RVA Transplant's Profile
Birrierias, Soul Food, Jewish Delis, and more?
I think that the difference is, in the case of "Jewish Deli," the word "jewish" is a descriptive adjective that has a meaning related to Delis that is independent of the religion. It's an informal descriptor for a certain type of deli.
If 'Christian" referred to a specific type of BBQ, then yes, I'd like to know if it were a "Christian BBQ" restaurant - especially if I didn't like other types. In that case, it wouldn't be the religion - just the description. I wouldn't get all huffy about whether it was referring to a religion or not.
Take the religion out of it. Put it this way - there was a great Drag Brunch on Sunday's at a place near where I used to live. I'm pretty sure the term "Drag" was crucial - and I never heard anyone getting worked up and saying "for example, I went to Memphis last month and wanted a good brunch. I found a great place that had delicious omelets and told my friend about it. I referred to it as a good brunch place - not a Hetero brunch place. It wasn't "heteros only." Gay-bashing slurs were not on the wall."
Next dress code?
Heeney - I was part of the 20 percent. Ate there at 7 on April 22. If I could do it again, I'd probably wear a suit and tie - I noticed that I was in the minority - but I didnt' feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at all. I had on a sportcoat, nice dress shirt and dress pants, and felt just fine - but go ahead, wear the suit.
Speaking of "what to wear" - as a general rule, and especially in a restaurant where food is the centerpiece - please go easy on the perfume. A table of f"superhip" club-attired thirtysomethings our sat down near us and suffused us in CLOUDS of perfume. Fortunately, we were most of the way through (and fortunately my sense of smell adapted), but come on. People three or four tables away were gasping. Not very considerate. Don't think they were wearing suits, so I don't think it was you, Heeney.
I agree with Heeney's take. Sublime. Perfect execution - simple dishes made wonderful with beautiful ingredients and thoughtful preparation.
Schwa
I echo everyone's sentiments here. Persistence, patience and flexibility. I've been three times, and it's always been a return call on "day of" or shortly before. Keep trying to get a live person - you catch them at odd times - and, failing that, leave a detailed message with what you note above (the fact that it's a special occasion, you're flexible, etc). Notwithstanding all the gripes about how hard it is to get them on the phone, once you get them, they will do what they can - and a little courtesy, excitement and details regarding your special event may stick in their mind when they get a cancellation.
Good luck, it's well worth it.
Dark 'n' Stormy Recommendations?
Blue 13 has a good one.
Also, Binny's has all the necessary ingredients.
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Blue 13
416 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Boka?
I second the thumbs-up. We absolutely love Boka. The chef's creations are indeed thoughtful and creative, and make wonderful use of seasonal and local ingredients. Service is very good - unobtrusive but happy to talk in as much or little detail about the dishes as you'd like.
On the drinks front, I believe they have a nice seasonal cocktail menu. The wine list is not gigantic but very well thought-out and contains some true gems that don't make the standard restaurant lists (such, as, e.g., some of the Brander wines that I love).
It is not an inexpensive meal but, to my mind, a great value - a top-class meal for the money, and wonderful wines that are well-priced. Enjoy.
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Boka
1729 North Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
Question regarding Upcoming trip to MOTO
Hey folks. Have my close high school friends coming in next weekend (April 30 - May 2) for guys' weekend. Cubs game, lots of eating, etc. Which includes dinner at Moto April 30. There will be 5 of us. I've never been to Moto (we are on waitlist at Alinea since they don't have a table for 5, and I've been already anyway) and we are looking forward to the experience.
Question is this - I have heard mixed things about the downstairs kitchen lab. Some say it's cool for dinner, especially for a group, others not so much. I have a request in for upstairs, but I understand there are fewer tables upstairs especially for more than 4 people. Question is whether anyone has a visceral reaction one way or the other - i.e., "yes take the lab" or "don't go unless you are guaranteed you WON'T be in the lab."
Thanks.
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Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Moto Restaurant
945 W Fulton, Chicago, IL 60607
Baby at brunch?
Even though it's crowded, I find that Hot Chocolate on Damen in Bucktown is very accomodating to a stroller or high chair.
Of course, a place like ann sather's is good, but I find it's so busy that the waitresses and busboys are constantly dashing about, carrying trays, chairs, food, etc., so you're always paranoid about something getting dropped so you're essentially holding your hands over the kid all the time.
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Hot Chocolate
1747 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Upscale Cocktails/Food in Lincoln Park/Lakeview
Hi all. Hope everyone is well.
I have a close friend and foodie in from NYC this weekend. We are going to a concert in Lakeview at around 9 pm, and we are hoping to meet my wife out (snagged a sitter) for a few hours this evening. Looking for a place with upscale cocktails and food in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview area, where we could sit, enjoy drinks and good appetizers/small plates/even entrees and the like, for a few hours. Taking reservations would be great too.
Thanks for any suggestions - have a good weekend.
Would love your opinions regarding an evening at Trotter's
We are locked in to the KT at 915. Now, to pick the Champagne to start chilling early.
Looking forward to reporting back . . . hoping the Chef won't be taking Labor Day weekend off . . .
Have a great holiday weekend, all.
Need restaurant suggestion for pre-steely dan concert
Not far away on LaSalle (and just off it, on Lake I think) are two places with good burgers, drinks, bar food. Sidebar is on LaSalle, just south of Wacker, consistently pretty good food and friendly service. Midtown is around the corner, at Lake and LaSalle, maybe a bit more expensive and decent casual stuff.
Would love your opinions regarding an evening at Trotter's
Hi all. We have close friends - even more foodie that we - coming in this weekend. We have 830 reservations at Trotter's, and the option to go with the Kitchen Table at 915. We have eaten before in the main dining room, and figure that this will be a great iconic choice for our out-of-town guests.
Two questions -
FIrst, if you have done both, is the Kitchen Table worth the extra? The price itself is not important, but I don't necessarily want to spend more if there is not a lot of upside. Additionally, we don't see these folks that often, so would like to catch up as well and if the KT is too intense for good conversation as well, that would be another factor. Moreover, 915 is a bit late but no biggie (especially for them, who will be arriving from the West Coast). If anyone can grant some insight, it would be most appreciated because I am on the fence and would like to pull the trigger soon.
Second - the wine pairings. Last time, my wife and I opted to pick our own wines - a half-bottle of white for the first few, and a spectacular Gevrey-Chambertin for the rest. The chef tweaked the sauces a bit to go with our selection, which I thought was wonderful. We were thinking for this one to go standard champage - light red or white - big red, but wanted to get your sense re the pairings menu.
Thanks again to the board - you are a wonderful resource. Best.
Harris
Alinea, and Trotter set. Where else should I go?
I like Boka as well. But, it's situated two doors down from Alinea and around the corner from CT's, so you may wish to branch out geographically a little bit more.
I woulld consider at least one of the Publican/Avec/Blackbird for sure.
Also, Perennial is a good call - had a great meal there and is owned by the same folks as Boka, if I recall correctly.
How about Schwa? Tough to get a reservation (but possible on the weekday, or weekend if you're lucky).
I also think you're fine on CT and Alinea in the same trip. Give them a day in between, so that you have time to reflect a bit on what you liked, insofar as the other will be quite different. You're a lucky one.
Chicago Steakhouse
I second the recommendation for Keefer's and have heard good things about David Burke. Had an interesting - but not traditional - steak meal at AjaSteak in a new hotel (can't recall the name now). Also, Joe's Stone Crab is good.
Having said all this, based on my last experience there, I would absolutely stay away from S&W. It's probably among the most expensive of the lot and completely inferior - completely unacceptable for the price, and unacceptable at any price.
We went to S&W back in December. Haven't been since, and no need to go here. My review from back then (apologies for the repost):
First, I should say that the service was quite pleasant, and the sommelier was very helpful, recommending a very good SuperTuscan over a more expensive wine we had our eye on. That, in my opinion, is the hallmark of good wine service - you see it all over wine regions in France, and in Napa - a sommelier recommending better value over simply price. So that was appreciated.
But the food was quite blah, and a poor performance for what is probably the most expensive of the steakhouses. My "Iceberg Wedge" was pretty pathetic - about half the normal size. I know this because another in our group got one that was slightly bigger, and I noticed some much larger ones going by. My medium-rare 18 oz NY Strip could not have possibly ever been 18 ounces, was pretty fatty, and was overcooked - essentially, a brownish-gray lump. My wife who is pregnant typically prefers medium rare, but asked for medium and told the waitress about her pregnancy - so the waitress said "we typically err on the side of undercooking [IMHO a good thing, by the way] so I better say Medium Well." We thanked her . . . but the steak came and was absolutely a wreck - totally gray. Perhaps the chef decided to teach her a lesson for not ordering it rare? The hash browns were good, but the creamed spinach was pretty gummy, more like a spinach paste that resembled the topping on the Oysters Rockefeller I once got in a family steakhouse in Texarkana (yes, my fault for ordering Oysters there, and I deserved what I got).
Is it possible that the recession is hitting restaurants like this, such that quality has to suffer in order to keep prices the same? Or maybe the holiday season, with the proliferation of parties, etc., makes quality suffer? If so, then we're all in it together. But to spend $198 per couple for good wine, good hash browns, a weak salad and weak steak and poor creamed spinach stings a bit. I should also say that I am not a complainer - perhaps I should be. I don't know, but I do know that we'll probably have to take S&W off our list. Too many other good steaks here . . .
Where to find Christmas goose
As I recall, we got a nice on from Gepperth's on Halsted and Armitage - they ordered it, I believe, but I enjoy it. Also a note - the fat structure of goose is very different than that of turkey and chicken. It cooks away quickly so the goose comes out of the over looking like a sun-bleached skeleton on the ground in the Sahara. I'm totally exaggerating, but it looks quite different than a Thanksgiving Turkey, so err on the side of bigger. As I recall, I used a wonderful super-old-school recipe from Julia Childs book, with a lovely stuffing and made with the organs and sausage. If you're interested, let me know and I can try to find and PDF to you. I think I soaked in milk and spices beforehand but cannot precisely recall.
Smith & Wollensky - Fall Off?
Has anyone dined at S&W lately and, if so, have you detected a serious drop-off in quality. I was there in September and had a very nice meal in the Grill Room. Went there with my wife and friends on Saturday night and was extraordinarily disappointed.
First, I should say that the service was quite pleasant, and the sommelier was very helpful, recommending a very good SuperTuscan over a more expensive wine we had our eye on. That, in my opinion, is the hallmark of good wine service - you see it all over wine regions in France, and in Napa - a sommelier recommending better value over simply price. So that was appreciated.
But the food was quite blah, and a poor performance for what is probably the most expensive of the steakhouses. My "Iceberg Wedge" was pretty pathetic - about half the normal size. I know this because another in our group got one that was slightly bigger, and I noticed some much larger ones going by. My medium-rare 18 oz NY Strip could not have possibly ever been 18 ounces, was pretty fatty, and was overcooked - essentially, a brownish-gray lump. My wife who is pregnant typically prefers medium rare, but asked for medium and told the waitress about her pregnancy - so the waitress said "we typically err on the side of undercooking [IMHO a good thing, by the way] so I better say Medium Well." We thanked her . . . but the steak came and was absolutely a wreck - totally gray. Perhaps the chef decided to teach her a lesson for not ordering it rare? The hash browns were good, but the creamed spinach was pretty gummy, more like a spinach paste that resembled the topping on the Oysters Rockefeller I once got in a family steakhouse in Texarkana (yes, my fault for ordering Oysters there, and I deserved what I got).
Is it possible that the recession is hitting restaurants like this, such that quality has to suffer in order to keep prices the same? Or maybe the holiday season, with the proliferation of parties, etc., makes quality suffer? If so, then we're all in it together. But to spend $198 per couple for good wine, good hash browns, a weak salad and weak steak and poor creamed spinach stings a bit. I should also say that I am not a complainer - perhaps I should be. I don't know, but I do know that we'll probably have to take S&W off our list. Too many other good steaks here . . .
On the good side - the Catfish at Red Light Friday night was awesome.
Thanks, and I hope you all are having a good holiday.
Keefer's steakhouse
I have been to Keefer's twice, and both meals were wonderful. I highly recommend it. Great service, good pre-meal drinks at the bar.
Also, second on Joe's Stone Crab - the bone-in ribeye is spectacular. But has anyone here noticed that the side dish portion size has gotten smaller? Not necessarily a complaint, but it does figure in to your meal planning (particularly when, as is often the case at steakhouses, you are ordering a few for the table). Am I crazy or have they?
Three Floyd's Gumball Head-Where is it?
Local Option at the corner of Webster and Seminary pours it . . .
Charlie Trotter's
As of mid-January 2008, I believe the Grand Tasting Menu was $155 pp and the Vegetable (note - not vegetarian or vegan, since they use some stocks) was $130. Wine pairing was $125pp and I think $150 for the premium flight.
Having reviewed the menu, my wife and I opted for an interesting half-bottle of white for the seafood courses for around $80 (first 3 of 9). We then went with a special Burgundy (about $430) for the next courses. The pairings sounded interesting, but we really wanted to indulge and try something special.
And special it was. It was my birthday, so they prepared for us a special menu to take home. The waitstaff was spectacular and the personal service was wonderful. Since we chose by-the-bottle rather than the pairings, the waiter worked with the kitchen to adjust some flavors to maximize the subtlety and effect of the wines we chose. Moreover, our waiter ensured that our glasses were perfectly topped off, such that I literally washed down the last bite of the last seafood course with the last sip of the white wine.
We had a wonderful meal - creative but not overly fussy or pretentious - he lets the ingredients do the talking. Great tour afterwards too (make sure to ask for it).
Best Upscale Ethnic Eats?
I went to Red Light for the first time this week. I was VERY impressed. Some of the best service I've had - wife and I were out with friends we hadn't seen for a while, and the waiter let us take all the time we needed to sip our drinks, catch up, etc. He knew the menu inside and out and gave us REAL recommendations (not the all-too-standard "it's all really good, it just depends on what you like" that you usually hear) for everything from shared appetizers to entrees. Once we ordered, the service was spectacularly prompt and spot-on, in my opinion.
I got the Firsherman's Stew - sort of a pan-asian bouillabaise - which was great. Halfway through, I switched with my wife - she got the pan-seared filet special which was great, but a bit too rare for her (medium was more like medium rare - I know, I know, why get medium???). Halibut also looked wonderful. Atmosphere is sleek and sophisticated without being overdone.
I'm not sure of our waiter's name, but you can't miss him - bleach-blonde hair and beard - Wednesday he was wearing some sort of orange print pants and suspenders. He was great.
Decent Coffee in Chicago
I second the intelligentsia recommendation - if you're staying in the Loop, it's impossible to walk by the Jackson Blvd. location without being drawn in. The aroma is outrageously good, and the baristas are skilled and attentive. Not sure if the Loop location is open on weekends, though.
A lot of people really like Bourgeois Pig, on Fullerton in Lincoln Park. I find it quite enjoyable - certainly far better than Starbuck's - but not as "wowie" as a lot of people think.
Recommendation for Sunday Night (3-30) in Orlando
Thanks - Roy's looks worth a try, and seems to have garnered good reviews. Made a reservation there - thanks again for the input.
Recommendation for Sunday Night (3-30) in Orlando
Conference is at Grande Lakes Orlando. We're staying at Grand Cypress Hyatt. We have a car, so reasonable drive is fine. Thanks for following up.
Recommendation for Sunday Night (3-30) in Orlando
Hi all - coming from Chicago for a conference in Orlando. Would like a recommendation for a good, upscale, smart-casual dining establishment. Del Frisco has been recommended, but I fear may be a bit stuffy for the group - especially coming from the land of Steakhouses. Pan-Asian, seafood, contemporary would be ideal.
Thanks in advance!
One notch below Moto, Trotters, Avenues etc..?
For a notch (or two) below Trotters et al. we really liked Boka. Next door to Alinea on Halsted. Great service, creative food, decent wine list.
For fun Latin, we like Carnival or Cafe 28 (Irving Park).
Enjoy!
Amateur Night (long)
Regarding question 2 - my wife and I wanted to do something a little different, so we went to GDS a few weeks ago (I think it was the week before V-Day). The service was pretty attentive, if a bit overly formal. Knowledgeable and experienced. Good wine selection too. However, for the money, there are many, many better selections in the city. We found it overpriced for good, but unremarkable food.
CAVEAT - it's not overpriced if you want to hear the live music in the performance room. Cover is usually 12-20 per person so but is comp'd for diners. So, it can be a decent value if you're going to the performance, insofar as you could theoretically subtract the cover amount from the tab. Otherwise, I'd pick somewhere else.
Kid-friendly brunch spot in the city?
For brunch (well, "mid- to late-morning no-nonsense breakfast diner food," actually) I like Nookie's Too on Halsted. Good food, and they do have a good-sized back room, though I'm not sure if it's reservable. They're pretty friendly and the food is good, if simple.
Recommendation in Long Grove
Thanks for the replies! I will look into these . . . .
Slfasano . . . any particular kind of cuisine?
Recommendation in Long Grove
Hi all, and Happy Holidays.
My wife and I have been invited to a holiday party in Long Grove. We live in the city, and I understand it's a bit of a haul out there. We don't intend to stay super-late at the holiday party, so we wanted to make an evening of it. I figure we could go out to a nice dinner and then go by the party.
Any recommendations for good restaurants in the area. Thanks!
Looking for great Chicago restaurant to have lunch alone at the bar
If Avec is open that would be a good choice - great small plates (including meats, cheeses, olives, etc) to pair with great beer and wine selection, at your own pace. Always crowded, but I'm sure they could get a single at the bar. It's in the West Loop (600 block of W Randolph), which is an up and coming area. Really worth the trip.
