Category Archives: Illinois

The Library

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***** (5 stars)

We absolutely loved this place. It has all the advantages of the food from the Gilt Bar upstairs, but without the noise.

I’m surprised they don’t bill this as a speakeasy, because it has that atmosphere: a twisting passageway downstair to find the almost hidden door, and lighting that takes a few minutes to adjust to. Candles on book shelves provide part of the illumination, and the fancy bar at one end looks like it’s straight out of the 20s.

We tried a large portion of the menu, and loved everything except perhaps the bone marrow and the rib eye. Mussels were a standout.

Of course with this theming there are cocktails, and many fine choices among them. I’m not a fan of sweet drinks, so I was delighted to discover many bitter ingredients available, and even finished with an Amaro Nonino.

Service was friendly and helpful.

The Library
Gilt Bar
230 W Kinzie St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 464-9544
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-library-chicago

Beatrix

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**** (4 stars)

Lively is the best way to describe Beatrix. This trendy spot opening off the lobby of the equally trendy aLoft hotel is bustling with business. If you’re looking for a quiet dinner for two, this isn’t the place. But if you like a clamorous atmosphere and thoughtful small plates, this is a good choice.

Everything we sampled was good. The standout was a special, Bulgogi chicken. We also really enjoyed the Caesar salad, which was more finely chopped than usual and had a delicious dressing.

The wine and beer offerings seemed a bit limited to me for this type of restaurant, but there are some excellent juices and drinks based upon juices. I particularly liked the whiskey sour made with fresh lemon juice.

Service was extremely knowledgable and friendly. If only it weren’t quite so lively!

Beatrix
519 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 284-1377
http://www.yelp.com/biz/beatrix-chicago

NoMI Kitchen

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***** (5 stars)

We had a great lunch at NoMI. A corner table overlooking Waterpower place can’t be beat. The emphasis on lighter fare, sushi and fish makes for a healthy lunch. \

I had TJ’s Farm Chicken at the waiter’s suggestion, and it was one of the best chicken dishes I’ve ever had, with a perfectly crisp skin and moist, succulent meat. The accompanying herb crumbs were heavenly.

The wine list is really well thought out, and if you’re willing to spring for a nice bottle, there are some excellent choices. They even have Madeira by the glass. And Madeira goes with everything (even spiny tuna rolls, it turns out!)

Service was friendly and efficient. A great place for a relaxing and tasty lunch.

NoMI Kitchen
Park Hyatt Chicago
800 N Michigan Ave, 7th Fl
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 239-4030
http://www.yelp.com/biz/nomi-kitchen-chicago

Peckish Pig

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*** (3 stars)

This gastropub has a bright, airy indoor area and a lovely patio out back. There is an interesting variety of beers, and an assortment of sandwiches and other pub food.

The chicken panini we tried was nicely pressed, but the brie cheese was mostly rind, which gave it a bit of a musty flavor. The accompanying fries were a bit limp, but tasty. The quinoa salad was fresh, although not particularly flavorful.

We received great service from Caitlyn.

While I don’t know that I would plan on dining here again, it would be a fun place to go for a beer after work.

Peckish Pig
623 Howard St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 491-6778
http://www.yelp.com/biz/peckish-pig-evanston

Cumin

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**** (4 stars)

This wonderfully aromatic restaurant is well named.

The menu offers a wide range of classic Indian dishes, some with a twist. For example, the naan bread is very thin, almost like flatbread, but with a bubbly crisp crust around the edge. We had the garlic version, and it was some of the best I’ve had. Because of its thinness, it wasn’t too filling, yet made a great scoop for picking up sauce.

We tried three entrees. The shrimp saag was rich and had a good spinach taste amidst the spices, but the strong flavors made the inclusion of shrimp pointless. Next time I would get it without any protein.

Chicken Madras was extremely creamy, and the chicken was moist and succulent. I hadn’t had this dish before, and really enjoyed it.

But by far the best was the lamb korma, not so much because of the lamb (which was fine, but not tender and succulent like the chicken) but because of the wonderfully complex flavors in the korma sauce, one of the best versions I’ve tasted.

The meal starts with a basket of papadums and two sauces, mint, and tamarind. The mint sauce was a bit thinner than some, and I like more cilantro in mine, but the tamarind sauce was outstanding, almost like fresh cherries in its fruitiness. Very different from the dark, cloying versions served most places.

Service was extremely friendly and helpful. There are a large number of nice wines by the glass.

The place is cozy and upscale, and the cooking smells waft down the street. For a fine meal, just follow your nose to Cumin.

Cumin
1414 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-1414
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cumin-chicago

Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs and Fries

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve been looking all over Chicago (literally) for a place with great gourmet hotdogs and hamburgers. Well, this is it.

The dogs include the usual Chicago and chili varieties, plus others named after cities and countries. I tried the most unusual, the Japanese Dog, and wow, was it good. Yes, the seaweed salad and pickled ginger go well on a dog, but the superb flavors of the dog itself really shone through. Best hot dog meat I’ve had, for sure.

But the burger was actually better. A think, juicy patty with a crisp, seared crust, piled high with all my favorite toppings, plus cheddar cheese and (of course) bacon. That bacon really made it a home run, with its smoky flavor, and the bun had enough integrity to hold the whole handful together. Just describing it has made me want another one.

I also tried the garlic fries, which are hand cut and tossed with fresh Gilroy garlic, herbs and olive oil. If that sounds good, you’re right. The owner made sure I knew they were unsalted, and pointed out a whole rack of seasoning salt shakers to choose from. His recommended smoked salt was terrific on them.

It’s easy to see that the owner’s hands-on approach makes this place special, and I can imagine it’s often hard to get a seat, as there are only a few tables, but I was served quickly, and the wait time for everything to be prepared fresh was definitely worth it. I’m all ready to go back and try some other gourmet combinations and maybe a shake, too.

Ivy’s Burgers, Hot Dogs and Fries
5419 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
(773) 775-2545
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ivys-burgers-hot-dogs-and-fries-chicago

Anna’s Asian Grill & Sushi Bar

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**** (4 stars)

Anna’s offers a broad range of Asian cuisines and preparations–eight pages worth, in fact. From sashimi to Thai, curry to noodles, dumplings to roti, you’ll find a bit of everything here. I sampled a number of their small plates, and a noodle dish, and all were good.

There are quite a few house specialties, but perhaps the best known is the Stuffed Avocado, a tempura fried avocado with spicy tuna. The dish is quite rich, and the four pieces would make a good starter for a party of four, or a heavy one for a party of two.

The Trio Blossom is served on three spoons, one with squid and basil, one with hamachi (yellowtail in this case, often amberjack) wrapped around jalapeño and cilantro, and one with kani kama (fake crab) wrapped with salmon. I found the exterior of the squid pleasant, but the interior was rather slimy compared to others I’ve had. The yellowtail was the most successful, the jalapeño nice and crisp and not too spicy. As a result, I think the Rising Sun Roll would have been a better (and cheaper) choice.

The Chef’s Sake Baby Ribs was actually one rib, marinated in a tasty homemade tamarind sauce. It was good, but seemed a small portion to share, and too expensive to justify for one.

The Pad Laos was a nice variation on Pad Thai, with an emphasis on ginger and scallions rather than a typical heavy Pad Thai sauce. The lime wedge provided a nice dose of acidity.

Service was extremely friendly and attentive, and I felt welcome from the moment I stepped in the door.

Anna’s is BYOB, and they did a nice job serving the Champagne brought by a neighboring table. I found it odd in a gourmet Asian restaurant that the green tea was a Lipton tea bag.

I wanted to try a wide variety of preparations, and took my server’s recommendations of the house specialties. They were all good, although I didn’t feel there were any home runs. I think on a return visit I would focus on the sushi rolls.

Anna’s Asian Grill & Sushi Bar
1804-06 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 975-3404
http://www.yelp.com/biz/annas-asian-grill-and-sushi-bar-chicago

Dollop Coffee & Hoosier Mama Pie Company

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*** (3 stars)

Uniting two local chains, this is a place to get coffee and pie. Ironically, the best offerings aren’t either of those, they’re the sandwiches.

The large open space is bright and friendly, a good place to relax or get some work done, and there is a fair sized patio out front. Service is friendly, although it’s odd how long it takes to do something as simple as serve a slice of pie, even when you’re the only customer.

The pies are good, but they won’t change your life, and the coffee is just adequate.

But the sandwiches are delicious. I had the Ploughman, a generous serving of ham and cheddar cheese with apple slices, chutney, mustard, mayo and lettuce on a fresh baguette. The combination worked great together. If I return it will be to try the other sandwiches, especially the BLT.

Dollop Coffee & Hoosier Mama Pie Company
749 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 868-8863
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dollop-coffee-and-hoosier-mama-pie-company-evanston

Sunda

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*** (3 stars)

I had high expectations for Sunda, and they were met in some areas, but not all.

The best item we sampled was the Crispy Brussels Sprouts, a superb house specialty; thin slices of broccoli are almost toasted, then tossed with red cabbage, carrots, chilies, fried shallots, and minced shrimp and served with nuoc cham (a rice wine vinegar dressing). I couldn’t stop eating this!

Tiger Shrimp Tempura was interesting in that it was served with candied walnuts, but the creamy honey aioli was really slathered on and made it very rich.

“Grilled Spare Ribs” are actually Korean style kalbi ribs, not my favorite.

Sushi was less inspiring. We tried several house special rolls, and none was greater than the sum of its parts. Spicy Salmon Shiso was particularly odd, with very finely ground salmon tartare and a dollop of sriracha on top of a thin slice of jicama and a shiso leaf. The ingredients were fine when picked apart, but the combination was a bit of a mess.

The wine and beer list in interesting, with many selections, including some excellent Champagnes, available by the glass. The space is stylish and vibrant, and the service was efficient, if not inspired.

Sunda
110 W Illinois St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 644-0500
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunda-chicago

H-Dogs

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***** (5 stars)

Chicago is looking for the successor to Hot Dougs, and not only is H-Dogs a candidate, I think it’s even better, because they make the single best salmon sandwich I have had anywhere! In fact, when I go back, I’ll just skip right past their excellent dogs, and get me another one. It was a perfectly grilled salmon filet with crisp greens, red onions, and a zesty horseradish infused dressing, all on a wheat bun.

I also sampled the Greek, vegetarian and French dogs. The Greek was essentially a gyro, with lamb, tomatoes, onions and a their version of “tzatzki” sauce. The Healthy Hound is a vegetarian dog that’s a bit more in the style of a Chicago dog, but without the pickle, and with roasted peppers. The French was the richest dog I tried, duck sausage smothered in caramelized onions.

All the dogs were good, but I kept going back to that salmon burger!

Everything comes with excellent French fries, served crisp and piping hot. The inclusion of fries makes the pricing of the dogs and burgers much more attractive.

There’s also a rich chili, available in both vegetarian and turkey versions. I got this to go, and it was great reheated later.

H-Dogs is definitely worth the trip south, and it’s pretty convenient to get there on Lake Shore, so I’ll certainly be back… for more salmon burgers!

H-Dogs
4655 S Martin Luther King Dr
Chicago, IL 60653
(773) 633-2978
http://www.yelp.com/biz/h-dogs-chicago