Author Archive
Hangin’ Out at the Rockit Bar & Grill
I have to admit I never just go to the Rockit Bar & Grill. I mainly go there because it’s right by the Metro, and I need something to eat before I go to the show. So this is one of those places I don’t really consider to be a special destination–I happen to be in the neighborhood, it has tasty food, I like the album-cover menus and whenever I do go I have a good time. That’s pretty much all there is to it.
Actually, I’m downplaying this a little. What I enjoy about the food at the Rockit is the gourmet twists it gives to regular American upscale bar-style cuisine. The macaroni and cheese is baked with four cheeses. The signature burger is made with Kobe beef, brie, shallot and medjool date aioli on a red onion brioche bun; the fries that come with your burger are cooked in truffle oil. I love the sweet potato fries, which arrive dusted with brown sugar salt and with a chipotle mayo dipping sauce. The NY strip steak, which I have admittedly never tried, is served with a worchestershire caramel sauce. Even the house salad is spruced up with candied pecans and a balsamic hazelnut vinaigrette.
Rockit serves salads, soups, a kids’ menu, “rockcorn” shrimp appetizers, flatbread pizzas, sandwiches and more, so even though the menu isn’t extensive there’s still something for everyone. And there’s a selection of well-mixed “Rocktails,” designed to ease your way into the evening. It’s become a regular spot for me and whoever I’m taking to the Metro that night because it’s got exactly the right atmosphere–it’s a comfortable sit-down restaurant, but casual and on the loud side, with plenty of TVs to watch the game and just enough of those high-class culinary touches to make it feel like a special night.
Rockit also offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, along with karaoke Friday and Saturday DJ mash-ups, if you’re into that sort of thing. And even though I always to go to the Wrigleyville location, there are two in Chicago.
Rockit Bar & Grill
www.rockitbarandgrill.com
22 W. Hubbard St., Chicago
(312) 645-6000
3700 N. Clark St., Chicago
(773) 645-4400
A Quick Getaway at Bahama Breeze
First I’m going to start off this post with a disclaimer. Bahama Breeze is a chain restaurant, from the same company that owns Olive Garden and Red Lobster. It’s not quite as widespread as those chains, but I’m sure it would like to be someday. Also, Bahama Breeze is an advertiser in the magazine that pays my bills, and I’ve written articles about the restaurant designed to tempt people inside. But they’ve never invited me to dine there, and I have never actually walked into the place, until this past Saturday for dinner with a friend. I guess you could say the propaganda I was writing for them actually worked on me (boy am I good!), and I’ve wanted to try the place for a really long time.
Bahama Breeze is located in Schaumburg, which is about halfway between my home and one of my friend’s homes. This makes it a good place for us to meet. I think we were expecting something a little more Cheeseburger in Paradise, not that I’ve ever been to one of those places, but Bahama Breeze gives off a more elegant and classy tropical vibe. It actually does remind me of the upscale resorts I’ve been to in the Bahamas with a semi-outdoor eating area, hurricane-style window shades, steel drum music you can hear from the parking lot on many nights and an extensive drink menu. I suppose I was expecting more pastels, but Bahama Breeze is really more Tommy Bahama.
I’ve heard iffy things about the service, just from online reviews and such, but we had no problems at all. We waited a few minutes for a table, but I was late anyway and my friend was seated before I arrived–and they’d given her a free appetizer of Island flatbread to boot. I’d almost say the service was too fast. We weren’t ready for our entrees when they came, because we were not even halfway through the spinach dip. The dishes are what you might call American with a touch of island flavor–the shrimp is breaded with coconut, the black bean soup is Cuban-inspired, the baby-back ribs come with a guava barbecue sauce. I had a special, scallops in a lemon cream sauce on corn cakes, and my friend had salmon with a shrimp saute. Both were cooked really excellently. I love seafood, and I have to admit I’ve been eating it lately as if it’s going out of style. Probably because I expect the BP spill to limit my access to such delicacies in the future…anyway, we also sprung for a dessert of chocolate mousse on fudge brownie island in milk chocolate sauce and vanilla bean anglaise (hey, what can I say, we were discussing the bad behavior of men at the time).
Really, I should have taken more care in ordering my drink. I got a White Russian, but that was mainly because I totally forgot I’ve always wanted to try one of Bahama Breeze’s signature pina coladas. They come with a strawberry swirl. Bahama Breeze actually presses its own spearmint and sugarcane and uses all sorts of homemade mixes and such, and if I’d not been frazzled by my day I would have remembered to try something that takes advantage of Bahama Breeze’s purported excellence at cocktails. Well, maybe next time. The White Russian was totally fine. I don’t drink a lot, so it was actually enough to get me slightly buzzed.
In any case, I liked Bahama Breeze even better than I expected. And let’s face it. When you’re home, and have a small child, you can’t eat out at uniquely local places all the time. Frankly, I’ve been needing a vacation and my friend and I were joking that this was probably as close as we were going to get to a tropical paradise anytime soon. It’s not quite the same as sunning yourself on a beach in Jamaica, but having a pleasant and casual dinner with a friend here is a really pleasant way to wind down the week.
Bahama Breeze
406 E. Golf Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60173
(847) 884-7060
www.bahamabreeze.com
Pensiero Rises Again
Just a quick bit of news from Evanston, where foodies like myself were shocked when Va Pensiero, one of the area’s culinary gems, decided quite suddenly and mysteriously to close (I still had a Groupon to use there!). Owner Jeff Muldow later cited tough economic times. Now, new owner Michael Pure, who owns the Margarita Inn where Va Pensiero had been housed, is re-opening the Italian restaurant. He claims that he never intended to be a restaurant owner, but believes that Va Pensiero was a special place and should live on in the annals of Evanston’s dining culture.
We understand the new Pensiero Ristorante will have a new chef in charge. Chef Alan Lake, a musically-inclined artist who calls his creations “Jazzfood,” is a Chicago native who believes that “music, food and art share some many similarities: texture, tempo, imagination and balance,” according to a press release.
Pensiero Ristorante will have a soft opening as of July 9, with a new coat of paint and the same back-of-the-house staff. The grand opening will be reserved for later in the summer, however.
Pensiero Ristorante
1566 Oak Ave.
Evanston, IL
847-475-7779
5 Tips for Maneuvering the Taste of Chicago
When I first moved to Chicago, I thought the Taste of Chicago, held every summer at the end of June and the beginning of July, was such a cool event. After all, one of the best things about living in this town is trying out new restaurants. To have so many vendors (over 70 this year) available all in one place with delicious samples wherever you look–well, my only problem was where to find the wheelbarrow to cart me out when I was done.
But my infatuation with this touristy Grant Park event soon turned into active disillusionment. Finally, after one particular July 3 in which the skies suddenly opened up into thunderstorm territory, I decided I would…never…go…ever…again, for fear of my life. I broke this vow, but only because I figured out the most painless ways to go about Taste of Chicago. And here is how I do it.
1. Go during a weekday afternoon, if possible. Otherwise, it’s just too crowded. If you go in the evenings or on weekends, you might get frustrated at exactly how long it takes to get from place to place. Once, when I went on a Friday night, it literally took me 45 minutes to walk 300 feet from one stand’s long line to another stand’s long line. I could not even see where I was going, and ended up just eating at the nearest places (or else I wouldn’t have gotten food until I was way too hungry to function). Even when I’ve gone during workday lunch breaks, I’ve seen frustrated visitors yelling at the people who sell the tickets. But, if you avoid the crowds, you can try a lot more vendors in a shorter space of time, then get back to your air-conditioned home base before things turn ugly.
2. Keep an eye on the weather. Dress appropriately, as there are really only trees nearby under which to take shelter. Avoid Taste of Chicago altogether during inclement weather. I ruined a pair of shoes walking through Taste one year, when suddenly a torrential thunderstorm started beating down on us and everyone started panicking and running for the exits. They dropped their food containers and other assorted items, creating a river of slimy muck along the ground that was part food trash, part wet paper mulch. Families were separated, children were screaming, people were getting pushed around and stepped on, and this was the day I realized I had had it with the Taste of Chicago. I’d avoid Taste during hot days, too, because who wants to eat hot fried foods in the smoking vicinity of hot frying stoves on a hot, frying 96-degree day? But that’s just me.
3. Designate a meeting place if you bring friends. This is because inevitably, you and your pals won’t want to eat at the same places. Even if you do, the huge crowds can separate you easily. Pick a place, such as the Art Institute lions, as a rendezvous point if you become separated and be patient while waiting. Don’t forget your cell phones, because it can take a pretty long time to get from place to place, especially if it’s as packed as it can get. But remember that huge crowds may make talking on the phone or even texting a challenging process, so it’s always better to have a backup spot just in case.
4. Plan ahead. Don’t be too ambitious or inflexible, though, if you come at a busy time, because otherwise you may go hungry before you get to the food spot you’re searching for. You don’t have to map out your projected route (too many variables!), but at least know who’s going to be there and what restaurants/events you’d like to try, although there are sure to be tasty surprises along the way. With at least a few appetizer, entrée and dessert offerings from each of the 70 different restaurants available and special events every day, you can’t do half the Taste if you don’t figure out beforehand what you want to do. You’ll find you’ve filled up on Chicago-style pizza before you even get to the barbecue. Or you’ll discover African cuisine, which you’ve never tried, only when you’ve filled up on Eli’s Cheesecake. Now that’s just wrong. Sometimes picking one of the events, such as a band you want to see, and organizing your Taste trip around the entertainment can be the way to go because then maybe you’re not so focused on (and frustrated by) the food situation. And watch out for those port-a-potties–they can get pretty rank at a food festival.
5. Bring your appetite! This is a food festival, and therefore it’s full of tasty offerings that will make your mouth water. There is no point in going if you don’t plan on being a little adventurous. Everything from homemade candy and ice cream to Italian and French and sausage sandwiches and famous Chicago places are represented here, and if you’re ever going to cheat on your diet this is definitely the time to do it.
The Taste of Chicago has spawned many imitators, but it’s still the premier foodie festival of all time. This year’s will be held starting this Friday, June 25 through July 4. They close off some downtown streets for this Grant Park event, so take note. There’s a huge slate of concerts and events, including the Race to the Taste, but take note: no fireworks this year–you’ll have to go to Navy Pier or do the North side or South side events instead. For more information on the events, plus a map so you can plan your trip and an iPhone app, go to the event website at www.tasteofchicago.us.
World Cup Fever
I was just at RAM Restaurant & Brewery last night, watching replays of World Cup games, and happy to see that to some extent, World Cup fever has caught on this year. RAM even features a World Cup lager right now. I know some Americans still aren’t sold about the World Cup, but if you imagine Super Bowl Sunday magnified to a one-month-long event and celebrated in every country in the world, there’s something profound in that, isn’t there? Then you can get a sense of how the rest of the globe sees the World Cup. It’s truly an amazing thing, and there’s a reason soccer is called the beautiful game.
Here in Chicago the celebration goes on at official, and unofficial, bars and restaurants across the city. You might be surprised at how much excitement there is even among us Yanks. Official bars and eateries participating in the event include Fado, Small Bar, Red Canary, Old Town Social and Cy’s Crab House. Unofficial ones–well, there’s no way I can know them all or even a fraction of them, but I’m always happy when I stop in to a favorite hangout and discover it’s celebrating the event as well.
You’ll probably have to check individual places to find out if they’re planning on opening up for the early morning games, which begin around 6:30-7 a.m. our time, but definitely consider going for the next U.S. appearances if you’re not working–this Friday at 9 a.m. and next Wednesday, June 23 at 9 a.m. Assuming the U.S moves out of its group (B), then there will be additional games as well.
Check out http://www.africachicago.com/watch.html for additional information on where you can enjoy the World Cup with great food and drink as you experience some excellent soccer. Go U.S.A.!
Last night I got an opportunity to participate in a “dress rehearsal”–a Schaumburg sports bar is opening tonight, and we were one of the lucky guests who got to come the night before to try the place before it opened.
I’ve never done this before, so I didn’t know what to expect. Upon entering we received highlighted menus and instructions in an envelope. My son played free video games while we waited for a table, and we were told to order only certain items off the menu. This way, we’d help test out the service and the food and give the staff some practice at their new positions. I would have loved to try the onion rings, but we got firecracker shrimp, Jessica’s chicken and avocado sandwich, and the Brick House cheeseburger. The shrimp was my favorite–I loved the sauce. If it had been on the side my son could have had some, because the sauce was just a tiny bit too spicy in spots for him, but I have no complaints. The other dishes were very decent but not special. The service had a few small blips to work out, but nothing big, and our food came super fast. Still, I suspect the draw of this place will be less the food and more the festive sports bar atmosphere.
The decor is eclectic–sports-related, of course, and predictably also music-related. There’s also an odd UFO theme going–UFOs, planets and a rocket ship hang from the ceiling in the first floor’s biggest dining room. We didn’t get to go up to the second floor, but we did check out the patio, and I can tell that’s going to be a big party! There’s a lighted bar out there, sand volleyball court, beanbag toss, grassy picnic area overlooking a pond (well, at least it would be overlooking a pond except for the trees). There are stages for dancing and live music both inside and out, and big flat-screen TVs placed strategically around the dining areas and the bar.
My biggest beef with this place is that, because I’m a huge soccer fan and the first World Cup game between South Africa and Mexico is taking place as I write, I had to ask about World Cup games. Maybe it’s just the one host, but he didn’t even know the World Cup was starting on the day Mad Mark’s opens to the world. That would be today. And I’m sure the place has the technology to put on the games if someone wants them. But this is just a personal preference. Whenever I walk into a sports bar I look for soccer-friendly memorabilia and such, and Mad Mark’s had nothing. It’ll probably be a great place to watch Bears games, but I’d love to think I could come within the next month or so and be guaranteed some soccer action.
Mad Mark’s Mystic Pizza opens today at 4 p.m for dinner. It opens for lunch at 11:30 on June 21.
Mad Mark’s Mystic Pizza
871 E. Algonquin Rd., Schaumburg
(847) 397-3100
www.madmarksmysticpizza.com
Brunching at the Tiztal Cafe
Yesterday I was uptown for a quick lunch with some of my cousins. One is in town for a wedding with his fiancee, whom I had never met. The other one lives in Chicago, and I see her not nearly as frequently as I’d like. We had a late lunch/early breakfast at the Tiztal Cafe, a cute and comfortable but unassuming little neighborhood spot (I missed it twice driving by) that puts all its personality into the food.
I have to admit that I went there wanting to try an oatmeal shake, which I hear is delicious, but with everything going on–meeting cousins, getting my son settled, parking, figuring out what I wanted to eat from the two menus–I plumb forgot about it and I’m totally kicking myself. To be honest, getting there right now through construction is a bit of a hassle but I really do want to go back and try that shake. Maybe I’ll make my husband take me some lazy Sunday morning, because that area is not one I regularly visit. We went because the house my cousin’s staying at was not far away.
A few of the people in our group had the chilequilas, which looked delish (wish I had a picture to show you but I apparently lost my camera just in time). I picked crepes with chicken and spinach and a chipotle sauce. My son had a strawberry-banana smoothie with apple juice, which he liked so much that he completely finished two. He also ordered quesadillas from the kids’ menu. The potatoes were excellent, the rest of the food was quite tasty, and I have nothing to complain about with the service. Especially since there were six of us total, and we kept filtering in at different times, which couldn’t have been that easy for them. They certainly didn’t mind us lingering over our food as we caught up on everyone’s lives.
Naturally I’m not able to try everything in one go, but the menu did have lots of tempting options, including strawberries and cream, pecan waffles, eggs Benedict, omelets, make-your-own-sundaes, a monte cristo, gravy and biscuits and chocolate chip pancakes. If you weren’t in a breakfast-y kind of mood, you could get wraps, burgers, quesadillas and fajitas. I’m actually not that much of a breakfast-food person, so I might do that the next time around. When I finally get my oatmeal shake.
The Tiztal Cafe
4631 N. Clark St. (Uptown)
(773) 271-4631
Located in the North Shore suburb of Glencoe, the Chicago Botanic Garden is easily reached by Metra train. And although of course its main focus is providing a sprawlingly beautiful, verdant and peaceful space full of gorgeous plantings, the Botanic Garden is actually a wonderful place for foodies during this time of year.
Every weekend from now until October 3, at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., demonstrations that are part of the Garden Chef series take place. Noted chefs from all over the Chicago area–city and suburbs–come to show off their skills. No reservation is needed; seating in the125-seat ampitheater is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The lineup for this year includes Joe Bova and Jeff Steinberg of Cookie Bar on 5/30; Alvaro Chavez of Depot Nuevo on 6/6, Michael Kingsley of Garden Cafe on 6/12, Susan Maddox of Le Titi De Paris on 6/19, Suzy Crofton of Crofton on Wells on 6/26, Andy Motto of Quince on 6/27, Christopher Tong of My Private Chef on 7/4, Gale Gand of Tru on 7/17, Carlyn Berghoff of Berghoff, 7/18, Janine MacLachlan of The Rustic Kitchen on 8/15, Randy Zweiban of Province on 8/21, Robert Packer of Karma on 8/29, David DiGregorio of Osteria Via Stato on 9/4, Michael Paulsen of Abigail’s American Bistro on 9/12, Doug D’Avico of Trattoria No. 10 on 10/2 and Christopher Seaton of Soundings Cafe on 10/3.
In addition to that, the Garden hosts its annual Wine Festival on 6/12-6/13 from noon-6 p.m. each day. Over 250 domestic and imported wines are available for tasting and for purchase here; local restaurants will offer food for sale, and music and seminars are featured as well. Wine and beer will also be available by the glass. Wineries, Chicago area chefs and restaurateurs and specialty food shops will be on-site, offering demonstrations and pairing seminars. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $28/$35 at the door.
Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend (part of the Garden Chef series) takes place here on 7/10-7/11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. During this special event, local chefs will give three daily cooking demonstrations with fresh Italian ingredients. Visitors receive plant and seed-packet giveaways and can participate in family activities as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar presentations. And naturally, there are tastings.
The Chicago Botanic Garden is free, but there is a parking fee of $20 per car (bigger vehicles cost more). For additional information on the culinary delights available here all season long, visit www.chicagobotanic.org.
This comfortable restaurant is a relatively new addition to the western suburban landscape. Chama Gaucha opened last fall in Downers Grove, and I was a bit skeptical at first because my husband is a vegetarian and frankly, I have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before. Good thing I tried it.
In case you’ve never done the Brazilian steakhouse experience before, this is how it goes: You get to indulge in a giant salad bar, then the meat service comes to your table along with unlimited sides. Here, the salad bar features fresh gourmet delicatessen items, fine cheeses, fresh veggies and a mix of salad. You also get a Brazilian cheese bread appetizer. The meat service here features 14 different selections of lamb, pork, chicken and beef carved right at your table. These include filet mignon, Picanha (prime cut of sirloin), Costela (beef rib), Frango a Luguica (pork sausage with marinated chicken drumstick and Cordeiro (rack of lamb). You can try all of them, or pick a few.
The sides that come with the meat service are mashed potatoes with cheese and green onions, polenta and fried bananas. Everything is tasty and elegant, and the service borders on too aggressive–the servers replaced our mashed potatoes four times just to make sure the dish was warm enough! And they not only took an interest in my child, they ran after us to return my son’s stuffed animal after the meal. This is an act for which I am, as a mom, forever grateful.
The drinks, too, are decent and reasonably priced. My five-year-old son, a lemonade connoisseur of sorts, drank two glasses of Brazilian lemonade and called it “the goodest lemonade of all.” My husband had Caipirinhas for the first time and found them to be quite tasty.
This having been the first Brazilian steakhouse I’ve ever visited, I honestly have no idea how it compares to others of the type. But I’m sold. Even my vegetarian husband and my picky son loved it here, so I’m currently trying to figure out when we can come back.
Your meal costs $32.50 here, not counting drinks and dessert. Chama Gaucha features valet parking, too.
Chama Gaucha
3008 Finley Rd.
Downers Grove, IL
(630) 324-6002
Achatz Does It Again
In case you haven’t heard yet, the man who started Alinea in Chicago is embarking on a new project. Grant Achatz’s Next Restaurant and The Aviary will open this fall.
The concept of Next: themed world cuisine from the Alinea team, changing four times a year. Each meal will be 5-6 courses, and meals will be paid for in advance so that no monetary transactions take place in the restaurant at all. Yep, that means you buy tickets. They’ll cost less for off-peak times, and ticket prices will also vary based on the menu ($45-$75). You can purchase wine and beverage pairings as well, starting at $25.
The Aviary is a bar/lounge concept where chefs create both classic and contemporary drinks and pairings. Here, you can simply walk in, view the drink kitchen and order.
This is exciting news for Chicago, since Alinea has really upped the culinary profile of the city. Alinea is also one of the very few international-class restaurants I’ve ever been to, thanks to a gift from my fantastic foodie little sister. This means I don’t have a lot of basis for comparison, but I can confirm that Alinea is wonderful. The service is second to none, the food is innovative and delicious, and the ambience is unique–like dining in an art gallery. So I’m really looking forward to what Achatz and company have in store, especially since it looks like this new project might be a bit more within my price range.
Check out information and a video on Next and The Aviary here. Visit Alinea on the Web here. Alinea is located at1723 N. Halsted. Call (312) 867-0110 for more information.
