Exterior
Interior
Macchiato
***** (5 stars)
This is a charming little shop (the building is the smallest in the loop, at 19 feet square) with no indoor seating. Service is equally charming. The can’t do decaf espresso, so they made be a cortado using chicory and warm milk.
Pickwick Coffee Roasting
22 E Jackson Ave
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 285-2786
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pickwick-coffee-roasting-chicago-4
Interior
Garlic bread
Kale
Artichoke
Ravioli special
***** (5 stars)
Lettuce Entertain You has done a really brilliant job with this restaurant. It is stylish, comfortable, noise levels are reasonable, and the food is superb. It also avoids a lot of the Italian restaurant cliches, with interesting twists on everything from appetizers to pastas.
We started with the truffle garlic bread, which was perfectly toasted, and not overladen with truffle or oil, and nicely toasted, with crisp edges. The serving size was plenty for two to four people, depending on how much you like bread. In other words, I could have eaten the whole loaf myself.
The kale salad was very refreshing, with a dressing composed mostly of lemon juice, but plenty of other complexity.
The artichokes were unlike any I’ve seen before, more like the blossoms they truly are, with long skinny stems. They were fried to a crispy consistency, but not oily at all.
I had the day’s special pasta, a wonderful cheese ravioli that incorporated a whole egg yolk. When broken open it perfectly blended with the accompanying, asparagus, peas and mushrooms.
The only disappointment was dessert. We kept it simple with gelato, Although they were very creamy, neither had much of the supposed pistachio and creamsicle flavors.
This is definitely my favorite of the Italian restaurants I’ve tried in River North, and I’ll be back soon.
RPM Italian
52 W Illinois St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 222-1888
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rpm-italian-chicago
Interior
Hummus
Nachos
***** (5 stars)
This place serves excellent vegetarian and vegan food in a cozy atmosphere.
The hummus plate was a nice appetizer for two, with tasty, citrus-tinged hummus and lots of fresh veggies for dipping.
I had the nachos as my entree. They were a heaping plate, with crisp corn chips, excellent guacamole and a very convincing spicy “meat” and bean chili.
Service was friendly and efficient.
Munch
104 N Marion St
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 848-4226
https://www.yelp.com/biz/munch-oak-park-2
Interior
View
Tart
Falafel
**** (4 stars)
This is a pleasant, high-ceiling and airy space with a great view of Millennium Park, and a nice, if pricey, selection of small plates and entrees.
We didn’t have a lunch reservation and even though we arrived before noon the only seating was “high top” which turned out to be a bar. But it was pleasant enough.
We had three appetizers, each costing around $18 each. Falafel consisted of three oval pieces of falafel served with assorted veggies such as cauliflower, and some harissa. The goat cheese tart had a delightfully delicate crust and was served with a good sized green salad.
My favorite was the smoked fish plate. The very moist and tender fish had a great smoked flavor. It was accompanied by pickled onions, gherkins, creme fraiche, salmon roe, stone ground mustard and sesame crackers.
Service seemed a bit brusque, but it was efficient.
Cindy’s
12 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 792-3502
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cindys-chicago
Interior
Tuna tartare
Spicy crab mini tacos
Banging sweet Thai chili chicken
Spicy salmon, kiss of fire, black diamond
*** (3 stars)
Jellyfish is divided into two distinct spaces. The inside is a long bar with facing booths. The bar is backlit with a spectacular wall of sliced geodes, and the blue lightning is very cool. Then there’s a sort of outside space that is like a solarium, with a glass ceiling that lets in the sun. It’s like sidewalk dining, but indoors.
The highlights here are the small plates, both cold and hot.
Our favorite was the tuna tartare, which was served on very tasty guacamole, accompanied by wonton chips.
The mini crab tacos were also very good.
We also tried the “bangin'” chicken with a sweet Thai chili sauce, which was fine but not remarkable.
Much of the menu consists of sushi, of course. Prices seem very high, with each individual piece of fish costing about $5. There was nothing we observed about the quality of the fish that seemed to justify the premium.
We opted for three rolls: spicy tuna, kiss of fire, and black diamond. All were fine, but none were that magic combination of flavors that would qualify them as “signature” rolls, as listed.
Service was good, as it should have been, since we were alone during Sunday at lunch. I suppose this is due to the second floor location, which makes it a bit non-obvious to the casual traffic on the busy street below.
Jellyfish
1009 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 660-3111
https://www.yelp.com/biz/jellyfish-chicago-2
Exterior
Kitchen
Interior
Tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables (part of the tasting menu)
Beef tartare (part of the tasting menu)
Duck liver tart with buckwheat and salted ramps (part of the tasting menu)
Leeks vinaigrette with toasted oats and blue mound cheddar (part of the tasting menu)
Orange and egg white foam (one of the non-alcoholic pairings)
Roasted skrei cod with sunchokes and black trumpet mushrooms (part of the tasting menu)
Grilled leg of lamb (part of the tasting menu)
Frozen fennel chew with mint  (part of the tasting menu)
Citrus sundae with toasted milk, barley malt caramel and satsuma (part of the tasting menu)
Fireplace on the patio
**** (4 stars)
This sleek yet laid-back new restaurant offers a creative eight-course tasting menu at a very reasonable price. We particularly liked the cod with trumpet mushrooms, and the citrus ice cream. Portion sizes are modest, so you won’t leave feeling stuffed. I suggest starting with an order of the delicious sourdough bread to supplement the tasting menu.
A wine pairing is reasonably priced, but only the Burgundy impressed. However the non-alcoholic pairing knocked it out of the park. Each offering was delicious and matched the food perfectly. Highlights were a modern take on an Orange Julius, and a chilled sparkling espresso. In fact, this is the best non-alcoholic pairing we’ve ever encountered, including the original at Charlie Trotter’s.
Sadly, the reason this is a four-star review is that the noise level is simply too loud for conversation. There’s no attempt at acoustic treatment whatsoever, and all the glass and wood guarantee maximum racket. Be sure to hang onto your mini-menu, as you won’t be able to hear the descriptions of the dishes as they are served.
Elske
1350 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-1314
https://www.yelp.com/biz/elske-chicago
Exterior
Interior
Guacamole
**** (4 stars)
It doesn’t look like much on the outside. Well, actually it doesn’t look like much on the inside, either, although it does have the usual pub appointments. And a free popcorn machine!
It’s also not particularly Irish, although there are a few dishes and brews that nod in that direction.
That all said, we really liked all the food we had. We started with guacamole (which must be Irish, since it’s green). It was obviously freshly made, chunky, and served with a mound of super fresh tortilla chips.
The chef’s salad with balsamic dressing was good, and the Chicago dogs were authentic right down to the green sport peppers and green relish (both obviously Irish).
Perhaps the best item was the chili, which was thick and rich and surprisingly spicy.
On nice days there is a large outside seating area under the trees along the river, which is really lovely.
Lizzie McNeill’s Irish Pub
400 N McClurg Ct
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 467-1992
https://www.yelp.com/biz/lizzie-mcneills-irish-pub-chicago
Exterior
Interior
Authentic bread
Pate
French onion soup
Salad Lyonnaise
Mussels
***** (5 stars)
For a couple years I’ve been looking for a truly authentic and wonderful French brasserie in Chicago. Unfortunately, I was looking in River North, where there are quite a few choices, some good, but none wonderful. Then I stumbled upon this place. How I’d overlooked it I don’t know, since it is just off of Randolph’s restaurant row, but it is a bit of an obscure side street.
Anyway, it’s the real deal, with all the classic French comfort foods, impeccably prepared.
It’s really the small details that make the difference: the warm, crusty French bread and sweet butter served before you even order; the exactly correct Dijon mustard that accompanies the country-style house-made terrine of pork pate; the croutons on your Salad Lyonnaise that have obviously just been toasted; the perfect crust of gruyere on the French onion soup; and of course the right ambiance and soundtrack to accompany a classic French bistro meal.
In addition to the delights listed above, we also tried the mussels, a new recipe for the Spring, and they were easily the best I’ve ever had, done in a cream sauce loaded with herbs and just a hint of spice from a confetti of tiny chorizo bits.
The Burgundy by the glass was top notch, and they have my favorite Republic of Tea bottled teas.
Service was not French, but definitely charming and helpful, and everyone seemed glad for our business. This will definitely become a regular hangout for us. It’s by far the best French dining experience I’ve had in Chicago.
La Sardine
111 N Carpenter St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 421-2800
http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-sardine-chicago
Entry
Dining room
Tuna tartare
Chicken for the table
Salmon
Tomahawk lamb
Smores
**** (4 stars)
During the past two years we’ve tried nearly all the high-end steakhouses in Chicago (except for some of the chains, which I presume are more or less the same everywhere). Prime & Provisions is definitely the best we’ve encountered.
The dining room is well-appointed, with a bit of a steampunk feel to it. Lighting is well-designed.
Our server was friendly, helpful and professional, and the support staff was excellent.
The focus here is on prime meat, of course, and it didn’t disappoint, with one of the best New York steaks we’ve tasted anywhere. But there are many other highlights on the menu, as our server pointed out, and we must agree.
We started with the tuna tartare, which had a delightful mustard tang to it, and was served with fresh-made criss-cross potato chips.
We also had the fried chicken “for the table” which was the only disappointment of the meal. My chicken was quite dry (although others’ were moister) but the huge amount of very crispy crust simply overwhelmed the meager chicken within. The bourbon maple syrup was good, though.
We shared a crab Caesar salad amongst the three of us, and there was more than enough. The crab and kale added little, but the Caesar itself was very good.
In addition to the fantastic prime steak, we had the salmon, which was coated with mustard and spices and served on quinoa. It was moist and perfectly cooked, and the quinoa had a nice flavor.
But the winning entree was the tomahawk lambchops. Two large double chops were perfectly cooked, seasoned and sauced, and were frankly the best lamb I’ve had… anywhere.
But wait, there’s more. It was the smores dessert that knocked it out of the park. This is one of the greatest desserts I’ve had, ever, including in three-star Michelin restaurants. A grapefruit-sized sphere of dark chocolate is presented, and as hot chocolate sauced is poured on it, it caves in, releasing a cloud of campfire smoke. Inside is vanilla ice cream, brownie, and below are graham cracker crumbles. The flavor of the smoke, which lingers on the chocolate surfaces, was absolutely incredible. A double decaf espresso was the perfect match.
So with all this amazing food, why four stars rather than five? The noise level was absolutely deafening, rendering communication amongst the three of us nearly impossible. Admittedly we had a party of screamers nearby, who no doubt amped up the level of the whole room, but this would never be a room with reasonable noise levels when full–the curved panels that join walls and ceiling guarantee that sound is reflected right back into the room. It’s a shame, because this is a restaurant I would visit regularly if not for that critical flaw.
Prime & Provisions
222 N La Salle St
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 726-7777
http://www.yelp.com/biz/prime-and-provisions-chicago-4
Interior
Chicken liver
Tuna sandwich and mushroom soup
Cauliflower steak
***** (5 stars)
I’ve walked past this place for two years, associating it with hotel coffee shops and the donut shop that shares its entrance. I just assumed it wasn’t noteworthy. Wrong!
We had a great lunch here. First, the decor is among the nicest of Italian restaurants in Chicago, with rich brick and wood finishes and pleasant lighting.
The lunch menu offers a variety of starters and a few pizzas and sandwiches. But the deal is the half sandwich special which includes a salad or the soup of the day, and is currently a mere $10.
My wife selected the tuna sandwich and cream of mushroom soup. Both were flat-out amazing. It was one of the best tuna sandwiches I’ve ever tasted! It’s unusual, because the tuna is topped with giardiniera, a pickled mixture of peppers, carrots, cauliflower and other vegetables. And it’s served in what looks like pita bread, but is a light consistency like focaccia. The soup was great too, but very rich.
Speaking of rich, I asked for the Pate Vasi off the dinner menu, which they graciously made for us. It’s a jar filled with a delightfully creamy chicken liver pate, served with perfectly grilled slices of bread. The two of us shared half of this, and took the rest home because it was too good to get away.
As my entree I had the cauliflower steak appetizer, a large slab of cauliflower nicely browned, served atop an olive tapenade and covered in a slightly sweet white sauce. I didn’t care for the crispy garbanzo beans on top, but the rest was good, the primary flavor being the tapenade.
Service was attentive and friendly. As the name enoteca implies, the wine list is extensive, both by bottle and glass.
Overall this was one of the best lunches I’ve had in a while, and I won’t walk past this place the next time I’m in the mood for Italian food!
Davanti Enoteca
30 E Hubbard St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 605-5900
https://www.yelp.com/biz/davanti-enoteca-chicago-3