mountsac's Profile
Indian recommendations
If you like Udupi Palace, then you will really like Sankalp and Priya. Both are located in the NW burbs and specialize in South Indian cooking - fantastic vegetarian and dosa options.
Best Russian in Chicago?
Agree with igorm. But if you really want to try Russian food here, Zhivago in Skokie is one of the better ones.
In search of special dinner restaurant, but not extremely expensive
I highly recommend Ria's seasonal tasting menu with wine pairing. When I was there, I asked to have the wine pairing but at half the volume - because I am not a big drinker - and they were able to accommodate me and only charge me around $40 for the pairing. In my opinion, after Alinea, Ria is really the best all-around fine-dining experience you can have in Chicago now.
Korean Tofu Soup (soon dubu) in Chicago?
Cho Sun Ok is also BBQ-oriented (and yes, it is really good!). Chodang Tofu (http://www.yelp.com/biz/chodang-tofu-village-mount-prospect) in Mt. Prospect is the best soon dubu restaurant I've been. It's in the NW burbs. Perhaps make that a combo-trip with Woodfield Mall, Ikea, or Mitsuwa.
Chicago Italian - Spiaggia, Picclo Sogno, or ???
Piccolo Sogno fits the bill. Spiaggia is over your intended budget and is not as ideal for big groups like yours.
Sixteen: New Chef!
That sure is exciting news! Although I must say that I've never heard of him. I've only heard of the executive chef's name at Robuchon (Claude Le Tohic). So I looked up Thomas Lents, and Chef DB shows that he was at Qunice in SF from 2009-2010. Is that the same person? If yes, I guess he didn't really stay at Robuchon that long.
http://www.chefdb.com/nm/25882/Thomas-Lents
Best 1 star in Chicago
I haven't been to Courtright's, Moto, and Naha. But I've been to the rest on the list.
L2O and Schwa are the clear front runners for me, although I've only been to L2O when Gras was in the kitchen. So maybe that has changed. Besides these two, the other better ones on the 1-star list are: Blackbird, Everest, and Graham Elliot.
I am judging based on food only.
Lounge bars in Chicago
Aviary, Violet Hour, Rooftop at the Wit, or Signature Lounge.
Ria or Sixteen
Lol, what a coincident! I was there early Saturday evening as well. There weren't that many people when we started. So if you think you saw me, it was probably me! I'm glad you enjoyed the experience. Great minds think alike =)
Ria or Sixteen
Sixteen has a more impressive dining room, but Ria's food is much better than that of Sixteen. I just went to Ria this past weekend and was blown away by the level of cooking there. Here's my review on Yelp (http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=flulR0EJKs9sfX13M8_HQQ).
Go to Ria.
Favorite Dishes at Naha, Mundial Cucina Mestiza, Piccolo Sogno and Everest?
The tasting menu is the way to go at Everest. Last time I went was back in 2009. It was a lot of food (I had to take the mignardises home). My favorite dish was the scallop dish, which came on a bed of risotto. It was impeccably executed!
For Piccolo Sogno, you gotta do the pastas. They make their own pasta there, and it shows. Both the squid ink and the papparadelle with lamb meatballs are quite good. The calamari and the branzino are also pretty good. Their zabaione-flavored gelato is superb.
Malaysian restaurants in Chicago area?
Malaysian food doesn't have a strong presence in Chicago. The only authentic one I've seen was in Chinatown (Panag). But that place closed down. There is another Panag in Arlington Heights - it's also pretty good, and it's a nicer dining environment. Asian Noodle House in Hoffman Estates, though a Pan-Asian joint, also has good Malaysian/Singaporean dishes. I believe the owner is either Singaporean Chinese or Malaysian Chinese, and I've seen people requesting laksa with success, even though it is not on the menu. It's more hole-in-a-wall, and it's cheap.
For groceries, I would try supermarkets in Argyle (such as Dai Nam). It's a diverse South-East Asian neighborhood, so it might take a little hunting-around to get what you want. For example, there's the concept of "belacan" in many Asian cultures, but it might be called something else in another language. Perhaps figure out the English translation for the ingredients and go from there. Supermarkets in Chinatown will be your next-best bet.
Good luck and welcome to Chicago.
Japanese noodle house in Chicago?
You've probably heard that the Japanese community (and therefore authentic Japanese restaurants) are located in NW suburbs, around Arlington Heights and Mt. Prospect. There are quite a few places in that area that serve authentic ramen. But the Santouka in Mitsuwa is still the best so far. Ramen in the city is usually Korean-style or simply watered down (broth not enough umami or noodle not al dente). I like Ginza in River North. I've never had their ramen, but their other items are authentic. I'd try there first. But if you are a purist for Japanese-style ramen, go to the burbs.
Need Help Finding the Best German Chocolate Cake in Chicago
Don't know if it is the beat, but Austrian Bakery in Lincoln Park makes a good one.
Everest letdown
I'm also interested in doing a Chowhound group meal at Everest.
My experience at Everest (circa 2009) was: (1) superb food; (2) sub-par service (but not nearly as bad as chicgail's experience).
Best Tasting Menu in Chicago
I went to Next this past weekend. I've read some lukewarm reviews on the Paris menu on here. So I guess I was pleasantly surprised by the Thai menu. I wrote an Yelp review. But I'll copy it here, in case anyone is interested.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://tinyurl.com/3nrsont
1. street food appetizers
The entire presentation was really rustic and Southeast Asian - newspaper table-cover, cheap-pink napkins, and plastic-ware. The food was sitting on top a banana leaf. The roasted banana was a perfect combination of contrasting textures. The sharpness of the fried garlic and pickled shallots also paired well with the creamy banana. I am usually not a fan of bananas in savory dishes, but this was superb. The steam buns were well executed. The dough was well risen. But the green curry filling needed a bit more kick. The sweet shrimp and garlic was okay. Fresh ingredients naturally taste good. But the pairing of textures and flavors was nothing too revelatory. The prawn cake had nice crispy texture. I only wish the shrimp paste part was not so thin - a bit more substance would have added some contrast to the crunch. The fermented sausage was gamy and had a nice kick - the texture did not taste like sausage but the flavor was really intense and interesting.
2. soup course
The waiter presented it as tom-yum soup. Objectively speaking, the broth was good, with ample umami from the pork. There was also a nice kick from the chili. But the sourness was not very present. I missed the lemon-grass flavor in authentic tom yum broth. Now the pork belly in this soup was amazing. The pork seemed to have been breaded, which provided an added texture. The pork itself was also just tender and flavorful.
3. rice and things that compliment the rice
First up was nam-prik-pao. I had to ask the waiter what it was a second time because it was so damn good! It was a chili-jelly made with caramelized shallots, chili, and garlic. The interplay among all the flavors (sweet, tangy, spicy, salty) was complex and sensational - it was my single favorite item of the night. The duck egg congee (I thought there was rice in it; though I could be mistaken) was creamy and abound with umami - another great dish. The pickles with strawberries, in comparison, was not all that memorable. There were also two dipping sauces that came with the rice. One was very spicy, and one was really funky - neither was pleasant to my untrained palate.
4. fish course
This was cat fish cooked in a savory broth. The fish was filleted rather than served whole (a source of disappointment). But the fish itself was cooked well. Some of my dining companions commented on the slight over-salting of this dish. It didn't really bother me. But I did think the flavor profile of this dish lacked nuance.
5. meat course
The beef cheek curry was very good. The beef cheek itself was braised to a tee - super tender and melted in your mouth. This made me want to go buy beef cheek myself and cook it at home. The curry was peanut-based. It was basically the "Panag Curry" that you'd get from a Thai restaurant. Good balance between creamy sweetness and mild heat.
6. palate cleanser
Then we were give a shot of fruit juice mixed with lemon grass juice. I was worried about the lemon grass. But the shot turned out to be very balanced and very refreshing - perfect for a palate cleanser.
7. desserts
The coconut dessert was fantastic. The presentation was cool. And the combination of textures and temperatures from the different ingredients was simply genius. This was probably the most exciting dessert I've had in a long time. The dragon fruit was a nice and refreshing finish. I'm usually not a fan of rose in my food, but this added a pleasant sweetness to the fruit.
The decor of the place was contemporary and eclectic, which had nothing to do with the menu. Service was just right - professional and cordial, yet friendly and humorous. One of the servers was a foodie beyond the memorized menu and was able to carry on interesting conversations with us - awesome.
The meal had a good balance between heartiness and showmanship. The fine-dining menu also kept the traditional family-style format, which was a nice touch. I went in with a certain degree of cynicism (difficult ticket system + corn-fed gringo tackling Asian food). Though there were a couple missteps, the overall dining experience was engaging and interesting. I left impressed and looking forward to the next season.
Hot Pot/shabu shabu in Chicago?
For Chinese hot pot, the best place in Chicago is Mandarin Kitchen.
-----
Mandarin Kitchen
2143 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
Best Tasting Menu in Chicago
Another one is Topolobampo. Obviously not the same caliber as Alinea. But for the purpose of this discussion (about Non-MG tasting menu), it might be of interest. Plus Topo represents the top of the food chain for fine-dining Mexican in this country.
Best Tasting Menu in Chicago
I'm actually doing the Thai menu at NEXT this Sunday. Will let you know what I think.
Best Tasting Menu in Chicago
depending on the definition of "tasting menu," the following might be of interest for this discussion:
- 5-course prix fixe at Les Nomades
- omakase at Katsu
- seasonal kaiseki at Mizu
- 5-course Peking Duck meal at Shanghai Terrace
- Arun's
All these are not MG-based cooking.
NYer on first trip to Chicago on a budget
Harold's Chicken Shack is a bit of an institution in Chicago. Home-style fried chicken. Nothing fancy, but very comforting and satisfying.
ISO Italian Restaurant
My recs are not near Grant Park or in Lincoln Park, but they are not hard to get to on public transit.
For pasta: Florentine, Volare, Coco Pazzo Cafe
Comprehensive Italian meal: Piccolo Sogno, Davanti Enoteca
Best Tasting Menu in Chicago
If the type of food doesn't matter, then Alinea is the absolute best of the best in overall fine-dining experience.
Although, I do know some friends who find Alinea's food to be soul-less, albeit precise and balanced (I don't think that). I think the ultra contemporary and playful sensibility to food and presentation doesn't necessarily appeal to everyone. In which case, I'd recommend L2O. I also have a friend who was impressed by Ria's new chef's tasting menu on a recent visit.
Duffy leaving Avenues
Peninsula Chicago probably has an executive chef, but I doubt he has much say in the food in Avenues, or Shanghai Terrace for that matter. The executive chef at Peninsula probably oversees the Lobby, Pierre Gourmet, events, and room service.
Duffy leaving Avenues
Opentable is wrong. Curtis Duffy is Chef de Cuisine, not Executive Chef, at Avenues.
http://www.curtisduffy.com/p/about-curtis-duffy.html
Hence the Craigslist ad.
Local food and local people - Boystown/Lincoln Park
I second Yoshi's cafe. The Sunday brunch is great.
Source for Shaoxing wine without salt?
The ones with salt are for cooking only. Richwell, on the outskirt of Chinatown, has a non-cooking liquor section. I believe you will be able to find regular Shaoxing there.
RICHWELL MARKET
1835 S. Canal St.,
Chicago, IL 60616
TEL:(312) 226-9611
Grant Achatz posts the next "NEXT" menu.
This is exciting news! Not only will get a great new restaurant, we will also likely get a great new chef at Avenues.
