Doc B’s

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docbtuna

***** (5 stars)

I absolutely loved the chill atmosphere of this place, with its upbeat soundtrack that’s not too loud, and its modern ambience. On nice days the front opens out onto the sidewalk, but my favorite spot is at the full service bar, where the servers are as knowledgeable about the menu as the drinks.

And what a menu! I started with the grilled artichokes, which were charred around the edges and tender and meaty in the center. The bitterness of the char worked perfectly with the remoulade (which was really more like an aioli).

At the bartender’s recommendation I had her favorite, a tuna sandwich. Okay, now erase the image that just formed in your head, as this was nothing like any tuna sandwich you’ve ever had. Tender, rare circles of ahi tuna decorated a sesame bun, and slices of crisp apple added a delightful crunch to every bite. Amazing!

For desert I chose the mint gelato sandwich, which was served between two chocolate chip cookies. It went great with a generous pour of Macallan 12.

A limited wine and beer list contains very thoughtful selections. Although there are only twenty or so wines by the glass, I would have happily have any of them, and I’m not sure I’ve ever said that about a restaurant’s wine by the glass offerings before.

Needless to say, I will back at Doc B’s very soon!

Doc B’s
55 E Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 999-9300
http://www.yelp.com/biz/doc-bs-chicago-3

Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve

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**** (4 stars)

Wow, this place was packed, even on a rainy Thursday. Great vibe, just like Spain. The menu is a bit more limited than some Tapas places, but there is a nice variety. We really liked the beef dishes; very tender and good quality. There’s also a nice selection of Spanish wines. Service was very friendly, and noise levels are reasonable, even when busy, particularly at the window tables.

Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve
215 E Ohio St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 467-7177
http://www.yelp.com/biz/emilios-tapas-sol-y-nieve-chicago-2

Manny’s

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**** (4 stars)

This is an excellent choice for a quick sandwich at Midway. Even if you’re flying out of terminal B, it’s only a short walk down terminal A.

Manny’s is essentially a fully equipped delicatessen, so the sandwich you’ll get here will be far above normal airport quality. Each is prepared to order, so allow few extra minutes, but it’s worth it.

There is more seating available back at the juncture of terminal A with terminal B, a place the visitors to the nearby food court rarely find.

Manny’s
Chicago Midway International Airport
Concorse A, 5700 S Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 948-6300
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mannys-chicago-2

Mizuki Grill

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*** (3 stars)

With three sushi restaurants now within a two block radius, it’s hard to understand why this former Mexican restaurant (I know the decor looks Italian, but whatever) has become a combination sushi and American concept.

We didn’t try any of the American items, but the sashimi and sushi we had was all fine, although nothing stood out as particularly remarkable.

The salmon and hamachi appetizers were fairly similar, the main difference being minced onion on the salmon and jalapeño slices on the hamachi. Ceviche was served in a martini glass, and was mainly about lime juice and cilantro, which pretty much overwhelmed any fish flavors.

Rolls were somewhat more interesting. The Summer Roll (which according to our waitress “everyone orders”) was a balanced blend of tuna, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro and tempura flakes, topped with spicy mayo and sitting in eel sauce. The White Dragon was shrimp tempura with avocado, topped with eel and eel sauce. A few bits of the eel had a nice char that increased the complexity of the flavors.

The place is huge, with five dining rooms, although not all are furnished, and only two were in use. Service was efficient. The wine list is limited, and there are no sparkling wines, the best match for sushi. There are a few beers and sakes also available.

Mizuki Grill
474 Central Ave
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 926-7598
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mizuki-grill-highland-park

Blue Frog’s Local 22

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***** (5 stars)

This place bills themselves as serving “the best burger in Chicago” and they may be right. I certainly can’t remember having a better burger than their “Back O’ Da Yards” burger. Funny thing is, it didn’t contain beef. The ground pork patty had been cooked medium well, with a great crust on the surface, yet moist in the center. Two crispy onion rings and a generous serving of bacon rounded out the cooked ingredients. The bun was perfectly grilled, and the smoked gouda added a nice creaminess. A great burger.

I was also impressed with the mixed green salad I chose as a side. The greens were fresh, as were the accompanying, cucumber, onion and shredded carrots, and the blue cheese dressing, served on the side, was excellent.

There is a nice selection of draft beers. I really enjoyed the smoky stout I chose.

There are plenty of items on the menu other than burgers, although they’re obviously a specialty. There are also plenty of TVs for sports fans, but i was pleased that the audio at lunch time when I visited ran more to Black Sabbath than sportscasts.

I’m glad this place is so close to my home base, as I will be a frequent visitor.

Blue Frog’s Local 22
22 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-1200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/blue-frogs-local-22-chicago-3

Rural Society

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***** (5 stars)

This surprisingly large restaurant, as the name implies, strikes a balance between rusticity and sophistication. As soon as you enter the smell of the wood grill sets the tone for the highlights to come.

The decor features many private booths in curtained alcoves, although they are for parties of four or more. Couples are seated in the middle, where the acoustics seem like they should be good, but were defeated by a very large party seated nearby. Already several drinks in when they arrived, they should have been placed in the empty adjacent room. Ah well.

We decided to try the tasting menu and accompanying wine paring. This turned out to be a great way to sample much of the menu, and it’s a good buy compared to the individual food pricing. It’s available in two versions. We went for the upgraded version, which features more premium ingredients and better wines.

The tasting menu is billed as four courses, but it’s actually a dozen, since many plates are served for each course, and staggered preparation means that not everything arrives at one time. The accompanying five wines were excellent quality, almost all from Mendoza, and were full pours. We particularly loved the Alma sparking Malbec, a blanc de noir that was mouth-filling with a crisp finish.

We began with Focaccia bread with Malbec butter, which went great with the sparkler.

Empanadas filled with Braised Wagyu Beef Belly were indeed savory, and improved by some of the salsa condiment. It didn’t particularly go with the accompanying pinot grigio.

Braised Octopus with Tomato Escabeche and Malbec Chips was an interesting combination, more about the accompaniments than the octopus.

Roasted Red Peppers were a surprising standout. Thin sliced and served in oil with Whipped Eggplant and Anchovies, they were quite complex.

Roasted Beets were served with an amazing Orange Coriander Vinaigrette that elevated the beets to something quite interesting. I was wishing I had some of that sparkler left for this course, although it somewhat matched the pinot not that was served.

The Seafood Pasta with Cockles wasn’t my favorite, although the past was nicely cooked, and the bits of Rock Shrimp were tasty.

Grilled Wild Mushrooms were laden with butter, and absolutely delicious.

The final course consisted of three items from the grill. Maine Lobster tail was split in half and served with a piece of claw meat. It was a straightforward preparation that let the flavor of the tender lobster come through.

Although I’m not usually a pork fan, the Pork Chop was actually the highlight of the meal. It was a thick chop, sliced into succulent pieces, each with a charred crust. This is the only item I could not find on the regular menu, and I wonder if it was a special or a variant of the stuffed pork tenderloin.

I’m pretty sure the tasting menu we had included the Prime Dry Aged NY Strip. Whatever the beef was, it was exquisite, and perfectly matched by the malbec/cabernet/syrah blend that accompanied it.

Crispy Roasted Potatoes were pre-sliced into thin wafers held together only at the bottom, which allowed them to crisp around the edges. The accompanying Hollandaise was suffused with Truffle.

We finished with a rolled up crepe-like pastry accompanied by Tres Leches ice cream. I felt it was the weakest course, although we were stuffed at this point, and the final wine, a delicious late harvest Malbec, made up for it. It was like drinking chocolate mousse.

Service was friendly and efficient.

While Rural Society isn’t cheap, It is a good value for the money, but if you plan to order the tasting menu I suggest you arrive very hungry!

Rural Society
455 N Park Dr
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 840-6605
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rural-society-chicago-2

Glazed & Infused

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**** (4 stars)

This is among the top doughnut places in town, and has the advantage of more locations than some of the others. (Note that the entrance to the River North location is through the restaurant around the corner and past the hostess stand.) There is a limited selection of types, and they run out, so it’s best to arrive early and beat the lines.

Their old fashioned is a very good doughnut, although I would prefer it without the fronting, and with more of a crust, like they do it at Do-Rite’s.

White chocolate seems a bit boring, and Chocolate 4 is simply all about chocolate, not really my thing.

The apple fritter is a nice take on this old favorite; this version is all about cinnamon and a light cake interior, without the cloying apple glop that is so often used. I would have liked a crisper top crust, though.

The fried ice cream doughnut was interesting, with its toasted coconut topping, although I’m not sure where it gets its name.

But clearly the standout doughnut here is the Maple Bacon Long John. The creamy center gives it a smooth consistency, the maple flavor is rich, and the salty bite of the smokey peppered bacon really raises the complexity level. This is the doughnut you’ve been looking for.

While they have bagels and other non-sweet items, they don’t have any doughnuts that aren’t extremely sweet, so if your taste runs to a plain old fashioned, this isn’t the place. Otherwise it’s definitely a great choice for some morning sugar overload.

Glazed & Infused
30 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 226-5556
http://www.yelp.com/biz/glazed-and-infused-chicago-6

Circa 57

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**** (4 stars)

This place is all about the decor, which is fabulous. I’m not sure there were any diners in the 50s that were actually this nice, but it gets each individual element perfect, right down to the two-tone glittery piping on the vinyl booths.

The menu is exactly what you’d expect from a place that serves 50s comfort food, with very little concession to modern nutrition. Everything we tried was good, and probably less greasy than its 50s inspirations.

Service was attentive and friendly. This is an excellent choice for before theater dinner.

Circa 57
101 W Campbell St
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 392-1957
http://www.yelp.com/biz/circa-57-arlington-heights

Shaw’s Crab House

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**** (4 stars)

Shaw’s is a bustling (that’s restaurant speak for noisy), sprawling, traditional red leather booth place that serves shellfish, fish and sushi to a packed house every night. The extensive menu is filled with traditional items and preparations, and waiters sport traditional white jackets, although the service is anything but stiff.

The menu begins with an interesting selection of (yes, traditional) cocktails, and some nicely thought out wine by the glass selections.

The tuna tartare appetizer nicely combined citrus and avocado flavors, and was accompanied by ample dipping chips. Shrimp cocktail was a classic preparation, with good sized shrimp and just the right amount of horseradish.

I particularly enjoyed the Caesar salad, which had a nicely balanced dressing, and thin wafer-like croutons with a lot of flavor.

The Copper River salmon was good, not remarkable, but I really enjoyed the accompanying grilled asparagus. A side of au gratin potatoes was more like a dish of cheese and butter with a trace of potatoes under there, but it was as delicious as it sounds.

Shaw’s is not a great place for quiet conversation, but it works well for a boisterous business dinner, or a group of friends that knows each other well enough that deep conversation isn’t on the agenda.

Shaw’s Crab House
21 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2722
http://www.yelp.com/biz/shaws-crab-house-chicago

The Purple Pig

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**** (4 stars)

Despite the name, this place is also a good choice for vegetarians. We had six courses, and aside from a little bacon in one of them, there was no pig or other meat involved. The highlights were the peas (because of the fresh mint mixed in) and the leeks.

There is a great selection of both pasteurized and raw milk cheeses, which made a wonderful dessert plate for two.

For me, though, the reason to go is the remarkable wine list, with hundreds of selections, all from countries bordering the Mediterranean. Nearly every selection is available by the glass, demi, half or full bottle, and they’ll even open a bottle of any of the wines priced under $50 (which is nearly all of them) and pour you just half. So it’s a great place to explore varieties and appellations you’ve never heard of.

One word of warning: the atmosphere is vibrant (read that as LOUD) to say the least, so it’s not a place for intimate conversation. It’s somewhat better on the patio, but even there it’s pretty boisterous.

The Purple Pig
500 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 464-1744
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-purple-pig-chicago