A roundup of restaurants recently reviewed by restaurant critic Phil Vettel.
302 WEST (star)(star)(star)1/2 302 W. State St., Geneva, 630-232-9302. Founding chef and owner Joel Findlay succumbed to cancer last year, but his lofty standards are being maintained by his wife, Katherine, and former protege Jeremy Lycan, now running the kitchen. Lycan brings a muscular style and a wider flavor range to 302’s food, but the things that made this restaurant great–a devotion to fresh fish and seasonal produce, abetted by sharp and intuitive service–remain. Save room for dessert; there are about two dozen offerings daily, with absolutely no wrong choices. Recommended: Squab potstickers, Cajun-spiced venison, halibut with asparagus-cream sauce, prosciutto-wrapped monkfish. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sat. Entree prices: $27.50-$36.50. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
BLUE WATER GRILL (star)(star) 520 N. Dearborn St., 312-777-1400. This new NYC import has a lot going for it, including excellent raw and sushi bars, some creative cooking by chef Dirk Flanigan and wonderful desserts by Elissa Narow. The dark and sultry interior comprises three dining rooms, sushi bar and a lounge that features nightly jazz. Recommended: Tortilla oysters, Himalayan rock tuna, chilled shellfish castle, halibut T-bone, berry crumble. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. Entree prices: $19-$49. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, smoking in lounge only.
CHINA GRILL (star) 230 N. Michigan Ave., 312-334-6700. Bring a fat wallet (one that belongs to someone else) and a big appetite to this hip-looking hotspot in the Hard Rock Hotel. Part of a chain with links in Miami, New York and Las Vegas, China Grill offers a menu of Chinese and pan-Asian creations, dramatically presented on family-style platters. Most of the food is just fine, but the sticker-shock ($33 for a Kobe-beef appetizer, $39 for a lamb-loin main course) is considerable. Recommended: Miso-glazed black cod, barbecued salmon, Bananas in a Box. Open: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Entree prices: $26-$58. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Valet parking (discount with validation), smoking at bar only.
COCO PAZZO (star)(star)(star) 300 W. Hubbard St., 312-836-0900. Things are outwardly the same at Coco Pazzo these days; the jazzed-up loft space is as sophisticated looking as it was when the restaurant opened nearly 13 years ago, and the menu is still a reliable repository of rustic Tuscan cuisine. The internal difference is that general manager Jack Weiss is now principal owner, having bought out the NYC people, and chef Tony Priolo, on board for six years, is now a partner. Priolo’s pastas are rich and soul-nurturing, his fish are paragons of perfection via simplicity and the risotto is a fail-safe specialty. Recommended: Risotto with prawns, veal ravioli, roasted sea bass. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $15-$35. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Valet parking, smoking at bar only.
THE DINING ROOM (star)(star)(star)1/2 Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 160 E. Pearson St., 312-573-5223. New chef Kevin Hickey is proving to be a capable successor to the departed Sarah Stegner, offering French-informed American cooking with an artist’s eye and a gastronome’s heart. The menu consists of several prix-fixe menus, most of which offer choices in all courses (but substitutions are graciously accommodated even in the top-of-the-line chef’s menu). Pacing could be tighter, but you really have to dig deep to find serious complaints about this operation. Recommended: Scallops Benedict, house-smoked salmon, foie-gras composition, veal with artichoke-sweetbread ragout. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun., brunch Sun. Prices: Prix-fixe menus $70-$110. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Hushed. Other: Wheelchair accessible, discounted valet parking, no smoking.
FRONTERA GRILL (star)(star)(star) 445 N. Clark St., 312-661-1434. Hard to believe that this restaurant turned 18 in March; Frontera always seems fresh and innovative and is surpassed in its field only by Topolobampo, Bayless’ more formal Mexican dining room next door. New to the mix is a raw-bar menu offering exclusively sustainable seafood, including excellent oysters and ceviches. But everything on the menu is terrific. Recommended: Ceviche de calamari, sea scallops in red-peanut mole, pistachio flan. Open: Dinner and lunch Tue.-Sat. Entree prices: $14.95-$24.95. Reservations: Same-day reservations accepted. Other: Wheelchair accessible.
THE GROTTO (star)(star) 1030 N. State St., 312-280-1005. A steakhouse in a neighborhood chock-full of them, The Grotto is nevertheless worthy of attention for its good looks, capable waitstaff and the solid cooking of chef Abraham Aguirre, who cranks the same Italian-American specialties that marked his tenure at the original Giannotti’s and Harry Caray’s. Good steaks and chops and one of the city’s best versions of Chicken Vesuvio are matched by a surprisingly deep dessert selection. Recommended: Carpaccio, red snapper oreganato, lamb chops, chocolate-chip cheesecake. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $14.95-$33.95. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended on weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, discounted parking (with validation).
JP CHICAGO (star)(star) 901 W. Weed St., 312-337-2001. Step into this artful bistro and you might think yourself transported to Paris, or at the very least to a movie set. But there’s little bistro purity in chef/partner Jason Paskewitz’ menu, which bears testimony to culinary influence far and wide. Nevertheless, the food is uncomplicated, good and affordable, augmented by a modestly priced wine list, and isn’t that what a bistro is all about? Recommended: Baked shrimp with feta cheese, foie gras with poached figs, roasted halibut, stuffed trout. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat. Entree prices: $17-$28. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Valet parking, smoking at bar only.
KAZE (star)(star) 2032 W. Roscoe St., 773-327-4860. What distinguishes this inviting 40-seat sushi spot from its myriad competitors is its specialty nigiri sushi, which are dressed with complementary sauces and toppings (banana peppers and black pepper with hamachi, enoki mushrooms and truffle oil with salmon), freeing diners from the tired old wasabi-soy dunk. Those, along with similarly conceived sashimi specials and well-executed traditional Japanese cooked items, make up the bulk of the menu. A few entrees–black cod and shrimp with almonds and chocolate sauce, venison in a sea of curry sauce–are fusion efforts that don’t yet succeed. Applaud the effort, then get back to the sushi. Recommended: Bluefin tuna nigiri, tuna loin sashimi, octopus sashimi, seafood hot pot. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $13-$15. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
LE FRANCAIS (star)(star)(star)(star) 269 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, 847-541-7470. Roland Liccioni, who ruled this kitchen through most of the 1990s, is back, cooking with the same vigor that marked his glory days at this temple of fine-dining. His menu is a stunning mix of old favorites and new creations, but his style is so light that only veteran patrons will be able to tell which is which. Abetted by a veteran front-room crew that brings a relaxed, unintimidating air to the experience, Liccioni has restored the magic to Milwaukee Avenue. Recommended: Double duck consomme, osetra-caviar gelee with foie-gras terrine, scallop cake, poached veal, raspberry souffle. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat., lunch Tue.-Fri. Entree prices: $35; seven-course dinner $90. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Hushed. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
LE LAN (star)(star) 749 N. Clark St., 312-280-9100. Four-star chefs Arun Sampanthavivat and Roland Liccioni collaborated on this ambitious French-Vietnamese hybrid, set in a beautifully decorated (if very noisy) River North space. Some of the dishes are heavenly, others are understated to a fault; desserts are particularly strong, and well-trained service is a definite plus. Recommended: Chile-steamed dumpling, kabosha soup, smoked squab, chocolate moelleux, dessert souffle. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat. Entree prices: $18-$32. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
MON AMI GABI (star)(star)(star) 2300 N. Lincoln Park West, 773-348-8886; 260 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-472-1900. The city original and its west-suburban clone are irresistible bistros that ooze Gallic charm. But the real draw is the solid food, from plats du jour such as stuffed quail over frisee to the various incarnations of steak frites. Recommended: Scallops gratinee, trout grenobloise, bacon-wrapped pork loin. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. (no lunch at Chicago location). Entree prices: $15.95-$29.95. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking available.
NACIONAL 27 (star)(star)(star) 325 W. Huron St., 312-664-2727. One of the first pan-Latin restaurants in the city, Nacional 27 has established itself as arguably the best. The menu and wine list have grown in size and sophistication, and chef Randy Zweiban’s cooking is stellar. The restaurant hits its lively peak on weekends, when the center of the dining room is cleared (around 10:30 or so) for Latin dancing to deejay music. Recommended: Ceviche sampler, smoked-chicken empanadas, pork adobado. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat. Entree prices: $13.95-$27.95. Reservations: Recommended. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, smoking at bar only.
OSTERIA VIA STATO (star)(star) 620 N. State St., 312-642-8450. “Trust the chef” is a common-enough practice in fine-dining circles, but this restaurant introduces the concept at a much lower price level. For about $36, diners select an entree and not much more: Executive chef Rick Tramonto and chef de cuisine David DiGregorio does the rest, sending out a parade of antipasti, from silken slabs of cured salmon to crisp wood-grilled radicchio with parmesan cheese, followed by a pair of pastas before the entree arrives. Desserts and drinks optional; there’s a fine all-Italian wine list offering bottles, quartinos (250 ml) and several fixed-price “Just Bring Me Wine” options. Recommended: Beef shortribs, polpettone, chicken Mario. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Sat. Prices: Dinner $35.95, lunch $17.95. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, smoking in bar only.
X/O (star)(star)(star) 3441 N. Halsted St., 773-348-9696. Inasmuch as the dining world has gone mad for small plates, restaurateurs should visit X/O to see how it should be done. Bob Zrenner’s creative plates manage to be undersized and easily shareable, vivid without being showy and are unfailingly interesting. Amy Lewis’ enticing wine list is cliche-free and fairly priced, and Jordan Rappaport’s desserts end each meal on a rousing note. Recommended: Crabcake duo, Chocolate Orgasm. Open: Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. Prices: Small plates, $6-$13.50. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Valet parking, late-night menu.
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Ratings key:
OUTSTANDING (star)(star)(star)(star)
EXCELLENT (star)(star)(star)
VERY GOOD (star)(star)
GOOD (star)
Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
