LA Hound in for a long weekend; specific recs appreciated.

[a213b]

My wife and I will be flying in this weekend to visit with my sister, and we are looking for a little assistance in terms of our food/eating itinerary. This will be our first time visiting.

We arrive at Midway Thursday evening, and will be staying in the Park Hyatt for 4 nights. My sister is a student, thus we will be relying on cabs and public trans, as she does not have a vehicle. We got a suite, so she'll be staying with us all but the first night.

Also, we are lovers of the cheap eats just as much (if not more) than fine-dining, and are REALLY looking for a well-balanced and varied itinerary that will serve as an excellent introduction to Chicago for us, and a bit of an eye-opener for a cash-strapped college student like my sis.

Lastly, we have reservations for Alinea on Sunday evening at 6pm (earlier than I would normally want, but c'est la vie) - the longer Touring menu - to introduce my sister to the world of fine-dining ... and, to be honest, because we've REALLY wanted to go. In fact, the entire reason the trip is this weekend is because it's when we could get the reservation.

Ok, preliminaries aside, here are my questions/thoughts.

1) Looking for a later dinner Thursday (9:30ish), preferably near the hotel; this will just be for my wife and I. I'm NOT looking for any type of tasting menu, as we already cancelled our reservations at Trotters -- I'm sure we won't have the freshness nor energy to really handle 10 - 12 courses after flying in. So, less-formal a la carte or ethnic recs would probably be the best bet here. Or maybe even pizza? NoMI would be perfect, as it's in house, but the menu just seems really uninspiring to me. ... sigh ...

2) In general, we LOVE sweets/desserts -- any bakeries/patisseries that we just can't miss? What about specific restaurants that have amazing desserts? What specific desserts are awesome (looks like TRU might have some great ones). Maybe Hot Chocolate?

3) I've read a decent bit on your Mexican places, but I'm wondering is it worth it for someone who lives in SoCal to try them? We have TONS of authentic, regional Mexican here, which is why I ask. Same goes for Thai. Please don't take this as arrogance, just curious.

4) Fox & Obel is a must hit; I'm guessing lunch would be a good time to do this? Weekday/Weekend?

5) Looking for a few good recs around the University of Chicago. Great bar/grub dives, etc. I'm sure my sister will have some ideas, but it'd be cool to surprise her with some cheap, hidden gem she didn't know about.

6) I'm guessing the one true quintessential thing I can't miss is authentic Chicago pizza ... Uno/Due, Lou Malnati, Gino's East, Giordanos, Edwardos, etc. -- any of these should be a great intro, yes? I know this is discussed ad nauseam, but any ONE place (per each style, stuffed & deep dish) that we HAVE to hit?

7) Italian Beef and hot dogs; also "Must Taste", right? Portillo's and Hot Dougs (mmmmm, duck-fat fries) would work for these?

8) How's the NoMI Sunday Brunch? Worth getting, or should we consider somewhere else for breakfast/brunch on Sunday? We obviously don't want to kill ourselves, as this is the Alinea day.

Any other suggestions/idea?

Thanks! And we'll make sure to post a full trip report on this thread when we return to LA.

[what I want]

It sounds like you already have done a fair amount of research, but here's some thoughts in response to yours:

Thursday night late dinner -- RL is right across the street from your hotel. It features solid execution of classic dishes (Steak Diane, Dover Sole, etc.) in a comfortable, old-school club atmosphere (big leather booths and banquets, beautiful wood panelling, many dishes prepared table side from a cart). You won't get creativity, but I always have enjoyed the food and experience there. After a day of travel, it would be a good place to sit back, have a drink, and have a comfortable dinner.

I am not a sweet expert by any means, but I have been to Hot Chocolate several times and the desert there is good (as is the dinner and brunch). Others will respond passionately about bakeries.

Mexican -- Chicago places probably feature seafood less, although there are Mexican places here that do feature sea food. Most people would recommend Topolobambo/Frontera Grill; I have never been blown away.

Fox and Obel for lunch is a good idea. I am not sure the day of the week matters too much.

I am not a huge fan of stuffed or deep dish pizza, but most people who like it recommend Uno/Due, among others.

You will get various opinions about beef and dogs, but I think for the sake of convenience Portillo's can give you a primer on the traditional dog and beef. Hot Doug's is a twist on the traditional dog, with the fries you mention.

Never been to NOMI for Sunday brunch, but I am sure it is pretty good. If you are willing to explore some neighborhoods for brunch, M. Henry, Toast, and the Bongo Room are good and fun places to go (in addition to Hot Chocolate and other places).

You mentioned liking cheap eats and wanting some balance. You could go to Devon Street for good traditional Indian (try Bhabi's Kitchen), or you could go to Argyle Street for Vietnamese. If you want good gastro pub food, try Hop Leaf in Andersonville.

One other thought -- there's a lot of ground between Alinea and pizza, dogs, beef, and inexpensive ethnic places. There are lots of dining options that fall in between. You probably have read about many of these before, but if you are looking for some other dinner ideas you could try places like Aigre Doux, Naha, Cafe Spiaggia, Blackbird, OTOM, and many others. You won't be disapppointed by these places, and other people can recommend others.

Enjoy!

[nsxtasy]

Yes, it's great that you've already done some research and have some very specific questions. With so many restaurants here, in all categories, it makes it easier for us to respond. So without further ado (and using the numbers in your questions)...

1. Later dinner Thursday

You mention NoMI and refer to the website menu as uninspiring. I've eaten there for dinner and the food is superb; I think it's the most unappreciated of our finest restaurants. They're open till 10:00 and it's right in your hotel. The view from the dining room is wonderful. Those are the positives. One negative - since you're already going to Alinea, I'm not sure I would choose another one of our "top tables" during your trip, for the sake of variety. And I am also a strong believer in checking out a restaurant's menu beforehand; if it sounds like you will love it, or if it sounds like you won't, those feelings often turn out to be right.

If you still want to consider another of our "top tables" for Thursday evening, Avenues is in the Peninsula Hotel, right across the street from the Park Hyatt (although the entrance to the Pen is on Superior). And Spiaggia is a few blocks north, for the ultimate in Italian dining. However, I think you have a good point about not doing something so elaborate the moment you arrive.

If you want to do pizza, Pizano's on State and Giordano's on Rush are both a block or so from your hotel and both are excellent choices and are open late. Call ahead with your pizza order to avoid waiting 30-45 minutes while seated for your pizza to bake. However, pizza is also rather heavy if you're planning to go to sleep immediately afterwards.

Other places worth considering in the immediate vicinity of your hotel include Cafe des Architectes in the Sofitel, for contemporary French cuisine; Cafe Spiaggia, for mid-priced Italian; David Burke's Primehouse, in the James, for steaks; Shanghai Terrace, in the Peninsula, for upscale Chinese; Bistro 110, a French bistro, across the street from the hotel; and Le Colonial, for upscale Vietnamese food. I've enjoyed dining in the Lobby restaurant in the Peninsula, too; I'll mention it again when we get to desserts. Which is your next question...

2. Desserts and sweets

I've tried many of the bakeries/patisseries, and while many of them are good, there's no place I would rate as a "must not miss". Fox & Obel comes the closest and has some really good items; in particular, I love their breakfast baked goods - cinnamon swirl rolls, muffins, croissants. There are several places I like in outlying neighborhoods (Vanille Patisserie is the closest to downtown) and in the suburbs, but I still wouldn't rate any of them a "must not miss". If you'd like to read my specific thoughts about various bakeries, I've posted them in the cheese discussion at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/459457

The most amazing dessert experience in Chicago is the Chocolate Bar at the Pen. The Lobby restaurant in the Peninsula hotel (again, across the street from the Park Hyatt) has this special all-you-can-eat dessert buffet on Friday and Saturday evenings, 8-11 pm. It's not cheap (around $32 I think) but it's grand. They have maybe 40 different chocolate-based desserts, served in mini sized portions, which enables you to try all or most of them without necessarily stuffing yourself. The pastry chef in the Pen serves all their restaurants, including Avenues, so you're getting the best of the best. I've had the Chocolate Bar several times, and while I've found that many of the desserts range from just okay to pretty good, I always manage to find a few that are outstanding. You don't have to eat dinner there as well, but I have done so anyway, and found that the food (contemporary bistro) and service have both been excellent.

The dessert tasting at tru is another good option, but won't offer the variety (or the all-you-can-eat aspect) of the Chocolate Bar at the Pen.

I've been to Hot Chocolate and found that it's fairly good, but not the ultimate in desserts by any means. And you'd need to take a cab (or public) over there; it's maybe 3 miles from the hotel.

3. Mexican restaurants and Thai restaurants

Our most creative Mexican restaurants are very VERY different from what you get in Southern California (where I visit from time to time). Closest to your hotel, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo are very good, and so is Salpicon. A bit further are places like Tepatulco, the Real Tenochtitlan, and Fonda del Mar. There is a comprehensive listing of our more creative Mexican restaurants, including website links and public transit directions, in the discussion at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/463572 To answer your question about whether it's worth going for you, my suggestion is that you take a look at the menus on their websites, and use that as a basis to decide. (I'm guessing you'll find that the menus are very different from what you generally find at home.

)

As for Thai restaurants, I would give you the opposite response. In my experience, the Thai food in Chicago is not all that different from the better Thai restaurants you find in other cities (including SoCal). Our overall level of quality, particularly at our better Thai restaurants, is very high, but the menus themselves aren't all that different. Yes, a few places (like TAC Quick) offer some more unusual dishes among their daily specials and their special Thai language menu, but I haven't found them to be all that overwhelming (although I'm sure others would disagree).

Bottom line, if you find the Mexican menus appealing, I think they're worth spending a meal during your visit; I would not say the same about our Thai restaurants.

4. Fox & Obel

You can go to Fox & Obel any time. They are open 6 am to midnight, seven days a week. If you're getting food to go, time of day doesn't matter; if you're planning to have a meal in the café in the rear of the store, you can go whenever you think you would find that appealing. (They show the full café menu on their website, and the breakfast menu is available on weekends until 3 pm.)

5. University of Chicago

I'm not that familiar with the campus, but you'll find suggestions if you do a search for "Hyde Park" on these forums.

6. Pizza

Yes, it's been discussed extensively, and the places you mention are all excellent. You might want to take a look at the pictures on their website to see whether you would like to try the double-crust "stuffed" pizza (e.g. Giordano's), or the single-crust "pan" pizza (e.g. Lou Malnati's). I really like all the major chains you mentioned, and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. (If you really want to know my favorites, those would be Giordano's for stuffed and Lou Malnati's for pan, but I'm happy to go to the others mentioned without hesitation.) As I noted above, Giordano's on Rush and Pizano's on State are both about a block from your hotel. Or, you can got to Uno's, which is not far at Ohio and Wabash, and enjoy it where it all started in 1943.

7. Italian Beef and hot dogs

You can get both at Portillo's, a few blocks walk from your hotel at 100 West Ontario. You'll have to decide whether Hot Doug's is worth spending the time and money to go (it's a half hour by cab, over an hour by public transportation, and then you have to wait in line once you're there).

8. Sunday brunch

I honestly would not go to an all-you-can-eat brunch a few hours before going to Alinea. That being said...

I have not been to the all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch at NoMI, but it's such a great restaurant (based on having dinner there), I'm sure it must be excellent. For $55, it better be! This past Sunday I had the "American dim sum" brunch at David Burke's Primehouse, and it was excellent; you can see my full report at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/364403 Again, neither is a place I would go before Alinea.

We have some wonderful places that do an excellent breakfast all week long, but they tend to get very busy on Sundays. These include Kitsch'n River North (not far from your hotel) and Bongo Room (locations in the South Loop and Wicker Park, both a bit too far to walk). The big downside with these places is that they get very busy on Sundays, with long waiting times to be seated.

For both of these reasons, my recommendation would be to have Sunday brunch at a restaurant that (a) accepts reservations, and (b) serves a la carte, rather than an all-you-can-eat buffet. My number one recommendation is North Pond; not only is the food excellent (contemporary American emphasizing local and seasonal ingredients, from James Beard-nominated Chef Bruce Sherman), but the setting is exquisite and unique. It's in the middle of the park facing its namesake pond, with the city skyline towering overhead. If you sit in the outer room, you can have a view of the pond through the full-length window/doors, but even if you sit in the inner room with the open kitchen, it's fun. And brunch means you'll be there in daylight, which is a great way to appreciate the setting. It's a couple miles north of the hotel, a quick cab ride or you can take the #151 bus.

A couple of other good places that do a seated a la carte brunch and accept reservations include Atwood Cafe in the Burnham in the Loop, Sweets and Savories in Lincoln Park, and Salpicon for a Mexican brunch in Old Town.

Feel free to ask more questions, and enjoy your visit!

[a213b]

nxstasy,

Thank you SO much for your wonderful input. Your posts (along with many of the other Chicago board regulars) have been the foundation for my culinary plans while in town, and I'm grateful that you take the time to post such detailed and thoughtful posts.

It seems like, unfortunately, Hot Doug's might be out of the picture for this time (although I currently have it down as an alternate should time permit).

Using your guidelines, and others, we've tentatively planned the following itinerary, which is completely subject to change based on any of the three of ours whims.

Thursday night dinner: NoMI; a closer look at the menu leads me to find some pretty interesting dishes; this is still in the air, but a good possibility both because of a) the great recs it gets, and b) the fact we won't have to go far (and should be granted a little leeway, even, given that we're hotel guests).

Friday: Breakfast wherever, we might even convert lunch into brunch. Lunch at Fox & Obel, Pizza for dinner, and then the TRU dessert tasting menu.

Saturday: Breakfast wherever, possibly Hot Chocolate. Lunch at Portillos or another Italian Beef/Hot Dog place (Al's or Chickies?), Dinner at Salpicon/Frontera/Topo, and then the Chocolate bar at The Pen.

Sunday: Brunch at North Pond, Dinner at Alinea

Monday: Breakfast at NoMI, and then back to LA.

One question for you all ... are any of the pizza places by-the-slice? Or does one have to order a whole pie?

Thanks! We're SUPER excited!

[nsxtasy]

Sounds like a plan!

The one thing I might consider changing is the breakfast at Hot Chocolate (where I had Sunday brunch a couple of weeks ago). You might want to hit Bongo Room instead. Bongo Room has two locations, one in Wicker Park (where Hot Chocolate is), and the other in the South Loop. I know they get busy on Sundays, but I'm not sure whether the wait is all that bad on Saturdays. The reason I bring it up is that I have a sneaking suspicion (based on your love for desserts) that you enjoy sweeter dishes as well as savory ones for breakfast - and, despite the names and reputations, I think Bongo Room does a better job at the sweeter dishes than Hot Chocolate. Bongo Room does creative pancake dishes, combining pancakes with creative sauces; for example, I had blueberry pancakes with almond panna cotta sauce that were about the best breakfast dish I've had. What I also love about Bongo Room is that, instead of a full order of three pancakes, you can get a partial order of one or two pancakes at reduced cost. You can even mix and match pancakes and sauces. So when I go there, I order partial orders so that I can try two or three of the pancake dishes rather than limiting myself to one. Bongo Room changes their pancake specialties around fairly often, but if you want to get an idea of what they offer, you can view their menu by going to http://chicago.menupages.com/restaura...

Another comment - if you can, I would suggest making reservations in advance where possible, especially for Saturday evening. Many of the restaurants in Chicago, including NoMI, North Pond, Salpicon, and Topolobampo, accept reservations on opentable.com which makes it easy for you. (If a place is booked on opentable, sometimes you can still get a reservation by phoning.) I don't know whether you can/should use opentable if you're planning only desserts (such as the Chocolate Bar at the Pen, or the tasting at tru), as I've only had their dessert selections after eating dinner there; you might want to call and ask them. And Frontera Grill recently changed their policy and takes a limited number of advance reservations, although not on opentable and they still keep half the place for walk-ins.

To answer your question, some of the pizza places offer a "personal size" pizza; for example, the small 10" stuffed pizza at Giordano's serves 1-2 people, and Lou Malnati's offers an "individual" size 6" pizza. Also, the guidelines on their website menus are pretty accurate; for example, Giordano's says that their 14" serves 3-4 people, and it really does. (People accustomed to thin-crust pizza don't always expect a large pizza to serve that many, but it does.)

[a213b]

Thanks NS!

It's funny, but my wife was saying the same thing in re: Bongo Room vs Hot Chocolate. Although she's never been to Chicago either, from her research she seems much more excited about Bongo, so I'm sure we will hit there instead.

In terms of reservations, I've used OT as much as I can (I LOVE OT), and we have firm reservations at NoMI, North Pond, TRU, and Alinea (though, obviously not through OT for Alinea).

I called Frontera, and that doesn't look like it's happening; Topolo and Saplicon both only have super early res's, so we'll end up playing that by ear. In fact, I'll probably try calling again today and several times tomorrow and Friday to try and get a res.

Anyway, thanks for all the help!

[nsxtasy]

There are several very good alternatives for creative Mexican food if you can't get reservations at Topolobampo or Salpicon for this Saturday night. The only drawback is that they're a bit further from downtown.

I really love Mundial Cocina Mestiza. They have a website ( www.mundialcocinamestiza.com ) but they're not on opentable so you'd have to call. They're in Pilsen, a Mexican neighborhood 6 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, an easy cab ride or take the CTA (el/subway) Pink Line to 18th Street. If you can get a reservation there, do it!

Real Tenochtitlan is a new restaurant from Geno Bahena and they ARE on opentable, which is showing openings for this Saturday. They're in Logan Square, 7 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, about halfway between the California and Western stops on the CTA Blue Line. Bahena also has Tepatulco, in Lincoln Park, which is not on opentable. I also like Fonda del Mar ( www.fondaonfullerton.com ), which is in Logan Square but a bit further from the Blue Line, not on opentable. All of these are excellent. Also very good, maybe not quite as good as the others but close, is Adobo Grill, which has two locations pretty close to downtown and is on opentable. You'll find information on these and other Mexican restaurants at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/463572

[jbw]

If I had one place to go to treat a student near U of C, and one which the student may not know too much about, it would be La Petite Folie. Certainly not a dive/bar but as French restaurants go, it is not very expensive, and a particularly good choice for lunch:

http://lapetitefolie.com/

My second choice would probably be Dixie Kitchen, a bit more grub-oriented than the above, but certainly respectable and not particularly expensive:

http://www.dixiekitchenchicago.com/

One additional suggestion for Thursday nite. I'm not a great proponent of Bistro 110, but if I were arriving late on a Thursday nite at the Park Hyatt, and I wanted to find a place to settle down with very little fuss and still have a shot at decent French-bistro meal (at a time when most of the tourist crowds have probably already swept through) Bistro 110 would be high on my list.

[pamiam]

Regarding dessert: if you're not booked on Friday or Saturday late-night (or even Thursday, if you'd rather grab a salad and chow on some great dessert before going to bed), the dessert tasting at TRU would be a shame to miss. I understand nsxtasy's point about the Chocolate Bar, but I completely disagree. Unless you are only interested in chocolate, the breadth of desserts you will get at the TRU tasting will be far greater. It's nominally 5 courses, but there's also an amuse, mignardises (as many as you want), truffles (as many as you want), a sweet bite to take home, and often, a mid-course palate cleanser. Additionally, many of the courses have multiple parts, and if you're a party of 2 or 3, each person will get different desserts for the "main courses." Thus, you'll end up tasting nearly as many things, and they'll have a wider array of flavors. The dessert tasting is only $25, and well worth it.

[a213b]

Pam, this is an AWESOME rec! I wasn't quite sure if I understood the concept from TRU's website, but I am ALL over this. I'll call first thing in the morning to get a res.

Thanks for the help!

[deesher]

a213b,

I'll do my best not to comment on the balance of your itinerary, but you may want to consider Saturday breakfast at the Frontera Grill. They have an interesting combination of breakfast and lunch items and it is generally much less crowded on Saturday morning, particularly around opening time. I also might try to find a substitute for Fox and Obel. While I purchase groceries there frequently, my experiences in the restaurant (admittedly just two) have been less than exciting.

[a213b]

Ok, we're back, and after a week to recover, I thought I'd start posting reviews. I'll post them as I get each one done, but bear with me as it will take a few days.

Our dining experiences ran the gamut. The following is the itinerary we ended up eating:

Thursday: Dinner at NoMI
Friday: Lunch at Fox & Obel, Dinner at Gino's East, Dessert Tasting at TRU
Saturday: Lunch at Portillos, Dinner at Frontera Grill
Sunday: Brunch at Bongo Room, Dinner at Alinea

NoMI:

Thankfully we cancelled our 9:30 reservation at Trotters, as our flight ended up getting delayed and we did not leave the airport for the Park Hyatt until 9:15pm. As we had made 9:45 reservations at NoMI, I called as soon as we landed and told them we were running late, but would be at the restaurant dressed and ready by 10:00, 10:15 at the latest.

Unfortunately our first experience with the restaurant was less than stellar. Upon telling them we were running late, as well as that we would be guests of the hotel, I was told that positively without doubt NO ONE could be seated after 10:00pm. Now, if this is a city ordinance, then I apologize and have no reason for complaint. But if it's not, I was a bit frustrated by their complete lack of flexibility. We ended up making it to the hotel, whereupon check-in I reminded the front desk of our reservation and they called the restaurant, yet even though it was 9:50, the same hard-line stance was taken.

We RACED to our room, hurriedly changed, and RACED down to the restaurant, literally getting to the Host’s desk at 9:59. Whew … just before the bell.

This was not an auspicious beginning for our meal here, but we decided to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy our meal.

Gripes aside, this is a beautiful restaurant. The wine bar when you first walk in is really cool, with wall-to-wall wine ranks and two marble-topped tasting tables (one on either side of the walkway through). The bar/lounge area is also quite lux/hip, with a good bit of comfortable seating and tables, as well as a classic bar.

And the restaurant? Stunning! We were seated right at the window overlooking Water Tower Park, and even though it was late in the evening, we had a very lovely view. Also, I loved that the kitchen was completely open, and the art-nouveau blown-glass chandeliers were truly captivating.

Our server arrived within a few minutes of seating, and I immediately ordered a Tom Collins to relax while we looked over the menu (with which we had familiarized ourselves online before leaving Los Angeles). At this point we were getting quite hungry, and looking forward to our meal. We made our menu selections, and awaited the return of our server.

And waited … and looked around for some bread … and waited … Finally our server returned, and we placed our order while also asking for a little bread.

For which we waited … and waited … and … well, you get the picture. It was finally brought, but not significantly before our apps.

At last, time for the food. My wife ordered the Pumpkin Soup with Duck Confit to start, while I ordered the Truffle & Foie Gras Crème Brulee.

The Crème Brulee was OUTSTANDING. While I am normally not a lover of terrine/torchon/pate (basically anything but seared) Foie Gras, this was truly delicious. A decadent dish, I could not get enough of it. The earthiness of the black truffles melded perfectly with the crispy crunch of the caramelized sugar, which was perfectly balanced by the silky-smooth fatty-goodness of the foie gras. Ooo la la, this is one of the more innovative and best-tasting foie dishes I’ve ever had. Simply superb!

The pumpkin soup was rich, thick (but not heavy), and creamy … delicious pumpkin flavor coating the palate with each sumptuous bite. Unfortunately, the duck confit destroyed the dish. It was lukewarm, rubbery, and off-flavor. Off the 5 or 6 pieces, we did not even eat them all. They just were NOT good. Thankfully, at least, they could be pushed aside and the soup itself enjoyed, but while we enjoy pumpkin soup, it was the duck confit that attracted us to the dish, and for that reason the dish was a failure.

As for the mains … my wife ordered the Green Apple Risotto with Confit Pork Belly while I ordered the Dry Aged Beef with Bacon Beignets.

The Risotto was REALLY good. I’m a bit of a risotto fanatic, making sure it gets ordered EVERY time it is on a menu – we also both love, Love, LOVE pork belly, so this dish was right up our alley. The risotto rice (Arborio, if I recall correctly) was just the tiniest bit too al dente, but that is my ONLY complaint – and one I will gladly take with any risotto ordered, since most restaurants seem to REALLY screw up the texture of the dish.

And what goes better than Pork and Apples? This had an exquisite, creamy texture, with the rich, sumptuous, buttery goodness of the pork belly (with the hint of a perfectly cooked crispy skin) paired perfectly with ever-so-subtle tart-y bitterness of the cider gastrique. While neither one of us is a huge lover of baby turnips, they worked to perfection in this dish, providing a nice contrast in textures between all of the creaminess with a nice, solidly crispy crunch. This was simply a fantastic dish, and one I would recommend almost as much as the Foie Gras Crème Brulee.

As for the Dry Aged Beef, this was good without being remarkable or memorable in the slightest. In fact, the most note-worthy aspect of the dish was the creamed-bacon beignets. The steak was cooked well, but a bit under-seasoned. It worked better with a bite of the beignets, but the bacon came through so strong that it would quickly overwhelm the dish in all but the most miniscule of amounts. This was an interesting dish in theory, but the execution came off a little lacking. And while I’m willing to chalk it up to a less than stellar piece of meat, I have had many a better rib eye at a variety of other restaurants. I would recommend one take a pass on this dish.

With the up-and-down nature of the meal, we decided only to order one dessert to share between the two of us, and ended up selecting “The Harvest”.

This consisted of Vanilla Roasted Pumpkin and a Pomegranate, Caramelized Pumpkin-Seed Cake. Unfortunately, despite sounding delectably delish, this was an imminently forgettable dish – literally so. I had to call the restaurant and find out what we had, and this but only a week later. We both recalled thinking it was fine, certainly not a tasteless or disgusting dessert, but not one that kept our interest even after walking out the doors.

All in all, our meal was certainly a mixture of highs and lows. While I only touched on the policy component of the service, our server lacked any emotional connection with us … and while not unpleasant, he was perfunctory and an overall slight negative to the meal. Service in general seemed disjointed … certainly not polished and smooth like in the other restaurants we visited on our trip. I would rate it a 6/10

The setting/ambiance was beautiful; calm and soothing, chic yet non-pretentious. I would give it a 9/10.

The food, as I wrote, was up and down, with some courses being simply sensational and others pedestrian at best. I would be willing to try it again, and I think it’s a matter of finding the inspired dishes on the menu versus the “filler”. I would give it a 7.5/10.

Overall, I would rate NoMI a 7.5/10

[BRB]

Thanks for the excellent and detailed write-up. Glad to hear you enjoyed the foie gras creme brulee . . . easily my favorite dish there. But I'm disappointed to hear that not everything was up to par . . . it should have been. But at least you experienced some of the highs of the restaurant.

Looking forward to your other reviews.

[a213b]

Yes, that Foie Creme Brulee was simply superb!

Like I said, this meal probably suffered a little from the rushed nature of getting there and getting ready in time, plus the aforementioned service issues.

That being said, I would certainly be willing to try NoMI again, and think (as I said) that the difference between a good/solid meal and a great meal there is simply a matter of finding the right, "inspired" dishes.

[uhockey]

Will be following the reviews. LOVE the detail.

[a213b]

Thanks for the appreciation uhockey.

I have to admit, I'm only trying to live up to your reviews on your massive Vegas post. In fact, I'll be there in a couple weeks, with a very similar itinerary to yours, and I am PUMPED!

[nsxtasy]

Yes, thanks so much for the write-up! Often it's very important for us locals to hear what outsiders think about our own recommendations, to help put our own experience into a broader perspective.

Looking forward to hearing about the other places you ate - keep 'em coming!

[a213b]

You're welcome ns!

Truthfully, it was the help of you and other posters that allowed me to formulate my itinerary, so I'm only happy to help pay it forward and write up my thoughts!

[a213b]

Fox & Obel:

We met my sister around noon on Friday, and walked over to Fox & Obel to check it out and grab a bite of lunch.

This is a really cool store; I feel like we have some that are similar in LA, but not any that are as comprehensive. They have a great selection of a wide variety of gourmet culinary items, and I know that this would be a regular stopping point for me to purchase select items were I to live in Chicago.

To get to the little café, you have to walk to the back and the left from the entrance. It was pretty hopping at lunch hour (around 1:00pm when we arrived), but we had no problem ordering and finding three seats together at one of their seating bars.

For those who don’t know, their menu is hung above a couple of refrigerated cases that contain a variety of sweets and goodies, and you order deli-style (just go to the cashier, place your order, you’ll receive a number and then take a seat – your food will be brought to you).

My sister and I decided to split their Black Angus Steak Burger, which we had topped with white cheddar cheese (along with the usual accoutrements). This comes with a side of French Fries, although in my infinite idiocy, I misread the menu and thought it came with the French Fries tossed with Pecorino Romano and Truffle Aioli. Once I realized it didn’t (when the food was brought), I went up and ordered a side of those as well.

My wife took advantage of the nice Pairings menu, which allows one to choose a half portion from any two of three sections – Soups, Sandwiches, and Salads. She ended up choosing the Tomato Basil soup and the Turkey, Cranberry and Brie sandwich.

First, the burger …

This was a good burger, cooked exactly as we ordered (medium). I could tell it was made from good, ground sirloin, and not ground chuck, and the white cheddar cheese used provided a perfect, sharp bite to contrast with the deep, rich, meaty flavor. This was a good burger (as evidenced by the fact that I inhaled it), cooked perfectly, dense and meaty. The bun was a step above your average burger bun, but otherwise not remarkable.

The (Regular) French Fries were a letdown. I’m a French Fry aficionado, and these seemed like they came straight out of the freezer bag. Cut small like traditional Pommes Frites, these were stuck in that in-between limbo of not crispy enough, nor contrastingly not salty, greasy limp enough. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t terrible, but I certainly would not say one needs to make a point of getting them.

The Pecorino Romano/Truffle Aioli Fries were better, but only because … well, hey, who doesn’t love more cheese and truffles? These were basically the same fries, but dusted with a healthy (and I mean “HEALTHY”) dose of finely shaved Pecorino Romano and coming with a plentiful side of the Black Truffle Aioli. The aioli was nice and thick, though I suspect it came from a jar (a nice one, mind you) and was not fresh made.

Regardless, it tasted lovely; thick and creamy with that luscious mayo-black truffle taste. I don’t think this was a “true” aioli, as my understanding is that aioli, by definition, must contain garlic and this did not (nor did it need to). Nevertheless, if one MUST get the fries, do upgrade and get them with the Pecorino Romano and the Black Truffle Aioli, as that makes a substantial difference in taste.

Next, the soup …

This was a good, not great soup. A heavily cream-based soup, which is certainly fine by me! Pureed well, with a few smaller tomato chunks and basil bits, this was just a good, nice cup of soup to have on a cool (but not cold day). I do wish I could be more specific, but I only had the smallest of bites, and while I remember thinking it good, it didn’t leap out enough at me to leave an indelible impression.

Lastly, the sandwich …

I didn’t get a taste of this at all, but my wife did tell me that it was really good. Not the best sandwich she’s had by any stretch, but a nice, well-composed sandwich. The brie, she said, worked really well with the turkey and the cranberry to make a sort of higher-end “Thanksgiving Preview” sandwich. She ate the whole thing, and with nary a complaint, so it must’ve been pretty tasty!

So, to sum up, our meal was a nice, lunchtime meal. The server at the counter was both pleasant and patient when taking our order (as well as the orders of other patrons, I observed). Our food arrived in a timely manner, even though it was a full-ish house, and the utensils/napkins stations are easily accessed. My one complaint is that there is ice-water available that I did not know about until after I ordered, so I ended up getting a bottle of water where I normally would not have. So lesson learned, and know before you go!

In terms of the food, my overall impression was that it was good, hearty and satisfying, but not life-changing or mind-boggling. I don’t think I would make a special trip to come here solely for the purpose of eating, but were I shopping here and hungry or working nearby, I would absolutely stop in for a nice, lightly refined spin on a typical deli.

I would give the store a 9/10 and the café a 7.5/10

[a213b]

Gino’s East:

After a wonderful Halloween day spent exploring the University of Chicago campus and the Hyde Park area in general on foot, we were ready to get down and dirty, Chicago-style and dig into a famous deep-dish pizza.

My sister is a big fan of Uno/Due, so we thought it would be great to give Gino’s East a try, so she could experience something different and give us her opinion.

We went to the one literally right around the corner from the Water Tower Park area – I think it was by a Nordstrom’s or Neiman Marcus (some type of department store). I’m not sure if it was because it was Halloween, but we were able to walk right in and be seated in less than 5 minutes. The restaurant was bustling but not jam-packed.

After a quick perusal of the menu, we decided to order two small pizzas between the 3 of us, with the full intention of not planning on finishing either of them and bringing the remainder back to our hotel. We opted for the Cheese & Famous Sausage (crumbled, not patty-style) and Supreme.

While we waited the 45 minutes or so for our pizzas to arrive, I took an opportunity to poke around the restaurant. While it’s cool that you can scribble your name and a message anywhere on the walls, the space seemed a little too “generic dive-bar/pizza joint” for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly not a turn-off, but I didn’t feel any emotional connection, or great sense of place and moment while there. Granted, this is not the original (which I later discovered to be not much further in distance from our hotel), but I did want to mention that I think I would try the original one versus this one. Even from the exterior it seemed to have more character.

That being said, we had great conversation and laughs whilst waiting (as well as a couple beers), and were approaching starving when our waitress brought our two pizzas out.

First impressions …

Holy Crap! These were two, gooey, bubbling, molten hot, d-e-e-p DEEP crusted pizzas, with thick, rich red tomato sauces oozing and toppings beautifully intermeshing with globs of cheese.

This, my friends, is what a deep dish pizza should look like!

Our waitress - using a set of pliers in one hand to hold the still scorching-hot pan still - went ahead and cut each of us a slice of our desired pizza, and with a “Cheers!” we dug in.

Mmmmmmm … I’ve never had pizza quite like this. I could drink the tomato sauce just by itself, and the cheese? Oh dear god, thankfully there were three of us because I could see patrons or staff having to perform the Heimlich Maneuver several times a night solely because of the thick, viscous, gooey, melting cheese.

Seriously! I would find myself eating a bite and trying to swallow it with the cheese just charging down my throat like Brian Urlacher seeking out a RB to destroy. This was cheese on a mission!

And that crust! It was like eating a hunk of bread, with the exterior nicely thick and crispy and the interior more like a softened, tomato soaked piece of dough (but still completely cooked).

The toppings were good, but quite honestly I would eat this pizza cheese and tomato sauce only, since those two (along with the crust) simply overwhelm everything else. Plus, this is pizza as art, and I fervently believe it should be enjoyed in its purest, most unadulterated form.

Even though we ordered two smalls, we ended up only eating one whole pizza (and maybe a single extra slice) combined between the three of us. Granted, we were trying not to kill ourselves knowing we still had the dessert tasting at TRU later that evening, but we were all comfortably full with our couple slices each. One certainly could eat more, and I probably would have any other night, but I would suggest first-time visitors order several "Small"s for variety’s sake, rather than one or two "Medium"s or "Large"s.

I would rate the setting a 7/10, the service an 8/10 (keeping in mind this is a pizza joint and not fine-dining), and the pizza as follows:

Crust - 8/10 The bottom/interior back was a 9/10 and the back or “wall” a 7/10

Tomato Sauce - 8/10 Rich and tomato-y, more spicy than sweet – although without much “heat” – it’s like a chunky, non-cream based tomato soup

Cheese - 9/10 It’s not that the cheese was the greatest quality or most amazing flavor, but all-together its consistency was perfect, albeit a potential health hazard ;-)

I would give Gino’s East an 8/10

p.s. – on a side note, my sister did say she prefers Uno/Due more, because theirs is more of a sweeter sauce, but that this was perfect for the evening with an impending dessert explosion awaiting us.