Author Archives: steve

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

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Exterior
Exterior
Interior
Interior
Salmon
Salmon
One of many rooms
One of many rooms
Tortilla Española
Tortilla Española

***** (5 stars)

I’ve been to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba several times, but my latest visit was particularly good. We must have tried about half the menu, and everything was really a home run. Highlights included:

stuffed piquillo pepper
deviled eggs
goat cheese baked in tomato sauce with garlic bread
tortilla espanola*
fried shisito peppers
grilled beef skewer*
tinned yellow fin tuna*
bikini sandwiches*
roasted chicken empanada
iberico ham croquetas
roasted dates wrapped in bacon

Everything was great, but I’ve starred my very favorites.

Our server was terrific, making sure the dishes came out properly spaced.

A pitcher of red sangria is a great choice to share three or four ways.

And of course we finished with Olorosa sherry.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
2024 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614

https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-ba-ba-reeba-chicago-3

Cesar’s Killer Margaritas – Broadway

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Interior
Interior
Entry
Entry
Bar
Bar
Queso dip
Queso dip
Costillas en Salsa Verde - Baby back pork ribs in green sauce - AMAZING!
Costillas en Salsa Verde – Baby back pork ribs in green sauce – AMAZING!
Super Burrito
Super Burrito

***** (5 stars)

I've been to the Cesar's that was on Clark many times, but this was the first time I've been to this one. I was expecting it to be the same, but it is much better. It's more intimate, and cuter, with smaller dining rooms on different levels.

Note that the online menus don't really reflect the current menu for food or drinks. It's not a problem, it's just different.

To start, the signature margarita was fantastic, with just the right balance of lime, tequila, and sweetness.

I never liked the nachos at the other Cesar's, so we tried the queso dip, and it was very good, even though it looked a bit like movie theater nacho cheese rather than true queso blanco.

But the show stopper was the Costillas en Salsa Verde, which was a half slab of baby back pork ribs simmered in green sauce and topped with onions. Wow! I'm originally from Southern California, and have had thousands of Mexican meals in hundreds of Mexican restaurants, and this is the single best thing I have ever had in any of them. Order it!

Cesar’s Killer Margaritas – Broadway
2924 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/cesars-killer-margaritas-broadway-chicago

Mild 2 Spicy

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Aloo Gobi Masala
Aloo Gobi Masala

**** (4 stars)

Good Indian food in the Lakeview area. We ordered it delivered, so not the fairest comparison. The menu is extensive. Basically, if you've ever had it in an Indian restaurant, you can find it on the menu here!

We had the Aloo Gobi Masala and Vegetable Korma. Both were good.

They have both roasted and fried papadums, which makes for an interesting comparison.

Reasonable prices.

Mild 2 Spicy
714 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614

https://www.yelp.com/biz/mild-2-spicy-chicago-4

El Mariachi

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**** (4 stars)

We ordered delivery from El Mariachi, and I was very impressed by the condition the food arrived in. Everything was hot, and didn't look like it had been shaken.

For me, the highlight was the tortilla chips. They're extremely light and crisp, yet sturdy enough for dipping. And the guacamole we dipped them in was quite good.

All of the standard Tex-Mex dishes were very good, and the tamales were a real stand out.

El Mariachi
3420 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-mariachi-chicago

SUSHI-SAN

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Interior
Interior
Mega part 1
Mega part 1
Mega part 2
Mega part 2
Mega part 3
Mega part 3
Delivery Box!
Delivery Box!

***** (5 stars)

It's been a few years since I tried Sushi-San, and on a cold winter day we weren't in the mood to go out, so we decided to order delivery, even though it's about 30 minutes away.

We were super impressed with the condition everything arrived in, thanks to wonderful packaging. Everything came in its own tray, soup was hot, sushi was not, and best of all was the deliver box, which looked like a 80s boom box!

SUSHI-SAN
63 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60654

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-san-chicago

Rice’N Bread

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Interior
Interior
Exterior
Exterior
Dulsot Bulgogi Bibimbap
Dulsot Bulgogi Bibimbap
Pan Jeon
Pan Jeon

***** (5 stars)

This place may be disguised as an American diner, and you can certainly get good diner food here, but they also have the best Korean food I've had in Chicago.

The Pan Jeon Korean-style seafood pancake was absolutely perfect–moist seafood and a very crispy pancake.

Dulsot Bibimbop was also about as good as it gets, with a mix of veggies and the protein of your choice on top of rice, in a searingly hot metal bowl guaranteed to turn the rice crispy on the bottom.

Service was very friendly and the kitchen is quick.

Rice’N Bread
3435 N Sheffield Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/ricen-bread-chicago

Tzuco

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Exterior
Exterior
Bar
Bar
Interior
Interior
Patio
Patio

**** (4 stars)

We loved Carol Guytan's original one-star Michelin, Mexique, so I was hoping for similar finesse and subtlety at Tzuco. While Tzuco also thinks outside the regular Mexican restaurant box, it's not the same creative culinary experience. Admittedly, we wnet for bruch, which can always seem a bit pedestrian, but we avoided the traditional brunch dishes and concentrated on the more Mexican-influenced items.

The guacamole and ceviche we just okay, but the Mushroom Cazuela and Tsuco Shakshuka were both noteworthy. The various tacos (masa) were also okay. If I go back I would try the pibil and the chilaquiles.

The margaritas were very good. Ask for anejo tequila for some extra flavor. My favorite item was actually the Horchata Latte!

Tzuco
720 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654

https://www.yelp.com/biz/tzuco-chicago

The Crepe Shop

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Exterior
Exterior
Interior and menu
Interior and menu
Ham and cheese and egg crepe
Ham and cheese and egg crepe

***** (5 stars)

The highlight here is the very friendly service. Traditional savory or sweet crepes are cooked to order, in pronto time. My ham and chees crepe was amply filled, and the egg addition was perfectly cooked.

The Crepe Shop
2934 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-crepe-shop-chicago

Gorkha Kitchen

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Butter chicken, lamb korma, samosa chat, Chicken Fried Momo, garlic naan
Butter chicken, lamb korma, samosa chat, Chicken Fried Momo, garlic naan

**** (4 stars)

Had takeout delivered by Doordash. Very good Butter Chicken and Korma. I would get vegetable Korma rather than Lamb Korma next time, as the lamb wasn't noteworthy.

A fried version of Chicken Momas was unusual and also good.

Gorkha Kitchen
434 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614

https://www.yelp.com/biz/gorkha-kitchen-chicago