Barcello’s
RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED. BUMMER.
Location – 1647 N. Milwaukee (Milwaukee and Hoyne)
In one word – Close
Food – So to be perfectly honest, I didn’t love this place, however it’s downfall was not the food. The food, in fact, was pretty good. We shared a margharita pizza (something which I CRAVE) and their balsamic salmon with roasted potatoes on the side. All of which, delicious.
Drink – This place didn’t go wrong with it’s drink offerings either. It’s BYOB, so if you don’t like your beverage, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Service – Ahhh, one part of the issue. They don’t have enough service. For the whole place, there were about three servers. I had to utilize my eye contact trick I mastered in Spain (where there really is no service) to get the waiter to take our order and to get our check.
Occasion – This is another part of the problem. The place is small. Real small. If you are sitting in the middle, you’re essentially in quiet communal setting. Your neighbors are your dinner partners. Normally (at a place like Avec), this wouldn’t be a problem. We just had some people who I’d never want to eat with next to us, which was a damper…or total amusement, depending on how you look at it, on the night. Honestly, I would come here with a bigger group than 2. It means that you will be sitting on the outskirts of the restaurant, thus ensuring your party’s privacy. Another note, beware, people bring their kids here despite the quiet atmosphere of the joint.
Dress – You can still keep your prom dress tucked in your closet, but everyone here did put a little bit of effort into their looks.
Cost – This totally goes against the principle of the website, but I didn’t pay for dinner. And I’m not going to be insulting and guess the price per person…so I’ll let Metromix do it instead, “$8-15 per entree.”
If you like, try…Avec, Spacca Napoli
Scoozi!
Location – 410 W. Huron (Huron and Sedgwick)
http://www.leye.com/restaurants/rest_home.jsp?id=16
In one word – Relaxed
Food – I had such a good experience at Scoozi! We each had a salad to start. I jumped on the pear and gorgonzola salad. Nice portion, perfect amount of dressing. Everything worked for me. My friend gobbled her spinach salad. Only good remarks from her. Then we shared the smoked chicken pizzabianca (white pizza). It had caramelized onions on top, which totally made the dish for me.
Drink – We sampled the Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc. It was perfect for the summer heat (we sat al fresco). I would recommend that wine to any white wine drinker.
Service – I like our server, gave us recommendations, but wasn’t too pushy. They kept the water coming, which was imperative for the summer heat.
Occasion – Come here on a date, with your parents or girlfriends. The decor has a slight Italian kitsch feel, but you actually grow to really like it.
Dress – If you came in a tshirt and jeans, you’d be underdressed. Perhaps wear jeans and heels or a dress if you’re a female attire wearer. A polo or button down would work just fine for the male counterpart. Be sure to wear light colors because their white napkins shed. That napkin made my red dress look a bit awkward in the lap area…
Cost – A salad, shared pizza and half a bottle of wine = $35. I felt like that was a reasonable price.
If you like, try…Bin Cafe, Nacional 27
L’Appetito
Location – 875 N. Michigan (Hancock Building) or 30 E. Huron (Huron and Wabash)
http://www.lappetito.com/
In one word – Gelato
Food – A friend of mine reminded me of the delight of L’Appetito yesterday. Imagine that you are in a European cafe – most likely in Spain or Italy, perhaps France. Place it in the Gold Coast. Bam! You have L’Appetito. You can get paninis (imagine lots of cheeses and salamis), pizza (a little greasy, but still desireable) and gelato (my favorite in the city). Plus you can pick up some packaged foods that you saw when you were abroad in Europe and totally forgot about since then. Remember those hazelnut wafers with the cream in the middle? They have them.
Drink – I mean, you’re not going to come here for a huge night out, so focus on their great assortment of sparkling juices and waters. BTWs – My favorite is their almond or coconut flavored Italian sodas. Try it! I’m trying to make Italian soda the next big thing.
Service – You order at the counter and pay at a different counter. They have never messed that up for me.
Occasion – So you’re shopping in the Gold Coast and you need a pick-me-up to drown your sorrows given how you just pissed away your 15th-of-the-month paycheck at Bloomingdales. Oh, but those shoes were so worth it…
Dress – On weekdays, you’ll find more suits on their lunch break. On weekends, if you wear shoes and a shirt, you’ll get service.
Cost – If you buy a drink, a sandwich and dessert, expect to pay $10 – 11.
If you like, try… – Fox and Obel Cafe
Volare
Location – 201 E. Grand
In one word – Debatable
Food – One of my friends swears by this place, but I do not. It’s your average Italian restaurant in Chicago. Whoop. Whoop. I was told that whatever I ordered from the menu would be great, so I got the risotto with sausage. The food was so heavy and I was only able to eat a small portion of it. I took the leftovers home and got three more meals out of it. I did feel a little nauseous after eating the leftovers because they went a little crazy with the olive oil. I’m not going to write this place off all together, but I’m not all that anxious to go back.
**I was railed for this review. A trusted source said that Volare’s oysters are the best in the city. So I’m leaving it in your hands now. You decide what you think.
Drink – There is a good sized wine list and they offer Italian beers, so you’ll be well served.
Service – I think this is why people come back here. They really do treat you like family. If they don’t remember you when you come back for a second visit, they do a damn good job of pretending they do. Makes you feel special.
Occasion – I saw a birthday party filled with 30-somethings here. There were some older couples filling up the remaining tables. You’ll also run into your share of tourists because of its location.
Dress – In my sweater and jeans, I was a little underdressed. You’d probably be better off in your classy night out gear.
Cost – Expect to pay $30+ if you’re going to have an entrée and wine.
If you liked…, try – Fornetto Mei
Fornetto Mei
Location – 105 E. Delaware Place
http://www.thewhitehallhotel.com/restaurant.html
In one word – Confusing
Food – I don’t exactly get it, but I like it. This place is supposed to serve pan-Italian food with a bit of Asian influence mixed in. This means that you end up with a table of calamari, wood-oven pizza and beef noodles. To me, it’s not really fusion but a mostly Italian menu with one generic Asian food section. Despite this, the food works. I was on a health kick when I came here, so I indulged in the spinach salad. With the whipped goat cheese, it wasn’t exactly heart healthy, but I still dug it.
Drink – They have a decent enough wine list. I asked for the waiter’s recommendation and it satisfied me.
Service – It’s a hotel restaurant (part of the Whitehall Hotel), so the service is decent. Had a bit of trouble getting the check, but it was nothing to freak out about.
Occasion – This restaurant is in the Gold Coast, so the clientele is a bit older. If that doesn’t bother you, it’s totally fine for dinner with a friend or date. I’d keep the party size low because the lights are dark and people seem to speak at a lower volume than they would in another place.
Dress – If you came straight from work in business casual attire, you’d fit right in.
Cost – 1 glass of wine and 1 salad got me to about $25. A little more than it was worth, but I can still sleep at night.
If you liked…, try – Volare
Gastronomic Bypass: Chicago 