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Yelp Eats 2009
Rating Details »
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Halsted (Orange)
- Good for Kids:
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117 reviews for Yelp Eats 2009
Please forgive the lateness of this review, and rest assure that the delay has not diminished the detail in which I remember the lovely Sunday meal that I enjoyed at La Gondola.
In the cliche dictionary, the entry for "don't judge a book by its cover" should contain an exterior shot of La Gondola. I have driven by this restaurant at least two hundred times, and have never had the slightest desire to enter due to its location in the Wellington and Ashland Jewel's plaza. A quick glance at the Yelp Eats menu made me curious. I didn't know Little Caesar's served lobster ravioli!
We were extremely lucky to get a short notice reservation. I didn't realize just how lucky until I realized that there were only 4 tables in the restaurant. The space seems like it may have been constructed for take out, and (although very small) was fashioned so we did not feel as we were sitting atop other tables. The lighting is kept relatively low, and if it were not for the recognition of my own prior prejudice, I would have not have given a thought to how they turned a space that small into a welcoming dining room.
Our service was spectacular. Our waiter was charming, humorous, and had great timing with food delivery and conversation. We were never neglected or intruded upon. We spotted Carol J. working in the kitchen, and she came out and chatted us up both before and after our meal.
For our appetizers, I had my heart set on the grilled portobello mushrooms, but settled on the fried substitution when they were out of stock. The menu didn't mention it, but they were very obviously hand breaded and fresh enough to be firm after frying. I took my boyfriend's word that the calamari was up to par. They were full sized appetizers, so I forced myself to leave a few in order to leave room for the rest. It wasn't easy. I barely touched my Caesar salad because the mushrooms had left me slightly full.
My lobster ravioli was the star of the meal. Ravioli dishes often put the sauce before the filling with the latter as a complement to the former. While the sauce was a creamy herb alfredo, the overwhelming taste in my mouth was lobster. The portion was massive, and I had eaten just over half when I reached to point of absolute fullness. My boyfriend had the Rigatoni Boscaiola, which contains both sage (which I dislike in most things) and sausage (which I hate in everything) so like the calamari (which I'm not a fan of either) I took his empty plate and smile to mean that it was made to satisfaction. Needless to say, I watched as he polished off his Tiramisu.
After our meal, we were treated to Limoncello shots by the owner whom we spoke with as we were leaving. As we complimented him on a meal well prepared, he shared with us a few methods of preparation including the fact that my beloved lobster ravioli was made from fresh cracked claw (only) meat. It's always nice to find a nice new (to me) restaurant, but it's an added bonus to know that you're giving business to a likable owner.
Nothing is perfect, but I can't say anything negative about my experience. The delivery menu is in my drawer, and I'm sure we'll be back in soon.
Yelp Eats Series #5: Blue 13
Possibly my new favorite restaurant. I think this place is what I would be like if I were a restaurant and a much classier lady.
Leopard print curtains to match my tattoo: Check!
Sailor Jerry Tattoo Sketches of animals and naked ladies: Check!
Painting of a guy bleeding out his neck... but in a cool way: Check!
Smoking Hot (no joke... this place is f*cking on fire!) Staff: CHECK!
For the apps my BF and I were planning on splitting the truffled mac and cheese and the deconstructed caprese... until we realized the truffled mac and cheese had chicken in it. So tempting but I did not partake... okay, maybe I ate around the chicken and my bf ate picked up the slack. It was too good for words. The deconstructed caprese was beautiful. Maybe the prettiest food I've ever eaten. I would have liked a little more instruction on what to do with the tomato water shot though, I just poured it on the tomato mix and went with it but I don't know if that was right. And the cheese portion was perfect. Sooo yummy in my tummy.
For Dinner I got the butternut squash pasta... it was so fresh and so very filling. The pasta didn't come as I had thought it would... it looked like a really giant crepe because the pasta was just one big long sheet folded over with cut squash pieces all around. My BF got the Pan Seared Scallops and yes, I traded my vegetarianism for pescatarianism on this one. I have never tasted anything so delicious in my life! My new rule is that I'll be a vegetarian all day, everyday UNLESS I'm at Blue 13, then I go pescatarian for those scallops.
Okay, now onto dessert AKA my reason for waking. We got both the warm chocolate cake and the apple tartatin. The warm chocolate cake was magical. You cut into it and hot melted chocolate flows out... it's a lot like the lava cake from Roy's Hawaiian but better because someone sexy serves it to you. If I had to chose between sex and the warm chocolate cake from Blue 13, I'd choose the chocolate cake- this cake isn't f*cking around. The apple tartatin was only slightly less heavenly- still AbFab but the warm chocolate cake was a tough act to follow. I'd compare it to the warm chocolate cake being the Elite event at Catalyst Ranch and the apple tartatin was the Elite event at Salud... both were rockin' but Catalyst Ranch was unbeatable. How do you tell a rainbow to stop being a rainbow, you know?
So, 5 Sexy Stars all the way on this one. I will defo be back and I'm glad I found my new place to celebrate my b-day, anniversaries, and anything else special.
4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/10/2009
Yelp Eats Series #4: Tapas Valencia, South Loop
4 stars for $25 yelp eats restaurant week value but… Read more »
I just Yelped a little in my pants.
May Street Market is so essentially perfect, and perfect with the essentials, that I want to change my last initial to M and name my daughter Madeline Serena. MSM monograms everywhere, a telling homage to a restaurant that gets it.
They write the book on customer service. Our table of five waited a touch over too long for our reserved spot. What does the owner do? Sends out a comped bottle of champers. I looked around to see if we, in fact, were the lucky stars and we were. Was it because we were guffawing and throwing our hands in the air effectively becoming "that table" acting like socialites? No, it was because we waited too long. (See my review of Creme in D.C. for what NOT to do.)
The food from the god damn bread basket down to the nubbins of my cupcake flight was as melodic as Patty Griffin, hitting notes with a smooth hush and stringing ingredients together like my most favorite lyrics.
Starter: Yellow corn veloute. I was the lone order, but everyone was jealous. I love when the bowl is the canvas and the soup is the paint. Let me look at the vessel before the yellow, creamy base fills it up. Savory and complex. If I were a scarecrow, I would be protecting this niblet-based soup with my life. Ca-CAW!!!
Main: Smoked Spring Chicken. Hot DAMN with your fig sauce, spinach and savory risotto. Your French presentation and other lovely verbs strung together on the menu I can't quite remember. I was face deep in blithesome delight. This dish was so bright, with bites of sweet, bites of savory and big fat punches of color. Forgot modern art. This is the art from which all art is made.
Fin: Trios are such a good way to go about life. If one fails, there are still two. Three-legged stools still work. I was a family of three. Three is curvy and bulbous and womanly. Cupcakes or ice cream wasn't tough for me, but restraining myself from Yelping all over their pastry chef? A feat. Damn, cake folk, you're some kind of wonderful. Carrot cake cupcake with a ginger vanilla frosting, a cupcake that tasted exactly like a Tagalong and lavender frosting on the third. Um. . . goodbye cruel world. Cupcakes, let's drink this vial together and sail off to frosting land.
I loved the bartender, who we called Couscous, and his Brazilian stories, tales of kidnapping from Rio and his delight at our presence. We closed that shit down, and MSM was all, "Are you sure you want to leave yet?" I pretended our corner table was in my dining room and that I would just traipse upstairs to lapse into reverie.
MSM is positively mellifluous.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/4/2009
I have 20/20 vision. For now anyway. I've always thought wearing glasses would be fun. . . yet… Read more »
The Stained Glass- Evanston
Trying to decide between Blue 13 and the Stained Glass wasn't easy. Yes, Stained Glass won the vote amongst the Yelppraisal Institute crowd, Megan B., Michael G. and Daphne L. I'm so glad it did win! I haven't been in downtown Evanston for some time, and I really enjoyed the small town in a big city feel. The Hostess was most gracious in welcoming us Yelp Eaters, and service was impeccable all night.
I ordered off of the YelpEats Prix Fixe menu although the main menu looked damn tempting. Some of the YelpEats menu options had changed slightly. Perhaps due to finding local ingredients or the last minute whims of Chef Victor Hernandez. And by "whims" I mean "inspiration".
Appetizer: Butter Lettuce with candied walnuts, feta, kalamata olives and in a vinegar and oil dressing. This salad was the bomb! My first time eating butter lettuce, which is like Bib Lettuce on steroids! As Michael G. noted, there was too much dressing on this salad, but it was still a great start to the meal.
Entree: Free Range Amish Chicken in Moroccan herbs over cheesy spinach, with a side of couscous. Two breasts of chicken (one would have been plenty) sat atop the spinach, while a savory squash drizzle on the plate served perfect for bathing the already spice-rubbed chicken. The couscous had melted mozzarella in it, and bits of pineapple, which gave it a hint of sweetness.
Dessert: Creme Bruleé sampler. Three mini cups of creme bruleé and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The "Mexican" was quite like flan and while tasty, I bartered with Michael G. and traded up for a scoop of his black cherry sorbet (divine). The semi-sweet chocolate creme b. very good and the chai, while tasting of pumpkin six months early (or late?) was excellent.
My group raved about their dishes as well. Another Prix Fixe option was offered for $37, the Recession Buster Special, which allowed a greater variety of choices. The Filet Mignon with Cabernet butter looked cooked to perfection and might be targeted for my next visit. Don't get too whimsy and change that dish before my next visit Chef Hernandez!
Our server allowed us to slowly peruse the menu and gave me a great recommendation for a Truchard Pinot Noir that may have swayed me from my dislike of Pinots. Daphne L. ordered an incredible dessert wine sampler, including one of my favorite wines an "Ice Wine" (Nittnaus Eiswein). She noticed I was enraptured by the Dom. de Durban '05 Muscat and let me have the glass. This wine was so incredibly perfumed, it was like nothing I've ever tasted before. For those who have sprayed Giorgio of Beverly Hills in their mouth while swigging on a light Riesling, you might be getting close! I may be back this Summer just to partake of their extensive wine menu or a wine flight of 3 half glasses.
I did see Chef Victor commiserating with staff, but it would also have been nice if he had come over to see how our meal was. He would have heard nothing but raves! The Stained Glass offers casual elegance in an airy high-ceilinged, lively but not loud atmosphere. Who's coming with me this Summer?
La Gondola:
Holy fatty goodness. This meal required pacing oneself. Huge appetizer+house salad+ huge entree+ huge dessert+ $10 bottles of wine+ 1 super cute waiter=the ultimate glutenous experience.
Our waiter was kind enough to allow us to order anything from the menu and still get the Yelp Eats deal. Since I am partial to bruschetta, I ordered that as my appetizer and it was super fresh and delicious. I only ate one of the provided 4 bruschetti to ensure I had room for the rest of the meal. That's right, my to-go box was already filling up at the appetizer stage of the meal.
Stage 2: Lobster Ravioli. You could tell this pasta was house made, the sauce was fresh, and it was heaven in my belly. Others at our table diverted from the Yelp menu and ordered pesto gnocchi and a four-cheese pasta. Each were just as incredibly rich and as well made as my ravioli. Clearly this is the place to go when you are in the mood to dine on some decadent pastas.
The meal was fantastically finished with a super crisp cannoli that I refused to share with anyone. I love cannolis and this fulfilled all of my dessert desires!
Yelp Eats, thank you for inspiring me to go to this marvelous mini-mall gem! It will be the first place I go to when I am in the mood for some Italian delights.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/16/2008
Oh thank you Yelp Eats for reminding me how much I LOVE this place. I want to personally meet and… Read more »
La Gondola:
how nice that one of my favorite meals in a long time just so happens to be a yelp eats restaurant. and it's my 100th review, bitches!
perfection all the way. the place may be in a strip mall, but that means ample free parking and no dress code! it also means that there is only room for about 6 tables, and the bathrooms are through the kitchen (a friend said it best: "that means they have nothing to hide"). cozy, atmosphere. retro, sinatraesque soundtrack. very friendly service- our waiter was a blast, and the chef came out after the meal to do a shot of limoncello with us!
now the food: truly omfg. grilled calamari, portobello mushrooms, breaded zucchini, lobster ravioli, pesto gnocchi, some kind of cheesy pasta balls that were the special that night, new england clam chowder, fresh salad, cannoli, and tiramisu. you think that's a lot of food? the portions are ENORMOUS. now read that list again and you will realize why all six of us had 3 takeout boxes each when we left.
why did we order stuff that wasn't on the yelp eats menu? because ANYTHING on their menu can be substituted for the set prix fixe! and they have $10 bottles of wine for yelpers too!
make a reservation immediately.
I'm actually so full from La Madia, I think it's affecting my brain activity.
I will update in the morning, but for now...trust that pizza fondue is somewhat genius. Somewhat as in...yes. Genius.
That is all until I have rested 'n digested.
-------------------------------------------------- -------
It is now 1:45pm, the following day...and have not required food. Nothing. I am still full from L Madia.
The service could've been picked up a bit...but for the most part, the meal was just lovely, the ambience fabulous, and the company 5-stars.
PIZZA fondue. Send it in.
5 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/3/2009
Tuesday: Blue 13.
Let me start by saying, I've been a long-time fan of Blue 13...and think they do… Read more »
Second arret gastronomique de la semaine : Le Bistro de Kiki (aka "Kiki's Bistro" - duh!)
Let's begin with a little 'French culture' lesson, shall we?
Question: What is the difference between a bistro and a brasserie?
(professor Aurore, putting her glasses on)
Answer: Even though there is a lot of controversy about the origin of the word "bistro" (some say it comes from the Russian which means "quick" but don't believe them), a bistro was usually a place that belonged to a wine seller. Hence a place where one drinks wine. A brasserie, on the other hand, is a place that brews its own beer and serves it to its avid customers
Voila.
So Kiki went the wine way - despite the fact that he comes from my remote region in the North East of the country - much closer to Germany than the Bordeaux or Burgundy vineyards - and should therefore be more inclined to the joys of Beerfests than to the ones of grape-stumping.
But one needs to broaden one horizons, right?
And Kiki surely knows his business.
In the trade for almost 50 years he doesn't need anyone to show him what to do and how. It immediately shows when you enter his domain. That's a bistro alright - with wood-beams, bottles of wine and champagne everywhere and paper tablecloth.
Spot on.
Like the service deployed by our waiter - who except for his strong MidWest accent could have been straight brought out from a Parisian establishment.
He was a pro.
I wanted to call him Maurice.
The food was a solid 3.5 but I can't really push it to 4.....
- the mushroom appetizer was deeply satisfying. I love 'shrooms. These were perfectly cooked and tender and were happily married with shallots and a luscious madeira sauce.
Yum.
- the generous portion of salmon came on a bed of Israeli couscous and spring vegetables, and smothered in a creamy white wine sauce. A little on the heavy side, but tasty nonetheless.
The pommes-alumettes (matchsticks) were a little wonder of carb saltiness. And the beurre maitre d'hotel (butter, garlic, parsley) was excellent.
- as for the dessert....split the chocolate mousse and the lemon tart. It's a nice combination of sweet and tart (haha) and an interesting contrast of textures. Skip the whipped cream.
As I am typing this I am wondering why I left this place so....unsatisfied. Walking by the iconic red deudeuche (as we call the 2-horse Citroen cars) I was pretty happy with my meal. Then the feeling slowly faded away.
Maybe I am just a little home-sick.
Because as it says on the menu - in this oh-so French way to say nice things in a negative way - Kiki, really, "C'est pas mal".
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2009
6 girly-girls.
Where else could we go but Venus?!?!?
I am asking you.
I realized last night after my… Read more »
After some prodding, i gave in and participated. My one and only yelp eats meal was at Blue 13. Thanks to Angie M. for the rec!
I've been to Blue 13 and enjoyed my time there so i was excited to sample their yelp menu. I'm not gonna delve into detail as everyone has pretty much written the better bullet points of the meal. My dining companion and I both ordered the truffle mac n cheese, which as everyone stated, was incredible. The peppers nestled inside made for some awesome mac n cheese surfing. The scallops were small but tasty and seared well. It better be seared well if it's advertised in the name of the dish (pan-seared scallops). Dessert was pretty bleh, we tried both and didn't care for either.
The decor was great and the service was quick and friendly. I would definitely go back, especially for the lobster pizza.
Yelp Eats; Day #4 - TAPAS VALENCIA
I may be slightly biased penning this, my 4th and (thankfully) final Yelp Eats review, as I am pretty much the most unamused tapas fan one could find. I just don't love 'em, never have and apparently never will. The concept of small plates for sharing is fabulous and one I endorse frequently, but tapas is never my first - or second or third or fourth - choice for a meal because it always feels so manufactured... rarely do the ingredients scream 'super fresh' or 'layers of complex flavor', instead my brain cries 'reconstituted', 'reheated', 'boring'.
The same goes for the experience of my group of 6 at Tapas Valencia last night. Not impressed. While several things were definitely good (think: beef tenderloin with horseradish cream, bacon wrapped dates, cheese stuffed red peppers) there were counterpart items that were left totally unfinished (a grisly skirt steak with bleu cheese, bland chicken skewers, pathetically baked goat cheese). How does one fuck up goat cheese?!? When the ratio of cheese to marinara is embarrassingly skimpy and said itty bit of chevre is drowning in sauce that tastes like melted crayons... that's how. We all agreed this got the dunce cap for the evening.
Our server was lackadaisical with service and not the least bit enthused to serve our bubbly group of hot ass mamacitas... homey disappeared often, neglected necessary bread refills, forgot dishes we had ordered and totally missed his obvious cue to take a second round of drink orders after our bottle of Cava had long been polished off. The booze is where it's at Dude... Mucho Monedas in your pocketo El Hefe, get with el programo!
Desserts redeemed at TV... you really can't miss the mark when luring 6 ladies into ecstasy via chocolate covered profiteroles, orange dreamsicle cheesecake and fried bananas draped in gooey caramel (note: they are *not* plantains as the menu indicates). Fab-u-lous, rich, fattening as hell... everything dessert should be! Overall, even after bribery by sugar, our vote still stood firm... the hit or miss dishes, poor service, bad goat cheese.... 6 girls all in agreement and not anxious for a return trip on the tapas train anytime soon.
Adios!
4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/6/2009
Yelp Eats; Day #3 - LA GONDOLA
Ahhhh Yeeeaaaahhhh!! I'm in la la looove with La Gondola - seriously… Read more »
Who knew there were such a thing as gourmet grits?
They weren't on the Yelp menu at Stained Glass but when my eyes saw the cheddar grits on the sides menu, my wallet gave them permission to access my stomach. And they were incredible! Definitely a steal at $3.50.
See, that's how my mind works with fine dining. I sort of glaze over at foodie explanations by waiters. Just give me grits and if you charge me an arm and a leg for them, make them incredibly mind-blowing grits. And Stained Glass really follows my mantra. There is a really upscale simplicity to everything about this restaurant, a familiarity mixed with a fancy twist. A waiter who can speak of wine for 10 minutes and then crack a joke a heathen like I can understand, for example.
The first course of the Yelp menu was a salad (or pesky crab cakes over polenta which I in my flexipescetarian state almost tried). A butter lettuce salad, whatever that is. The dressing was an incredibly strong oil-and-vinegar and almost ruined it. But being a Greek salad completely saved the day. The feta cheese, the highest quality feta I've ever had, made me weak in the knees and the rich kalamata olives made me cry with joy.
The second course that I got was a stuffed pepper. Alright, alright. It was officially an acorn squash with wild mushroom risotto but the presentation is that of a really fancy stuffed pepper. Two things I don't like are squash and mushrooms. But they prepared the rice and cheese portion of the risotto so bursting with flavor that I didn't even notice my mortal enemy in the dish. And suddenly, when the last of the tomato sauce around the rice was done, I started scooping out the soft innards of the squash. So much so, I accidentally breached its hull once and ate the skin.
But the piece-de-resistance (or whatever that phrase is) of the three course meal was the ice cream for desert! Alright, fine sorbet (and even I know what that is). Five scoops of different flavors expertly arranged so the lemon was on the bottom as a final palette clearing treat.
Daphne L. who lives in Evanston and has dined here multiple times was shocked that the other three of us in the dining group described it as fancy. We managed to convince her it was (if for nothing else than the price tag). But it's easy to see how she got confused with the familiarity of the dishes and the laid back atmosphere. And to top it off they even have a $37.00 receession buster prix fixe on the regular menu to add to the confusion. That can, if you want, include the gourmet grits.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/4/2009
There are certain sets of words that seal your fate when you, like me, can't win for losing. La… Read more »
Yelp Eats #2 - MAY STREET MARKET
I've died and gone to cupcake heaven!
My boyfriend Dave and I, had a very lovely time Saturday evening at May Street Market with one of my most favorite yelp couples, Lindsay and Val. For this review I'm going to start with dessert and work my way back to pre-dinner drinks.
Dessert:
I was blown away by their cupcake flight, and to be perfectly honest it was the reason why we decided to come here. On a cute little plate they had one lavender cupcake with earl gray frosting, one chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting, and my favorite was the one orange sherbet cupcake. Yum, yum!
Main Course:
I chose their sea scallops and I'm glad I did because they were fantastic! They were cooked to perfection and served on a plate of rice along with a red curry sauce. The little bit of spice was very nice indeed and very artfully done.
Appetizer:
I wasn't sure which one I wanted to try more, but finally decided to go with the fried green tomato, which I thought was a decent choice. It was served up with zucchini chutney and other vegetables, served cold. All the flavors were very interesting and complimented each other very nicely.
Pre-Dinner drinks:
I was in awe of their martini list and since this was the last of my Yelp eats I decided to splurge a little, and bought Dave and myself one of their Pamatini's each. A Pamatini has vanilla vodka, limoncello, pomegranate liquor, and lime juice. It tasted like a slice of summer on a not so summer like evening! Plus, the bar tender was hilarious and kept us entertained while we waited.
The Establishment:
Is totally cute and the area is nice because it's easy to find parking. You walk in and they have the bar, a sitting room with tables, and in the back is their dinning room which was where we were seated for dinner. Plus, they have a ton of wines nicely mounted on wall racks and their bathrooms were clean and fun because they had the cutest faucets and wooden sinks.
Customer Service:
Five stars. From the bar tender, to our server, to the owner himself, who thanked us at the end of the night; I felt that we were taken care of from start to finish in a very nice manner that wasn't overbearing.
Future Visits:
Oh heck yes! I think this will be reserved for a very nice anniversary dinner in the future. However, I saw on their regular menu that they have BYOB nights Mon - Weds and prix fixe dinners on the same nights, so I maybe back sooner than later. We'll see.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2009
Yelp Eats #1 - VENUS
Oops...just got a PM from Yelp saying that I'm supposed to put my review here… Read more »
Day two of Yelp Eats Restaurant Week and I no longer fit in my pants. No, really. I had to wear a skirt and tights to dinner. But I'm not complaining. I indulged in some of the best mac 'n' cheese ever (well, next to my mama's.)
Our group of 11 headed out to Blue 13 last night, and I was pleased to find it was a cozy, intimate restaurant with minimal lighting. I love the exposed brick, dark woods and contemporary decor, and seating was spacious.
It so happened to be half-price bottle night, so Sarah P, Tiffany C, and I ordered a few bottles of prosecco. I started with the truffle mac 'n' cheese which had small square cuts of chicken. Gourmet mac 'n' cheese can be tricky because of the various cheeses used, it's often too salty for my taste. Blue 13 had the perfect balance of saltiness, truffle flavoring, melted cheesed and light sprinkles of shredded cheese as well. I did have to add my own additive to my meal: hot sauce. Yup, I pulled that out of my purse; hope I didn't offend the server. Other than that, the mac 'n' cheese was a complete hit at the table.
For my entree, I went for the scallops; these were plump, perfectly-cooked and drizzled with a dill cream sauce. And for dessert? Warm chocolate cake topped with hot fudge and vanilla ice cream over toffee. Not a toffee fan, but I sure as hell ate it all.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
So, I *thought* Yelp Eats was a three-course meal?! Instead, at Tapas Valencia, we ate *double* our… Read more »
Wow -
Tonight was my first Yelp Eats experience, and I'm excited for more... I guess I'm in Chicago for a great week of eating!
I was with Andrea R's group at Tapas Valencia this evening and I also had a pretty amazing experience... lucky for me, my sister joined us and we shared our selections so I got to try double the regular selections, and needless to say, I ate way too much, but it sure was fun!
For $25, I had:
-a glass of red sangria
-Tortilla Espanola (almost as good as I remember it being when I was in Spain but not quite)
-Berenjena con Queso (eggplant with goat cheese) - Note to self: I think I like my eggplant better warm.
-Calamares a la Plancha - quite possibly my fave selection of the evening
-Gambas al Ajillo
-Tarta Vaelnciana
-Platon con Helado
I think I may have to get two seats on my airplane home if I continue to eat like this all week - it's dangerous!
Can't wait to experience more Yelp Eats this week and eventually, for Yelp Eats to come to Phoenix!
After 4 nights of Yelp Eats deliciousness I think I may need to stop right here if I want to fit in my friend's bridesmaids dress next weekend. But I definitely went out with a bang last night at Nacional 27...
Appetizers: My party of 4 did Yelp Eats the smart way and each ordered a different appetizer so we could try them all. All were really good, although I could probably have done without the shrimp adobado. My faves...chicken empanadas and the shrimp/scallop ceviche.
Entree: Being pretty much a pescatarian these days the choice of grouper was a no brainer for me.. My husband got the grouper as well...and we both gobbled it up. It was served with a tasty rice in a green sauce. Our friends ordered the skirt steak and the chicken...and they seemed to enjoy those at all.
Dessert: While I wanted the chocolate cake in the spirit of being healthy (and reading lots of reviews about it) I went with the tropical mango ice. And was really enjoying it until my friend stated that she thought it tasted fishy, which kind of ruined it for me cause the last thing anyone wants is fish in their ice! Oop, I probably just ruined it all for you. It does come with a ginger like sauce on the side, but I'd recommend not pouring it on your ice cause it tasted a little icky to me. And friend who ruined my ice for me was kind enough to let me have a few bites of her chocolate cake...yum!
While the atmosphere was as fun as usual and the portion size for this was just perfect, we did find the service to be a bit on the sllllooooowww side. So slow they tried to serve us dessert before we even got our entrees...and the waitress gave me a nasty look when I told her she was at the wrong table. Apparently I was to blame?
$25 for those 3 courses sure was a good deal, but of course when you order 6 mojitos and 2 glasses of wine the bill can get a bit pricey. Oh, and those drinks were for the table...not just me this time. And the infamous mixologist, Adam Seger was kind enough to stop by our table with one last shot before we left...we all decided it tasted like cough syrup, but appreciated the gesture.
Yelp Eats...it's been fun. But until next year I look forward to reading the reviews of all those yelpers who can enjoy the last 2 nights of Yelp Eats and don't have to worry about zipping up any bridesmaids dresses next week. And now I"m off to the gym...
8 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/4/2009
I almost considered skipping May Street Market for Yelp Eats this year since I always go there, but… Read more »
Wednesday, 6/3 - La Madia
After debating where to go for Yelp Eats Michael G and I settled on La Madia, one of the places I've been itching to try.
From a service standpoint everything was perfect. The hostess gave us a better table than the one she initially planned since it was right off the revolving entryway in a loud, high traffic part of the restaurant. Service was attentive and friendly throughout our meal and we were allowed to linger long after finishing our meal. Our server also conveniently labeled our doggie bags so we knew which was which. Bottom line service = 5 stars.
Unfortunately, where La Madia loses points is with the food.
Course 1: Pizza fondue and mixed greens salad
* The pizza fondue was excellent, worth a solid 4 (maybe 5) stars. More than enough food to feed one person. I think the table next to us was a little jealous they didn't order it (suckers!). It comes all puffed up and then you stab it - nice if you want to release a little aggression pre-meal. The dough was dusted with olive oil and garlic and came with a tasty dipping sauce.
* The mixed green salad was blah, 2 stars at best - mixed greens, grape tomatoes and mushrooms. While I hate my salad drenched in dressing with each bite I wondered if they remembered to put any on. They were generous with the amount of salad we got, plenty for 2, but since it wasn't very tasty we didn't make an effort to finish it.
Course 2: Ricotta Gnocchi sans Sausage and Spring Vegetable Risotto
* Michael got the Gnocchi, neither of us was over the moon about it, but I preferred his dish to mine. I liked the flavorful light broth sauce that accompanied the gnocchi. To me this was definitely the better of the two dishes, which is why I'm glad that doggie bag is sitting in my fridge right now.
* I got the risotto and was disappointed. The vegetable mix in both dishes was more of less the same, but unlike the gnocchi where I felt they enhanced the flavor of the dish, I thought they made risotto seem bland and almost dry.
Course 3: Chocolate Tortino
* As I explained to Michael only's (only kids) don't like to share; sure we pretend we do, but really it's a charade most times. I love chocolate and really don't ever want to share it so this worked out well since he's allergic. The Tortino had alternating quarter-inch layers of cake and a chocolate mousse topped with powdered sugar and pistachios. It was divine and try as I might I couldn't finish the whole thing.
My only other complaint about the restaurant was the proximity of the tables in the back dining area. Our tables were so close together I felt like I was shoving my butt in the neighboring table's face every time I needed to get up! Unfortunately, neither of us was in a position to create more room between our tables.
I saw the wood fired pizzas on a few tables, which looked excellent; if I come back I would get that and of course more of that Tortino.
La Gondola:
I have to admit that at first glance, while pulling into the mini mall parking lot, I was a bit skeptical of this place due to it's location. Although, that was mostly a fleeting thought once I realized mini mall = ginormous free parking lot - score. I would give La Gondola an extra star just for the parking situation, however, I quickly discovered the food and service alone would be enough for this five-star review.
I stuck to the Yelp menu and ordered the grilled portobello, lobster ravioli, and tiramisu. I was shocked by the very generous portions of each selection - the portobello alone was enough for a meal. Along with the very large portions, a soup or salad was served before each entree. Wow. The salad tossed in their house vinaigrette provided a great refreshing break from the other dishes. Next came the lobster ravioli...umm, yeah, it was just as delicious as it sounds. Served with an amazing cream sauce, I was scraping up every last bit to savor the great flavors.
The venue is small and only seats about five tables of people at any given time. I noticed a lot of their business seems to be carry-out and I will definitely be calling La Gondola soon to enjoy their large and flavorful portions!
Yet another 5 star review for Blue 13 at Yelp Eats (think they're sick of these yet?).
Blue 13 is one of those very rare but highly covetable restaurants you always love to discover, in that it is truly wonderful for all sorts of occasions: special occasions, the need to feed picky eaters while still wanting something divine for yourself, quiet enough to handle a night out with the parents, but still edgy and hip enough to host shenanigans with your girlfriends. Rather miraculously, Blue 13 easily fits the bill for absolutely anything.
The truffled mac and cheese was all it's hyped up to be. I'm not a big heavy, cheesy, creamy pasta lover (chalk it up to waaaay too much fettucini alfredo as a kid) but this, THIS... well, I loved. And would eat with much gumption on a regular basis. The deconstructed caprese was also great: fresh goat cheese and tomatoes, bursting with flavor despite the lack of summer temps outside. My chicken was startingly good. I had kind of regretted not choosing the scallops, but was really happy with my decision, as I love green beans and the dish was served with the most scrumptious and perfectly crispy haricots verts. For dessert I had the apple tartin which capped off the elegant yet comfortable meal in just the right way.
Drinks were great: the raspberry mojito was mucho tasty and the half-priced wine was definitely a steal. I moved to beer later on and really enjoyed our waiter's recommendations and descriptions. We even hung out at the bar a bit post dinner to try a few more of their brew selections.
Service was quick, charming, and attentive without hovering. The owner obviously loves what he does, and it truly shows in his food. Plus, if I haven't convinced you already, he's pretty easy on the eyes.
So yes, go. Now.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
So. much. food.
Went to Tapas Valencia, loved it. Fun, airy atmosphere (perfect for boisterous loud… Read more »
My second stop on the Yelp Eats train was Blue 13. And when I saw they offered mac and cheese as an option I knew I was in for a treat. Of course being the sharer that I am I hit up Sarah P (What up MSP CM!) to split plates with me. I'm lucky that so many of the CMs like sharing, too.
We had the mac and cheese of course. I really liked it, but the noodles weren't the macaroni kind and it was made with truffle oil, which was interesting. Interestingly delicious that is. We also had a deconstructed caprese, which sounds very fancy and it was with a shot glass full of tomato water served on the side.
Then we shared an Amish chicken dish and butternut squash, which were both delicious, but frankly all my mind and taste buds remember was the mac and cheese.
It's a lovely space, cozy, intimate and warm. And the service was fantastic. Blue 13 is just another Chicago space I want to pack up and take with me to Denver.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/8/2009
I kicked off Yelp Eats at Tapas Valencia. From the way I started I'm glad I planned my clothing… Read more »
Tonight, we checked out Kinzie Chophouse for restaurant week. I've been wanting to go there for a while, so this worked out nicely. Also, an aside...but how did Yelp get WAY better places, and cheaper, than Chicago Restaurant week? Just saying...
So, the $25 prix fix menu. While they assumed we wanted the prix fix, they did appropriately try to upsell us...especially on the different cuts of meat. Which was nice--it wasn't pushy, but informative. Alas, we both went with the prix fix.
Apps: Tried both the calamari and bruschetta. Both excellent.
Entree: We both had the steak and scallops. Really good. For the price, I didn't expect to get 8-9 ounces of meat. Really. Cooked perfectly. Not the best steak I've had, but really good none the less. I would have preferred without the sauce, my date liked it. So, there you go. Scallops were good as well.
Desert: We both got the chocolate desert. Whoa...now. I'm not usually head over heels for chocolate. I mean, I like it, but I'm not uber crazy for it. I would maybe kill a baby animal to eat this desert again. It was fantastic. Love it!
Overall, it was a great meal. It was nice to see a restaurant that busy--not that common in this economy. The server was excellent, and the manager came over a few times to check on us. An overall great experience.
The only negative was one of the bus people/2nd servers? It was a man in his 40's I would guess...who bumped (hard) our table no less than 5 times without apologizing, cut me off on the way to the ladies room, and took our check from the table, without any previous interaction with us or asking how we would like it split. He then yelled over other guests to ask us when we tried to get his attention, to come to our table. Hopefully, he was just having a bad night...we all have them.
So, I give 4 stars. I would definitely go back and try the menu at full price.
Blue 13 last night:
You know you are eating with a good group when everyone makes the decision to have a lobster pizza (which was amazing!) along with the prix fixe. Oh and 1/2 price bottles of wine? Brilliant. We'll take two, please.
My course picks: The truffled mac n' cheese was awesome. Even more awesome was that they were able to take the chicken out. Score. It was cheesy and delicious and I want some more. Right now. I digress.
Butternut squash pasta deconstructed. I liked this dish, but didn't love it. I really wanted the squash to be softer and maybe inside the pasta, rather than out of it.
Warm Chocolate cake with coffee gelato. It was delicious. It was soft and oozy in the middle and just the right size for my overfilled belly.
The service was great as well. Our waiter was right on top of things and made sure we had everything we needed. We never felt rushed and were able to use multiple credit cards to pay the bill. I'm coming back again, if only for the lobster pizza and truffled mac n' cheese!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2009
Oceanique:
Go here. Seriously, just go here. The food was delicious. You know how some restaurants… Read more »
Saturday: Tapas Valencia.
Yeah. It was just alright for me. From mixed emotions about the food (some was good, some was surprisingly good and some was just disappointing) to the service, Tapas Valencia rounded out to just an okay experience. So here goes.
The good: The bacon wrapped dates were great, but really, how can you go wrong? Bacon and dates are a match made in tapas heaven. The beef tenderloin with caramelized onion was tasty, as was the chicken. My cold Spanish omelet was delish, although I would have preferred it hot. And how great was it that Tapas Valencia gave us a cocktail with the Yelp Eats menu? Sangria? Yes, and make it red, please!
The surprisingly good: Who knew that the dishes I enjoyed the most were the ones I would have never thought to order had our table not decided to just request one of everything? The vegetarian pasta was spicy, tangy and hearty and those stuffed red peppers were cheesy fabulousness. Can we also talk about that orange cheesecake on the dessert menu? While it didn't look quite as impressive as the ice cream stuffed pastries with chocolate sauce, it certainly had the best dessert flavor of the night.
The bad: This makes me sad, but the things I didn't enjoy were the things I wanted to enjoy the most! The goat cheese with marinara, a staple at every tapas restaurant was, well, not good. A skimpy amount of goat cheese and what tasted like jarred tomato sauce was NOT the way to please this gal's palette. Also, the skirt steak was actually burnt and not sliced properly. Come on Chef - Even I know you're supposed to cut that bad boy on the bias or you face stringy, tough beef. Blech. Also, nothing, even the dished I enjoyed, were served hot! Everything was lukewarm at best.
And finally, the service was just not up to par. Our plates were never cleared unless we asked a bus boy to take them away, the drinks were slow and our server had to be reminded several times of dishes he forgot to serve us and the one special request (blue cheese on the side for a skirt steak dish) was not followed. We just weren't made to feel welcome or special, which kind of stinks.
Farewell Yelp Eats! You fed me well. My heart loves you, but my waistline doesn't. I'll be eating veggies for the entire next week, thankyouverymuch!
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/5/2009
Thursday: La Madia. Pizza-riffic!
Appetizers: Really, what else can be said about the pizza fondue?… Read more »
I was a little concerned about going to Venus for Yelp Eats. I had been before, and had loved it, but Yelp Eats reviews were decidedly mixed. On top of that, my dining companion, while not a fussy eater, is certainly judgmental. And I had talked Venus up to her based on previous visits. So I crossed my fingers and hoped.
Venus did not let me down.
First of all, I love the look of this place. It's open and airy, and last night was warm enough for the windows to be open, letting in the warm breeze. Some of the older places in Greektown make you feel like you are eating in a cafeteria, or, as my friend said of a place we had dined together, a prison. Venus has the benefit of being fairly new, so it doesn't have that run-down feeling yet. It has its garish moments -- the statue of Venus as you enter, the bar designed as a boat -- but would it truly be a Greek restaurants without those?
Then there's the food. Oh, the food. We started with the calamari. This wasn't my first choice, but my friend isn't crazy about stuffed grape leaves ( and if they're done poorly, they are dreadful), and saganaki is a little too stereotypical. The calamari was terrific. If you're used to the fried rubber bands that pass for calamari at some places, you'll be shocked. These are big, meaty tubes of squid, lightly breaded and perfectly cooked, so they're neither greasy nor chewy. The cocktail sauce was nothing special -- it probably came from a jar -- but all the calamari needed was a squeeze of lemon juice. It was that good on its own.
Then came the Cypriot Salad. If you're thinking about getting the Greek salad, let me recommend the Cypriot Salad. It's similar to the Greek salad -- lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions -- but with the addition of capers and cilantro instead of kalamata olives and feta. Who knew some herbs and little briny buds would make such a difference? I couldn't stop eating the salad.
For the main course, we shared the pastitsio and the baked lamb. "Baked lamb" is a bit of a misnomer. I wanted to try this dish, the Kleftiko, because I had heard it was one of Venus's specialties. It's a lamb shank -- they call it a leg, but it's the shank end -- placed in aluminum foil with tomatoes, potatoes, onions and herbs, wrapped up and put in the oven to slowly bake, essentially braising in its own juices. It comes out incredibly tender, with none of the gaminess that you sometimes get from lamb. One of the things I hate at Greek restaurants are the lazy sides of rice and boiled potatoes slathered with tomato sauce. These potatoes were certainly soft, but infused with the flavor of the items they were baked with. It's not an intensely flavorful dish, but it was delicious.
The pastitsio is an intensely flavorful dish. In a previous review of Venus, I called this the best pastitsio I have ever had in a restaurant, and I stand by that. Each order is baked to order (sorry for the redundancy there) in its own bowl. So rather than the more layered look you may be used to, the noodles and meat are mixed up together, then topped with the bechemel and baked. It is served tableside, and as the waiter scoops it out of the bowl and onto the plate -- with the use of four serving spoons and forks -- the aroma of the cheese and nutmeg wafts over the table. The dish is rich and moist. If all you're used to is the reheated pastitsio you get in most Greek places, you have to try this. And thank god they don't top it with tomato sauce, which is simply heresy.
The one letdown of the evening came with dessert. We had baklava and galaktobouriko, which were the only offerings. Both were a little dry -- though since I'm not a fan of the heavy, gooey baklava a lot of places offer, that wasn't a terrible thing. The custard in the galaktobouriko was a litter firmer than I like. The waiter made a comment about their baklava, and I wish I had asked him more about it, to see if there's an intentional difference in Cypriot baklava. No matter. After such a wonderful meal -- half of which I ended up taking home -- a dry dessert wasn't a deal breaker.
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6/3/2009
I'll probably only make it to a couple of Yelp Eats restaurants this week. Thanks goodness one of… Read more »
Wave is a totally mod, swanky restaurant overlooking the lake in the W Hotel. We sat at a long table that had sofas instead of chairs and had a great view of the water.
Andy M definitely got the prize meal of the day, he went with the mac & cheese, the chicken and chocolate candy bar choices off the Yelp Eats menu, and everything rocked. I had the calamari (very nice except I hated the strong balsamic drizzled over it), the ricotta gnochhi (big & plump but too mildy flavoured) and the buttermilk panna cotta (not sweet enough and too rubbery). But the sangria we ordered was awesome. Until the bill came for it that is. Listed as a "pitcher" it actually was one of those glass wine servers that poured slightly more than 2 glasses. And it was $25. Now maybe it was noted on the menu and maybe I just missed it but I did see each glass was $8. So how does it work out that this "pitcher" is so much more per glass? Isnt it supposed to be a better deal to order more? Well, anyway that was my only gripe with the place.
Service was top-notch and of course the interior & vibe couldnt be beat. Like Andy wrote in his review, he would go back for the chicken and I have to agree. I would go back to order that as well. Just get a drink other than the sangria!
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/8/2009
I love french food, but the execution at Brasserie Jo was a bit weak. Went for Yelp Eats but once… Read more »
Okay, Nacional 27! Props to my THREE seven star companions for a total of twenty one stars for the company. Now, I already know that I love Nacional 'cos I've been there before. Anyway!
The Mojitoes are always worth going there for. Chewing on a stalk of sugar cane, so native. Yum!
The food. For an appetizer I got the dab of shrimp/scallop ceviche. A dab, seriously! That was kind of a disappointment, as the ceviche is very, very good.
Entree: skirt steak. Well seasoned, well prepared, I liked it. Perfect size (smaller than their normal size entree, which is huge) and prepared to my "medium" request. The fingerling potatoes were so good they tasted like junk food. YUM!
Dessert: mango ice. Great! A really light dessert that had a separate ginger sauce to pour over. Yummy! I also tried the chocolate cake which was delish as well, with what we thought was a walnut whipped cream. Yum, indeed.
Man oh man, I'm glad that my Yelp Eats experience has been so positive, 'cause I know I'm in for a full week of checking out various Yelp Eats venues. So far, so good.
Though Tapas Valencia offered 5 courses, I couldn't quite make it through all, but it was not for lack of taste -- I was just too plain stuffed!
The star for me so far, however, was last night's dinner at Blue 13. I had been here once before -- with Colleen and some other yelpers after an event -- and sampled their unbelievably rich and wonderful lobster pizza. But I'm glad that Yelp Eats gave me an excuse to go back and try more menu items.
The deconstructed caprese salad was refreshing, the butternut squash pasta with mushrooms was a great mix of flavors and texture, and the chocolate cake was a tasty topper. However, if I had to choose my dessert over again, I would have chosen the apple tartartin. Chocolate is always welcome, but the couple bites that I had of the apple tartarin were warm, melt-in-your-mouth goodness!
Should I ever find myself in Valencia, Spain, I'll no doubt ask a question or two about where to find some tapas. They'll laugh, of course, as my Spanish is questionable and by virtue of the fact that the correct answer is likely "well, everywhere," but here today in Chicago, smack dab in the midst of Yelp Eats week? This week I've done just fine thus far, and that epicurian journey started last night at Tapas Valencia.
It's a cool, open, colorful space with industrial touches, and the $25 prix fixe menu made sampling not only easy but the preferred method of dining. I started with a glass of red, moved into a served chilled Salpicon de Mariscos (a marriage of two different types of shrimp and bell pepper), followed by the Pin Pollo chicken dish (served hot) along with the Gamabas al Ajillo, a hot grilled shrimp plate served in garlic lemon butter. Finally, we wrapped things up by taking on the plantano con helado: a banana dessert bathed in caramel sauce with a side of vanilla ice cream.
In this case I thought the prix fixe menu really worked well: food arrived quickly and was easily distributed. And since it was tapas, we were given to sharing and sampling what others were enjoying. And in the end, isn't a little happiness a great garnish to top any meal?
On Tuesday we went to Blue 13 for Yelp Eats. Decadently delicious.
Tiffany C and I split the deconstructed caprese (yeah for the tomato water vinegrette shot glass) and truffle dmac and cheese. Both were impressively good. The then split the amish chicken and butternut squash. I probably would have enjoyed the squash if it had been more seasonal, like autumn, but the diced sprinkling lended itself to a sping garden feel. Throw a little bacon in and you'd have a great autumn dish.
The apple tartine was yummy and I thought the chocolate coffee cake was the only miss of the evening. The coffee was WAY too strong and almost had a burnt taste to it. I inquired others at my table what they thought about it, and they had a similar opinion.
Totally cute place. Would go back in a heartbeat, if for nothing more than to try the lobster pizza.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/2/2009
For 25 bucks you will be stuffed. And there is a chance you may be uncomfortable with all the food… Read more »
My wife and I hit up the Kinzie Chop House last night as part of Yelp Week and had a very good experience. Good food, GREAT service, and nice ambiance is a triple threat that you can't deny. Even though we were there for the Yelp week specials, only I partook and noticed that the prices were very reasonable.
I ordered one of the Yelp Specials - Bruschetta to start, Steak Medallions and Scallop as my main course and the fruit and cream for dessert. My wife and I also shared the cheese platter.
Cheese platter:
Awesome. Very nice and generous portion of 5 cheeses. Aged Gouda, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Blue, and Goat. And please note, these are GENEROUS portions. I love good cheese, and my wife has a serious problem with it. Like needs to go be checked out with how much she loves the stuff. In terms of her priorities it goes:
1. dog
2. cheese
3. husband
Bruschetta:
Some of the best I've had. I know it's just bruschetta (tomato's, garlic, basil, etc) but this was exceptional with shaved parmesan and other flavors that make theirs stand out.
Steak:
I got mine medium rare, and I'd have to give it a C+. The meat was a fine quality, but I wasn't blown away like I have been by other steak houses in Chicago. The sauce that accompanied the steak was very good and did compliment the meat nicely.
Scallops:
Good Scallops. Not great. A bit overcooked for my taste, but hey, I'd rather over than under.
Side Sweet Potato:
Good side compliment to the Steak and Scallops.
Dessert - Strawberries and Whipped Cream:
This was just what you would expect it to be. Strawberries with Whipped Cream. I do wish they would have put a chocolate sauce or maybe a liquor drizzle on top to give it a bit of a unique zing, but it didn't have any. Which was ok by me since I was about to explode while trying to eat it all.
All in all I would definitely reco Kinzie Chop House. Reasonably priced good food is all I need to make me happy.
**I do also want to make sure to give a shout out to our waitress Monique. I was VERY impressed with her and if you have the privilege of having her as your server, you will not be disappointed.
Yelp Eats Wednesday: HB Home Bistro
Atmosphere: Upon stepping into the restaurant, I got a warm and fuzzy feeling. Exposed brick, warm yellow walls, candlelight, delicious smells...I knew we were in for a treat. We were seated in the front window, which has the possibility of making one feel like a window display, but it's more likely you'll just make passers-by on the street very, very jealous.
Service: Terrific. I loved our laid-back server. Our wine was promptly opened and served, and they were very good about refilling our wine and water glasses. Some sort of manager person came around asking if we were enjoying our meals, which is always a nice touch.
Food: AWESOME. We tried most of the Yelp menu. We were especially thrilled when the server mentioned that they were including the mussels entree on the Yelp menu. So here is a rundown of what we had:
Apps - Bacon wrapped, almond stuffed dates with brown sugar glaze (awesome, and a ridiculously large portion! - you absolutely can't go wrong with bacon and dates)
Artichoke and edam fritters with garlic aioli (so unique and delicious, loved the breading)
Entrees - Mussels with truffle fries (mmm truffle oil); loin of pork with braised collards, smoked sausage, scalloped potatoes, sautéed apples; and salmon with coriander and lentils. Our favorite was the porkchop - such amazing, rich flavors.
Dessert - This is where I take away one star (probably should take away two but I'm feeling kind). They were offering three desserts, and of the three they were out of one (lemon bread pudding, the one we most wanted to try), and the server told us that the chocolate souffle cake had gotten stuck in the pans and was in pieces. The only remaining dessert was a rhubarb meringue, and it was....not good. I won't say what we thought the texture of the rhubarb reminded us of. Grossness. The meringue on top was tasteless. Luckily we only ordered one, and when she asked us if we wanted two more to take home, we declined. We were just dying for some chocolate, so we asked her if we could just have the souffle cake in pieces; we didn't care! So she graciously brought out the mangled souffle cake, which was delicious, despite its appearance.
I really enjoyed the food here, and I'll certainly return. It's such a lovely, cozy dining experience, and the fact that it's BYOB makes it so affordable. I can forgive the dessert transgressions - they were very busy and I understand that things run out, and as a baker I fully understand that things get stuck in pans.
Kudos to HB for a lovely Yelp Eats Menu!
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6/3/2009
Due to rehearsals and an out of town wedding this weekend, I am only going to make it out 2 nights… Read more »
My one and only stop for Yelp Eats on what seemed like the warmest day in a long time. After my date and I were seated and ordered drinks, we saw quite a few other Yelpers make an entrance -- which is to be expected during this week. Nikki C. put it well when he said it felt like a wedding dinner. So many familiar faces, whom in my case I haven't seen in a good while.
For starters I went with the pizza fondue, when in hindsight I should have stuck to the mixed greens. By no means was the pizza fondue bad, I particularly liked what tasted like a cheesy vodka tomato sauce. I got a nice reality check when the apps were brought out only to come to my senses when the server instructed me that the bulbous piece of bread was hollow on the inside.
For me, the main course was the star of this outing. The sausage ricotta gnocchi was the perfect texture and the combination of basil, tomato & some light olive oil left a warm buttery finish. I also tried some of my date's risotto which I enjoyed as well, though it was a little sweet for my tooth, but she liked it which is the important part.
We sampled both the Crostata and the Tortino for desert. Any chocolate lovers out there, this chocolate tortino is RICH. The chocolate in this dish was to overpowering for me to really dissect any other flavor notes from it. My strawberry crostata had more nuance to it. The filling was just the right temperature and the consistency of preserves, like a fruity play off egg drop soup. The crust could have been a little more forgiving, it was turning more towards half-day old coffe shop pastries, but the ice cream softened it up nicely enough for me to forgive.
At the end of the day, I enjoyed the outing and barring a few miscues and feeling a bit rushed while we were eating, I've been introduced to a good new place that I wouldn't have otherwise known much about. It might not be their style, but I would suggest getting a sommelier and bring the pace down a tick and we have a winner.
Yelp Eats Chicago #2
Venus
There really isn't much that I can say about Venus that the other ladies haven't already covered (Thank you much, Melanie V., Aurore L., Emily D, Kate P and Deborah E.). Just a few tidbits.
The Greek salad is divine! It was crisp, and salty, and had absolutely the best feta cheese I've ever tasted. Also loved the simple but flavorful preparation of my salmon and rice (Melanie V did a great review of it) but could have done without the tough, stalky spinach.
Service was stellar, seriously! But the ladies bathroom needs some attention. Aesthetically pleasing, but then you slide off the loose toilet seat and the aesthetics really don't matter all that much. Trust the klutz in the group to experience a problem like that.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/5/2009
Monday, Yelp Eats Chicago #1, Kiki's Bistro
Thank the sweet baby J for friends who like sharing food.… Read more »
Yelp Eats #3 - Blue 13
Friday. Long ass week. Long commute home.
What did Blue 13 offer me?
GIN on the ROCKS.
Yessir. I'm sold!
Our waiter was amazingly adorable and I did wonder why he looked at me like I was insane when I ordered that. Amazing. He was perfect.
Props to the staff for not giving away our table, even though we were all a little late. Oops! Thank you, Blue 13!
So, in summary, the mac 'n' cheese was DELISH and I definitely would come back here to get that again. Too good for words. I ordered the scallops and loved that we received three plump, delicious scallops. Very yummy. And, the chocolate/coffee cake for dessert was fab! My only complaint is that service was kinda slow, but I'll forgive them as I really enjoyed the food!
Loved the vibe of this place - classy, a little pretentious, sexy. Exposed brick really did it for me. Lovely place for dinner with 5 of my best gal pals!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/6/2009
Yelp Eats #1 - Venus
And, so, on my first Yelp Eats night, I was able to enjoy the company of some… Read more »
For my final Yelp Eats Chicago outing we decided on La Madia.
The courses went like this:
1: Pizza Fondue
2: Triple Pepperoni Pizza
3: Strawberry Crostata
The pizza fondue is a nice appetizer since it is extremely easy to share and feels quite light. Note: Light does not equal not filling. By the time the triple pepperoni pizza arrived I could barely have two slices. Thankfully the third course seemed to take a bit longer and I was able to have some of the strawberry crostata.
Every Yelp Eats restaurant I went to was a real treat. The food was delicious and plentiful.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/4/2009
Forget anything you've heard about 13 being unlucky or Blue being about less than happy feelings.… Read more »
Yelp Eats #2 Home Bistro
Sampled almost everything from the Yelp Eats menu. I thought the chef stood by his tenet of bringing great comfort food with great value, leaving you full and satisfied. Out of the apps, the almond stuffed dates stood out. I think the real strengths of HB are the entrees. I would definitely order the salmon, mussels, and pork tenderloin again. I thought the only downfall of the 3 course were the desserts.
I truly see the appeal of this place. I really don't see many BYOB restaurants coming close to the value and quality of food.
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6/8/2009
Yelp Eats #1 Oceanique
Went for yelp eats event and I have to admit that this was a great deal… Read more »
Last night I went with friends to La Madia for Yelp! restaurant week. What can I say: AMAZING.
First of all, I expected there to be less food on the plate because of the pre-fixe, but boy was I wrong! They gave us generous portions---but trust me, quality was better than the quantity!
I started off with the Pizza Fondue, where you dip pizza bread into tomato sauce---yummy! The sauce was very flavorful.
Then I moved on to the Gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes---very tasty! I boxed up half of the meal (because it was a huge portion) and ate it today for lunch.
Afterwards, I ordered the Chocolate tortino which was a rich and moist chocolate cake.
This was a great experience. Plus, each of us ordered the House Wine (which was actually pretty good; a red Spanish rioja) to go along with our meal---only $7 per glass.
Can't wait for next year's Yelp! Restaurant week.
Yelp Eats #1 - La Madia
Yum dot com. I work right around the corner, and have never been inside the chic sleek that is La Madia. Big mistake, huge! It was fantastic, all three hours of dinner. We took our time, as it was a gaggle of girls chatting and gabbing about everything under the sun. The salad, perfectly fresh with a cheek popping vinaigrette - only sadness - more tomatoes please! But, one can not be greedy with her tomato consumption... The pizza fonda was unreal. I was about to lick the rest of the sauce (cheesy, tomatoey, garlicky, goodness) out of the bowl, when the server offered to bring some extra for crust dipping during the next round. Brilliance.
I had the gnocci, which I thought was excellent - it was not over powering, but flavorful and extremely fresh. I tried a piece of the pepperoni pizza - it was so fresh and full of flavor. Albeit was a little greasy, thanks to the frisbee sized pepp slices and drizzle of truffle oil.
Onto the dessert - chocolate cake. Yum. Perfectly rich way to end a rich meal full of flavor and laughs.
The service was fantastic, a little slow at some times, understandably so as it was packed. Overall an excellent experience, I will definitely make a trip back!
Yelp Eats #2 - Kinzie Chop House
The parents were in town for some wedding stuff, so we had to make dinner plans for 6 for a Sat. night . The consensus was that our group wanted steak, and they wanted it bad. So we headed to Kinzie Chop House.
Having never been there before I had no idea what to expect. First off, service was unbelievably fantastic - from the hostess to our server it was impeccable. When I wanted my martini a little dirtier, not an eyelash batted, just a smile and a scurry behind the bar.
I thought the food was good - the bruchetta was a little hard to eat, as everything kept falling apart. Not to worry, I certainly managed, and every bite was fantastic. I tried a bite of the calamari and it was fresh, lightly battered and had two fantastic sauces to enhance flavors. I found the main course to be great - the steak was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The scallops were nicely done - delicate and light.
The dessert was heavenly - chocolate molten cake. All diners chose the chocolate cake and nary a whisper during the dessert course.
Overall a great dining experience and both places. Can't wait to go back and try other items from the menu!
Yelp Eats at Uncommon Ground on Devon=a HIT!!!!!
The vibe is earthy and a little edgy. Great place to people watch. We were seated right away by the fireplace. Service was great. A band was playing in another room for a party and they were GOOD!
Sunshine Salad-GIVE ME MORE!!!!!
Gorgonzola Gnocci-5 stars
Vanilla Bean Cake- YES, YES!!
Lemon Ginger Martini- their menu describes it as a drink made of organic ginger house infused rain organic vodka & lemoncello. All I know is that I had 2 of them and barely made it to work the next day.
What's even cooler about this place (besides the fact that you can get a tour of their rooftop garden-I LOVE EVERYTHING ROOFTOP!!!) is that by ordering a Tree-Tini drink they plant a tree!
And on behalf of Chicago's heavy drinkers, to date they've planted over 5,300 trees. Awesome! Drink and plant! I'm all for saving the planet.
Check this place out. It's a little pricey but their food is locally produced and is organic. Parking is very easy, thank god, and they have a Farmers Market every Friday!
Yelp Eats, you rock.
Kiki's Bistro, you rock only a ::tiny:: bit less.
Being severely broke-ola right now, Yelp Eats definitely came at the right time, and I was glad to make a reservation for me and the mans (who really only wants to eat steak) at Kiki's Bistro.
Arriving a little early for our reservation, we were seated immediately regardless. Is 7pm early nowadays? They definitely had the blue-haired special going and I definitely felt a little less hip for picking Kiki's...not to mention their "Early Bird Special" is nearly EXACT to the Yelp Eats pre-fixe offered, only for a couple bucks more. Hmmm. Oh well--I noticed the later it got in the evening, the younger the crowd became. Ok, a couple of cool points tacked back on to the tally.
The food was very good--not mind blowing, but solid, good food. I ordered the ragout of mushrooms, and mmm, that was superb. Very hot, savory, with the most tender of mushrooms, I barely could stand to blow on my spoon despite its temperature. The salmon du jour was a nice, thick piece of salmon cooked with care over a bed of little lentil-like pasta dot thingies (I should have asked what they were?) and cubed veggies. The salmon was delish, but the stuff underneath kind of had the consistency (and taste) of creamed corn: pretty heavy, creamy, on the unnecessary side. I ate it anyway--surprise! And then--the lemon tart. Yessssss. Tangy and tarty and creamy and yesssss. Perfect way to end the meal.
The service was fine, not exceptional. I did enjoy the atmosphere, and would definitely be back to try some other items.
But anyway, thank you Yelp Eats! for making me feel a little less poor and giving me an opportunity to look HOT (I'll take 'em when I can get 'em).
Rendezvous #2: May Street Market.
Dear May,
Over time, you have offered many compelling reasons for me to skeedaddle over to the West Loop: a trio of non-beef burgers featured in Time Out Chicago, a flight of cupcakes, and seasonal prix fixe menus.
Amidst all the excitement I have generated in my head about you, I've encountered some bummers along the way. Bummer #1 was that on my first visit way back when, the burger trio wasn't on the menu. Boo.
But ain't no thang... that was long forgotten when I heard you had a cupcake trio on the dessert menu. (Eyes glaze over...) And Yelp Eats week means it's the perfect time to revisit and get a 3-course meal while I'm at it!
I loved the fried green tomato part of the appetizer, but the accompanying tomato salad was bland and colorful at best. The chicken entree was mediocre. The risotto was really what lured me into ordering this, but it was a little salty, and the grains of rice were firmer than I would have liked. Bummer #2.
And the eagerly awaited dessert? I've eaten a lot of cupcakes in this lifetime. These were okay. It seemed to be more about the combination of flavors than creating overall mindblowing cupcakes. The peanut butter chocolate was nothing to write home about, and the carrot cake had an orange zestyness to the frosting that was refreshing, but totally masked all of the other flavors. Lavendar earl grey was the best of the bunch.
And since things seem to travel in 3's, bummer #3? My friend's scallop entree smelled like, er, bodily function #1 and looked like #2 (and I quote, "is this supposed to be a conceptual thing?!").
Anyway................ your waitstaff is attentive and hospitable. Props!
Toodles,
Tricia
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/4/2009
Escapade #1: The Stained Glass.
25: number of dollars the Yelp Eats prix fixe dinner cost. A deal… Read more »
