Interior
Bar
Exterior
Chiles Rellenos
Enchiladas
Duck tacos
**** (4 stars)
This is a pleasant family style restaurant serving all the standard Tex-Mex dishes. The place is surprising large, with the dimmer, more intimate area being on the bar side. They did a great job with the decor and acoustic treatments.
La Casa De Isaac & Moishe
2014 1st St
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 433-7400
https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-casa-de-isaac-and-moishe-highland-park-2
*** (3 stars)
With three sushi restaurants now within a two block radius, it’s hard to understand why this former Mexican restaurant (I know the decor looks Italian, but whatever) has become a combination sushi and American concept.
We didn’t try any of the American items, but the sashimi and sushi we had was all fine, although nothing stood out as particularly remarkable.
The salmon and hamachi appetizers were fairly similar, the main difference being minced onion on the salmon and jalapeño slices on the hamachi. Ceviche was served in a martini glass, and was mainly about lime juice and cilantro, which pretty much overwhelmed any fish flavors.
Rolls were somewhat more interesting. The Summer Roll (which according to our waitress “everyone orders”) was a balanced blend of tuna, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro and tempura flakes, topped with spicy mayo and sitting in eel sauce. The White Dragon was shrimp tempura with avocado, topped with eel and eel sauce. A few bits of the eel had a nice char that increased the complexity of the flavors.
The place is huge, with five dining rooms, although not all are furnished, and only two were in use. Service was efficient. The wine list is limited, and there are no sparkling wines, the best match for sushi. There are a few beers and sakes also available.
Mizuki Grill
474 Central Ave
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 926-7598
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mizuki-grill-highland-park
*** (3 stars)
A wonderful concert venue with nice restaurants and great ambience both inside and out.
Unfortunately the audio upgrades made in 2013 have rendered the rock concert audio unlistenably loud. Even with earplugs, the sound in the pavilion is unbearable. Because the quiet numbers sound fine, it is quite clear that driving the subs to absurd levels is what has muddled everything up. This ruined all eight concert we attended during the summer, and in one, where our seats were in the front to the side we were driven from our seats.
In contrast, the classical concerts, which are largely unamplified, sound great.
Ravinia Festival
200 Ravinia Park Rd
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 266-5000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ravinia-festival-highland-park
**** (4 stars)
Ravinia is a great outdoor environment for seeing a concert, whether on the lawn with your own picnic or under the pavilion. We enjoy both.
When we eat on the lawn we bring a picnic and rent chairs and tables to avoid the hassle of carrying them on the Metra. It costs less than $20 for the whole deal. If we run low on food or wine we pick some up at RAVINIA MARKET, which has a nice selection of prepared foods and some pretty darn good wines–although nothing cheap.
Last summer we ate many times in MIRABELLE, the downstairs buffet. There are quite a few good items–and a few misses–but it’s fairly expensive for what it is. Sometimes there is a bundled deal that includes pavilion concert seats and dinner. That’s a good deal.
The nicest restaurant is PARK VIEW, which is upstairs. It’s certainly a stunning setting, with a glass wall that overlooks the dazzling green of Ravinia Park. Best of all is being high above the sea of colorful people blanketing the lawn. Some of the food is rather pedestrian (guacamole with a lump of crab meat on top was a recent featured appetizer), but a few items are quite good.
All the restaurants are run by Levy Restaurants, which is not my favorite chain. To staff Ravinia, they borrow chefs from Spiaggia and other places within their organization. It must be weird to run a restaurant that is only open a few months a year, and the slightly amateurish service is a telling detail. But for the most part things run efficiently, and the food is good if not great.
Three stars for food, 5 stars for location.
Ravinia Park Restaurants
201 St Johns Ave
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 432-3060
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ravinia-park-restaurants-highland-park-2