alexi612's Profile
What to order at Spring?
The seared Maine Scallops with braised oxtail is probably my favorite entree in the entire city -- it's Spring's signature dish. I have always been big fan of Spring's oysters, too.
Hot Chocolate for dessert is a good call. Zocalo? Unless you have a specific resason for going (gift certificate, cousin is a bartender there, etc.), I would visit Mr. Bayless at Frontera or better yet travel further north to Mixteco Grill.
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Hot Chocolate
1747 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Zocalo
358 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60610
Mixteco Grill
1601 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
Hoosier Mama Pie shop
The coconut cream and banana cream are both excellent. The coconut cream actually defeated the banana cream by a score of 5 to 1 during our Easter taste test.
2 solo dinners: pls help me choose
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/539070?tag=boards;topic-539070
Plus, as a big fan of your hometown, the SF Bay Area and wine country are littered with restuarants where you can have a comparable if not better experience -- Keller's joints, Cyrus, Mina, Danko, etc.
2 solo dinners: pls help me choose
Avec is a great choice for a solo dinner assuming you get a seat at the bar. No reservations accepted.
Alinea would be my other choice for an experience you cannot get anywhere else. It's exceptional, deserving of all of the hype, and probably worth the price.
I would stay away from Trotter's.
Charlie Trotter's
Although I found that most of the grand menu courses were flawless, I had a bad experience with the wine service at Trotter's a few months ago. It was special occasion for me and my dining companion -- it was also our first (and last) visit. Because it was Trotter's, my expectations were pretty damn high and I left completely underwhelmed.
The evening started off wonderfully. A complimentary glass of champagne and the woman who greeted us at the door could not have been more inviting. Shortly after we were seated and presented with the wonderful wine catalog, our "server" (not the sommelier) gave us an overview of the menu options, inquired about allergies, and asked me about our wine plans for the evening. The "standard" pairings did not excite me, so I ordered a pretty significant bottle of champagne and told our "server" that we would like to pair courses #3 and beyond with two 1/2 bottles -- a white Burgundy and red Burgundy. She nodded and left. I simply assumed she was either going to bring the sommelier over, or come back to hear what I selected. Not an unreasonable assumption.
We finished the champagne around Course #3 and there was no sign of our server or the sommelier. So, we didn't have anything to drink with Course #4 -- not a huge deal for a three star restaurant, but again, Charlie Trotter owns this place. The next course (squab) hit our table and our wine glasses were still empty. At this point, I became pretty fricking annoyed. I patiently waited and looked at my squab for a couple of minutes hoping that someone (perhaps our missing server) would notice that I wasn't tearing into this poor pigeon and stop by to inquire. This did not happen. So, I flagged down another server and explained the wine issue. She was completely apologetic and quickly brought us a terrific pairing. Our initial server graced us with her presence around the first dessert course and I admittedly gave her a somewhat cold shoulder .
As I was leaving the restaurant, I informed the woman who initially greeted us of our wine problem. She seemed shocked and apologized profusely. I've had wonderful wine service all over the country and was surprised with my experience at Trotter's. I think there may be an undercurrent of complacency over there. I do not plan on going back, and I'm still kicking myself for not securing a reservation at Alinea.
Which of these 3 restaurants would you pick?
I'm pretty confident that Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot have not (yet) joined forces in Chicago -- it's Graham Elliot. In my opinion, GE would be the best pick for the two of you. The space is beautiful and modern and, more importantly, Chef Elliot's menu is pretty darn creative and it tastes good, too.
Without question, Naha and MK are both excellent. I would certainly not describe either restaurant as "hip" or a current hotspot, but many may argue that the food is more consistent than GE. Naha and MK are also more expensive than GE especially if wine is involved.
Graham Elliot
217 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL, 60610
312-624-9975
Sepia or Avec?
Avec if you're willing to: (1) wait for a table and (2) practice some patience with the service (it's very busy). In my opinion, Avec is one of two truly unique urban dining experiences in Chicago (Schwa being the other). The cuisine is spectacularly inventive and energy from the kitchen is overwhelming. The menu is also pretty flexible in terms of meat and fish offerings. The chorizo-stuffed madjool dates could be the best dish this town has to offer.
On the other hand, Sepia is certainly a nice place with solid food and a great wine list. On the two occasions I have dined there, the atmosphere struck me as being somewhat sterile. If you want a quiet evening, Sepia is your place.
Also, given the communal set-up at Avec, a party of 6 will actually work to your advantage from a conversational perspective. If you want to eat by 8 or 8:30 on a Friday, you should probably get your name in no later than 6:45. The wait list really expands after 7pm. If the weather is pleasant, there are a few "standing tables" outside at Avec where you can wait and drink. Or, there's a pretty spacious bar two doors down at Meiji as another alternative.
Three Floyd's Gumball Head-Where is it?
In my hood (Wicker Park), Handlebar (on tap) and JUN Bar (in a bottle).
Good place in Wicker Park
Although it's just a tad south of Wicker Park proper, a tavola is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Last weekend, they had a bone-in ribeye for 2 special that was tremendous. The gnocchi is the best in the city (in my humble opinion).
a tavola
2148 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
773-276-7567
