, so I was delighted to discover many bitter ingredients available, and even finished with an Amaro Nonino.

Service was friendly and helpful.

The Library
Gilt Bar
230 W Kinzie St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 464-9544
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-library-chicago

Cumin

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**** (4 stars)

This wonderfully aromatic restaurant is well named.

The menu offers a wide range of classic Indian dishes, some with a twist. For example, the naan bread is very thin, almost like flatbread, but with a bubbly crisp crust around the edge. We had the garlic version, and it was some of the best I’ve had. Because of its thinness, it wasn’t too filling, yet made a great scoop for picking up sauce.

We tried three entrees. The shrimp saag was rich and had a good spinach taste amidst the spices, but the strong flavors made the inclusion of shrimp pointless. Next time I would get it without any protein.

Chicken Madras was extremely creamy, and the chicken was moist and succulent. I hadn’t had this dish before, and really enjoyed it.

But by far the best was the lamb korma, not so much because of the lamb (which was fine, but not tender and succulent like the chicken) but because of the wonderfully complex flavors in the korma sauce, one of the best versions I’ve tasted.

The meal starts with a basket of papadums and two sauces, mint, and tamarind. The mint sauce was a bit thinner than some, and I like more cilantro in mine, but the tamarind sauce was outstanding, almost like fresh cherries in its fruitiness. Very different from the dark, cloying versions served most places.

Service was extremely friendly and helpful. There are a large number of nice wines by the glass.

The place is cozy and upscale, and the cooking smells waft down the street. For a fine meal, just follow your nose to Cumin.

Cumin
1414 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-1414
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cumin-chicago

Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs and Fries

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve been looking all over Chicago (literally) for a place with great gourmet hotdogs and hamburgers. Well, this is it.

The dogs include the usual Chicago and chili varieties, plus others named after cities and countries. I tried the most unusual, the Japanese Dog, and wow, was it good. Yes, the seaweed salad and pickled ginger go well on a dog, but the superb flavors of the dog itself really shone through. Best hot dog meat I’ve had, for sure.

But the burger was actually better. A think, juicy patty with a crisp, seared crust, piled high with all my favorite toppings, plus cheddar cheese and (of course) bacon. That bacon really made it a home run, with its smoky flavor, and the bun had enough integrity to hold the whole handful together. Just describing it has made me want another one.

I also tried the garlic fries, which are hand cut and tossed with fresh Gilroy garlic, herbs and olive oil. If that sounds good, you’re right. The owner made sure I knew they were unsalted, and pointed out a whole rack of seasoning salt shakers to choose from. His recommended smoked salt was terrific on them.

It’s easy to see that the owner’s hands-on approach makes this place special, and I can imagine it’s often hard to get a seat, as there are only a few tables, but I was served quickly, and the wait time for everything to be prepared fresh was definitely worth it. I’m all ready to go back and try some other gourmet combinations and maybe a shake, too.

Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs and Fries
5419 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
(773) 775-2545
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ivys-burgers-hot-dogs-and-fries-chicago