**** (4 stars)
This stylish sushi bar offers so excellent cooked and raw items. The Tuna Tower and Hamachi Jalapeno were our favorites. Service (by presumably the owner) was friendly and attentive. You can sit in a cozy booth in the front windows, or have a more private space in the rear.
Usagi Ya
1178 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 292-5885
http://www.yelp.com/biz/usagi-ya-chicago
**** (4 stars)
An idyllic setting for a restaurant. When you can sit in the front room with all the wall opened up on a nice evening there is no more pleasant dining venue in Chicago.
We had the tasting menu, and felt that it contained many interesting and delicious ingredients that didn’t necessarily combine into something greater than the individual parts. But each dish had lots going on in it, for sure. The most successful were actually two courses that were added, a amuse bouche of curry and pineapple soup, and a pre-dessert with mace ice cream. The dessert itself was also a highlight.
THe accompanying wine pairing is a good deal. While there are no stunners, the wines work well with the dishes, particularly considering home many disparate flavors there are in each one.
Our waiter, though hurried, was obviously really passionate, and shared an anecdote about each wine.
Overall I’d certainly return, not so much for the wine as for the overall experience.
North Pond
2610 N Cannon Dr
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-5845
http://www.yelp.com/biz/north-pond-chicago
*** (3 stars)
This is good, but not great Mexican food. It makes no claim to authenticity, which is fine, but it’s not all that creative, either. Some dishes are clearly mis-named. For example, a “quesadilla” appetizer was actually mini soft tacos. The only resemblance to quesadillas was that the tiny pinch of cheese in each one was melted into the meat stuffing.
Guacamole, margaritas and the mole sauce were all good, but there is a better version of each at other Mexican restaurants in town. The ceviche sampler is very good, with one of the three the clear winner.
The upscale dining experience is a nice change for a Mexican restaurant, although our waiter was not particularly friendly or competent. I’ve visited a couple of times, with similar results on both occasions.
For a more conventional (and louder) Tex Mex experience, you can also check out Frontera Grill next door.
Topolobampo
445 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 661-1434
http://www.yelp.com/biz/topolobampo-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Wow, the lunch here is a fantastic experience and value. For under $20 you get table service of fresh delicious food that changes from day to day. When we visited we received virtually everything we would have ordered from the menu: samosa, tandoori, masala, korma, saag, lentils, garlic naan. We could have easily spent $100 on this ala carte. And if you finish a dish they just bring more. It’s the variety of a buffet without the warming tray staleness. Service was friendly and attentive. We’ll definitely be back for another sampling.
Jaipur
847 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 526-3655
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jaipur-chicago
**** (4 stars)
We enjoyed the pub like atmosphere of the corner room, which affords a great view of the colorful neighborhood. Salads were fresh and excellent, and there are some nice wines on their list at good prices.
Service was inexperienced but well intentioned.
Basil Leaf Cafe
2465 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 348-7243
http://www.yelp.com/biz/basil-leaf-cafe-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Wow, the breakfast menu here is incredible. Whether you want a scramble, hash, eggs, or something sweet, this is the place, as evidenced by the line to get in. Great ambiance and service. Note that you can swap the toast for a really nice serving of fruit.
Meli Cafe & Juice Bar
301 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 454-0748
http://www.yelp.com/biz/meli-cafe-and-juice-bar-chicago
***** (5 stars)
I love everything about this environment. The bar is a great place to hang out before a show, and the show space has great acoustics. You can arrive an hour or two early and have a great meal of small plates. The flat breads and dips were good, but the “root beer” rubbed pork belly with savory french toast and maple-bourbon sauce was phenomenal. I’ve had pork belly in some of the world’s best restaurants, and this was the best ever: not too fatty, bursting with subtle flavors, and the perfect accompaniments. Their house made wines are respectable and interesting, and there are also lots of beers and other choices. Good service, too. An excellent venue for a show, probably my top choice in Chicago.
City Winery Chicago
1200 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-9463
http://www.yelp.com/biz/city-winery-chicago-chicago
**** (4 stars)
Very good service and food at this Korean restaurant that faces Chinatown. We started with the Seafood Pancake, which was quite large, an appetizer suitable for four or even six. For entrees we had the Dolsot Bibim Bop, which is served still cooking in a stone bowl, and the Kalbi, slices of beef with the rib bone attached, grilled with a sweet Korean barbecue sauce. Both were very good. Service was super attentive. I think everyone working in the place came by to check on us at least twice! A great choice for Asian food when near Chinatown.
Ahjoomah’s Apron
218 W Cermak Rd
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-2800
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ahjoomahs-apron-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Great little place on a side street in Chinatown. Clean, friendly, and superb food. Lunch is an incredible bargain for under $7, but we chose to explore the main menu, which is also reasonably priced.
We tried the Salty Egg Yolk Shrimp, Dungeness Crab Curry, and the French Beef. All were excellent.
I would have liked the shrimp a bit crispier; it’s definitely worth $2 extra to have it shelled.
If only the crab could be shelled! It was our favorite dish because of the rich spices in the curry, but it was an absolute mess to eat because it’s a whole crab covered in curry sauce, and you have to crack the shells; but hanging onto something covered in hot, slippery sauce is a real challenge. They can do other proteins with this sauce, and that’s what I’d get next time.
I’d definitely get the French Beef again. It was wonderfully tender cubes of beef with an aromatic crust. No Frenchmen were harmed in the preparation of this dish.
This is definitely a non-touristy place to have great food in Chinatown.
Go 4 Food
212 W 23rd St
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-8688
http://www.yelp.com/biz/go-4-food-chicago
***** (5 stars)
Blackbird has been nominated or received a James Beard award virtually every year for more than a decade, and there’s a reason.
We had the tasting menu, which consisted of ten courses plus a couple of extras. There were several home runs, and a couple of misses. Stellar items included the Foie gras in an amazing shitake broth, and a sweet and savory course of cheese and chocolate. Misses were the sturgeon and the striploin.
Service was super efficient, unobtrusive, and friendly.
The wine list is pricey and doesn’t have a lot of depth, but we found two reasonably priced half bottles that accompanied almost every course.
The place gets noisy, because there is no acoustic treatment, but we went early and had a front corner table that was quite intimate for the first couple of hours.
An excellent culinary experience.
Blackbird
619 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 715-0708
http://www.yelp.com/biz/blackbird-chicago