Summer Craze

It has been many weeks since my last post! I'm sorry!

When summer weather hits, my mind wanders to bike rides, long naps with windows open and spending time in the sunshine. I have still been eating lots - and eating out, so I thought today's post could be a short round up of some of my recent restaurant visits. Next week I'll be on vacation, but when I get back I'll have some fun new posts about eating in Bloomington, Indiana - my beloved college town! Hope you are enjoying your summer!

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Dixie Kitchen

Before President Obama was President, he was a guest on one of my favorite shows, Check, Please! It's a weekly show on PBS highlighting favorite restaurants of Chicago residents. President Obama picked Dixie Kitchen. It's food is yummy southern comfort. I've been multiple times and have tried the fried chicken, BBQ chicken, jambalaya, and the blackened catfish. All have been very tasty, but the best part of the meal is the starter. As a free perk, the restaurant brings out warm johnny cakes with butter when you arrive. They are delicious and addictive little pancakes made with a corn muffin-like batter.

Lou Malnati's

I've mentioned before that I love pizza, and while deep dish isn't my favorite, Lou Malnati's is pretty good. They are really generous with their toppings and their tomato sauce isn't really a sauce, it's more like a pulpy-tomato, garlic and olive oil mixture, and I really like it.

Bowman's

This restaurant/bar is a great place for drinks in Lincoln Square - especially on a nice summer day. They also have a decent lunch menu. I've only had the chicken cobb wrap which was okay, but it was paired with a really good serving of french fries!

Crepe Bistro

My sister and I tried this spot after she got a deal through Groupon. It's a really odd little restaurant in the loop that features crepes as both entrees and desserts. I got a crepe with cheese, mushrooms and spinach. It was really tasty and served with a nice side salad. My sister and I split a dessert crepe served with chocolate and whipped cream - also very good! The place has an accordion player on Thursday nights and $5 martinis every day. Definitely a unique spot worth a visit.

Clarke's

This diner usually caters to a late-night after drinks crowd, especially of DePaul college students. I went before a show I was attending across the street on a week night, so the crowd was a bit different. I had a breakfast skillet with eggs, cheese, mushrooms and spinach, served over a bed of potatoes. It was okay, but nothing spectacular. This place tastes better when you're a drunk.

Cafe Selmarie

Cafe Selmarie is an adorable little bakery/restaurant in the heart of Lincoln Square. I'd been wanting to go for years and I finally made my way there for breakfast yesterday. I met my friend, Dyan, at about 10:00 and there was no line!

The decor feels kind of french; there's a bakery shop in the front end of the store and the restaurant is tucked into the back. There are windows lining one wall that face onto a cute little square, where tons of adorable young families with kids and golden retrievers walk around on sunny Saturday mornings. It's really kind of idyllic.

I ordered a small orange juice and the breakfast burrito with salsa, guacamole and sour cream on the side - plus it's served with a side of hash browns. The burrito was really big and was filled to the brim with scrambled eggs and cheese. It was tasty, but best when combined with the toppings. The hash browns were really well-seasoned.

Dyan ordered the chilaquiles casserole, a fresh baked casserole of eggs and corn tortillas in a spicy chile sauce with pulled chicken breast and queso fresco; topped with avocado, sour cream and cilantro. As usual, I couldn't resist a bite of my companion's meal and it was delicious. A little spicy for me in the morning, but delicious.

I would definitely recommend this cute spot - especially in the summer when the outdoor seating opens.

Tab: About $9 for a breakfast entree

Egg Harbor

I committed a cardinal sin this weekend: I went to a breakfast place and ordered lunch. What was I thinking? I immediately regretted my decision.

For Mother's Day brunch this Sunday, my family went to Egg Harbor in the southwest suburbs. The restaurant has multiple locations, but I've only been to this one. It was packed - and we waited an hour for a table.

When we finally did sit, I decided on strawberry-orange juice and a chicken salad sandwich. The juice was super sweet, but really good. The sandwich was okay - too much cheese and over-buttered bread do not make a great sandwich. It was served with a side salad doused with a far too generous portion of poppy seed dressing and mini potato pancakes. This amounted to an odd and disappointing combination of foods. Basically I spent the entire meal pining over the egg, ham, mushroom, cheddar cheese and potato skillet my sister ordered. Alas, I'll know better next time.

Egg Harbor is not my favorite brunch place, but it is pretty good. Also, compared to city prices, everything seems really affordable here.

Tab: About $9 for a skillet

Prasino

Prasino is a new restaurant in the suburb of LaGrange where I grew up. It serves seasonal, organic and local food for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and it's becoming really popular. I tried it for breakfast with a friend yesterday.

The decor is really nice and matches the organic focus with clean, modern materials and colors. I started with the specially made veggie-fruit juice of carrot, lemon and orange. It was really tasty! Then, I ordered the veggie omelet which is served with a side of roasted potatoes and either pancakes or toast - I got the pancakes. The omelet was good, but truly nothing special. It's way too big; I think they probably used five eggs to make it and they were kind of skimpy with the veggies. The pancakes were good, but again not really impressive. The potatoes were the best part of the meal since they were really well seasoned.

My friend got the healthy french toast on multi-grain bread. I didn't try any, but she said it was good. Towards the end of our meal we had a surprise visitor: we found a spider on the french toast plate. We let the manager know and he gave us complimentary raspberry sorbet and organic pistachio ice cream. These turned out to be the best part of the meal - by far! The pistachio in particular was really great - and I'm not even usually a fan of that flavor.

I'd go back to Prasino again, but I'd rather try lunch or dinner and I'd definitely save room for dessert.

Tab: About $9 for a breakfast entree

Topo Gigio

Mark and I took his mom for dinner at Topo Gigio before seeing a show at The Second City last weekend. For those unfamiliar with Topo Gigio, he was a silly mouse puppet character on an Italian children's show in the 1960s (that's an image of him above). The Italian restaurant is named in his honor and features his likeness in a few of its decorations.

We headed to the Old Town hot spot and started with an appetizer of buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar. I have a bit of a love affair with buffalo mozzarella (see here) and this appetizer was really fantastic. The restaurant also provides some bread for dipping and it was a great start to the meal.

For dinner, we decided to get three things we would all share. I ordered the Petti di Pollo Fiorentina - chicken breast sauteed with pancetta, spinach, and mozzarella. It was served with roasted potatoes and asparagus. It was a good meal, but would have been better with less cheese.

Mark's mom ordered the Eggplant Parmesan. I'm a snob when it comes to this dish because my Grandma makes a version that no restaurant compares to. Topo Gigio's version is breaded too heavily and is loaded with too much cheese. Plus, the portion is out of control. I like eating a lot, but this crossed the line to wasteful.

Mark's dish was the best of the night. He ordered the homemade linguine pasta served with a perfectly spiced red cream sauce and is topped with a generous serving of shellfish, including a bit of lobster and lots of scallops. It was a really delicious sauce, the pasta was perfection and I love shellfish. I would absolutely go back to order this dish.

While our meals weren't all perfect, the appetizer and pasta dish are enough to make me want to return sometime.

Tab: About $15-20 per entree

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

Berry Chill

Yogurt Couture is the fitting slogan for Berry Chill, a frozen yogurt hot spot on the near north side. The small store offers a cold sweet you don't have to feel guilty eating.

Typically there are two to three flavors of yogurt - of which one is always the standard vanilla flavored with a little lemon. It's a tart flavor and I really enjoy it. After patrons pick their yogurt flavor they can choose toppings. Up to three toppings is included in the standard price, add any more and you pay 79 cents per topping. The toppings are the best part! You have a choice of lots of candies and fruits. I always get a combination of fruits, and my favorite combination is strawberry, mango and blueberry.

I took a friend to Berry Chill last week and even on a cold day it was a big hit, but this place is really perfect for an afternoon snack on a sweaty summer day.

Tab: $5 for a small (5 ounces) with three toppings

e.leaven

Looking for a quick lunch spot near the Mag Mile? If so, try e.leaven. It's just a couple blocks from the Apple store (and my office) and it's tasty. Nothing fancy or special, but reasonably priced and well-located.

I've gone a few times and only tried one thing: the avocado salad with chicken. The salad is generously filled with avocado and a yummy dressing. There are lots of sandwiches, salads and sweets on the menu. Everything looks good and it's never too crowded - perfect for the week-day lunch.

Tab: About $10 for a large salad

Ann Sather

I turned 25 on Sunday, March 21. You might find the next statement ridiculous, but it made me feel kind of old. When I was in high school, I remember thinking about my mid-twenties as a time when I would be fairly 'established' in my adulthood. It's not like I wanted to have a kid by now (I did not and still do not), but I think I figured I'd own a house, dog and be well on my way to stealing Peter Jennings' old gig. I did get married recently, which is certainly a big step into serious adulthood, but other than that, I don't really have many of the things figured out that I thought I would. That said, I think 15 year old Jenn would be surprised, but pleased.

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In high school, sometimes my mom would make me Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for a quick breakfast (served with fruit, of course). Since then, sometimes I crave cinnamon rolls. So, on my birthday I went for a big brunch at Ann Sather, home of Chicago's best, fresh cinnamon rolls. The rolls are enormous and served warm in pairs. I love them!

With the cinnamon rolls, I had the Veggie Florentine. It's a version of Eggs Benedict, that substitutes the ham for veggies. It's somewhat healthy and really tasty - if you like hollandaise sauce like me. Ann Sather also has really good Swedish style pancakes, which are thinner than normal pancakes and almost like crepes.

There are a couple Ann Sather locations, but the one in Andersonville is the best. It is a great place for brunch and it's bigger than many of the other brunch hot-spots, so you probably won't have to wait for a table.

Tab: About $25 for breakfast for two (w/drinks)

Spacca Napoli

My Dad is obsessed with pizza to the point that he tried to feed me some as an infant. His love is focused on Chicago-style deep-dish like Lumalnati's, and my taste is often a bit different, but the love of pizza has rubbed off on the entire family. I truly enjoy all types of pizza and other than the chain, Sbarro's, I've never had a pizza I couldn't eat. Lately, I've been particularly hooked on Neapolitan style pizza with thin crust, chunky tomatoes and delicious cheese. Spacca Napoli is the pinnacle of this type of pizza.

The restaurant is focused solely on using the best ingredients to make pizza the way Italians really eat it. Spacca Napoli offers several different varieties, containing lots of ingredients, or just a few, like the classic 'Pizza Margherita.' Everything is delicious and served quickly from the special oven. They have appetizers too - including a really yummy eggplant (melanzane) dish that's served cold.

But, the pizza takes center stage here. I've had a few of different kinds and while they are all fantastic, 'The Buffalina,' is the show-stopper. It's a classic margherita style pizza, with cheese, tomatoes and basil, but the cheese is really special. It's buffalo mozzarella, and it's creamy and hard to stop eating.

Spacca Napoli is a wonderful place. It makes me want to visit Italy so bad it hurts and happy my Dad forced pizza into my life so early. You'll never want American-style pizzza again.

Tab: About $35 for a pizza, appetizer and two Peroni's

Revolution!

Last week's weather was so nice - it kept me out and about - and not blogging! Apologies for my sporadic posts - mainly sorry to Mom, one of my few readers :)

I've been meaning to write about Revolution Brewing for a week or so. It's a really cool new brew/pub in Logan Square (full disclosure: one of my cousins is an investor). The decor is really impressive and no detail has been spared. The theme of "revolution" is used in multiple ways. They have a fist logo that is used on all of the taps and it's also carved into the wood bar.

The beer takes center stage and they have several that are brewed in house. I've heard great things about their stout, but in all honesty, I'm a light beer drinker so most were too strong for my taste. Mark and I tried each in-house brewed beer by ordering the beer flight which allows you to taste them all - and my favorite is 'The Wit.' It's a well-flavored light beer and it's perfect for weak-beer drinkers.

The food is also really good! They've tried to ensure Revolution is about more than just the beer. The menu includes Neapolitan-style pizzas with a variety of toppings, delicious and gourmet burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, vegetarian and vegan fare, and fish and chips. It has lots of other options too - including salads and pot roast. They make their own rolls and have a special pizza oven to perfect the crust of their individual pies.

I was really impressed with the food selection. I tried a variety of items including the steamed mussels, the burger with bacon and cheddar, fish and chips and pulled pork. I highly recommend the mussels and the burger. Both were truly delicious - and the burger's bun is a real treat. The fish and chips and pulled pork were good too, but not my favorites.

Revolution is a happening new spot. I enthusiastically recommend heading over soon. The beer, food and environment are all really good. I can't wait to go back for a fun night with friends soon - plus I've heard the desserts are tasty!

Tab: $40 for two (including two pints of beer and an appetizer)

Cuba Libre

Part of the reason I've been writing so infrequently is that I was in Orlando last week for work. The weather was not as nice as I was hoping for and the week was jam packed with events and lots of small-talk. Plus, if you've been to Orlando you know that the restaurant options are somewhat limited compared to the windy city. Disney's east coast home is also home to every chain restaurant in America. T.G.I. Friday's and Perkins were just two of the many less than delicious places I stopped at during the trip. But, I was able to try one unfamiliar restaurant.

One night I had an event at Cuba Libre, and while it is still a chain, it doesn't have quite the national reach of Friday's (it has three locations in Orlando, Philadelphia and Atlantic City). I've never been to Cuba (or even another Cuban restaurant) so I really can't make any claims about authenticity, but my guess is that Fidel would not be pleased - it's a bit hokey. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the restaurant.

We started with terrific mojitos - very refreshing and almost too good, as I struggled to stop drinking them. Since the event was work related, I wasn't able to choose from the entire menu. Instead, we had a few shared appetizers which were my least favorite course. It was an assortment of fried chicken and shrimp pastry turnovers that were sub-par. The next course was a plain spinach salad that was a nice palate cleanser. For an entree, we had a choice of steak, chicken or salmon. I chose the grilled skirt steak that was served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed greens. It was served in a delicious lemon, parsley and onion sauce. I really enjoyed it and the serving size was perfect.

The best part of the meal was dessert. Everyone received three mini portions of papaya and mango rice pudding, flan with mixed berries and a chocolate souffle tart. The flan in particular was wonderful.

I'm not dying to go back to Orlando or Cuba Libre anytime soon, but it was a nice break from the generic sandwiches and salads that made up almost all my other meals in the city.

Tab: About $30 a person (w/the much enjoyed mojito)

Quartino

Sometimes my sister and I go on dates - and often we head to Quartino. It's a really lovely Italian place on the near north side (near my office).

They offer tapas-style Italian, so it's the perfect place to go to share dishes and gossip. The last time we went we had a great time, as usual. We split the funghi pizza, grilled shrimp and lots of bread with oil and cheese. Everything was delicious. I especially like the funghi pizza - they load it with mushrooms and it is wonderful [full disclosure: I LOVE mushrooms].

In the past we've ordered the broccoli rabe, eggplant parmesan, and a meat and cheese tasting appetizer. Each of these has been great, too. We've tried a lot of the menu and never have been disappointed.

Quartino is affordable, yummy and has a great patio in summer. It should definitely be on your to-do list, if you haven't been already.

Tab: About $30 for two (w/out wine)

Who loves cheap Chinese?

I love Chinese food, but more specifically, cheap chinese. Mark and I have been busy and haven't eaten out in a while, but we did order-in some chinese last week. We always order from the same place that delivers to our neighborhood - Young's Chinese Restaurant.

Young's isn't a hole in the wall, but it's not fancy. With consistently good food that is delivered promptly, I recommend it to you north-siders. We usually order an assortment of some of the following: shrimp fried rice, sesame chicken, won ton soup, crab rangoon and pot stickers. Everything is good, but I especially like their fried rice.

They don't have a particularly new or original take on any of the Chinese standards, but it's a great place to order for a quick and easy meal. We usually order a few things and it provides enough for two meals.

Tab: About $25 for two entrees and an appetizer or soup

Hema's Kitchen

My bestie from college, Fiona, turned 25 this past week and we headed to Hema's Kitchen to celebrate. It's an Indian restaurant in Lincoln Park that's BYOB. I love Indian food - it's spicy, rich and absolutely delicious. I can't get enough naan, chicken tikki masala and chicken curry.

I tried something new at Hema's and got the chicken biryani. It's a really spicy rice dish. I enjoyed it, but I think I like my normal dishes better. I also tried the chicken tikki masala from a friend's plate and it wasn't the best I've had. Not bad, but all in all the place is just okay. The naan is great, but I don't think that it ever tastes very different. Maybe that's just because I have simple taste buds...

I can't say I don't recommend it, but if you are going to try Indian, go to India House. It's a little more expensive than Hema's, but totally worth it.

Tab: About $15 per dish

Smoque

Honestly, when I saw that the a la card had a gift card to Smoque BBQ, I squealed with joy! It meant I had a reason to go to one of my favorite places in Chicago. Last weekend, Mark and I took our guests to this northwest side favorite and we all ate far too much.

When Mark and I are debating where to eat out, often our first thought is to head to Smoque. This place is really popular, and deservedly so. There are routinely one to two hour lines on Friday and Saturday nights, and we try to avoid those by going on off-days or at odd times. On this past visit, we went for a late lunch around 3:00 and still waited 20 min. Waiting here actually means standing in a grocery style line until you order, pay at the checkout and wait for a table to open up. Still, it is completely worth it. The place is BYOB, so just discreetly open your beer while waiting.

Smoque is in a garage-like space with the menu written on a huge chalkboard on one wall. People can order brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken or sausage with a choice of various sides. I've tried everything on the menu except the sausage and it's all good. My favorite, and my regular pick is a half pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries, baked beans, cornbread (instead of coleslaw) and peach cobbler. Even if you don't feel like dessert, do yourself a favor and order the cobbler. You will not regret it. It's a perfect little serving and is one of my favorite dishes. It's gooey and warm in the middle, but has a yummy brown sugar topped crust.

We've brought lots of people here from out of town, and everyone has loved it. I can't recommend this place too strongly -it's absolutely worth a trip and will become a favorite for you. Just plan to go when you don't have anything planned afterwards, because there will probably be a wait and you will want a nap.

Tab: About $20 for two people