Dine-out, take-out Thanksgiving meals
We bet whipping up a Thanksgiving feast brings sheer bliss to the kind of people who subscribe to Martha Stewart's magazine and TiVo the Food Network. But the rest of us -- those of us with a Chinese takeout number on speed dial -- dread the dance of whipping up a turkey dinner with all the fixings.
The restaurant is Province, as in a local unit of government. I thought I should clear that up right from the get-go, so that when you call Province to make a reservation you pronounce it correctly. And call you should. Chef/owner Randy Zweiban (most recently of Nacional 27) has put together a fine restaurant with a menu that is contemporary American at the core but then spreads out across the plains of Spain and a few other Latin countries as well.
The battle of the sub sandwiches has been raging for a while now -- chains vs. independents. Let the chains have at it, because when I want a real sub sandwich, I dive head first into one of the neighborhood joints that over the years have stacked 'em and packed 'em just the way I like 'em.
The Publican, 837 W. Fulton Market; (312) 733-9555. English beer-hall atmosphere at this paean to pork, cured meats, seafood and more. The thrill-a-minute menu features items from many locales in the United States and around the world. Casual, rustic atmosphere with class. Try th fresh oysters, smoked trout, grilled chicken, ham chop and waffle. (Reviewed Nov. 14)
Soul, 1 Walker Ave., Clarendon Hills; (630) 920-1999. A spacious, colorful fine-dining restaurant with a menu that moves nicely back and forth between contemporary American and regional (as in Southern) comfort food. The prices are up there a bit, but if you want quality, you have to pay for it. The wine list is impressive and made all the more approachable with the extensive selection of wines by the glass. Try the cured salmon and griddled corn cakes, Caesar salad, hanger steak, blackened prawns, walleye pike and sweet potato tart. (Reviewed Nov. 7)
It's so easy to like a restaurant like Soul because it's pretty obvious the principals -- savvy restaurateurs Howard Davis (Marche, Gioco, Opera) and Bill Kim (formerly connected with Le Lan, now hot-wired into Urban Belly) -- put their heart into it.
Planning to attend a performance at the Lyric Opera? One of my favorite restaurants for a pre- or post-opera meal is N9NE Steakhouse (440 W. Randolph; 312-575-9900). The restaurant offers a special four-course opera prix-fixe menu with a range of choices that is served between 5 and 7 p.m., in time to enjoy dinner and still make the curtain. An important amenity is the valet parking, so I can park my car, go to dinner and walk to the Civic Opera House.
The Bristol, 2152 N. Damen; (773) 862-5555. Contemporary, cutting-edge American food that falls into the small-plate, sharing concept. The restaurant needs to sharpen up, both in portion size and prices. You can spend a lot, especially if you are with a group and share a lot of plates. Noisier than you can possibly imagine when full. Try the monkey bread, grilled prawns, skirt steak with ravioli and chocolate sabayon with Nutter Butters. (Reviewed Oct. 31)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Eat up these orange Halloween treats
The spectacle of Halloween doesn't escape you, yet costumes aren't your thing. What's a people-watcher to do? Wine, dine, slurp and snack -- while gleaning other costumed goofballs -- of course. This year, it's easy to indulge your inner wallflower (embarrassment-free) with celebratory-colored eats and drinks.
Where do I begin? When the Bristol, a new restaurant on North Damen in Bucktown, is packed to the rafters, you can't hear yourself talk. If you do want to engage in conversation while you dine, you have to shout. You have to shout in the server's ear to place your order; the server shouts into your ear to make sure she or he heard you right. Bummer. And those two communal tables in the center of the room don't help. (Imagine how loud you have to talk to be heard from one end of the table to the other.)
More and more restaurants are "going green," focusing on the environment and embracing the concept of Earth-friendly sustainable practices as they draw up their business plans and craft their menus.
Some new restaurants get more hoopla than they deserve, while some steadfast restaurants -- Erwin for example, which has been open for 14 years -- don't get all the accolades they should. Many restaurants have pushed their prices way up there into the recesses of those gloomy loft ceilings, while others, like Erwin, keep their prices well within reach of the average diner. When was the last time you saw appetizers in a fine-dining restaurant that average $6? And entrees that average $16? Erwin is a sensible dining option at a time when it makes sense to dine with the dollar in mind.
Adobo Grill will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) from Thursday through Nov. 6 at all three of its Chicago area locations. Executive chef Freddy Sanchez will prepare a special menu featuring traditional dishes in honor of the holiday. In addition, Adobo Grill will welcome back artist Miguel Angel Quintana to demonstrate how to make sugar skulls, a classic component of Dia de los Muertos. For more information, visit the Web site www.adobogrill.com.
Osteria Via Stato, 620 N. State; (312) 642-8450. Italian comfort food served in a wood and stone rustic setting that transports you to Italy. Try the Italian Party Dinner option, which serves you course after course at a fixed price. Or you can order from the a la carte menu. (Reviewed Oct. 17)
Cafe con Leche, a small Mexican cafe in Bucktown, has these words printed on the front of its menu: "Addicting Coffee & Tasty Food." I think they got it backward. This smart little cafe (six tables and five counter seats) is all about addicting food and tasty coffee.
(Reviewed Nov. 14)
(Reviewed Oct. 31)
(Reviewed Oct. 17)