SOPO

A friend and I headed to SOPO in the Southport corridor on Sunday for Bloody Marys. The place has a very lounge-like feel and it's supposed to be pretty packed after Cubs games and on weekend nights. When we were there, the atmosphere was a bit more laid back and we didn't feel too out of place in our workout wear.

The Bloody Marys were good, but too spicy for my taste. The menu was more impressive than we expected and enticed us with the homemade mac & cheese. So, we shared one small serving and it was wonderful. The small was a generous sized bowl filled with cavatappi noodles, a mixture of delicious cheeses and topped with a crust of butter-soaked bread crumbs, for a little crunch. It was such a treat!

Based on the mac & cheese, I would absolutely go back here to try other items, and maybe stick around and drink too much one night. Their sangria is supposed to be fantastic!

Tab: $5 for a Bloody Mary (the Sunday special) and $9 for a mac & cheese that easily feeds two

Apart Pizza Company

Mark and I typically order Giordano's thin crust for pizza - it's one of the only pizza places that will deliver to our apartment. While I do like Giordano's, the amount of cheese they pile on can be overwhelming. Plus, I'm always looking for new takeout places to supplement my sporadic cooking attempts, so recently we tried Apart Pizza Company. With two far north side locations that both deliver to us, we had to give it a whirl.

We ordered the Tricolore pizza, featuring slices of tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese, and the plain Margherita pizza. We usually try the Margherita everywhere we go; I like it because you get to really taste every ingredient and see if the sauce, cheese and crust are to your liking. Both pizzas were pretty disappointing. The crust was too thin and cracker-like, there wasn't enough sauce and the cheese was overpowering - both the mozzarella and goat cheese seemed saltier than usual.

I won't be ordering here again and I'd advise you to stay away, too. If you have been here and like it, please let me know what you've ordered in the comments. I almost always enjoy pizza, so if I'm missing out on their best pie/dish, please share.

Tab: $25 for two medium pizzas

Hot Chocolate

I had wanted to try Hot Chocolate in Wicker Park for months and I finally did last weekend. This place has received a lot of attention due to the pastry chef, Mindy Segal. She's been featured on Oprah and Martha Stewart and has won a James Beard Award multiple times. So, obviously I went in with some high expectations. I can't say that every detail of the meal won me over, but I was definitely impressed.

I went for Saturday brunch and had to wait 30 min. for a table (more waiting - it's a theme this week)! My group started with a sweet assortment for the table to split. It came with four different baked goods, all of which were very unique. The croissant was filled with pate, the raspberry danish had a spicy kick to it, the sweet lemon-tasting bread had a strong nut taste, and I am not sure what the final item was - something like a biscotti. I enjoyed all the baked treats, except the croissant. I'm a croissant lover, but the flavors did not work for me. The pate overpowered the buttery goodness of the croissant.

Hence the restaurant's title, hot chocolate is kind of there 'thing.' They have a bunch of specialty options. I ordered the medium version and it's one of the most popular. They start with a milk chocolate base, top it with a touch of dark chocolate and caramel, and then it's served with a large homemade marshmallow. Wow! It's richer than it even sounds. It tastes incredible, but I could only handle about half before I had to stop for fear of a tummy ache. The real highlight is the homemade marshmallow - it's less chewy than the processed variety and starts to melt quicker.

For the main event, I ordered a toasted ciabatta sandwich of an over-easy egg, roasted red peppers and goat cheese. The sandwich was fantastic. Every ingredient is something I enjoy, and although the combination was foreign to me, it melded together perfectly. The goat cheese in particular was exactly right - and so fresh.

This place has some gourmet food - and the prices to match, but it's not intimidating. You should definitely check it out - I can't wait to head back for dinner (I've heard the burgers, grilled cheese and mac & cheese are phenomenal). Just need to save up!

Tab: $21 for brunch entree, hot chocolate, and one/fourth of the sweet assortment

Southport Grocery & Cafe

Known for incredible baked goods and long lines, I headed to Southport Grocery & Cafe for lunch with mixed feelings. I thought it would probably be delicious, but I might struggle to enjoy it after waiting for too long (see last post for more on lines). The lines are long, but this place is absolutely worth the wait. A friend and I waited for 30 min. for a late lunch, but we didn't mind - it allowed us to walk around the Southport Corridor on a really lovely day.

When we were seated, I ordered a Diet Coke (it came in an adorable miniature glass bottle) and the chicken salad. The salad is a "white meat chicken-grape-sour cream salad" served with baguette, flatbread & mixed greens with a shallot vinaigrette. It was outstanding. The chicken salad was so tasty and despite the sour cream/mayo combination, it tasted kind of healthy.

My friend got the grilled turkey sandwich served with red potato mash. The sandwich was very good, but the red potato mash was the real standout of her dish. It had the homemade look and was really hard to stop eating.

On the way out, I bought a chocolate cupcake to bring home. The cake itself wasn't anything too special, but the frosting was a decadent vanilla butter cream. Mark and I very much enjoyed it!

I can't wait to go back to Southport Grocery & Cafe! I really want to try their breakfast items and other sandwiches. It all looks terrific.

Tab: $13 for a chicken salad and Diet Coke

Pannenkoeken Cafe

I have been a very bad blogger lately. It's partly my fault and partly that of my busy husband who has been monopolizing the home computer with work. This week I am vowing to be better. I plan to use any 'lunch' break time I have to catch up on posts.

First up: Pannenkoeken Cafe, a teeny brunch spot in Lincoln Square famous for their Dutch pancakes. One rainy Saturday a few weeks ago, a friend and I ventured here for a late brunch. Teeny is really an understatement, this place only seats 20 people. Be prepared for a wait on the weekend - it was about 45 min. for us.

Pannenkoeken has all the traditional breakfast foods (omelettes, American pancakes, bacon, etc.), but their specialty is a wide variety of dutch pancakes. These pancakes are thinner and less sweet than the American variety, and are similar to crepes. They are finished off with a large assortment of toppings that can be savory or sweet. I had one topped with sausage, mushroom and cheese.

I like crepes and enjoyed my Dutch pancake, but I probably wouldn't go back. This restaurant is just too small and although the food was good, it was not good enough to warrant the wait. They have a larger location in Wicker Park, and maybe it's worth a try, but there are so many good restaurants in Chicago that I'd rather try a new place.

Tab: $15 for a dutch pancake and coffee