Category Archives: Chicago

Michael Jordan’s Steak House

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***** (5 stars)

I have to admit that I went to an Adobe Road Wine Dinner here, rather than experience the normal dining room offerings, but usually group events don’t offer a place its best opportunity to shine.

Boy did the chef knock it out of the park. I’ve been to hundreds of wine dinners and this had to be at the very top. Duck with cherries and dijon mustard; hickory smoked lamb chops with mint, watermelon and tomatoes; wagyu beef with black carrots. I’m not sure which course was the best.

Service was prompt and friendly, and the private room was perfect for a group of twenty. I will definitely go back to check out the regular menu, because there is some serious talent behind the scenes here.

Note: the bar was absolutely packed on a Wednesday night after work, so if you’re into that scene, it’s the place to be.

Michael Jordan’s Steak House
505 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 321-8823
http://www.yelp.com/biz/michael-jordans-steak-house-chicago

Dos Ricco’s

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***** (5 stars)

I love Korean barbecue tacos. The mixture of cuisines is perfect. Dos Ricco’s makes a great one. The Regular taco comes on a corn tortilla, while the Korean version comes on a flour tortilla. However I would ask for the corn tortilla with their Korean selection.

The service is super helpful, which really makes it a joy to visit the place. Be aware that it’s not really a sit down restaurant, as there are only stools for about 10 people in the small ordering and eating space.

Dos Ricco’s
6445 S Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 284-9088
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dos-riccos-chicago

Smoque BBQ

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**** (4 stars)

I love the quick efficiency of this place, which handles a huge crowd without long waits. The BBQ is good, but not life changing. I agree the brisket is tender, but I’ve have much more flavorful brisket in the South. The sauces are good, though, so pile it on and you’ll enjoy some excellent BBQ.

Smoque BBQ
3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 545-7427
http://www.yelp.com/biz/smoque-bbq-chicago

Sola

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***** (5 stars)

This is a great place for Asian fusion, and also a wonderful Sunday brunch spot. The food is quite different between those two menus, and fittingly the atmosphere inside and outside is very different, too. The trendy energy inside would be perfect for lunch or dinner, while the sidewalk on this quiet, tree-lined side street is perfect for brunch.

We shared several dishes: ham and cheese french toast, smoked fish scrambled eggs, and an Asian chicken salad. The salad was light and refreshing, with exotic greens and just a touch of very flavorful dressing. The smoked fish scrambled eggs was good, the highlight being a dollop of very flavorful cream cheese, and some nicely cooked hash browns, but I probably wouldn’t order that dish again. The best was the ham and cheese french toast, which reminded my of a Montecristo sandwich. It was slathered with fresh strawberry preserves that contained a hint of five spice. There wasn’t a bite of that dish left on our plates!

Service was friendly, with food delivered by an efficient team, and prices are quite reasonable. We’ll definitely return for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Sola
3868 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 327-3868
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sola-chicago

The Bristol

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**** (4 stars)

The Bristol is an upscale restaurant that manages to avoid being too crowded and too noisy while still achieving a trendy vibe. The narrow, brick-lined space is lit sparingly, making it good choice for intimate conversation and romantic dinners. While the tables are fairly close, they are aligned in a way that doesn’t seem invasive.

There’s a reason everyone talks about the duck fat fries. They’re surprisingly un-greasy, perfectly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and nicely seasoned, served with a wonderful garlic aioli.

We also really enjoyed the wagyu beef, which was just the right mix of meat and fat, charred yet still perfectly medium rare on the inside, and served with a delicious red pepper sauce. The trout and the tempura broccoli were just okay.

Dishes are served family style, so go with people who enjoy sharing and tasting lots of different things.

One member of our party had many allergies, and the chef marked up a menu for her, showing her what she could have and what he could modify. Very nice.

The wine list is extensive, and prices are fair, although there are no bargains.

Service was friendly, and the bus boys were particularly on the ball with plate removal and water refills. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the service was impressive. This is a very good restaurant, flirting with great. Definitely worth a visit.

The Bristol
2152 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 862-5555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bristol-chicago

Les Nomades

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*** (3 stars)

Not one of my favorites in Chicago. Service is stuffy and controlling, the pacing of dinner is too fast, and there isn’t a knockout dish on the menu. The decor is nice, and I suppose it’s a good place to impress a date or business associate, but there is better French food to be had in the Chicago area. Restaurant Michael in Winnetka, for example, offers a better meal at half the price.

Les Nomades
222 E Ontario St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 649-9010
http://www.yelp.com/biz/les-nomades-chicago

Alinea

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** (2 stars)

I’ve eaten at some great restaurants all over the world, and I don’t get Alinea. It’s simply irritating. Yes, a few courses are knockouts. But there are also clunkers. The real problem, though, is the didactic nature of the place. We were instructed in how te eat almost every bite: “Put the whole thing in your mouth” (it was huge), “Inhale this smoke while you take a bite”, “”Don’t injure yourself on this ridiculous spike we served it on.” Then came dessert. They rolled out a rubber sheet, and several “chefs” literally smeared various stuff all over it in from of us. I am not making this up. Not only is this not the best restaurant in Chicago, it’s one of the worst fine dining experiences I’ve had in Chicago. Service is stiff, the decor is austere, I just don’t get it.

Alinea
1723 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 867-0110
http://www.yelp.com/biz/alinea-chicago

Girl & the Goat

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***** (5 stars)

The Girl and the Goat is the new restaurant by Stephanie Izard, winner of Top Chef. Barely open a year, it has already won a James Beard award, and is the hottest restaurant in Chicago. I reserved our table three months in advance.

I was a bit wary of going the day after Moto, and some of the menu items seemed a bit scary (oven roasted pig’s face). What a delightful surprise this restaurant turned out to be! We loved all the plates we shared. We tried all three fresh baked breads of the day. Each was served with two different accompaniments, such as Worchestshire butter. Our favorite dishes were:

Wood fired chicken with fried pickles and grilled naan.
Sauteed cauliflower with pickled peppers, parmesan cheese, mint leaves and pine nuts.
Goat belly confit with lobster and crab.

Service was really professional yet friendly, and the vibrant environment and wood smoke filled room is the perfect setting for such fun and tasty food. The Girl and the Goat is a new Chicago favorite.

Girl & the Goat
809 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 492-6262
http://www.yelp.com/biz/girl-and-the-goat-chicago

Graham Elliot

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** (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

Moto

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***** (5 stars)

Moto is just plain fun. After you’ve tried the other great restaurants, it’s the place you keep coming back to for astounding food and an always memorable meal. Sure, it’s expensive, but you’re getting twenty crazy courses: A Cuban sandwich that looks like a cigar, fruit that looks like cheese, duck confit in the form of a cannoli, and a banana split served with pipets on my last visit. The wine pairing is very good, and the service isn’t stuffy at all. Come to relax and enjoy. It’s a meal you won’t forget.

Moto
945 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 491-0058
http://www.yelp.com/biz/moto-chicago