A Family Affair at Orso's in Old Town

Situated on the corner of Schiller and Wells Orso's Restaurant exemplifies the meaning and experience of a long-standing Chicago Italian eatery.  Trusted and respected for over 40 years, Orso's has passed the test of time and has welcomed wine-loving, pasta-craving, meatball aficionado Chicagoans with open arms and a big Italian smooch.  Let's just say Lady and the Tramp would definitely approve.  Aside from the friendly service, seasonal specials, and easy-to-navigate, expansive menu covering all the crowd pleasers (i.e.- Calamari Fritti, Caprese Salad, Pizza Margherita, Lasgana Bolognese, Chicken Marsala, the list goes on...) the outdoor space in summer seals the deal.

Part indoor, part outdoor Orso's nails old-school Italian 

Seating more than 50 outside, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Wells Street, under a vibrant green canopy of vines the outdoor patio is reminiscent of a Roman-style cafe complete with charming red and white umbrellas, soft Italian tunes, and old-school Italian votives on each table to shine just the right amount of light on your delectable Risotto Primavera.

A sprawling outdoor space creates the perfect spot for family and friends to enjoy a quality Italian meal.

The food is legit, here's a small taste of two of the simple, no-frills Italian heavy-weight entrees.

Seasonal special, sautéed whitefish with new potatoes, capers, and fresh basil in a white wine, olive oil sauce.

Spaghetti Del Capo (Substituted with whole-wheat Linguini)
Spaghetti pasta sautéed with fresh tomato, lean ground sausage, chicken breast, escarole, eggplant, oil, garlic and crushed red peppers.

Rotating seasonal specials volunteer some lighter options for Spring and Summer but offer as much flavors as Veal Parmigiana without added guilt.  A bonus for most Italian joints, which rings true here is as well is you really get your moneys worth since the portions are gigantic. You can comfortably get three meals out of one order.

Great for: A group dinner and hitting Wells Street bars afterwards, date night, or families looking for home-cooked Italian minus the home-cooking yourself part.

Orso's 

http://www.orsosrestaurant.com/

1401 N. Wells Street

312.787.6604

Takes reservations from website and is known for throwing excellent dinner parties and events for large groups

Open Monday-Thursday 11am-10:30pm, Friday 11am-Midnight, Saturday Noon-Midnight, Sunday Noon-10pm

That's a good deal: 1/2 Priced Carafes & Bottles of Wine Mondays & Tuesdays (any bottle under $60). 

A critical eye: Davanti Enoteca

Davanti Enoteca

1359 W. Taylor Street

(312) 226-5550

Head Chef: Jonathan Beatty

Davanti Ecoteca is an experience all of us in Chicago must have at some point.  An authentic, romantic Italian-inspired setting breathes new life into familiar flavors and relationships as enjoying dinner with a special someone, a group of friends, or family is rejuvenated.  When we first dined here, dead in the middle of winter, it exuded a warm, cozy feel, so we were skeptical that it would feel too dark and wintery when we went back in June. Pleasantly surprised, we couldn’t have been more wrong. Davanti echoed the vibrancy of spring, as lovely as ever, and we cannot wait to make a third summer trip to experience their upstairs retractable roof area that seats 40!

Props to Davanti’s wine program for its vast selection and more than reasonable price point. Their astute eye and palate for great wine sold at retail price is nearly unheard of in other Chicago born Italian eateries half as nice as Davanti. We got a bottle of 2007 Chianti from their Reserve list for a mere $30 dollars; normally it’s more than twice that amount. 

We started with the Escarole salad with gala apples, pecorino dolce, celery, and hazelnuts bathed in a fruity, light vinaigrette.  This was the perfect, refreshing start to our meal as it forecasted heavier dishes to come.  A must try, the Ragu of the day (something Davanti has mastered and are known for) was a braised Brisket with wild mushrooms in a white wine reduction sauce poured onto a layer of polenta. To round out the meal, sans dessert, we shared the perfectly portioned Paccheri conSalsiccia e Pomodori al forno (Giant Rigatoni, rustic, smoky sausage, oven fire-roasted tomato, and parmigiano cheese). Flawlessly al dente pasta and homemade tomato sauce certified that we will never enjoy pasta sauce from a jar ever again; Davanti is the real deal and far less expensive than springing for the red eye to Positano, Italia. 

1 bottle of outstanding wine and sharing 3 plates enough to satiate 2 diners, our total bill was $62.  Exceptional value, we’re thinking we need to go more often than once a season. See you at Davanti!

Via

Via

Via

East-West BBQ collaboration

Union Sushi + Barbeque

230 W. Erie ave {Erie + Franklin}
(312) 662-4888

If Sushi Wabi is listed on your resume you're well on your way to pioneer a sushi spot of your own in Chicago these days. Worachai Thapthimkuna (also known as Chao) of Union and Yut Vong of Yuzu have each opened up a sushi and BBQ/ robata (Meaning Japanese charcoal grill) menu-centered restaurant this May. Delectable meats, seafood, vegetables, and the exotic (see alligator below) on miniature skewers are fired to perfection in a traditional robata grill; it's kind of like an Asian-inspired meat lollipop for $1.5 -$4 a piece. The rolls reflected the excellence that Sushi Wabi procured like the Osaka Central roll (fishcake, eel, crispy potato, togarashi + eel sauce... 5) or the Belly Roll (hamachi, cucumber, orange tobiko, scallion, chili paste aioli, crispy tempura crumbs, fried pork belly strips + eel sauce... 7).

Take a trip to the far east without having to leave summer and your love of the BBQ behind at Union or Yuzu.CG will be at Yuzu tonight, review to follow.

{Japanese Barbecue and sushi done right}

{The scene inside Union. Funky Japanese street art and graffiti play well against the metallic detailing}

{The inside of Union}

{Alligator skewer. Sublimely hot and smokey, we'll admit it- it tasted like moist chicken wrapped in bacon. Delicious and adventurous}

{Osaka Central roll, top. Old City Market spicy tuna, seared salmon, spicy ponzu, cilantro, green onion, fried okra + wrapped in collard green... 7, below}

{Surprise & Delight. Effen Cucumber, Pimm’s No. 1, Lemon, Simple Syrup, Muddled Lemongrass, Muddled Strawberry, Seltzer... 10.Effen Cucumber  is the new Effen Black Cherry is the new black}

{South of the Border, west of the Sun.  Chinaco Blanco Tequila, Aperol, Grapefruit, Lime, Amber Agave Nectar... 10 New spin on an old classic: Margarita meets far east. This is a must try}

{Inside Yuzu Sushi BYOB in Ukrainian village, review to follow}

Union's Menu

Yuzu's Menu
Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill BYOB no corkage fee
1715 W Chicago ave {Chicago + West of Paulina ave}
(312) 666- 4100

A critical Eye: Kith & Kin

Kith & Kin

Head Chef: Andrew Brochu
1119 W Webster ave {Webster + W of Seminary}
(773) 472- 7070

It seems the turmoil following Kith & Kin can't be resolved- back or front of house. The service is consistently spotty and not confident. All in all they've got to step it up and ensure that the food matches the service, otherwise the imbalance leaves a sour taste.

I've been to Kith and Kin a total of 4 times and each visit varies in quality of service from spot-on to horrendous. We'll start with the good: an outstanding waiter with a heavy beard knows the menu in and out, gives great drink recommendations, and basically runs the floor. If you get him as your server you're safe- as for some of the others, well, back to the drawing board. Fast forward to the nightmare: a rainy Saturday night Kith & Kin was jammed but we managed to get a picturesque, romantic seat on a balcony overlooking the restaurant. After waiting 1 hour and 15 minutes for our scallops and chicken entree a girlfriend and I were forgotten and starved. Our server kept insisting that our food would be "Right out" and on came the cocktails. By the time the food arrived I didn't even remember it. We got a free sticky toffee pudding dessert and our bill reduced considerably. At one point, I'd say an hour after waiting, I actually got up and consulted the bearded server because he was so fantastic before and told him the situation. He of course took care of it right away and let me know that it was my server's second day on the job, still no excuse. That was the only time I've had to get up in a fine dining establishment and track down someone to get help. It really was absurd.

Don't let my bad experience steer you away. Kith & Kin is unique as it is elegant when everything lands on the plate. Fantastic cuts are complimented by bold, anything but precarious flavors. True to its roots the menu is seasonally rotating and incorporates shining southern delights like authentic hush puppies, buttermilk biscuits, and cornmeal grits. If you've got a hankerin' for great food from down south but don't want to pay Table 52 prices, go to Kith & Kin.

{Pimento cheese spread. Cue bold flavors. The cheese and spanish pimentos are very, very vibrant to the palate. The most comforting feature of cheese, naturally, is the warm, gooey consistency that melts in your mouth after its spread on the crisp baguette. You get so much that leftovers are inevitable and still delicious the next day}

{Buttermilk biscuits with honey butter. Fluffy, airy, baked to perfection}

{Bar Harbour Mussels in a heavenly spiced broth, candied shrimp and ciabatta bread for dipping. The mussels must have been given steroids, they were huge- I mean truly GIANT. The broth was divine, I could have sipped it right out of the bowl}

{Housemade corned beef with a pickled mustard jus and braised cabbage. The beef is phenomenal, the heavy, robust sauce pairs well with the cabbage and meat}

{Blackened tiger shrimp on top of smoked cheddar grits and scallions. In order to get to the shrimp meat you have to scrape it out of the shell of the shrimp, it's messy and labor intensive which hurts the favorability of the dish. But, when you get that bite- ah, it's so worth it. The intense blackened char flavor dances with garlic and onion spices. Well done}

Who to bring:

• A date. Candlelit dinner in a comfortable atmosphere will make any occasion more meaningful. 
• Meat eaters. They've got: rabbit, chicken, corned beef, and wagyu ribeye two ways
• Family small or large, there's something for everyone 

What to try:

• This is a MUST- the Moscow Mule cocktail (Vodka, Gosslings black seal rum, with lime and ginger beer. I wish this came by the pitcher)
• Foie gras starter
• Rabbit stew
• Buttermilk fried chicken thighs 
• Fried catfish

Take note:

• As the menu rotates so does the art. Kith & Kin uses their walls as an open gallery for local artists who wish to display their latest masterpiece
• Kith means friends and kin means family

A critical eye: Paris Club

Head Chef: Jean Joho

59 W. Hubbard ave {Hubbard + West of Dearborn}
(312) 595-0800

If you love Hub 51, just a stones throw away, the odds are good for developing a penchant for the Melmans' revamped French hot spot Paris Club. Loud, crowded, sultry, and brimming with the souped-up River North crowd, Paris Club manages to deliver another cookie cutter culinary experience.
As a self-titled epicurean, I can validate that the ambiance is cliché if not a human French eat-a-thon factory, but the food maintains some real stand-outs. The escargot bourguignonne wrapped in a light puff pastry was a wonderful way to usher in the French fair to come. How can you go to a French restaurant and not try the snails? Unheard of. Country pâté was delicious while the foie gras and short rib pressé was on the salty side and lacked in aesthetics on the plate. Onto the pinnacle of the meal: the paper-bag snapper. It's divine. It's light yet substantial, served with fresh lemon, fennel, and olives; it exudes Bourgeoisie class.
Overall this is a leap, not a step, up from its predecessor Brasserie Jo. French fair is appetizing, accessible, and Paris Club does a great job at diversifying pretentious French food. However, I question Paris Club's staying power once the craze to try it dies down. I have an inclination it will turn into Brasserie Jo the sequel.


{The scene in the gigantic dining room}

{A quiet spot at the bar}

{pork rillettes with dijon,fine herbs, and pickles}

Getting my attention: Owen & Engine

Owen & Engine

Head Chef: Charles Burkhardt

2700 N Western ave {Western + Schubert}

(773) 235-2930

If you don't want to spring for a flight to cross the pond but are craving traditional english pub food look no further than Owen & Engine. Dark wood, damask wallpaper, and English touches illuminate this anything but ordinary pub. Bar food isn't something difficult to find in Chicago, there's a watering hole on nearly every block. In 99% of the cases the "chef" and brewmaster are tinkering with your standard burgers, fries, and beers. Frozen patties, cheddar, and ketchup on a white bun... frozen potatoes fried and salted... frosty Miller/Bud Light. So typical, so unappealing, what wankers.

Owen & Engine breathes life into the watered-down pub scene and absolutely shines as it pays homage to century old British pubs. The expansive beer and IPA list are outlined well and rotate seasonally; the knowledge our server had was quite impressive as well. The food is what really seals the deal. Heavy proteins are featured in nearly all the menu items ideal for a hearty winter meal. The emphasis on fresh vegetables, garnishes, and herbs makes each dish more well-rounded. 

{The haddock in the fish and chips is remarkably fresh. It's flown in from George Bank in the North Atlantic everyday. The fries were crisp and cut petite, the malt vinegar aioli dipping sauce was so tangy it puts ketchup to shame}

Also recommended but not pictured: The house ground stagel farms beef burger with carmalized onion and house potato bap (A soft white, flat, flour-coated breakfast roll). The bap roll was fluffy and overtly buttery. Butter bun on a giant burger might be pushing the limits of acceptable gluttony. More recommendations for you: the house-made bangers and mash, the roasted beef marrow bones appetizer, bubbles and squeak. 

The perfect pair for a night on the town

...And I'm not talking about winter boots or heels. I'm talking about Sable Kitchen and Bar and Hubbard Inn.

Sable Kitchen and Bar

Head Chef: Heather Terhune
505 N. State street {State +Illinois}

{Sable has an extensive lounge + bar space. The mixologists create a verbose and confusing menu, but offer an easy to follow explanation of the concoctions}

{Bison shortrib sliders with root beer glaze. Two bites (one for diners with mouths the size of Steven Tyler's) of perfection}

{Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with bleu cheese}
Other highlights at Sable were the mini wild mushroom veggie burgers with red onion jam and goat cheese, mini tuna tartar tostadas topped with
spicy tomato salsa and meyer lemon crema, and the braised pork belly flatbread covered in apples, melted white cheddar cheese, and chipotle barbecue sauce.
The service was timely, informative and accommodating. Most of the appetizers and small plates come out with 4 of something on a plate (as pictured, see the dates above); our server took note that we were a party of 5 and made the necessary changes to the kitchen so that everything would come out in 5s.
Attempting to navigate the confusing cocktail book, this was not a list- it was a book, on your own is ill-advised. It is virtually impossible to successfully choose on your own cocktail unless you close your eyes and point on a random page. All of the specialty cocktails were generously portioned and well-conceived. A stand-out cocktail was the Hemingway Daiquiri (fruit-like, sweet, yet maintained considerable depth).
Hubbard Inn
110 W. Hubbard ave {Hubbard + North of Clark}
Only 2 blocks away is Hubbard Inn, opened earlier this February. 22 craft beers on tap, a giant cocktail list, and 8,000 square feet of elegantly poised european-esque booths and tables makes for an excellent upscale watering hole. Antique leather bound books, 18th century paintings, and tall wooden chairs inhabit the massive space. Without feeling overcrowded or overdone, attention to detail was mastered. The bartenders were highly skilled and happy to mix-up a taste of something you're unsure of in order to please- despite a line of thirsty patrons. Best part, there's a menu too. I will definitely  be going back. Review to come.
If The Publican and Old Town Social got together, their ideal melding would be Hubbard Inn.

Chicago Restaurant Week

Prairie Fire
Head Chefs: Sarah Stegner & George Bumbaris

215 N. Clinton ave {Clinton + south of Fulton}
(312) 382-8300

Leave it to the click of one wrong button on OpenTable to completely mess up your Chicago restaurant week reservations. Seriously, this is a travesty. Thankfully we live in a bustling metropolis with hundreds of options, neighborhoods, and food fare. Hopefully my little mistake will be a blessing in disguise.
Chefs Stegner and Bumbaris (Fromer chefs from the Ritz Carlton Dining room) have created the anti-trendy aesthetic in this straight-shooting, back to basics, welcome to the midwest eatery. No bells and whistles, just admiration for what Midwest farmers do best. As one of the founders of Green City Market with two James Beard awards under her belt, it's safe to say that Stegner has a winning concept, despite the glitz and glamour. At the very least, I'm looking forward to well composed dishes backed by Stegner's impeccable ability to choose the finest produce and proteins.
Review of Prairie Fire to come.

A sandwich shop like no other- Panes Bread Cafe

3002 N. Sheffield ave
{Sheffield + Wellington}

(773) 665-0972



At an unbelievable value (all sandwiches are $5.95, salads $5.75) Panes has the most comforting, hearty menu that's sure to please greasy-spoon seekers as well as strict vegetarians. Anyone and everyone has a favorite in this neighborhood bodega, with appetizers, pizzas, pastas, cookies, sweet Oaxacan treats, soups, salads, specials, and over 19 diverse sandwiches (that's a mouthful) Panes has it all. The charm and warmth is so inviting; you get the sense that you're eating a sandwich in your long-lost, yet lovable, eclectic, crazy aunt's kitchen. With "Bread Cafe" in their title Panes better have something to prove when it comes to baking. Effortlessly they do, all of the varieties back up their bold statement. The bread is made in-house and amplifies everything it's paired with tenfold.
Right smack in the middle of the sheffield drag connecting Wrigleyville to Old Cabrini and right off the Wellington Brown Line stop, Panes is accessible to any traveler. Bring cash, no credit cards are accepted. Some notables on my last trip:

{White bean and cauliflower soup with roasted bacon bits. Home-made, warmed rosemary bread for dipping}

{Portabella sandwich. Grilled portabella mushrooms, home-made pesto sauce, tomatoes, and melting mozzarella on tomato bread served with Lays potato chips}

{El parisano with special requests. Grilled chicken, smoked ham, swiss cheese, tomato, and honey mustard served on white bread with chips. Modifications Panes was happy to make: substituting the white bread for fresh wheat and adding a large helping of avocado slices}

This little gem will make you jealous of Lakeview residents who are within walking distance. Try it for the quality and price, become a regular for the bread.

All about: Ruxbin Kitchen

Ruxbin Kitchen

Head Chef: Edward Kim
851 N. Ashland ave. {Ashland + Pearson}
(312) 624-8509

Let's be clear: this is not your average Chicago BYOB. Ruxbin Kitchen is a marriage of American, Mexican, French, and Korean cuisine, quite literally welded into delicious dishes. What permeates through all the varying flavors is the emphasis on seasonal ingredients. The brussel sprouts and roasted tomato paired with the short ribs (which were falling off the bone, braised to perfection) really held their own next to the star of the plate, the protein. The trout was good, not amazing, they were refined fish sticks. By all estimations, the garlic french fries with a smoky chipotle aioli and calamari bokkum starters were the most memorable. The calamari was not your traditional fried rings with marinara sauce, oh no! This is where Chef Kim's Korean roots sang, grilled with peanuts, korean chilis, seasame, and baby potatoes, the calamari was refreshingly unique.
While waiting, Ruxbin doesn't take reservations so expect to wait unless you go during the week or early in the evening, the friendly staff shared a delightful bowl of popcorn with our party. It was airy, flavorful, and just enough to excite your appetite for the full menu. Interesting combination: fleur de sel and nori seaweed bits were tossed in the popcorn concoction, wonderful!
The best part of Ruxbin is the breathtaking decor. The departure from harsh industrial images, molding, and seating structure to refurbished art invites the diner to appreciate the beauty of copper, steel, and other sepia-colored metals. Ruxbin is adorned with vintage, industrial touches, from the rubber door handles to the out of this world bathroom that looks like a rotating port-o-potty that's going to transport you to another time. All in all, very impressed.