Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar

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***** (5 stars)

A very interesting approach to dining.  Originally I think the plan was an all iPad menu and ordering, and that’s still available, but now there are also paper menus, and very attentive service. Everyone was extremely friendly, and the ambience is great.

We tried an array of appetizers and liked them all, including the chickpea fries (great curry aioli), edamame hummus, short rib and mushroom flatbread (didn’t really need the short ribs) and grilled veggies.

Wines are available in as small as 3oz pours, which makes it fun to try different things. (Check out the Klinker Brick Farah Syrah, which won best of show at the state fair).

I love this new addition to the Winter Park dining scene.

Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar
140 N Orlando Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 513-4912
http://www.yelp.com/biz/carmel-cafe-and-wine-bar-winter-park

Santiago’s Bodega

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***** (5 stars)

The location is a bit off the beaten path, but they’ve done a beautiful job decorating the building, so it has an upscale casual feeling. There’s also a great outside dining space in front. We tried quite a few dishes and liked nearly all of them.

A well thought out tapas menu with many diverse selections is the big draw here. The gazpacho was a little weird, as it is pureed, and seemed really rich. Brussels sprout oven roasted and then sauteed in brown sugar were my favorite. The mushroom stuffed puff pastry was also excellent. The ceviche had huge chunks of nice tender fish, but could have used a bit more seasoning added to the citrus juice. There are so many choices it would take many visits to try them all.

I tried a couple of types of sangria. My favorite was the conventional red variety, reasonably priced at $6.

Service was friendly and attentive. A great addition to the area’s dining scene.

Santiago’s Bodega
802 Virginia Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 286-2903
http://www.yelp.com/biz/santiagos-bodega-orlando-2

Dave’s Italian Kitchen

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**** (4 stars)

Dave’s may have the best wine list in Evanston. It’s certainly the best priced wine list. The selections are well thought out, good quality, and priced only a bit above retail. Weirdly, the best section of the list is Australian, where there are a number of old gems.

Food-wise, our results were good but not amazing. I really liked the Ceasar salad, and the bread was great. I was less enthusiastic about the house made pasta, which seemed heavy and overcooked. The small calzone was huge and tasty, although next time I’ll make sure to get one with ricotta cheese in it. We didn’t sample the pizza, but it looked very good.

The entrance is weird, with steps leading down to an industrial cubicle and no signs indicating where the restaurant is. But this makes it a delightful surprise to open the door onto a cheerful, bustling, and surprisingly large space.

Service was very friendly and attentive. We’ll definitely return for another crack at that wine list.

Dave’s Italian Kitchen
1635 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-6000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/daves-italian-kitchen-evanston

Kabooki Sushi

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve had sushi all over the world, from Tokyo to Los Angeles, New York and Nobu in London. But I’ve never had better than here at Kabooki. We had the omakase, where you put yourself in the chef’s hands. He came to the table to assess our tastes, and then repeatedly to check on each dish. Everything was stellar, but the real stunner was the sashimi platter, where the perfection and simplicity of the fish left us in awe. Each was served with a different tiny dot of sauce and sprig of micro green. The accompanying wine pairing was generous and high quality. This will become our weekly pilgrimage. It’s unbelievable to find this quality of sushi in Orlando.

Kabooki Sushi
3122 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-3839
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kabooki-sushi-orlando

Jilly’s Cafe

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**** (4 stars)

Jilly’s is a casual French cafe with friendly service and a fairly traditional menu. One of the more interesting aspects is that there are almost as many specials each night as there are regular menu items.

The meal begins with excellent crusty French bread, butter, and chicken liver pate.

I had the escargot, which were the traditional preparation, topped with small croquettes and served with a slice of lemon. The escargot and garlic butter were good, especially with the French bread. I’m not sure the croquettes and lemon added a lot.

My second course was my favorite, a poached pair and bleu cheese salad. It had just the right mix of bitter and sweet ingredients.

An intermezzo of pinot noir sorbet cleared the palate.

For my entree I selected their specialty, the skinless duck breast and confit. Both were good, but the breast was swimming in a very sweet sauce, so I stuck with the confit.

Service was extremely friendly at all the tables, and they were reasonably busy on a Tuesday night, with a crowd composed of about half regulars. Wine prices is reasonable, although the website version of the wine list is out of date.

Jilly’s is a good choice if you are in the mood for traditional French food in a friendly atmosphere.

Jilly’s Cafe
2614 Green Bay Rd
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 869-7636
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jillys-cafe-evanston

Bistro Bordeaux

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve now been to Bistro Bordeaux many, many times over four years, and it is always superb. Favorites are the chicken for two (better than at Alain Ducasse’s Louis IV in Monaco!), the house salad, the French onion soup, whatever the day’s tart is, whatever the current preparation of the foie gras, the Cognacs, the decaf teas, pretty much everything. Great authentic ambiance, great food.

Bistro Bordeaux
618 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 424-1483
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistro-bordeaux-evanston

Go 4 Food

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***** (5 stars)

Great little place on a side street in Chinatown. Clean, friendly, and superb food. Lunch is an incredible bargain for under $7, but we chose to explore the main menu, which is also reasonably priced.

We tried the Salty Egg Yolk Shrimp, Dungeness Crab Curry, and the French Beef. All were excellent.

I would have liked the shrimp a bit crispier; it’s definitely worth $2 extra to have it shelled.

If only the crab could be shelled! It was our favorite dish because of the rich spices in the curry, but it was an absolute mess to eat because it’s a whole crab covered in curry sauce, and you have to crack the shells; but hanging onto something covered in hot, slippery sauce is a real challenge. They can do other proteins with this sauce, and that’s what I’d get next time.

I’d definitely get the French Beef again. It was wonderfully tender cubes of beef with an aromatic crust. No Frenchmen were harmed in the preparation of this dish.

This is definitely a non-touristy place to have great food in Chinatown.

Go 4 Food
212 W 23rd St
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-8688
http://www.yelp.com/biz/go-4-food-chicago

Las Palmas Restaurant & Bar

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**** (4 stars)

I was hesitant to try this place because of the reviews, and I’m a bit of a Tex Mex snob. But I have to say that their premium margarita is killer. Maybe no one tries it because it’s $11 bucks, but it was worth it: top of the line Sauza and Gran Marnier.

I had the veggie fajitas, which were an amazing spread for $7.95.

Service on a quiet Friday afternoon was attentive. I’d go back.

Las Palmas Restaurant & Bar
817 University Pl
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-2555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/las-palmas-restaurant-and-bar-evanston

Campagnola

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**** (4 stars)

An intimate upscale Italian restaurant with good food and great ambiance.

I tried three three tasty dishes: The diver scallops appetizer was a bit heavy, almost floating in butter, but tasty. Caesar salad was traditional and tasty, but served in “kit” form requiring a lot of cutting up to assemble it. The barramundi special was a tasty piece of fish enhanced by the horseradish creme fraiche, but the beets and kale didn’t add much.

Very reasonable wine prices, and attentive, cordial service. I loved the intimate atmosphere, subdued lighting, and low noise level.

Campagnola
815 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 475-6100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/campagnola-evanston