A roundup of restaurants recently reviewed by restaurant critic Phil Vettel.
BISTRO MONET **
462 Park Blvd., Glen Ellyn; 630-469-4002. For those who love French tradition at reasonable prices, in a room so quiet that one can rediscover the lost art of dinner conversation, Bistro Monet is your new favorite restaurant. Recommended: Chicken-liver mousse, skate wing, dessert souffle. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun. Entree prices: $22-$26. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Hushed. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
BLU 47 *
4655 S. Martin Luther King Drive; 773-536-6000. Despite a total lack of exterior signage on its building, the 47th Street Market Place, this prettily decorated Bronzeville restaurant, across the street from the Harold Washington Cultural Center, draws plenty of customers, thanks to a kitchen that cranks out reliable, modestly priced Southern-American staples, and friendly if leisurely service. Recommended: Southwestern chicken tarts, Bayou catfish, chipotle-bbq short ribs. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun., brunch Sun. Entree prices: $15.95-$23.95. Credit cards: A, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended Thursdays, Sundays. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, valet parking evenings, no smoking.
COOPER’S HAWK *
15690 S. Harlem Ave., Orland Park; 708-633-0200. This novel concept pairs a 300-seat American restaurant and a fully equipped winery that produces more than two dozen distinct varieties. The winery half of the equation functions very well, producing uncomplicated, drinkable and affordable wines with a wide range of flavor profiles. The restaurant half is more problematic; though service is well-informed and the kitchen is fast, too many dishes are saddled with powerful sauces in copious quantities — which are not nearly as wine-friendly as they ought to be. Stick with the simplest preparations, request sauces on the side, and you should do fine. Recommended: Ribeye steak, Key lime pie. Open: Dinner and lunch Mon.-Sun. Entree prices: $14.99-$29.99. Credit cards: A, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended weekends. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible, complimentary valet, no smoking.
MAIJEAN **
30 S. Prospect Ave., Clarendon Hills; 630-794-8900. With colors evocative of a Provence sunset and undulating Art Nouveau decorative touches, Maijean (pronounced May-ZHEEN) is a breath of country-French air, an ideal setting for chef/owner Nadia Tilkian’s well-grounded but contemporary French cuisine. Recommended: Sweetbreads, champagne-poached peaches. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sat., brunch Sun. Entree prices: $18-$32. Credit cards: A DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, smoking in bar only.
OTOM **
951 W. Fulton Market, 312-491-5804. Just two doors down from its elder sibling, the acclaimed Moto, Otom is intended as Moto’s mirror opposite, offering approachable and affordable food devoid of the molecular-gastronomy razzle-dazzle that made Moto famous. Yet, in a colorful and contemporary setting that should appeal greatly to the cocktail crowd, chef Daryl Nash offers cooking that’s far too thoughtful to be dismissed as “Moto lite.” Recommended: Thai-spiced mussels, banana split. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat. Entree prices: $14-$26. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible (must call ahead), valet parking, no smoking.
SEPIA ***
123 N. Jefferson St., 312-441-1920. They really sweat the details at this West Loop hotspot, from the decor that rings with echoes of the building’s past (the former print shop abounds with vintage touches and the restaurant’s name refers to a 19th Century printing tone) to the precise cooking of chef Kendal Duque. Relatively obscure cuts such as veal breast and lamb sirloin get star treatment in Duque’s kitchen, while razor-sharp service keeps the dining room humming. Recommended: Roasted rabbit, flatbread pizzas, veal with minted noodles, lemon-sage bread pudding. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sun., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $18-$28. Credit cards: A, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-challenged. Other: Wheelchair accessible (separate entrance), valet parking; no smoking.
SHIKAGO **
190 S. LaSalle St., 312-781-7300. Kevin and Alan Shikami, the brothers behind the River North restaurant Kevin, have established Loop roots with this restaurant in the heart of the city’s financial district. Chef Kevin Shikami is again mixing French and Asian cuisines, but at Shikago, the Asian side takes center stage, in such dishes as bulgogi-seasoned ribeye steak and duck breast in miso broth. A good portion of the restaurant is devoted to a carryout area, just steps away from the sedate dining room; that, and the TV screens broadcasting a distracting jumble of market reports, fashion montages and film clips, makes for an at-times dissonant dining experience. Recommended: Shikago maki roll, short rib spring rolls, Thai beef salad, green-tea shortbread. Open: Dinner Mon.-Sat., lunch Mon.-Fri. Entree prices: $24-$32. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Accepted. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: Wheelchair accessible, no smoking.
TABLE FIFTY-TWO **
52 W. Elm St., 312-573-4000. Art Smith, renowned cookbook author and one-time personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, crams his notions of hospitality and Southern heritage into a 36-seat carriage house on the Gold Coast. Between the meager seating and Smith’s celebrity, it’s very difficult to reach this place by phone and even harder to secure a weekend reservation. Those who succeed are rewarded with soul-nurturing, down-home cooking and personal touches — such as Smith’s complimentary buttermilk-goat-cheese biscuits — that make you feel like a treasured house guest. Recommended: Fried-green tomato Napoleon, ancho pork chop, 12-layer chocolate cake. Open: Dinner Tue.-Sun., lunch Tue.-Sat. Entree prices: $18.50-$39. Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V. Reservations: Strongly recommended. Noise: Conversation-friendly. Other: 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.
