A roundup of restaurants recently reviewed by restaurant critic Phil Vettel.
AGAMI * 4712 N. Broadway, 773-506-1845. Red quilted-leather seating, moonscape wall treatments, video displays — is this a restaurant or an Epcot ride? Agami’s jazzed-up interiors are clearly intended to attract a younger set to this still-gentrifying stretch of Uptown, but those who stay for the sushi are apt to be impressed with the kitchen’s careful, sometimes playful concoctions. The few entrees on the menu tend to be hit-or-miss, but the sushi bar is very reliable. Recommended: Filet mignon spring roll, tuna-softshell maki, mackerel nigiri. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun. Prices: Maki rolls $12-$18. Credit cards: A. DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking weekends.
CAFE MATOU *** 1846 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-384-8911. A 60-seat cafe with handsome oak French doors and eye-catching abstract art, this edge-of-Bucktown hangout is almost too comfortable to be a bistro, despite Charlie Socher’s excellent French cooking and neighborhood-friendly prices. An ambitious wine program and well-informed service are icing on the cake. Recommended: Beet-rocket salad, gruyere-stuffed quail, blanquette de veau, parfait glace. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Entree prices: $17.75-$21.50. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible (front entrance one step, back entrance available), no smoking.
ENTOURAGE **1301 American Lane, Schaumburg, 847-995-9400. The cocktail-shaker-shaped front window is a clue to how seriously this sophisticated restaurant takes its beverage program, from its not-the-usual-suspects wine list to a cocktail list that includes $75-plus “luxury” blends (in a keepsake, hand-painted glass). But Entourage is serious about its food, an approachable, contemporary-American menu. There’s more solid execution than originality, but most dishes work fine. Recommended: Tuna tataki, macadamia tilapia, prime rib, white-chocolate cheesecake. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $15.95-$42.95. Credit cards: A, DC, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, smoking in lounge only.
FIXTURE * 2706 N. Ashland Ave., 773-248-3331. When is a small-plates restaurant not a small-plates restaurant? When it’s this year-old, 30-seat neighborhood spot, where chef Sarah Nelson cranks out portions that are about the size entrees would be if anybody listened to nutritionists’ advice. Choose judiciously among the three-dozen menu items, therefore, because three is all you’ll manage. Recommended: Chicken croquettes with caponata, chile-marinated lobster ceviche, suckling pig with habanero barbecue sauce, orange cheesecake. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Prices: Small plates $6-$13. Credit cards: DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
GINGER ASIAN BISTRO ** 15700 S. Harlem Ave., Orland Park, 708-633-1818. This south-suburban surprise has a chain-restaurant look (it’s a converted Damon’s Grill) and a chain-sounding name, but forget the packaging. Inside, you’ll find intriguing, generally well executed Asian fusion cuisine by chef Kelvin Cheung (whose father owns Chinatown’s Phoenix restaurant). Sometimes the chef’s ambition exceeds his grasp, but his occasional flashes of brilliance, as in his startling daikon ravioli, make the trip worthwhile. Recommended: Thai-curry crabcakes, ginger creme brulee. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun., lunch Tue.-Fri., dim sum Sat.-Sun. Entree prices: $12-$23. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
GRAZE **35 W. Ontario St., 312-255-1234. Chef Bob Zrenner and pastry chef Jordan Rappaport — two of the three principals behind the highly regarded X/O in Lake View — have taken their talents downtown, and the result is this delightful small-plates concept, wherein for the price of an upscale entree elsewhere, one can sample two to three compositions. There are one or two faint echoes of X/O nibbles on the Graze menu, but mostly Zrenner is up to new tricks, and just about all of them work. If only that goofy firewood-and-sunflower decor weren’t so distracting. Recommended: Celery-root tortellini with oxtail, trio of soups, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, caramelized cheesecake ravioli. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. Prices: Small plates $6-$14. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
KODA ** 10352 S. Western Ave., 773-445-5632. Although owners Janice and Patrick Daley have been praised for opening this bistro in the restaurant-deprived Beverly neighborhood, the truth is that Koda would be a welcome addition just about anywhere. Chef Aaron Browning brings a lot of experience to a menu that incorporates French classics with more contemporary dishes, and just about everything sings. Service needs polish, but is certainly friendly and eager enough, and in addition to a handsome, understated dining room, there’s an adjacent lounge whose comforts are no doubt appreciated by the people waiting patiently for a table. Recommended: Tart flambee, scallops over risotto, roasted salmon, chocolate-espresso cake. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Entree prices: $14.50-$27. Credit cards: A, DS, M, V. Reservations: Accepted. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, parking lot, no smoking.
MEIJI *** 623 W. Randolph St., 312-887-9999. Arguably Chicago’s finest Japanese restaurant, Meiji appeals to the sushi purist, offering ingredients that competitors disregard (such as fresh wasabi). The interior is frill-free but nevertheless attractive and comfortable, the sake offerings are impressive and even the desserts, which bear an unmistakable Western accent, are worth exploring. Recommended: Meiji gunkan, oysters kampai, hari roll, ginger creme brulee. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Prices: Maki rolls $11-$16. Credit cards: A, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
NICHE ***14 S. Third St., Geneva, 630-262-1000. Once there was a stellar contemporary-American restaurant in the Fox Valley called 302 West. When that restaurant was sold in spring 2006, its chef, wine directors and most of the other staffers banded together to open this cozy 72-seater a half-year later. Fans of the old 302 will find plenty of similarities in Niche’s scrupulously seasonal menu and unerring seafood preparations, but this impressive newcomer is definitely a new chapter for chef Jeremy Lycan, manager/sommelier Jody Richardson, and crew. Recommended: Smoked sturgeon, grouper with crawfish, pecan-crusted walleye, roasted duck breast, chocolate assortment. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sat. Entree prices: $27-$32. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
NOMI***1/2 Park Hyatt Chicago, 800 N. Michigan Ave., 312-239-4030. This showpiece of the Hyatt hotel group is a very expensive restaurant, yet time and again Christophe David’s exquisite French cuisine and NoMI’s luxuriously appointed interior justify the tariff. NoMI’s dramatic seventh-floor views of the historic Water Tower and the surrounding cityscape are icing on the cake. Recommended: Truffle tart, veal loin with sweetbreads, turbot, Majari chocolate dome. Open: Dinner and breakfast Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. Entree prices: $36-$50. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
PANE CALDO **72 E. Walton St., 312-649-0055. Although it sits on one of the Gold Coast’s most tony streets, this 70-seat jewel is anything but ostentatious, though it’s comfortable enough (comically small restrooms aside). Veteran chef Maurice Bonhomme adds a French lilt to the nominally Italian menu, seen in his complimentary amuses and his complex, understated sauces. The wine list is broad and impressive. Recommended: Lobster mille-feuille, black-grouper ceviche, mushroom risotto, chocolate trio. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $31-$37; tasting menu $69-$95. Credit cards: A, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Hushed. Other: No smoking.
SEQUEL*** 44 Yorktown Center, Lombard, 630-629-6560. Beset with mid-priced chain competitors, Steve Byrne closed his beloved Bistro Banlieue and remade it into a more upscale contemporary-American with fewer seats, white tablecloths, crystal stemware and other niceties. Free from the restrictions of the bistro label, chef Mark Downing is cooking with renewed vigor and creativity, and the addition of pastry chef Matthew Sayers has elevated the dessert selection considerably. Recommended: Diver scallop over braised oxtail, tiger shrimp with snow crab in miso broth, pear-lacquered duck breast with lingonberry demiglace, cashew panna cotta with curry sauce. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat. Entree prices: $18-$28; tasting menu $70. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Hushed. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
ZOCALO ** 358 W. Ontario St., 312-302-9977. The former Chilpancingo space has had its carnival colors muted to soothing earth tones, but Saul Roman’s Mexican cooking is plenty eye-opening on its own. About three-quarters of the menu consists of small-plate dishes priced from $6-$9, though there are 10 entrees for those who prefer more traditional dining. Service is a bit by the numbers but keeps up with the speedy kitchen. Recommended: Guacamole trio, fish tacos, octopus ceviche, pork tenderloin, steak Oaxaqueno. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $14-$22. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking, no smoking.
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Ratings key:
OUTSTANDING ****
EXCELLENT ***
VERY GOOD **
GOOD *
SATISFACTORY
UNSATISFACTORY
Reviews are based on no fewer than two visits. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.
