So my dear friend and fellow-foodie, Nadine, invited me to a first-timer dinner at The Bristol this weekend. We were taking her nephew, whom I adore, for a bite before seeing a movie. Both Nadine and I were eager to try The Bristol as we'd both heard and read good things about it.
Upon first entering the space, I liked the general vibe. This gastropub had a warm atmosphere with full floor-to-ceiling windows (that must open during the summer months) all along the wall facing the street. There was an eat-in bar and a long wall with banquet seating (always a favorite). The chairs were the sleek, modern aluminum classics. Nice.
Once seated, I immediately noticed a desperate need for candles at the table. Not only could I not read the menu (way too dark - ambiance is one thing, but this was something else completely) but it would have added a nice, warm glow to the place, which had a definite chill. (It could have been the aluminum chairs - they looked great, but were cold as hell to sit on!) Oh, and I will say that the sound in the place was a bit much. I could barely hear or converse with my dinner mates across the table ... that gets annoying after about 10 seconds!
The server was great - very knowledgeable, explaining the dishes and what to expect (e.g. mostly small plates for sharing). We ordered a glass of Malbec ($9) each (lovely) and placed an order for some immediate grub - I was starving! We had the duck fat fries with house-made ketchup and garlic aoli ($5). While the price was right, I was expecting the fries to burst with flavor but instead was underwhelmed. They were unremarkable - sorry.
Moving, on, we tried the grilled octopus ($11) and the flatbread with bacon and sweet onions ($6). For those of you familiar with my review of Ibiza in Houston, TX, you'll know that I like me some good, grilled octopus and, sadly, this just didn't hit the mark. As for the flatbread with bacon you'd think, "Bacon? How can you go wrong, right?" Well, I'll tell you - by not putting enough on to even detect the bacon flavor! Again, another disappointment - not horrible, just not great or memorable.
Our younger dining companion, Aram, went for the stuffed chicken wings with chorizo and blue cheese ($8). These at least had flavor, although, I didn't really get the "chicken wing" part at all - I could barely taste chicken - mostly just chorizo. This was the winner of the three appetizers.
Moving on to mains, Aram ordered the burger ($10), which came with another side of those unamazing duck fat fries. He liked the burger overall, but said it tasted sweet - he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. Mediocre review by the boy.
Nadine ordered sardines (ewww), but she said they were a hit. That's what she got - a plate of two, decently-sized sardines with a few greens on it ($12? I can't remember). The best course of the night for her. I can't comment- the thought of little fish and eyeballs makes me gag - bleck!
I went for the boar ragu over pappardelle ($11). I have to say, this was really good. It didn't need seasoning, like everything else we had had up to that point. It was full of flavor. The pappardelle was fresh, the ragu just enough. Very satisfying indeed.
By this time, there was no time for dessert so we boogied to our movie, er, at least we tried to make it (that's another story all together!).
Bottom line, I'm in no rush to go back to The Bristol. That's a shame, really, because I had such high hopes for the place. The interior was nicely designed, but needed more heat (most patrons had their jackets on - clue #1 to turn the heat up!). Everything needed more seasoning or acid - just something was lacking. It simply turned out to be a disappointing, unmemorable visit.
But, check it out for yourself, if you wish. Here are the details:
The Bristol
2152 N Damen Ave (at Shakespeare)
Chicago 60647
Phone: 773-862-5555
http://www.thebristolchicago.com/
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Hmmmm, Chalkboard
Well, I visited Chalkboard this evening with my parents, who are visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday. This was I think my third, maybe fourth visit and I had pretty high hopes and expectations. My first visit to this then newly-opened restaurant was delightful; followed by two other luke-warm experiences. Tonight would have to qualify as a luke-warm visit, at best.
We were pleased that the restaurant could accommodate our last-minute inquiry, so a 6:30 dinner time was appreciated, even though earlier than we would have liked. The evening started off well, with a charming waiter, an intriguing menu and evening specials list; but somehow lost its way after our starters.
My mother chose the Tucscan white bean soup with prosciutto and wild mushrooms. That was a hit. The soup was earthy, comforting and tasty and the flavors blended perfectly. My father selected the sea scallop appetizer, which he thoroughly enjoyed . And, I had the Chalkboard salad of arugula and mizuna with roasted tomatoes and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette topped off with shaved asiago - delicious and light.
Then, we moved on to entrees. Mom loved hers, which was braised pork shoulder with white beans and a hint of apple. Dad and I both had the lemongrass and chorizo poached halibut with celery root puree (yum) and a goat cheese fondant, which sounded amazing. However, once we got the dish, there was a noticeable crispy edge to the fish. When I questioned our waiter about the preparation, he seemed disinterested in finding out more specifics from the chef (disappointing). So, not only was our poached halibut seared, but it was severely over-cooked. (again, disappointing). By this time the waiter's charm was wearing thin (he was far too interested in one table to our right) and my disappointment with Chalkboard was gaining steam.
We did push on to desert (chocolate and fennel bread pudding for pops and mom and I shared the individual apple pie). All I can say is the bread pudding was so-so. The apple pie tasted exactly like those Hostess pies you used to eat as a kid! Eww is the word that came to mind!
I think, in this case, the third time was NOT the charm for Chalkboard... sorry folks. I am not in any hurry to return. If you'd like to give it a try, here are the details:
Chalkboard
4343 N. Lincoln (just south of Montrose)
Chicago, IL 60618
773.477.7144
http://www.chalkboardrestaurant.com/
We were pleased that the restaurant could accommodate our last-minute inquiry, so a 6:30 dinner time was appreciated, even though earlier than we would have liked. The evening started off well, with a charming waiter, an intriguing menu and evening specials list; but somehow lost its way after our starters.
My mother chose the Tucscan white bean soup with prosciutto and wild mushrooms. That was a hit. The soup was earthy, comforting and tasty and the flavors blended perfectly. My father selected the sea scallop appetizer, which he thoroughly enjoyed . And, I had the Chalkboard salad of arugula and mizuna with roasted tomatoes and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette topped off with shaved asiago - delicious and light.
Then, we moved on to entrees. Mom loved hers, which was braised pork shoulder with white beans and a hint of apple. Dad and I both had the lemongrass and chorizo poached halibut with celery root puree (yum) and a goat cheese fondant, which sounded amazing. However, once we got the dish, there was a noticeable crispy edge to the fish. When I questioned our waiter about the preparation, he seemed disinterested in finding out more specifics from the chef (disappointing). So, not only was our poached halibut seared, but it was severely over-cooked. (again, disappointing). By this time the waiter's charm was wearing thin (he was far too interested in one table to our right) and my disappointment with Chalkboard was gaining steam.
We did push on to desert (chocolate and fennel bread pudding for pops and mom and I shared the individual apple pie). All I can say is the bread pudding was so-so. The apple pie tasted exactly like those Hostess pies you used to eat as a kid! Eww is the word that came to mind!
I think, in this case, the third time was NOT the charm for Chalkboard... sorry folks. I am not in any hurry to return. If you'd like to give it a try, here are the details:
Chalkboard
4343 N. Lincoln (just south of Montrose)
Chicago, IL 60618
773.477.7144
http://www.chalkboardrestaurant.com/
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Ah, Ibiza!
On a recent trip to Houston, Texas, I was eager to try out Chef Charles Clark's restaurant, Ibiza. I had seen a repeat episode of Iron Chef America (I'm a die-hard fan, but do prefer the Japanese original), where Chef Clark battled the master, Iron Chef Mario Batali - the food looked amazing (even though Chef Clark lost), so I logged it into my memory for my next visit to the great state of Texas.
We decided on a late lunch following a lazy morning and some errands about town. After some misguided GPS directions, we finally came upon the restaurant, which is located on the end of a small strip mall in downtown Houston.
The interior was simple yet inviting. The colors were dark, earthy and tables were strategically placed from front to back. They definitely maximize the small space, but you don't feel like you're sitting on top of the person next to you, so kudos to the owners for the smart layout.
The far end of the restaurant is a nearly floor-to-ceiling wine storage/cabinet with a rolling ladder. Those of you who know me know my love for good wine, so this was welcome sight as we entered the restaurant. There was no bar, which I found a bit odd; instead there was a long counter facing into the restaurant where you could catch a glimpse of the master at work.
We started with a lovely bottle of Spring Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley ($34) and decided on a few appetizers. We had grilled shrimp with crabmeat cornbread and a Tasso cream. The crabmeat cornbread was probably the most memorable thing about that dish - although all was tasty and just fine, there wasn't anything spectacular about the dish and, after all, I was looking for and expecting spectacular!
After the shrimp, we had one of the pizzas, as recommended by our waiter. The goat cheese, portobello, oven-dried tomato and apple-smoked bacon was delicious! The creaminess of the goat cheese was remarkable. The flavors blended perfectly without overpowering each other - sometimes rare when dealing with bacon and even goat cheese. We devoured the pizza with no problem and were then faced with a decision: do we try more small plates (which is what Ibiza is known for, after all!) or, do we dive into entrees?
We chose the path of tasting as much of the menu as possible, so more appetizers it was!
Our next choice was the octopus. Now, generally, I'm not into the tentacles and suckers, but the preparation was too enticing ("a la plancha" with sorrel oil and chorizo). We found out that the Chef quickly blanched the octopus first, then grilled (a la plancha) it to perfection. The result was a dark brown, slightly crunchy finish with incredibly juicy and tender meat. The sorrel oil was the perfect accent - not too strong, but full of flavor - and the chorizo gave it a little kick. Truly probably the tastiest octopus I've ever had (and that includes many a dish on the Italian Riveria, south of France and even Portuguese coast!). So, bravo, Chef!
We wanted more, but the portions were sizable, so by this time, we were stuffed! Plus, the wine didn't hurt either ;-)
Service was attentive, informative and gracious - always a HUGE plus with me. There was an expansive wine list - offering everything from California's best (white and red varietals) to whites and reds from all over the globe (France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand, Argentina, Austria, Italy, Australia, South Africa). The list was impressive, to say the least! Bottles ranged in price from around $30 to nearly $500! Something for everyone, no doubt!
Food was moderately priced as well, with lunch ranging from $6 to $13 for appetizers; $5 to $10 for soups and sandwiches; pizzas at $10; and, $10 to $17 for entrees. Dinner prices were similar - $6 to $17 for appetizers; $5 to $10 for salads/soups; and entrees from $17 to $34.
So, put Ibiza on your list for your next visit to Houston. You won't be disappointed!
Ibiza Food and Wine Bar
2450 Louisiana
Houston, TX 77006
713.524.0004
http://www.ibizafoodandwinebar.com/
We decided on a late lunch following a lazy morning and some errands about town. After some misguided GPS directions, we finally came upon the restaurant, which is located on the end of a small strip mall in downtown Houston.
The interior was simple yet inviting. The colors were dark, earthy and tables were strategically placed from front to back. They definitely maximize the small space, but you don't feel like you're sitting on top of the person next to you, so kudos to the owners for the smart layout.
The far end of the restaurant is a nearly floor-to-ceiling wine storage/cabinet with a rolling ladder. Those of you who know me know my love for good wine, so this was welcome sight as we entered the restaurant. There was no bar, which I found a bit odd; instead there was a long counter facing into the restaurant where you could catch a glimpse of the master at work.
We started with a lovely bottle of Spring Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley ($34) and decided on a few appetizers. We had grilled shrimp with crabmeat cornbread and a Tasso cream. The crabmeat cornbread was probably the most memorable thing about that dish - although all was tasty and just fine, there wasn't anything spectacular about the dish and, after all, I was looking for and expecting spectacular!
After the shrimp, we had one of the pizzas, as recommended by our waiter. The goat cheese, portobello, oven-dried tomato and apple-smoked bacon was delicious! The creaminess of the goat cheese was remarkable. The flavors blended perfectly without overpowering each other - sometimes rare when dealing with bacon and even goat cheese. We devoured the pizza with no problem and were then faced with a decision: do we try more small plates (which is what Ibiza is known for, after all!) or, do we dive into entrees?
We chose the path of tasting as much of the menu as possible, so more appetizers it was!
Our next choice was the octopus. Now, generally, I'm not into the tentacles and suckers, but the preparation was too enticing ("a la plancha" with sorrel oil and chorizo). We found out that the Chef quickly blanched the octopus first, then grilled (a la plancha) it to perfection. The result was a dark brown, slightly crunchy finish with incredibly juicy and tender meat. The sorrel oil was the perfect accent - not too strong, but full of flavor - and the chorizo gave it a little kick. Truly probably the tastiest octopus I've ever had (and that includes many a dish on the Italian Riveria, south of France and even Portuguese coast!). So, bravo, Chef!
We wanted more, but the portions were sizable, so by this time, we were stuffed! Plus, the wine didn't hurt either ;-)
Service was attentive, informative and gracious - always a HUGE plus with me. There was an expansive wine list - offering everything from California's best (white and red varietals) to whites and reds from all over the globe (France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand, Argentina, Austria, Italy, Australia, South Africa). The list was impressive, to say the least! Bottles ranged in price from around $30 to nearly $500! Something for everyone, no doubt!
Food was moderately priced as well, with lunch ranging from $6 to $13 for appetizers; $5 to $10 for soups and sandwiches; pizzas at $10; and, $10 to $17 for entrees. Dinner prices were similar - $6 to $17 for appetizers; $5 to $10 for salads/soups; and entrees from $17 to $34.
So, put Ibiza on your list for your next visit to Houston. You won't be disappointed!
Ibiza Food and Wine Bar
2450 Louisiana
Houston, TX 77006
713.524.0004
http://www.ibizafoodandwinebar.com/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
A visit to Perennial...
Well, here it is. My first posting.
My brother, visiting from Denver and a fellow foodie, accompanied me on a recent visit to the much talked-about Perennial (the latest collaboration of Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, the folks who brought you Boka and Landmark). Located in the former Bar Louie space in Lincoln Park (adjacent to the new Park View Hotel), we immediately got a good vibe from the place.
The restaurant showcased floor-to-ceiling windows around the entire place (always a favorite) and had a nice-sized outdoor patio with outdoor heaters (I've always wanted Chicago to embrace seasons other than summer and not give up on al fresco dining, so this was a welcome sight!).
Once inside, we were greeted by the charming hostesses (one of whom had a stunning shade of orange-red nail polish, which I promptly commented on ... being a fan of that color myself). Anyway, I digress ... as we were walking toward our table, my brother and I were both absorbing the ambiance and interior and liking what we had seen thus far. We were eager to experience more.
As we were seated at our table (a two-top next to two women who were already obviously enjoying their meal and their wine - if you know what I mean!). Once seated we paused to soak it all in. The decor was beautiful. An interesting combination of sea-inspired yacht club sophistication. A series of back-lit, white birch trees served as the centerpiece of the room, with semi-round banquet seating on either side. The cushions were fantastic - slightly retro with hues of blue in different patterns reminscent of boat seat cushions. Chairs were simple in dark wood (no cushions) - clean, simple, modern. Tables had an ever-so-slight island-inspired finish on simple, cast iron bases. I noticed a deep sea blue wall papered wall at the far end of the restaurant, which made for a warm, cozy feeling.
Our server, Stephen, was a dream - truly among the highlights of the evening (my brother and I are both sticklers for good service - No matter how good the food is, if it isn't presented and experienced in a positive way, it'll be a "no go" for me). He was attentive without being overbearing. Knowledgable of the menu and able to provide spot-on recommendations. After the martini cocktail starters :-) and consulting with our wise Stephen, we ordered appetizers. I chose the pumpkin/fig/goat cheese tart (who wouldn't?) and my brother the black, truffle gnocchi with squash and frisee. Both were outstanding, however, I'd have to say the gnocchi edeged out my tart ever so slightly. When there are truffles involved, it's hard to do much better, wouldn't you say?
We then moved on to salads. I had the portabello mushroom carpaccio with serrano ham, capers and jicama, my brother the house salad of greens, heirloom tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette. Both were fine, but not remarkable. The fixings with the portabello carpaccio seemed to overpowers the flavor of the mushrooms - the supposed star of the dish. Everything was delicious, but I was hoping for a bit more mushroom to come through.
For entrees, I chose the seared sea scallops with an assortment of wild mushrooms and a sampling of beef short rib with tarragon saboyan. It was delicsious ... scallops done to perfection, mushrooms earthy and flavorful - YUM! The beef short rib with tarragon was also tastey; however the beef was just a tad dry (like it had sat for 2 minutes too long before being served). The tarragon sabayon was intense, and not for those who are not true tarragon fans. but, for me - I thoroughly enjoyed the dish.
My brother selected the flat iron steak with melted leeks ... unfortunatley for him, we had indulged enough by the time our entrees arrived that he wasn't very hungry anymore! But, he confirmed the flaovrs were good, the melted leeks deliscious... however, again, his beef was just a bit on the dry side.
We didn't do dessert in-house; instead taking ours to go. Given the nature of desserts and the travel time, I am foregoing a review of that here... we'll save that for our next visit.
Overall, I we very much enjoyed our experience at Perennial. (I will say that the ladies next to us got a bit loud as the bottle grew empty :) and one (the birthday girl) even tried to take our "to go" bag... !) That aside, I will definitely go back. The menu changes based on seasons and avaialble ingredients so you're always assured something new and interesting.
Perennial wins high marks in both areas for me - Check it out for yourself! Appetizers range from $8 to $15; Salads from $7 to $12; Entrees from $17 to $32.
Perennial
1800 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
(312) 981-7070
http://www.perennialchicago.com/
My brother, visiting from Denver and a fellow foodie, accompanied me on a recent visit to the much talked-about Perennial (the latest collaboration of Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, the folks who brought you Boka and Landmark). Located in the former Bar Louie space in Lincoln Park (adjacent to the new Park View Hotel), we immediately got a good vibe from the place.
The restaurant showcased floor-to-ceiling windows around the entire place (always a favorite) and had a nice-sized outdoor patio with outdoor heaters (I've always wanted Chicago to embrace seasons other than summer and not give up on al fresco dining, so this was a welcome sight!).
Once inside, we were greeted by the charming hostesses (one of whom had a stunning shade of orange-red nail polish, which I promptly commented on ... being a fan of that color myself). Anyway, I digress ... as we were walking toward our table, my brother and I were both absorbing the ambiance and interior and liking what we had seen thus far. We were eager to experience more.
As we were seated at our table (a two-top next to two women who were already obviously enjoying their meal and their wine - if you know what I mean!). Once seated we paused to soak it all in. The decor was beautiful. An interesting combination of sea-inspired yacht club sophistication. A series of back-lit, white birch trees served as the centerpiece of the room, with semi-round banquet seating on either side. The cushions were fantastic - slightly retro with hues of blue in different patterns reminscent of boat seat cushions. Chairs were simple in dark wood (no cushions) - clean, simple, modern. Tables had an ever-so-slight island-inspired finish on simple, cast iron bases. I noticed a deep sea blue wall papered wall at the far end of the restaurant, which made for a warm, cozy feeling.
Our server, Stephen, was a dream - truly among the highlights of the evening (my brother and I are both sticklers for good service - No matter how good the food is, if it isn't presented and experienced in a positive way, it'll be a "no go" for me). He was attentive without being overbearing. Knowledgable of the menu and able to provide spot-on recommendations. After the martini cocktail starters :-) and consulting with our wise Stephen, we ordered appetizers. I chose the pumpkin/fig/goat cheese tart (who wouldn't?) and my brother the black, truffle gnocchi with squash and frisee. Both were outstanding, however, I'd have to say the gnocchi edeged out my tart ever so slightly. When there are truffles involved, it's hard to do much better, wouldn't you say?
We then moved on to salads. I had the portabello mushroom carpaccio with serrano ham, capers and jicama, my brother the house salad of greens, heirloom tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette. Both were fine, but not remarkable. The fixings with the portabello carpaccio seemed to overpowers the flavor of the mushrooms - the supposed star of the dish. Everything was delicious, but I was hoping for a bit more mushroom to come through.
For entrees, I chose the seared sea scallops with an assortment of wild mushrooms and a sampling of beef short rib with tarragon saboyan. It was delicsious ... scallops done to perfection, mushrooms earthy and flavorful - YUM! The beef short rib with tarragon was also tastey; however the beef was just a tad dry (like it had sat for 2 minutes too long before being served). The tarragon sabayon was intense, and not for those who are not true tarragon fans. but, for me - I thoroughly enjoyed the dish.
My brother selected the flat iron steak with melted leeks ... unfortunatley for him, we had indulged enough by the time our entrees arrived that he wasn't very hungry anymore! But, he confirmed the flaovrs were good, the melted leeks deliscious... however, again, his beef was just a bit on the dry side.
We didn't do dessert in-house; instead taking ours to go. Given the nature of desserts and the travel time, I am foregoing a review of that here... we'll save that for our next visit.
Overall, I we very much enjoyed our experience at Perennial. (I will say that the ladies next to us got a bit loud as the bottle grew empty :) and one (the birthday girl) even tried to take our "to go" bag... !) That aside, I will definitely go back. The menu changes based on seasons and avaialble ingredients so you're always assured something new and interesting.
Perennial wins high marks in both areas for me - Check it out for yourself! Appetizers range from $8 to $15; Salads from $7 to $12; Entrees from $17 to $32.
Perennial
1800 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
(312) 981-7070
http://www.perennialchicago.com/
Friday, October 17, 2008
Restaurant Maven Cooks Up A Blog
Hi, my name is Teresa. My friends call me T, Tizzy, Leaning Tower of Teresa and all sorts of other things.... and this is my blog.
See, at work I'm known as the Restaurant Maven. Apparently, my friends at work either make dinner for themselves every night, are too broke to go out to eat or are just plain lame. And judging from the dreadful company value proposition meeting I just got out of, I would say option number three is probably the realistic choice.
So I love going out to dinner in this wonderful city of Chicago and I try to fancy a new restaurant several times a month. But every time I say a place that I went for dinner, my friends look at me like I'm naming countries they've never heard of.
"What? Where's that?" is usually what follows or, "Huh? Never heard of it" or "Do they speak English there?"
So they egged me on for months until I finally decided that I would heed their advice and start this blog. The deal is that each time I go to a new restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I'm going to follow it up with a post that includes the address, what I ate, what whomever was with me ate, how the food and atmosphere were and my overall impression and recommendation.
I've wanted to volunteer at a children's hospital to read books to sick kids; I've wanted to work Tuesday nights at a Soup Kitchen handing out food; I've wanted to learn how to play the flute and perform at the Irish bar's open mic down the street so all the world could rejoice in my flute music. I've done none of those, so this blog is my way of giving back.
So next time you're curled up in a ball lying on the bathroom floor with your throat burning from the nonstop vomiting that was induced by the food poisoning you picked up at the new sushi restaurant in Lincoln Square you thought you would try, think of me.
Think the Restaurant Maven, and how I would've never recommended that dump in the first place.
See, at work I'm known as the Restaurant Maven. Apparently, my friends at work either make dinner for themselves every night, are too broke to go out to eat or are just plain lame. And judging from the dreadful company value proposition meeting I just got out of, I would say option number three is probably the realistic choice.
So I love going out to dinner in this wonderful city of Chicago and I try to fancy a new restaurant several times a month. But every time I say a place that I went for dinner, my friends look at me like I'm naming countries they've never heard of.
"What? Where's that?" is usually what follows or, "Huh? Never heard of it" or "Do they speak English there?"
So they egged me on for months until I finally decided that I would heed their advice and start this blog. The deal is that each time I go to a new restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I'm going to follow it up with a post that includes the address, what I ate, what whomever was with me ate, how the food and atmosphere were and my overall impression and recommendation.
I've wanted to volunteer at a children's hospital to read books to sick kids; I've wanted to work Tuesday nights at a Soup Kitchen handing out food; I've wanted to learn how to play the flute and perform at the Irish bar's open mic down the street so all the world could rejoice in my flute music. I've done none of those, so this blog is my way of giving back.
So next time you're curled up in a ball lying on the bathroom floor with your throat burning from the nonstop vomiting that was induced by the food poisoning you picked up at the new sushi restaurant in Lincoln Square you thought you would try, think of me.
Think the Restaurant Maven, and how I would've never recommended that dump in the first place.
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