Category Archives: American (New)

The Bristol

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**** (4 stars)

The Bristol is an upscale restaurant that manages to avoid being too crowded and too noisy while still achieving a trendy vibe. The narrow, brick-lined space is lit sparingly, making it good choice for intimate conversation and romantic dinners. While the tables are fairly close, they are aligned in a way that doesn’t seem invasive.

There’s a reason everyone talks about the duck fat fries. They’re surprisingly un-greasy, perfectly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and nicely seasoned, served with a wonderful garlic aioli.

We also really enjoyed the wagyu beef, which was just the right mix of meat and fat, charred yet still perfectly medium rare on the inside, and served with a delicious red pepper sauce. The trout and the tempura broccoli were just okay.

Dishes are served family style, so go with people who enjoy sharing and tasting lots of different things.

One member of our party had many allergies, and the chef marked up a menu for her, showing her what she could have and what he could modify. Very nice.

The wine list is extensive, and prices are fair, although there are no bargains.

Service was friendly, and the bus boys were particularly on the ball with plate removal and water refills. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the service was impressive. This is a very good restaurant, flirting with great. Definitely worth a visit.

The Bristol
2152 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 862-5555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bristol-chicago

Chef’s Station

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**** (4 stars)

I love the outdoor ambiance of this place on a nice evening, although inside is cozy and pleasant, too. Service is great: professional yet friendly. It’s a good sign when I see the same personnel year after year. The food is really top notch, and I feel under-appreciated, as this is a much better meal than at Oceanique, and it’s actually even more French than that place. One of the best upscale dining experiences in Evanston for sure.

Chef’s Station
915 Davis St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 570-9821
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chefs-station-evanston

Quince

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**** (4 stars)

Quince is almost a great restaurant. The service is superb. The dining rooms are homey and a touch formal. And the food is good. There’s just no over the top dish to take it to the next level. A good reliable upscale meal in Evanston, better than Oceanique, not as good as Stained Glass.

Quince
1625 Hinman Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 570-8400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/quince-evanston-2

Alinea

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** (2 stars)

I’ve eaten at some great restaurants all over the world, and I don’t get Alinea. It’s simply irritating. Yes, a few courses are knockouts. But there are also clunkers. The real problem, though, is the didactic nature of the place. We were instructed in how te eat almost every bite: “Put the whole thing in your mouth” (it was huge), “Inhale this smoke while you take a bite”, “”Don’t injure yourself on this ridiculous spike we served it on.” Then came dessert. They rolled out a rubber sheet, and several “chefs” literally smeared various stuff all over it in from of us. I am not making this up. Not only is this not the best restaurant in Chicago, it’s one of the worst fine dining experiences I’ve had in Chicago. Service is stiff, the decor is austere, I just don’t get it.

Alinea
1723 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 867-0110
http://www.yelp.com/biz/alinea-chicago

Little Hollywood Land Movie Museum

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**** (4 stars)

This place is a hoot. Our tour group stopped here for lunch, and they cast us in a pretend movie, providing costumes for everyone. The graciousness and enthusiasm of the staff turned what could have been a forced, tacky experience into a lot of fun. Afterward we had a buffet lunch that was… delicious! They make a mean homemade barbecue sauce, and also had some great salad dressings. I was skeptical, but I’d go back.

Little Hollywood Land Movie Museum
297 W Center St
Kanab, UT 84741
(435) 644-5337
http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-hollywood-land-movie-museum-kanab

Charlie Palmer Steak

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**** (4 stars)

This is just another in the endless stream of high end steakhouses pioneered by Morton, the Palm and so on. But the bar at the front of this place is another story. It’s a small space that serves small plates, offers the complete winelist, and is a really cozy place for a light meal at bargain prices. We liked it the first time we visited so much we went back the next night for dinner. Their small plates are a steal for Vegas. For example the four cheese plate with accompaniments was $8, and two Kobe sliders were $10. Compare that to $17 for a Caesar side salad in the restaurant. The ambiance is great, and we had the place almost to ourselves, even though the restaurant was packed.

Charlie Palmer Steak
3960 S Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-5120
http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlie-palmer-steak-las-vegas-3

Michael

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***** (5 stars)

A really top-notch French restaurant with extremely reasonable prices for what you get. The wine pairings, in particular, are extremely attractive.

The restaurant is the latest project of award-winning chef Michael Lachowicz. During our Thursday night visit the place was almost full. What we received was a delicious five-course French meal for two people with matching wine pairings. Each course was super, and the matching wines paired perfectly with the food. We had:

   goat cheese puff amuse bouche (we were actually served this twice, which was great!)
   corn soup (paired with an Italian white)
   zucchini with goat cheese in pastry
   seared salmon (paired with a white Burgundy)
   roast pork in pastry (paired with an Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon)
   chocolate souffle with chocolate sauce and strawberries
   chocolate truffles

Service seemed well-intentioned, but not really at the caliber of the food. This was one of the dressier restaurants I’ve been to around Evanston, with many of the men in coats and ties. That was ironic, because the owner is extremely friendly and casual, working the front desk in jeans and a short sleeve shirt!

This place has definitely made it onto our regular dining list.

Michael
64 Green Bay Rd
Winnetka, IL 60093
(847) 441-3100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/michael-winnetka

Terra an American Bistro

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***** (5 stars)

This is a small plates sort of place, so we sampled some smoked salmon, hummus, Margherita flatbread and some fish tacos. It was all good, and the hummus plate, which is more like a whole Lebanese meal including falafel and olives, is a particularly good deal.

The menu is really interesting, and warrants several repeat visits. Service was well-intentioned but not quite as professional as the food. The place was very busy, due to the trendy vibe and good prices. The bar looks nice, too.

Terra an American Bistro
2676 Green Bay Rd
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 563-9100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/terra-an-american-bistro-evanston

Chef’s Table At the Edgewater

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***** (5 stars)

The Chef’s Table at the Edgewater hotel is an unlikely star in the Central Florida dining scene. Certainly one of the top five restaurants, and perhaps second only to the infinitely more expensive Victoria and Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian, the Chef’s Table is tucked away in historic Winter Garden, a few miles north of the theme parks. It’s an intimate place, with only a half dozen tables (although an expansion is in the works that will offer small plates in a more casual setting).

The Chef’s table offers the most personal dining experience I’ve yet to encounter. Chef Kevin visits every table to explain (in mouthwatering detail) how each dish is prepared. It’s no surprise the food is so good, as Kevin worked at both Victoria and Albert’s and Emeril’s Commander’s Palace. Kevin’s wife and business partner is Laurie, who is a very talented sommelier. She is perhaps the most talented wine matching expert I’ve encountered, and the wine pairing dinner is an absolute steal.

After a leisurely dinner you can often catch a stage show in the Historic Garden Theatre across the street.

This restaurant has swept the local dining awards several times, winning for best chef’s table, best wine pairings, most romantic, and several other categories. It’s good for intimate couples dining, business dinners, and vacationing foodies alike. Highly recommended.

Chef’s Table At the Edgewater
99 W Plant St
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 230-4837
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chefs-table-at-the-edgewater-winter-garden

Girl & the Goat

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***** (5 stars)

The Girl and the Goat is the new restaurant by Stephanie Izard, winner of Top Chef. Barely open a year, it has already won a James Beard award, and is the hottest restaurant in Chicago. I reserved our table three months in advance.

I was a bit wary of going the day after Moto, and some of the menu items seemed a bit scary (oven roasted pig’s face). What a delightful surprise this restaurant turned out to be! We loved all the plates we shared. We tried all three fresh baked breads of the day. Each was served with two different accompaniments, such as Worchestshire butter. Our favorite dishes were:

Wood fired chicken with fried pickles and grilled naan.
Sauteed cauliflower with pickled peppers, parmesan cheese, mint leaves and pine nuts.
Goat belly confit with lobster and crab.

Service was really professional yet friendly, and the vibrant environment and wood smoke filled room is the perfect setting for such fun and tasty food. The Girl and the Goat is a new Chicago favorite.

Girl & the Goat
809 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 492-6262
http://www.yelp.com/biz/girl-and-the-goat-chicago