Hub 51

Location – 51 W. Hubbard (Dearborn and Hubbard)

In one word – Manic

Food – By going at lunch, I ensured that I could focus on the food and that there was not a wait.  I had a lot of trouble figuring out how to approach the menu:  They have sushi and tacos and sandwiches.  It was a bit manic for my taste.  After interrogating our server about her favorite dishes, I settled on the Crispy Baja Fish Sandwich.  Fish sandwiches are always risky; you run the chance of the overfried or old fillet.  I was pleasantly surprised, the fish with its cornmeal crush was crispy but not oily.  The jicama adds a cooling aspect to the meal.  My eating partner chose the Sonoma salad (spinach, grapefruit, avocado, walnuts, sunflower seeds and cranberries) – it’s huge, totally shareable.

Drink – So this place can turn into a scene, but not at noon on a Tuesday.  We kept it clean and ordered diet Cokes all around.

Service – The server indulged in my Q&A session when I felt overwhelmed by the menu.  Points for that.  She did seem to forget our table when we wanted to take care of the check.  Not ideal when you have lunch hour clientele trying to get back for a 1 pm meeting…

Scene – With that Rockit vibe, you feel hip without the place being inaccessible to the average person.

Dress – You ought to show some effort when you come here.  Jeans are fine, but spray a little extra Febreeze on them this time.

Cost – With an entree, soft drink, tax and tip, you can have a $22 lunch.  No cheap, but you’ll be full when you leave.

If you like, try…Rockit, Sushi Samba Rio

Crofton’s on Wells

Location – 535 North Wells Street

In one word – Eh.

Food – On paper, Crofton on Wells sounds great, especially to a pesco-vegetarian like me: the food is New American with a French/Southwestern flare, the menu shifts seasonally and, most importantly, the chef always features several vegetarian and vegan options. Did you know that Crofton has been open for over 10 years? Given this unusually long tenure in a city where restaurants come and go, you may be surprised that you’ve never heard of it. Well, there’s a reason it’s not on your radar. Unfortunately, it was only so-so and expensive. Not a great combo.

My Trusty Sidekick and I went here for a little weeknight datey-date and we were seated immediately. Crofton’s first moves were good ones: hot and crusty rolls, shining with brushed butter, followed by a cute little foodie “bite” from the chef. Yes, and yes.

To start, Trusty ordered the wild mushroom starter with bacon, pepper, and brioche ($13). But the mushrooms were over-salted and the bacon was the only discernable flavor. He should have followed my lead, which I recommend you do. You know the scene in When Harry Met Sally when Sally fakes an orgasm and a lady in the diner orders “what she’s having” for dinner? Try the Signature Crab Cakes ($16.75) and this will happen to you. But you won’t be faking it. So dense and packed with crab, there’s no end or beginning to the lumps of meat—cutting into it with your fork is like cutting into a thick, plump piece of fish. Plus it comes drizzled in a warm, sweet corn or yellow pepper reduction that has a little bit of a bite—like a hint of sweet, mild Chinese mustard. If I go back to Crofton’s again, it will only be to eat three courses of their Signature Crab Cakes.

For the main course, I tried the vegetarian Buckwheat Soba Crepes with Beets and African Blue Cheese foam ($20). The plate arrived with three fist-sized crepes topped with a dollop of foam and a spray of micro-greens. Pro: the foam was wonderfully weird in taste and texture (imagine a pungent, blue cheese meringue). Con: the crepes were impossible to eat—the portion of dice-sized cubes of beets was fairly meager and because the beets had no binder (with the typical binder of cheese being on the outside in the form of foam), the result was that when you cut into the crepe it would unwrap and all the teeny tiny beet cubes would spill out. When you’re forced to regroup each bite several times before it makes it into your mouth, it’s difficult to eat and enjoy a meal. Crofton, don’t tease me like that.

Trusty had big thumbs down for his main course, which was a piece of Florida Snapper on a bed of barley ($32). To make a long story short: it was salty and salty. And Trusty thought it was too heavy, as though it had also been marinated in melted butter.

We were too overwhelmed for dessert, although the unusual fruit sorbets our waitress pitched sounded tempting.

Drink – Pretty good wine list. The half bottles are on the super-duper pricier side (most were in the $35-$62 range), so you have a great excuse to order by the bottle (many were in the same range as the half-bottles). The price of wine by the glass is more reasonable ($8-$12).

Service – Our waitress was friendly and recommended a wine for Trusty that he enjoyed.

Scene – The ambiance is very low-key in a mainstream kind of way. Low lights and low music—exactly what you would hear in a Borders. So, the restaurant doesn’t have a lot of character and doesn’t attract any characters, but if you aren’t looking for a unique dining experience, it’s pleasant and you can easily have a conversation. If your parents are the type who won’t be susceptible to sticker-shock when the bill arrives, this would be a great place to take them.

Dress – I went in jeans and a blouse and felt very comfortable for their week night crowd. Trusty was in business casual. Because the scene is so low-key, no need to primp.

Cost – I walked away feeling like it was not a great value. Without drinks, tax or tip, price was $40-$45 per person. With drinks, tax and tip, it was about $65-$70.

If you like, try… Green Zebra, Spring, Sola

Written by hungry yuppie

Kitsch’n River North

GB Note: Getting a second opinion on KRN from hungry yuppie.

Location- 600 West Chicago at intersection of Chicago and Larrabee

In one word – Average

Food – For weekend brunch, there’s a lot going on at Kitsch’n. They now have two locations; we tried the one in River North. Their three-page menu offers both breakfast and lunch options that add a little artistic license to all the old favs. For example, Coconut Crusted French Toast or Bayou Crab Cake Benedict were two choices that offered you a creative interpretation of a brunch classic. You can also choose between their Wings Three Ways—Buffalo, Thai, and BBQ style—or Mac ‘N Cheese puffs with marinara dipping sauce as fun alternatives to your average bar wings or mozzarella stick appetizers. This twist on comfort food is Kitsch’n’s claim to fame, perhaps best exemplified by their As-Seen-On-TV Green Eggs and Ham—eggs scrambled with fresh basil pesto and served with smoked ham—which Rachael Ray raved about on her “$40 Dollars a Day” show.

Unfortunately, despite the Food Network fanfare and a menu full of creative options, when I went to Kitsch’n last weekend with my Trusty Sidekick and our friend, we were disappointed by our food and found Kitsch’n to be average, at best.

Here’s the breakdown. My Trusty Sidekick got a BBQ Hamburger ($9.50) and our friend ordered a Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($8.99). Both chose a side of Spicy Curly Fries. Unfortunately, they both found that their meat was dry and tough and their curly fries were cold and bland.

I tried the The Kitsch’n Sink Salad ($10.99), which comes with your choice of any four ingredients on top of organic mixed greens. For an $11 salad, the portions were okay—I got a pile of greens with a decent portion of avocados, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, and tomatoes (my four ingredients). My complaint is that it was served completely without ceremony in a stainless steel mixing bowl (were they out of plates?), and, I was disappointed by the lack of creativity. Dear Kitsch’n Chef, given your restaurant’s creative theme and a name like “The Kitsch’n Sink Salad,” it would be nice if the options for this salad were more exotic so that we salad-lovers could enjoy some of your creativity too. For example, I was hoping for something like blue cheese stuffed olives, candied sunflower seeds, grilled portabella slices, even artichoke hearts—but, no dice. If it was only $8 or even $9, instead of $11, it would have been adequate for what it was. But I ended up walking away thinking that I could have made this salad on my own and for a lot less money.

My salad quibbles aside, there was a definitely deal-breaker during our meal—our friend asked for milk for her tea, and when it arrived we were surprised to find that there were either spoiled milk boogers or scrambled egg boogers floating at the top of her pitcher. As you can imagine, it was not appetizing. My Trusty Sidekick and our friend had been fighting the good fight against dry meat until then, but after that we all had to surrender. All in all, if I try Kitsch’n again I would definitely go with one of their breakfast items and leave the lunch menu alone.

Drink – Typical brunch cocktails, or affordable wine choices if you prefer.

Service – Even though we went at prime brunch time (high noon), we were seated immediately. Our waitress was pleasant and prompt. Other than the milk fiasco, the service was satisfactory.

Scene – We sat in Kitsch’n’s outdoor beer garden, which was very relaxing. The tables are well-organized, so you don’t feel like you’re competing with a stranger’s conversation or claim to space. Many of the tables have large patio umbrellas, so it’s nice and shaded. The atmosphere is very casual and low-key. It would a great place to meet friends for brunch, and its very family friendly—take kids if you have them—or—parents when they’re in town.

Dress – Unlike some brunch places in Chicago, the River North Kitsch’n isn’t a hot spot where Friday or Saturday night dress seems to continue on into brunch-wear the next morning, and suddenly everywhere you look you see lots of boobies looking to get their late morning/early afternoon buzz on.

In other words, jeans and a t-shirt are fine.

Cost – Without drinks, it was about $13 per person with tax and tip.

If you like, try- Orange, Yolk, Tempo, Demitasse

Written by hungry yuppie

Shaw’s Crab House

Location – 21 E. Hubbard (Hubbard and Rush)

http://www.shawscrabhouse.com/

In one word – Premium

Food – We came here for a work lunch, so I wasn’t the one shelling out dough for the bill.  Right now I’m on a kick to eat healthy.  Perhaps you’ll see that reflected in my menu choiced.  I started with the chopped salad.  I was expecting something bland and was pleasantly surprised.  The salad, with cherry tomatoes, bacon, croutons, a light vinegrette and a little bleu cheese, felt really fresh.  My eating partners opted for the cold appetizer combo, it was a tower of crab, shrimp and oysters.  It came with a frozen sauce they really seemed to like.  For my main, I chose the Grilled Gulf Yellowfin Tuna.  It was covered in this soy ginger dressing and served with crispy rice noodles and peanuts.  This dish packed a whole lot of flavor.  We sampled the desserts.  I LOVED the peppermint ice cream.  There are chunks of the candy cane in the ice cream, and it’s served with chocolate sauce.

Drink – I had a glass of their pinot grigio.  It went down really smooth.

Service – It’s Shaw’s, so there’s old school service.  I liked our server, though he wasn’t really willing to give us definite opinions when we asked for recommendations. 

Scene – When we were there, a lot of groups from work were dining.  A Chicago faux-lebrity sat behind our table, Corey McFerrin, the sports anchor from Fox Chicago.  I always get giddy when I see even the smallest celebrity and almost texted my father at the table to let him know about the siting.

Dress - You could wear a suit here, but I don’t know if it’s absolutely necessary.  Definitely no jeans.

Cost – I already noted that I didn’t pay.  My guess is that my meal was about $45.

If you like, try…Joe’s Stone Crab, Ditka’s

Frontera Grill

Location – 445 N. Clark (Clark and Hubbard)

http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html

http://www.fronterakitchens.com/restaurants/restaurants.html

In one word – Stirring

Food – As you probably know, Frontera Grill is run by the renowned chef Rick Bayless.  This guy is the expert when it comes to creating gourmet Mexican food.  Frontera is the middle priced option in Bayless’s restaurant mix.  After scouring the menu for a while (over pretty fab guac), I finally settled on pork tacos.  Yes, I wanted to pick something a little more sexy, perhaps something with mole, but my stomach led me to the tacos.  I wasn’t disappointed.  Everything on my plate was wonderfully seasoned.  The food really felt sophisticated.  Surprisingly, I was stuffed after lunch, so I didn’t take advantage of dessert…this time.

Drink – You drink the margarita here.  I was content with the standard Gold Margarita.  At first, I thought it tasted weak.  Then an eating partner instructed me to stir it and all of sudden, it was perfect.  My only beef is that if I order a drink, it should be ready to drink when I get it.  Needing an extra stir is minor, but if you have a reputation to hold, take care of the details.

Service – Despite the stirring episode, the service overall was good.  We came at lunch, when the restaurant is unexpectedly busy.  I always felt well attended to and our server was able to give us good recommendations and confirmed I was doing something good in ordering the pork tacos.

Scene – It’s lively here.  There’s music playing and colorful art all over the walls.  Compared to its more upscale neighbor Topolobambo, Frontera is more business casual.  Jeans and a tee would be under dressing, but a suit is overdressing.

Cost – You’ll probably dole out $30 – 40 here for dinner.

If you like, try…De Cero, Zapatista

Harry Caray’s

Location – 33 W. Kinzie (Dearborn and Kinzie)

www.harrycarays.com

In one word – Surprising

Food – I am ashamed to admit that as a life-long Chicagoan, this was my first visit to Harry Caray’s. I always assumed it was a tourist trap and therefore avoided it. However, I brought some clients here for lunch and had a good experience! We were confined to an hour lunch, so we didn’t multi-course our meal. Craving protein, I had the Holy Cow Burger. It’s totally messy, but so worth it. They do a nice job of sauteeing the mushrooms and onions, which helps the burger feel more gourmet than most. Here’s a tip, avoid the regular french fries and opt for the sweet potato fries. They are not as good as the ones at Rockit, but they’re definitely contenders. My eating partners all stuck to traditional lunch fare, pulled pork sandwiches, club sandwiches, etc.

Drink – Since it was lunch and we were short on time, we didn’t indulge in cocktails. They have an 18-page wine list, which is pretty impressive.

Service – The caliber of service was much higher than I expected. I told our server that my party of 7 all had to finish our meal in 45 minutes, and he told me no problem. There were a couple of glitches, like they brought me a second Diet Coke when I hadn’t put a dent into my first. But, I’d rather be overserved than under in a heartbeat.

Scene – In my world, this was a perfect location for a lunch with clients. I don’t think I would plan to come here for a dinner with friends. The clientele seems a little on the tourist/senior citizen side. Maybe come if your family from out of town wants to do something distinctly Chicago. The feel of the place is kind of cool, Chicago paraphanalia on the brick walls.

Dress – If you come at lunch, expect to see suits.

Cost – My burger and Diet Coke brought me to about $20 including tax and tip.

If you like, try…Rockit

Brasserie Ruhlmann

Location – 500 W. Superior (Superior and Kingsbury)

In one word – Rich

Food – Talk about indulgent! I think this was one of the richest meals I’ve had in a long while, my arteries hate me right now. We started with the Rulhmann potatoes (crispy and delicious!), pomme frites, creamed spinach (my favorite!) and this decadent pate. I was full after the appetizers, but like the good eater I am, I kept going. I tried the skatewing as my entree. It’s served with tomatoes, green beans, capers, bacon and lemon. My eating partners ate the cowboy steak, the salmon and the lamb stew, all of which seemed filling and amazing. My recommendation with Rulhmann is to go when you’re hungry.

Drink – As it was a work compensated dinner, we indulged in champagne and a lighter bodied red wine.

Service – Overall service was excellent. Here’s my only beef: I couldn’t hear our server. Couldn’t even hear the specials! The restaurant wasn’t crowded (it was a Monday), so there wasn’t a roar to compete with, he just spoke softly. Other than that, I was pleased.

Scene – The restaurant is beautiful. It’s in the old Montgomery Ward building and decorated in an art deco style. It feels lavish, yet accessible. It’s good for business and special occasions.

Dress – I went on a Monday night after a business reception, so in my skirt and blazer, I fit in. I’m not sure what the crowd looks like on a weekend. I’d err on the side of being stylish. Dresses and suits are probably the way to go.

Cost – It wasn’t that expensive, it was $68 per person including tax and tip. For that much food, I thought it was reasonable when looking at places to go for a nice dinner.

If you like, try…Custom House

Zed 451

Location – 739 N. Clark (Clark and Superior)

In one word – Effort

Food – So my preface to this entry is that I went to the (free) pre-opening party for this restaurant and as a result got to try EVERYTHING. That’s why it’s going to look like I was Miss Piggy all night long in this review. This old Sal and Carvao space transformed into a wooden sleek scene and was overall very impressive. In terms of food, it was good, not great. When the place officially opens (4/22), the schtick will be its Harvest Table. Essentially, all you can eat for about $50 (just like the Brazilian steakhouses in the area). They have their share of steak, lamb and chicken (straight from the oven served directly on your plate). I was drawn to the cheese, particularly the cheese fondue. I heard that Fontina was in the fondue, and immediately I thought “Sold!” They’ve got a nice fruit and veggie selection: okra, marinated green beans, poached pears with goat cheese, apples seasoned with jalepeno and lime and bruschetta. I did enjoy the desserts, one cobbler had a butterscotch flavor. That won me over. So yes, I liked the food. The food selection is vast. However, in their attempt to serve it all, they stumble a little bit when it comes to attaining food perfection.

Drinks – This is their strength. I tried the orange sangria, which was VERY fruitty. Then the server recommended the cucumber sage martini. This was, by far, my favorite. Watch yourself though, it goes down too smooth.

Service – It was a little hard to judge given that this was a pre-opening party. The staff was very attentive, so I hope that carries through to when they’re open for real.

Scene – The party was really sceney. The crowd was pretty mixed, from young 20-somethings to the seniors. I really like the aesthetics of the restaurant. There’s a lot of wood and glass, which makes for a pretty sophisticated feel. Downstairs is the main dining space and a lounge. They have an upstairs dining room and a rooftop area. My eating partners and I discussed how we might not come here for dinner, but we would definitely come after work to the lounge just because the space is great.

Dress – At this party, people were putting their all into their look. Lots of little black dresses and men’s suits. Perhaps it’s because it’s the beginning of spring now, and folks are ancy to show off their latest additions to their wardrobe. No matter, this is one of the few places, I might recommend brushing your hair before coming.

Cost – That’s the beauty of the pre-opening party, the night was free. However, I think when the restaurant officially opens, you could spend about $100 per person with food, drink, tax and tip. My recommendation is that with the Harvest Table concept, you load up on food. This way you can really get the bang for your mucho bucks.

If you like, try…Fogo de Chao, Custom House

Osteria Via Stato

Location – 620 N. State (State and Ontario)

www.osteriaviastato.com

In one word - Suprising

Food – Given its touristy location, my hopes weren’t high for this place.  But, I was pleasantly surprised.  You get traditional Italian fare with excellent service, what more could you ask for?  All in all, I was satisfied with the food.  I started with the baby argula salad.  I thought it was a bit too salty, but luckily they kept the water flowing at my table.  Then I moved to the butternut squash ravioli.  I enjoyed it, but I was hoping the roasted sage on top would be slightly crispier (but that’s just my preference).  My eating partner started with their speciality cheese.  That went down fast, so I guess she liked it.  Her entree was the penne pasta dish, which she dug.  We ended the evening with the poached pear dessert.  This was a relatively light dessert served with a shortbread cookie and a scoop of gelato.  A couple of notes – At the front of the restaurant is Pizzeria via Stato, which is the pizzeria part of the place.  It’s a more casual and cheaper option if you want it.  Also, Osteria has a filling prix fixe menu.  For $40, you get all the food you could ask for.  If you’re a big eater, you might want to go this route.

Drink – Like its neighbor across the street, Osteria serves wine in quartinos (glasses and bottles are available too), which is both responsible and economical.  Since it was a Wednesday, we chose this more mature option.  We told our server that my eating partner loved reislings, so he brought out a comparable wine which we enjoyed very much.

Service – I really appreciate good service and tha,t is what we got at Osteria.  And, I love it when a server’s recommendations are actually good (a rarity from my experience).  He won on his recommendations for wine, cheese and dessert.  That equals excellent tip.  He was cute, too!

Scene – The inside of the place is covered with brick and wood, making the place feel relatively homey.  We went on a Wednesday, so the restaurant was quiet and intimate.  I think the vibe would be completely different on a weekend. 

Dress – I wore jeans because that’s what I do.  We were surrounded by other groups who chose to dress up slightly more, I think they were coming from work.  I think jeans, khakis and dresses all work for this place.  You’re trying too hard if you come here in a suit.

Cost – The total cost was about $85 for two.  This included salad, cheese, two entrees, dessert and wine.  All in all not bad.  Here’s where we got our price saver, I joined the Lettuce Entertain You Frequent Diner program and have accrued more than my fair share of points (which is very easy to do in Chicago).  So we used my $25 gift certificate, knocking our total meal to $60 for two.  Not bad, eh? 

If you like, try…Quartino, La Madia, A Mano

Zocalo

Location – 358 W. Ontario (Ontario and Orleans)

www.zocalochicago.com

In one word – Spicy

Food – I went to Zocalo when it first opened and didn’t have a satisfying experience. I equated it to the restaurant being new, still trying to find its groove. I went back last weekend. Still not satisfied. My general complaint was that the spices were too powerful. I couldn’t taste anything because of the burning sensation on my tongue. We started with the trio of guacamole. This was the high point of the meal. You get the traditional guac, the spicy guac and a fruit guac served with tortilla and plantain chips. I loved the plantain chips. For my entree, I tried the tilapia tacos. While I’m no chef, I felt like I could make it at home. I didn’t need to pay someone else to do it. Besides there being too much spice, the tacos were kind of soggy. My eating partners chose the enchiladas and the skirt steak. Same issue – the food was too spicy.

Drink – This place is known for its tequila selection, but we opted to get a bottle of cheap wine (Santa Rita Reserve). It wasn’t amazing, but it helped make the spice go away.

Service – I found our server to be very pleasant and able to answer all of our questions about the menu.

Scene – With our early dinner reservation (6:30), I found it hard to judge the scene. When we were dining, it seemed like a lot of 30-something groups of friends were having dinner. At that hour, most of the clientele was from the neighborhood. The bar area is quite large, so I’m curious if it starts getting more sceney later in the night.

Dress – Jeans works just fine. Beware of a potential influx of halter tops, I think a lot of folks come here before going to the clubs in River North.

Cost – I paid $34. I thought it was too much for what I got. I left with buyer’s remorse.

If you like, try…Lalo’s, de cero