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March 31st, 2007 at 06:45pm
Under $$$ - Casual Dining+ $$ - Good Eats
A prime River North location, valet parking outside, innovative menu, not a place I want to pick up the check. Or is it?
Quartinos (Corner of State & Ontario) labels its offerings as italian tapas. As someone who loves food, I tend to be very indecisive when picking up a menu for the first time. Tapas is the perfect answer for those times when everything looks good. I also love quality Italian food as much as anybody who has lived off store-bought marinara sauce and spaghetti for the better part of college and fallen in love at first sight with hundreds of super hot Italian girls. However, I have never heard of a restaurant offering a combination of both of these dining pleasures. I was intrigued and ready to pay for it.
Once inside the crowded, yet surprisingly comfortable bustle of this friendly spot, we ordered clams and a carafe of cabernet sauvignon to start. The wine was impressively good - even before considering the $18/L price tag. The clams were deserving of a similar reaction. Coated in an excellent sauce and served in a generous helping, this was good eating. For the next course, we ordered the cavatelli. Touted by our friendly and fast waitress as a potato pasta similar to gnocchi, this dish was impeccable. I have not had pasta this good in quite some time. The sauce was bursting with flavor that was brought out perfectly by fresh ricotta cheese spread across the dish. This dish alone makes me want to return to Quartinos very soon.
Following this dish we settled on calamari as our final dish. The generous helpings made three dishes seem like the perfect number for two people. The calamari was the first and only falter of the entire meal. A bit undercooked and rubbery, they were still not horrible and I have certainly seen far worse served at higher priced establishments. We were well into our second carafe of wine by this point and decided that dessert was a must upon seeing the nutella paninis seductively lighting up the menu. When they were brought out, it was clear that these small sandwiches dripping with chocolate were the perfect end to a very enjoyable dinner.
I have no doubt that I will return to Quartinos in the near future. If I were to only consider the food, I would draw the exact same conclusion. Add to this that my girlfriend and I were able to enjoy 3 generously sized tapas dishes, dessert, and plenty of wine for less than $50 and I am just salty I didn’t hit here any earlier.
By admin
March 31st, 2007 at 06:44pm
Under $$ - Good Eats
Today we had the pleasure of finally visiting Minnies (1969 North Halsted). Our interest in this place was originally piqued by the European walk-up window outside but once we discovered that everything on the menu is miniature, we had to try it.
From the moment we entered, we were struck by the devotion to keeping everything mini in the small diner. A full bar comprised entirely of mini liquor bottles, including a top shelf section, mini beer bottles, and mini sandwiches on everyone’s plates. The small dining room and bar area were crowded but not uncomfortable and after a very brief wait we were taken to a table.
Service was fast and refreshingly friendly. Our order was taken and delivered quickly. The atmosphere was great, a great mix of young professionals and young families with children adding a happy din to the room.
If you’re like me, when you visit a new restaurant, you can’t entirely decide what to get. Minnies has the perfect solution for this. The standard order is comprised of 3 mini sandwiches and a side of frites. By selecting 3 sandwiches, I could get all the things that looked great on the menu rather than having to decide. The frite sauce was an impressive addition to the side. My 3 sandwiches were the pesto chicken, the venezia, and a turkey cheeseburger. They were all delicious with the pesto chicken coming in at the top of the list.
For dessert, my friend got the original butterscotch milk-shake. As he stated, “anytime a place calls something ‘the original’ its gotta be good.” Apparently it was.
I went with the waitress’ other suggestion “Minnie’s chocolate chip mint cookies in a bowl.” Comprised of essentially 3 brownie cookies, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and whip creme, this was just a straight up good ending to a very enjoyable meal.
Cliff Notes — A great, friendly diner where each guest orders a variety of miniature items. Great staff, fast service, and reasonable price make this place a must hit.
By admin
March 31st, 2007 at 06:43pm
Under $$ - Good Eats
With the unfortunate passing of the beloved Amarit, my Thai loving brethren and I were left with but one choice for great Thai food at a great price in the River North/Gold Coast scenery.
Luckily though, Star of Siam (Illinois & Grand) doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. After being in the same location for the past x years, we hope that the small, comfortable restaurant will remain for some time.
Being my go-to Thai restaurant and Thai being my go-to food, I’ve tried a few different dishes here. However, without a doubt my favorite remains the Green Curry with chicken. The heat in this dish has been perfected to the point that it just burns so good. Add to this a combination of vegetables and a very basil-y finish served in a heaping portion for around $7 (don’t forget to add a side of rice) and it is the making of a great dish.
If you have time to dine in the restaurant, enjoy the butter seating in the middle of the dining room where you look to be sitting on the floor but in reality your feet drop through the floor. Mind-blowing. I also feel the need each time I visit to indulge in a beer by the name of “Phuket].” Incredibly immature of course, but seems to be a recurring theme in my life so I don’t pay much attention.
Star of Siam is one of those places that everytime I receive my meal, whether delivered or at the restaurant, I am both amazed by the epic portions and disgusted by knowing I will finish it in the course of a single sitting. Not a bad feeling to have for under $10.
By admin
March 31st, 2007 at 06:43pm
Under $$$ - Casual Dining+ $$$$ - Fine Dining
I’ll skip the urge to say something super weak right here like holy cow. Instead, I’ll go more along the lines of what the dick? Who knew?
This outdoor facade of this straight American bar I pass each day on the way home from work hiding white tablecloths and expensive steaks behind its 2 story neon baseball bat. What a sneaky nice restaurant.
Ok, truth be told, my mom actually tried to convince me that the food here was the real deal. Of course I’m still not grown up enough to listen to a word that comes out of that broad’s mouth so I went on convinced that the best thing Harry Caray’s could put on a plate was some fries to soak up the drink. Apparently my mom does know what she is talking about and this place fancies itself as a legit restaurant.
Even more odd, the food fully backs up this notion. Everything from our crab cake appetizer that could make even an Orioles fan drool through to the tiramisu was delicous.
I was joined by my favorite person able to pull off a skirt and we decided to split two entrees after the oh so good crab cake. We opted for the Grilled Rare Yellowfin Tuna and the Penne with Pesto. The tuna was fantastic. While I am not normally a huge fan of seared tuna that is essentially still raw, this fish was incredibly tender and the sauce was so good I would not have wanted it any other way. My only beef with the dish was the lack of included sides. I feel like a dollop of mashed potatoes or a little asparagus would have gone a long way to improving the dish even more.
The Penne with Pesto was also very good. At first I was impressed by the freshness of the pesto. The green hue of the dish was so intense and the fresh pesto supplied it with flavor to match. The portion was enormous which I can always respect. I had two small gripes about the dish. 1. The oil in the dish really dripped to the bottom, causing the start of the dish to be relatively dry (which I liked) but the finish was too oily for my taste. 2. ( and the far more minute gripe) The asparagus in the dish was small cuts of the base of the stems. I would have preferred to see more of the leafy ends.
We concluded with an order of tiramisu which was pretty standard fare, yet very good. Though its been a while, Maggiano’s tiramisu comes to mind as a close comparison.
Though the meal wasn’t perfect, overall it was very good. The staff was incredibly attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was lively for a lazy Sunday evening with more than a couple birthdays being celebrated and families with children in the room.
Overally, it was a very good dinner and I think a fan of steak would probably enjoy Harry Caray’s even more than I. If I ventured back, I would probably order a fish and then one of the very reasonably priced and nicely sized side dishes.
By admin
March 31st, 2007 at 06:42pm
Under $$$ - Casual Dining+ $$ - Good Eats
bis·tro [bis-troh; Fr. bee-stroh] noun - Spot with weak food during the day that pops super late with wicked good food and alcohol til the sun comes up.
Based on two recent trips to Bijan’s Bistro (663 N State St. I won’t even waste your time with their janky website) the above definition is pretty spot on. Who knew? honestly…
Let me set the stage a bit.
Trip 1
Out meeting people for brunch, disappointed to see a meager breakfast food offering, ask waitress for recommendation, enthused by her asshole sounding suggestion of the salmon tartine until it comes out and I realize I got lox & bagel minus the bagel while everybody else seemed to get heaping mounds of better looking whatnot. I decided to place the blame straight on the spot, leaving my shoulders free of the burden and vowed to never return.
Trip 2
Fast forward a few weeks. Bijan’s Bistro has all but faded from my memory when I arrive home late one Saturday evening with my memory faded. My roomate hatches a plan to eat at Bijan’s because it is apparently open until 5am. With the strange feeling that I may miss out on a golden experience I join him. As we enter we can’t believe the crowd amassed in this small eatery at nearly 3 in the morning. And it seems, no one is planning on going anywhere soon.
We get a table after a short wait and both order the pesto chicken sandwich. Mine is accompanied by incredible cottage fries while my friend opts for the french fries. I’m blown away by how good everything is. Apparently I was wrong about his place and see many hazy nights in the future being spent amongst the industry folk within the mahogany walls of Bijan’s Bistro.
If you’re ever looking some good eats late night in River North I have to recommend giving Bijan’s a try. I’m almost thinking I might give it another shot during the day especially considering the outdoor patio I saw popping out there today.
By admin
March 31st, 2007 at 06:11pm
Under $$$$ - Fine Dining+ $$ - Good Eats
After hearing good things from a variety of sources, we finally made it out to Café BaBaReeba (Halsted).
I can definitely see where the good will towards this spot originates. The atmosphere is jovial, the staff extremely attentive and friendly, and the food isn’t bad either. It must be noted that in my opinion anyway, tapas style dining (as a meal) is best enjoyed in parties of four or more, and I don’t think Café BaBaReeba is any exception. I think that tapas serves as an excellent aperitif for individuals or couples as well. Café Ba has a nice bar area to accommodate those just seeking a snack with their drink as well.
Unfortunately, our group was a bit tired and sangria sounded like far more of a party than we were looking for. I was up, but then again I’m always up so that goes without saying. Had we been interested, the sangria list was impressive with a variety of intriguing flavors. The tapas began trickling in and once the kitchen caught up with our order, the floodgates opened and the new plates arrived at our table by the minute. With 5 of us all favoring different things, we had an intricate sharing system going on with each person generally ordering for him or herself and everyone pretty free to pick off the plates of others.
My first dish to arrive were the patatas bravas. A favorite of mine from time I spent in Barcelona, these potatoes, browned to a crisp were served with one of the better sauces known to man were great. My only regret is eating so many of them as this set a tone for the rest of the meal. The next plate with my name on it was the goat cheese baked in marinara. My first time enjoying this dish as a lad of about 12 is the reason why to this day I list my favorite cheese as that of the goat. Oh its just so good. I really want to go to Babba Reeba everyday and just pick up this dish and dip out. Really is that good. Like the potatoes though, bread dipped in heavy sauce doesn’t keep your stomach feeling empty for long.
I was so full, I largely passed on the seared octopus dish I was supposed to share with a friend. I did however perk up and open enough space to grub the escargot I had ordered. I am not an escargot expert by any means so my ability to compare is limited, but this was very good. By the time I finished my escargot, our entire table was leaned back in their chairs and even the girls were unbuttoning their jeans to make way for their newly enlarged stomachs resulting from throwing their no carb diet plans out the window for the night.
I have to give Baba Reeba extra credit points for what happened next. After passing on dessert due to over ingestion, we found our table populated by each and every dessert on the menu – gratis. Our server was kind enough to treat us to dessert seeing as it was our first visit (and the kitchen was closing soon – but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. And clearly still an extremely nice gesture anyway.) The desserts were something as a blur. Very delicious but left me feeling even more rotund than I already had.
Overall, I can see where the hype comes from. I wouldn’t get all crazy and say its my favorite restaurant or anything, but it is good eats in a nice atmosphere where the staff is friendly, attentive enough that you will never be short on water, and nice enough to maybe even throw in dessert if you’re lucky. I will go back in the future, hopefully when everybody is ready for Sangria (except for grampa Wilson who swears it tastes too much like a long island.) Maybe he can just settle for a long island.
By admin
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