A roundup of restaurants recently reviewed by restaurant critic Phil Vettel.
CARNIVALE (star)(star)(star) 702 W. Fulton Market, 312-850-5005. Jerry Kleiner’s multi-level pan-Latin restaurant has the look of a hot nightclub and the price tag of a neighborhood eatery. Don’t call the melange of Caribbean and Central-American cuisine “Nuevo Latino,” however; chef Mark Mendez prefers “Latin soul food,” as his cooking is simple and homespun. Recommended: Fluke ceviche, mango upside-down cake. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $14-$35. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, $5 valet parking, smoking in bar only.
CUATRO (star)(star)(star) 2030 S. Wabash Ave., 312-842-8856. A contemporary South Loop spot with a nightlife vibe, Cuatro offers sophisticated surroundings and the multifaceted nuevo Latino cooking of Bryan Garcia, who flits from country to country and shifts from contemporary to traditional dishes with seamless ease. Recommended: Salmon-scallops ceviche, chocolate-truffle martini. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Tue.-Fri., brunch Sun. Entree prices: $12-$27. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
DEL TORO (star)(star)(star) 1520 N. Damen Ave., 773-252-1500. There’s a lot of bull about this restaurant, and I mean that in a good way. Horn-shaped lights jut aggressively from one wall, another wall boasts an animal-hide cover accented with artistic gashes; undulating curves on the bar and ceiling recall a matador’s cape, as does the back room, swathed in a multitude of red fabrics. Andy Zimmerman’s tapas menu includes just enough traditional dishes to establish credibility, but for the most part steers clear of the tried-and-true. Recommended: Cabrales and date croquettas, sashimi-style scallops, chorizo-stuffed calamari, bread pudding. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., brunch Sun. Tapas prices: $3-$16. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking.
FULTON’S ON THE RIVER (star)(star)(star) 315 N. LaSalle St., 312-822-0100. With its riverside location and historic-loft charm, Fulton’s looks every bit the sophisticated steak and seafooder that it sets out to be. The beef is all USDA prime; the seafood pristine and there’s just enough imagination in the menu to distinguish it from the rest of the pack. Summer and the outdoor-dining season meansthe dual riverside patios should contain some of the most sought-after tables in town. Recommended: Oysters, crabcake, tuna Three Ways, lamb chops, bread pudding. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $18.95-$46.95. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking.
MAY STREET MARKET (star)(star)(star) 1132 W. Grand Ave., 312-421-5547. This West Town charmer is a pure delight, from the inviting and beautiful physical space to chef/owner Alexander Cheswick’s clever seasonal-American menu, replete with novel flavor pairings and bereft of been-there-done-that combinations. The wine list, teeming with interesting choices, is priced very fairly, and offers most of its bottles at $40 or less. Recommended: Maytag bleu cheesecake, carrot-lemongrass soup, scallops over black orzo, white-chocolate semifreddo. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat., lunch Mon.-Fri., brunch Sat. Entree prices: $18-$36. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
QUARTINO (star)(star)(star) 626 N. State St., 312-698-5000. Perhaps the best of Chicago’s small-plate Italian concepts, Quartino abounds with $7 pastas, $5 salads and $12 entrees. You sacrifice white tablecloths to eat like this, and meal timing is nonexistent, but the menu is ambitiously large and the food is uniformly impressive. And the atmosphere, which juxtaposes old-fashioned deli cases with plasma TVs flashing subtitled Italian cinema, is invigorating, though noisy. Recommended: Fava bean panino, asparagus risotto, profiteroles. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $12. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, $5 valet parking.
RHAPSODY (star)(star)(star) 65 E. Adams St., 312-786-9911. Rhapsody is a restaurant attached to Symphony Center that has quietly become one of the best fine-dining options in the Loop, thanks to the unique stylings of Chef Doran Payne, who insinuates the flavors of his native St. Lucia into his cooking. He makes liberal use of fruit, for example, though the food reflects Payne’s European training more than anything. An aggressive beverage program, attentive service and a delightful outdoor garden are all pluses. Built as part of Symphony Center, Rhapsody serves first and foremost to feed the CSO subscribers enroute to performances, but Payne’s food makes Rhapsody a worthwhile destination even when–make that especially when–the performance space is dark. Recommended: Duck pastrami salad, gnocchi with shrimp, halibut with passionfruit butter, chocolate Symphony. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $21-$28. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
RIVA (star)(star) 2020 Calamos Ct., Naperville, 630-718-1010. This west-suburban Riva may not have the lake view (though there’s a nice landscaped pond to peer over) or city skyline vistas of the original Riva on Navy Pier, but with Charles Weber running the kitchen, the food out west might be a little better than the food downtown. Weber’s plates are picture-perfect, and every dish contains just a little more than you expect. A young but eager waitstaff keeps things running smoothly, and the white-tablecloth dining room, part of a contemporary office complex, is beautiful. Recommended: Bacon-wrapped scallops in tomatillo sauce, Alaskan halibut with crab canneloni, Key lime pie. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $17.95-$40.95. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, smoking at bar only.
SCHWA (star)(star)(star) 1466 N. Ashland Ave., 773-252-1466. Plenty of people pay handsomely to dine at “chef tables,” in order to observe and interact with the kitchen staff. At Schwa, that interaction comes at a relative bargain price, because although the entrees are in the upper-$20s and lower $30s, you bring your own wine. Though the food, by chef/owner Michael Carlson, is imaginative and artistic and reflective of Carlson’s work under uber-chef Grant Achatz, there is no army of servers to pamper you. Indeed, there is only Carlson and sous Nathan Klingball more often than not, which means the chef or sous will be the person taking your order. (Then again, there are only 28 seats, and Carlson is stingy with his reservations, which are a must.) The $85 degustation, a virtual menu tour, is probably the best way to go, though a la carte works fine as well. Just bring a variety of wines if you’re concerned about food matches. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sat. Entree prices: $21-$35. Credit cards: M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: No smoking.
SCYLLA (star)(star)(star) 1952 N. Damen Ave., 773-227-2995. Stephanie Izard is one sweet chef, which she demonstrates daily at her charming, 50-seat Bucktown restaurant. Izard works a little hint of sweetness into just about everything she cooks, but balances flavors so precisely that it never seems like overkill. Scylla takes its name from a mythological nymph-turned-sea-monster, but there’s nothing inhospitable about the charming and knowledgeable service or the intimate atmosphere. Recommended: Lobster profiteroles, escargot-stuffed figs, grouper with sweetbreads, beignets. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Entree prices: $17-$25. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Valet parking, no smoking.
TIMO (star)(star) 464 N. Halsted St., 312-226-4300. The eight-year-old French bistro Thyme has been transformed by chef/owner John Bubala into a rustic-Italian concept. Bubala continues to use his wood-burning rotisserie to great effect (particularly with chicken and lamb dishes), and one or two Thyme signatures remain on the menu. Indeed, they’ll probably like most of the new dishes. Recommended: Parmesan shrimp in vanilla nage, pineapple cake. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Entree prices: $18-$28. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking.
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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.
