Sable

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*** (3 stars)

I wanted to like Sable a bit more than I did. The ambiance is nice, and the service is very friendly. There is an interesting menu of eclectic cocktails, and a limited selection of small plates and entrées.

But not too much of the food stood out. My favorite was the grilled peach salad, which was more about beets than peach. The pretzels were also good, but only after we asked for some spicy mustard to Doctor the cheese sauce that accompanied them.

Falafel sliders would have been better with a crustier patty, and the tempura needed more variety of vegetables. The worst item was the fried chicken, which was positively dripping with Greece. Yuck.

The chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream was a nice way to finish, and I was impressed that they had a 1968 Madeira by the glass.

In short, I might go back, but it would probably be for a snack.

Sable
505 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 755-9704
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sable-chicago

Dicks Last Resort

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*** (3 stars)

Dick’s is a fun place with a fun menu and fun staff. The food is typical sports bar, with perhaps a slight Cajun slant. Menu prices a fairly high, especially for dinner.

I had the catfish bucket for lunch, and it was tasty, if a bit pricey for what it was.

Dick’s works hard to create a divey environment inside, and it’s made easier by the fact that the Marina Towers are getting a bit divey themselves. However there is a great view of the river from both inside and the extensive outside riverfront patio.

My server was friendly and helpful, and the kitchen was quick. It’s worth a visit if you’re looking for a place to get a drink and sit by the river.

Dicks Last Resort
315 N Dearborn St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 836-7870
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dicks-last-resort-chicago-2

The Boarding House

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**** (4 stars)

A fabulous remodel has been done on this gorgeous historic boarding house. Each floor offers a different experience, from the cellar, to the ground floor bar, to the beautiful 3rd floor dining room, and private dining on the other floors.

It’s hard to ignore the dramatic chandeliers fashioned of wine glasses and bottles, which set the tone for an exceptional wine list.

The menu is divided into starters and main courses. We began with a bread service, fluffy pull apart rolls served with two butters, one sweet, one savory. Our first courses were good, if not spectacular: burrata cheese with toasted baguette slices, and octopus with new potatoes.

Entrees were very good. The venison was meaty without being gamey, and was served on a delicious combination of fall vegetables, cranberries, ham and other goodies. Scallops were perfectly cooked, served on a sweet puree with nicely caramelized Brussel sprouts. If I had any complaint it was just that both dishes were a bit on the sweet side.

Service was friendly and efficient, and the room volume was great, even when completely filled, as it deserves to be. A very neat environment for a pleasant meal.

The Boarding House
720 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 280-0720
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-boarding-house-chicago

Dicks Last Resort

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*** (3 stars)

Dick’s is a fun place with a fun menu and fun staff. The food is typical sports bar, with perhaps a slight Cajun slant. Menu prices a fairly high, especially for dinner.

I had the catfish bucket for lunch, and it was tasty, if a bit pricey for what it was.

Dick’s works hard to create a divey environment inside, and it’s made easier by the fact that the Marina Towers are getting a bit divey themselves. However there is a great view of the river from both inside and the extensive outside riverfront patio.

My server was friendly and helpful, and the kitchen was quick. It’s worth a visit if you’re looking for a place to get a drink and sit by the river.

Dicks Last Resort
315 N Dearborn St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 836-7870
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dicks-last-resort-chicago-2

Taco Joint

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*** (3 stars)

Taco Joint offers small but inexpensive tacos was tasty fillings. Standouts are the Pastor and the Barbacoa. Unlike authentic Mexican tacos there aren’t two tortillas, and there aren’t much in the way of extra ingredients such as cilantro or raw onions.

The guacamole sampler is a good way to try two or three different types of guacamole. They’re severed with both corn and plantain chips. The plantain chips work best with the mango guacamole, but I preferred the conventional and “red” sauce covered guacs with the corn chips.

There’s an extensive tequila list, and they’re served in very small sampling glasses, so you can try several. The standard margarita, which is served on the rocks with salt, is also very good.

Sidewalk dining is available. Service was friendly.

Taco Joint
158 W Ontario St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 337-8226
http://www.yelp.com/biz/taco-joint-chicago-3

The Aviary

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**** (4 stars)

I went on Nomad cookbook release night, so things were a bit different. The space is fairly open, so it can get pretty noisy, and there are a few pinch points which makes it a bit problematic for a party event.

The food being served was from the Nomad cookbook, and most of it, by necessity, was pretty simple.

The cocktails were great. I’m not sure whose recipes were at work, because I couldn’t find them in the Nomad cocktail book, but I loved the use of bitter ingredients in several of them. The Yaya Colada was a standout.

The Aviary
955 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 226-0868
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-aviary-chicago-2

Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge

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**** (4 stars)

This is a beautiful, large, expensive looking space, so it’s not surprising that prices are pretty high. I loved the way each item was served a bit more nicely than in the other sushi  places in town: miso soup was in a large, stylish bowl, and was a generous serving. The salad that came with lunch was an elaborate collection of mixed greens plus a couple of slices of peppers served with a much more delicate dressing than the normal ginger glop.

But when the sushi lunch set arrived, it looked pretty stingy: just four pieces of nigiri, and four coins of California roll. Not much for $14.

Fortunately I’d ordered another roll, the Mellow Yellow, and it was huge, with ten large slices for its reasonable $7 price.

I loved the tea service, with Genmai tea (the kind with the puffed rice) in a glass pot, served with a tiny glass cup and saucer.

Service was friendly, although if the place had more than a half dozen customers I’m not sure how the relatively slow sushi prep would have kept up.

Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge
332 E Illinois St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2888
http://www.yelp.com/biz/niu-japanese-fusion-lounge-chicago

437 Rush Restaurant

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**** (4 stars)

This Italian steakhouse offers great service and excellent food in an environment that differentiates it from the other steakhouses in town. It’s lighter and more open (less “clubby”) than the dark wood red leather booth places.

We had the Prix Fixe menu, which included our choice in each of four courses. Many of the starters and second courses had an Italian slant, but I wouldn’t really describe it as traditional Italian cuisine. Steakhouse staples such as shrimp cocktail were also offered.

Both the filet mignon entree and the ahi tuna entree were really excellent: tender, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. We finished with an excellent tira misu.

There is a nice wine list with some reasonably priced selections.

437 Rush Restaurant
437 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 222-0101
http://www.yelp.com/biz/437-rush-restaurant-chicago

Celeste

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***** (5 stars)

Celeste offers a different concept on each floor. Online reservations get you a table in the cozy cocktail bar on the second floor.

A fifteen page cocktail list offers something for everyone. My server was really into it, and actually created a cocktail to my taste from some new liqueurs they’d just received. There is also a limited but well-thought-out wine list.

The menu is brief, but excellent, with a number of small plates and a few entrees.

The octopus is a specialty, and was tender and flavorful, set off by bits of citrus and served on a creamy puree, topped with cilantro. It was delicious.

But my favorite was the smoked trout salad. The sour citrus wedges combined with the smoky trout and light dressing on the greens to something that was much more than the sum of its parts.

Food service was lightning fast, and the four bartenders did a good job of keeping up with the bustle. The low ceiling keeps noise to a reasonable level.

Celeste is definitely one of the better cocktail and dining experiences on Hubbard.

Celeste
111 W Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 828-9000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/celeste-chicago

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

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**** (4 stars)

This BJ’s has the nicest interior decor of any BJ’s I’ve been to. As with all of them it has a very extensive menu, and a full page devoted to a very clearly described array of beers.

We took a large (16 people) group here after playing the Escape game nearby, and our servers did an amazing job of dealing with so many people.

I really liked the queso dip appetizer, which was more about chili than cheese. The appetizer combo was less exciting, and I particularly disliked the egg rolls and the spinach dip.

My entree, the ahi tuna salad, was delicious, with tender, rare slices of ahi arranged around a nicely tossed pile of greens with just the right amount of tangy dressing, and a nice variety of textures.

In short, this is a great place for large groups or small parties, for groups who all want something different to eat, and for beer lovers. One of the better choices on I-Drive, for sure.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
8103 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(321) 732-8190
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bjs-restaurant-and-brewhouse-orlando-4