Quick looks at some of the newest and soon-to-open restaurants.
Pluton
873 N. Orleans St.; 312-266-1440.
Chef Jacky Pluton of popular Jacky’s Bistro in Evanston has opened a more upscale restaurant in River North. Customers can choose 4, 5, 6 or 10 courses from a menu divided into appetizers, seafood, meat and poultry, cheese and dessert. Recent European- and Asian-inflected modern American dishes have included crispy Long Island duck with greens and grits, and Atlantic salmon with green tea and truffle sauce. Diners can choose multiple items from any one category. Tastings range from $59 to $99 (plus tax, tip and wine).
El Jardin Norte
1831 Tower Drive, Glenview; 847-729-9888.
The family behind Wrigleyville’s El Jardin opened a suburban location in Glen Town Center. Expect the same popular margaritas and Mexican dishes like carne asada and chile relleno, plus an expanded selection of seafood dishes, including red snapper in garlic sauce and grilled fish tacos. The interior is also a step up, with a wood-beamed ceiling and colorful wall mosaics. Entrees range from $4.95 to $16.95.
Moto
945 W. Fulton Market Ave.; 312-491-0058.
Fans of kitchen-science cuisine will love Moto, a new high-concept, high-tech restaurant in the warehouse district. Chef Homaro Cantu, formerly of Charlie Trotter’s, lets his imagination run wild with carefully constructed gee-whiz dishes like smoked watermelon soup with liquid-center mustard noodles and black bass steamed at the table in a plastic cube filled with Pacific Ocean water. Five- to 17-course tastings range from $50-$175 (plus tax, tip and wine).
Tre Via
1575 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-227-7990.
This stylish Wicker Park spot shares a kitchen–but little else–with casual eatery Santullo’s (which fronts on North Avenue). Chef Wayne Peluso’s menu offers upscale yet affordable Italian fare (the priciest dish is the $23 filet) in a laid-back, retro-loungey setting. Starters include a pizza Napoli with prosciutto, figs and arugula and ahi tuna carpaccio. Of the entrees, we recommend the pork filet, wrapped in prosciutto and served with wilted escarole, garlic mashed potatoes and a Chianti reduction. You’ll find a few tables up front, a spacious circular bar in the middle of the dining room and cozy booths around the perimeter. Entrees range from $12 to $23.
Butera
2200 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-525-8400.
John Butera, the man behind romantic wine bar Enoteca Piatinni, has opened a Lincoln Park steakhouse with a similar stamp. Intimate tables for two are scattered throughout the dimly lit dining room, where an open kitchen makes for culinary theatrics. The menu offers handmade pastas and Tuscan-themed steak, veal, chicken and seafood dishes. Entrees range from $15 to $29.
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Find more new restaurants in RedEye and at www.metromix.com.
