Resto

Yes, a couple of times. Great food, great beer (the kwak is fantastic... comes in a yard glass and everything!). Food is fatty and delicious... last time had lamb ribs with pickled tomatoes, the lamb coated your mouth and the pickled tomatoes gave it a bloody good zing. The mussels are good, as well the burger, and both relatively cheap (burger low teens, mussels high teens). Definitely worth a visit.

AVMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

Breakfast recommendations - NYU/Bobst Library area

Waverly diner on 6th and Waverly is great. It's a diner, it's cheap, it's good, enough said.

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

fun/ unusual tasting menu

Wen to babbo two months ago, was not impressed. Portions are revoltingly huge, and the pasta was sub par, either overcooked or under. Breaksticks are fantastic though and the bar is a nice place to sit.

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

Resto or Molly's?

Resto, had there burger about a month ago, simple but tasty. Pickles were great, thick cut fries are moist on the inside, crunchy outside, and there are many house made mayos to choose from (I thought I didn't like mayo on my fries, but I was wrong, very wrong). Bloody great beer selection, nice space, loud but spacious. The burger doesn't try to be anything more than a burger, which is nice in these haute burger times.

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

Tartine, West Village

Have been a couple of times over the last month. Food makes you want to live nearby as Tartine would be the most amazing neighborhood restaurant. For two at 6pm you should be fine on wait time, we went on a Friday at 8pm and had no wait if you are willing to sit inside. Later however, it can get worse. Also Tartine is BYOB, so make sure to bring a bottle, or two.

AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

Miller High Life in Manhattan?

Before moving to the city 2 months ago I lived in Chicago and regularly bought cans of miller high life at liquor stores / bodegas / supermarkets through out the city. However now that I am living in morningside heights I can't seem to locate "The Champagne of Beers". Does anyone know of any bodegas / liquor stores that sell it? (other miller products are not a substitute),

Thanks,
AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Manhattan

B-day Dinner, 20somethings

As a 20 something I would go with Avec / Blackbird. Topolobampo is very good food, but the atmosphere is a little slick for my taste, too many banker types trying to party hard on the weekend by showing off how much Tequila they can drink (which is not much).

Blackbird has tons of buzz still, the food is great, and makes for the perfect blend of formal / casual dining.

Avec, a little more casual, and often quite loud (which I enjoy), the wine is great and the cocktails are very good. Last time I checked, both Blackbird and Avec source locally. Kahan (the chef at blackbird) is very much into local organic Chicago ingredients.

I think blackbird, with a little more elegance and bookings, would be a good bet. Very 20-30 something friendly (most of the dining room fits that description), and the space is very trendy with out being in your face or gaudy. Entrees however around $30, so I would check out there website to see if the price fits ( http://www.blackbirdrestaurant.com/ )

Lastly if you don't want a national chain avoid one sixty blue, its operated by the Cornerstone Restaurant Group (http://www.cmcichicago.com/) which has places around the world.

hope this helps,
AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Hyde Park?

I agree with sbk, Bonjour is really not that good, the pastries are dry and lack refinement. I am big fan of Thai 55 as well, the food is great, as well as the service.

Recently got a medium pizza from Homemade Pizza Company (which, when I first walked by, totally ripped in to, muttering that you could just as easily make your own pizza) with the cheese and added the free anchovies for under 10 bucks. Cracked an egg on top of it when I got home, chucked it in the oven, and it made a great dinner for two, and with a 6 pack of the "champagne of beers', had a fantastic and easy meal for under $15.

Hyde Park gets really disappointing when it comes to dining options for the weekends, the thought of going out on a Saturday night to eat in a parking lot (Cedar's) or in a shopping mall (La Petite Folie) really doesn't do it for me. I would stick to eating in Hyde Park on the cheap during the week and saving your cash for the more interesting options elsewhere in Chicago.

AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Restaurant (for foodies) to celebrate

Thanks everyone for the recs, starting to look them over and so far so good, will post what I choose in the end.

AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Los Angeles Area

Restaurant (for foodies) to celebrate

Thanks, didn't know they had an upstairs patio, will check it out, Fraiche sounds good as well.

AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Los Angeles Area

Restaurant (for foodies) to celebrate

I will be returning to LA from Chicago for a vacation this June. I am looking for a place to simply celebrate seeing 10-15 members of my family and friends together again. In terms of food taste, the last time I was in LA I went out to big dinners at Luques and Campanile and really enjoyed both. Did Sunday Suppers at Luques and Grilled Cheese night at Campanile, both of those menus were great and made the restaurants a little more casual and relaxed, and the food a little more creative as well.

I have heard good things about Luques sister restaurant/winebar A.O.C. and am interested in Osteria Mozza (is it open, or will it be by June?). What other places, possibly a little louder, hipper, and more informal than Luques of Campaile would you recommend?

Thanks,
AGMG

Oh, thought a list of my current favorite spots might be helpful, with example dishes in braces:

Avec (Chicago) - Mediterranean small plates [prosciutto with pickled feta and grapefruit] and wine bar in a skinny restaurant with great architecture, looks like a well designed modernist Scandinavian sauna, sounds crazy, but it works.

Blackbird (Chicago) - very minimal (both in terms of food and the space) progressive new American spot [braised pork belly with crunchy sauerkraut]

Schwa (Chicago) - Molecular Gastronomy with locally grown ingredients [olive oil ice cream, Quail egg Ravioli, great sweetbreads], tiny hole in the wall spot. Has foam with feeling.

Thanks again for any recs.

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Los Angeles Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

I am trying to stay in Chicago proper. While I agree on not forcing people to pay what they are not willing, exposing people to new food and places they wouldn’t normally go is a great part of the experience of dining with others. I may not want to XYZ place but if some one convinces me to tag along I may, to my surprise, find a new place or cuisine that I really enjoy.

That is why I like Blackbird and Avec; they are unusual restaurants that you will not find elsewhere. Avec’s space is unlike anywhere else, and the casual-formal-minimal dining experience of Blackbird is amazing. Where else can you dine where on one side of you a couple dressed in a Prada skirt and Ted Baker Suit, eating a full 3 course dinner with wine, and on the other is a guy in jeans and an American Apparel T shirt, who is simply having a salad and a beer after work?

Custom House seems like it may fit this bill, a place unlike that has a bit of a spin on the “standard” good restaurant. I think I will go test it out before hand. If it doesn’t fit I may go lower key, to Cocina Mundial Mestiza, while a different class of restaurant than those above it has that unique and engaging dining experience that really leaves an impression (along with great food).

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

jbw, thanks for the comments. While may be not "cutting edge" in the Alinea mold it sounds like Custom House is not simply (after looking at their menu) regurgitating standard "New American" dishes but putting their own confident spin on the food. Will take a closer look.

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

Thanks for all the recs. I wish I could do Schwa (one of my favorite restaurants, both in terms of the food, the space, and the service) but couldn't get a table. I will check out the Shawn McClain spots, Custom house looks like it may fit the bill nicely. Does any one know how big Custom House is? The smaller the better. I liked the look of their website, does the restaurant have the same sort of woodgrain/modern feel?

Thanks,
AGMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

Thanks for the rec, but every time I check out 160 blue it feels a bit corporate, like its trying to hard to be hip. However I will take another look, but any more recommendations, places with the ease and simple elegance of Blackbird, would be apprecieated

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

Thanks for the times for 4 people (I usually go in a pair). However will be going on a Friday and likely late so 7 likely will be impossible.

Thanks,
AVMG

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area

Blackbird booked - need another restaurant for 7

Hello all,

I am planning a dinner for 7 in June (besides me, all from out of town) and wanted to book at Blackbird but it only has a table for 7 after 10pm on the day I am looking at. I have been to Blackbird before and loved it (I also regularly go next door to Avec) and am considering simply going to Avec instead. However getting 7 people into Avec may take awhile (if you have tried, how long did it take to get seated?).

Therefore I am looking for a place where I could make a reservation. It should be modern, minimal, and cutting edge, as good at Blackbird, both in terms of food and architecture, or at least something so different (good rustic food would also work) that it stands on its own terms. Any recs would be appreciated.

Thanks,
AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy

AvantGardeMolecularGastronomy in Chicago Area