Txokos

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**** (4 stars)

Orlando needs more restaurants with great ambience, and Txokos certainly leads the pack. The main dining room with its wood grill and chef’s bar seating are particularly nice, and the subdued Euro-inspired soundtrack is perfect.

All of the food we had was good, but several items were particularly noteworthy, and they weren’t necessarily the ones we’d have guessed. Standouts were the manchego cheese and figs on skewers and the grilled spring onions. Both were reasonably priced, in contrast to the expensive and uninspired charcuterie plate.

There are some excellent Spanish wines on the list, including a very reasonably priced Tondonia Rioja.

Service was very attentive, and there are a nice assortment of sherries and other Spanish libations by the glass.

Txokos
3201 Corrine Dr
Orlando, FL 32804
(321) 972-8852
http://www.yelp.com/biz/txokos-orlando-2

Usagi Ya

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**** (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

Chopin Theatre

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***** (5 stars)

This is a funky, eclectic space with an upstairs reception and bar, and then a larger parlor in the basement, all a preview to a basement theatre that’s low on frills but very professional.  The show we saw had excellent talent and first rate stagecraft. Definitely a good (and surprising) place to see some creative theatre.

Chopin Theatre
1543 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 278-1500
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chopin-theatre-chicago

Sloppy Taco Palace

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**** (4 stars)

Yes, the tacos are sloppy. And good. Very good. But what is GREAT is the sloppy dog. Also bizarre. It’s a delicious hot dog in a tortilla, covered in chili and nacho cheese. And it’s five times better than you imagined from that description.

The Greek wrap and Greek taco are also really good. The sliders are, um, how can I put this… lousy.

Tater tots are the most popular side, and are delicious.

Service is fun; our regular lunch waitress is quick with the jokes and the refills, and makes each lunch a bit of a lark.

We like to eat outside on the covered porch because it doesn’t smell like old beer, which, let’s face it, the inside does. It looks like they have some wild bands in the evening but I’ve never been there then.

Tip: lunch specials most days are really cheap.

Sloppy Taco Palace
4892 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 574-6474
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sloppy-taco-palace-orlando

North Pond

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**** (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

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

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**** (4 stars)

This is a bustling operation divided into many dining rooms and fronted by a large gift shop. They offer a broad range of wines they barrel age and presumably blend themselves, and we found them sound if not inspired, and reasonably priced. The food was excellent, from the vegetarian flatbread to the fish main courses. The menu is extensive, and I’m sure we’ll return to explore further. Service was friendly and efficient.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
798 W Algonquin Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 981-0900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/coopers-hawk-winery-and-restaurants-arlington-heights

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

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***** (5 stars)

This is a superb performance space. The stage is a semi circle, somewhat between a conventional proscenium setup and a thrust stage. The seats are pretty narrow, but comfortable. The show we saw was The Last Five Years, a fairly rare musical. The two leads were excellent, and the male lead belongs on Broadway. The six piece orchestra handled the complex show with great aplomb. I’ve seen the show four times, and this was by far the best production I’ve encountered. In fact, imaginative directing made this better than the Broadway version. Despite being a very long trip from my home, I’ll definitely return when they produce another show of interest to me.

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre
111 W Campbell St
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 577-5982
http://www.yelp.com/biz/metropolis-performing-arts-centre-arlington-heights

Jaipur

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***** (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

Flat Top Grill

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***** (5 stars)

This is my go-to place for a light lunch in Evanston. I completely skip the meats, and have two vegetarian courses. The first I turn into soup, and the second into a stir fry with roti bread. Ingredients are always fresh, and there is a broad selection of interesting sauces. Service is quick, friendly and efficient. I wish there was one of these close to my home!

Flat Top Grill
707 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 570-0100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/flat-top-grill-evanston-3