Jaime E.'s Profile

A rootstock is a plant, and sometimes just the stump, which already has an established, healthy root system, used for grafting a cutting or budding from another plant.

I just straight up copied that from Wikipedia.

Rootstock. Wow. Where do I begin?

I would like to continue to borrow other people's words by quoting my dining companion after he took his first bite of their burger "this place has some seriously grown up flavors!"

And he's right.

The menu is small. Bar plates (spiced nuts, frites, assorted cheeses and cured meats), crusts (pizza? flatbread? i didn't ask.) A smattering of entree's (mussels, burgers, lamb sausage-- i am guessing this changes seasonally).

Everything we ordered was fantastic, and well thought out.

To start I ordered the German speck and a buttery goat cheese (that the waiter recommended). This came with a few thick slices of baguette and some incredible peach vanilla compote, a balsamic berry jam, and spicy mustard. Fantastic, especially the peach vanilla compote.

Because we did not find this place, but went upon recommendation-- we both ordered the appropriately hyped burger. which comes with a bacon chive aioli, a fancy cheddar, and greens-- on a perfectly toasted bun.

Neither of us had a drink (although the beer/wine list was impressive. Many many pages!) so the bill was about $30 and change.

Four stars because there was no dessert on my menu. Booface.

Will definitely return. In conclusion, it was really hard to write this without making root puns.

the bristol is quite loud. in spite of this, they have won me over with the following menu items:

Raviolo, Ricotta, Egg Yolk, Brown Butter (which we drank, when we rant out of bread)
Monkey Bread Pull Apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt  (the dill butter was also polished off, long after the bread disappeared) (with a spoon)
Bristol Burger, Cheddar, Pickles (w/ Duck Fat Fries, Garlic Aioli)

Boyfriend got the half chicken with spaetzle and mushrooms-- which he doesn't usually eat, but he cleaned the plate! He also didn't share a morsel, which is a pretty good sign.

I was really impressed by the dill butter, the lemon zest on the duck fat fries and the really nice waitstaff. Also we got there on a Thursday at around 8:30 and had our choice of table or bar, which was nice.

i was really unimpressed with the aforementioned loudness.

i'm unsure what inspired them to charge the same amount of money for both the monkey bread and the Goose Island Root Beer. but this is a gifthorse. next time i go, i'll probably just drink the dill butter with my menu items and ask for some water.

if i need it.

jam rules:

1. go on a wednesday, around 8am. be the only people in the restaurant.
2. enjoy the sounds of Rush and Zepplin, before they put on Coldplay for the weekday brunch crowd.
3. try not to be disappointed by their lack of specialty coffee drinks
4. forget about the coffee drinks when a little complimentary amuse bouche arrives at your table and it involves a tiny biscuit with fancy butter
5. order the savory buckwheat crepes with braised lamb and asian pear, or the panini cristo (very nice rendition of the monte cristo-- only with sauteed rapini, prosciutto and sweet mustard jam.
6. be relieved your dining buddy brought cash because it's cash only.
7. go next door to Sweet Cakes and pass the people who just cooked you breakfast.
8. buy your cash toting friend a cherry scone because those buckwheat crepes were satisfying but she DEFINITELY has room for dessert.
9. that's right, dessert. after an 11 dollar breakfast. on a wednesday morning.
10. skip lunch.

jam rules.

it's a block from my office. yikes.

i started simple. ordered a chocolate cafe con leche (which they won't make with almond milk-- i asked because i saw another menu item that was made with almond milk) and an all butter cocha.

i ordered the cocha because a) i was overwhelmed with options and
b) rick bayless twittered that he was most proud of the cochas and another pastry and so i figured i'd order the one that didn't have chocolate in it. since all of their coffee does.

the concha was better than any seashell pastry i've ever sampled at any local pasteleria.

the cafe con leche was perfect! not too sweet, not too temperature-hot to drink. it took some time to prepare, but luckily it was not slammed.

oh, but it will be.

those bitches can't make a latte to save their liffe.

but they don't charge you extra for avocado on your sandwich!
and their sunflower rye bread is pretty wonderful. so good i have
not had anything else. including any of their pastries. that good.

oh and they give you like FOUR slices of cheese on your sandwich.

isn't that excessive? i don't know. i guess it's good because i won't eat their turkey. it's slimy.

can't use your card without blowing 5 dollars. easy to do with a cheese sandwich and a drink. or chips. or a banana.

a few weekends ago i was walking home from the south loop (i live in logan square) because i had had a very large breakfast burrito, and nothing else to do.

i was taking my time getting home, shopping along the way. a few hours later i was suddenly very thirsty and right across the street from the matchbox.

i called two of my friends and went in, and ordered a water. and a makers mark, neat.  at some point my friends arrived and they ordered all of the items that involved the marinated fruit on the bar. each drink was a little better than the one before.

by around 4:30 i was drunk AND not thirsty anymore.

thanks, Matchbox! i love you.

My experience in 196 words:

Friendly server introductions with specials. Lovely bread basket and bacon butter hit the table and are destroyed. Carrot ginger soup with creme fraiche says "hello!"

Mrs. Murphy Corned Beef (if they name a dish after the restaurant you should probably order it) is put in front of me, along with roasted potatoes and sweet & sour cabbage. There is an incredible horseradish cream sauce on top of the beef that does not overpower a single thing on the plate.

I had the wrong drink menu, unfortunately, and they no longer have an item named "Hot Swede" -- a vodka that had several kinds of peppers marinating in it. It inspired a desire for a martini but most of the choices on the menu were sweet. so i had a regular dirty martini. and it came with blue cheese olives. Hi.

My dining companion wasn't that hungry so he got into the potato pancakes with salmon. And then helped me finish my extra large corned beef dinner.

Service was fantastic.

We were so busy feeding ourselves we forgot to feed the meter. It cost an extra $50 for the ticket.

Absolutely worth the dining experience. Exclamation points.

After looking at craigs piddly little list for nearly a month, I was exhausted.

Every apartment I would call about was disappointing in person. Or overpriced. Or BOTH.

Even with the advent of padmapper (dot com) I was finding it difficult to meet an apartment that felt like home. And then, craigslist did something right. It linked me to an apartment that was being shown by a Homestead Group agent. I was dubious because I had never dealt with an agent before, but I was about ready to give up so I figured that it couldn't hurt.

The ad specifically told me to ask for ROB. This is probably the most important part of this review. I am not really sure about any of the other Homestead employees. You should definitely get in touch with ROB SOLTAN.

Anyway, let me finish this little story. I called Rob and got his voicemail. Obviously! He is very busy helping people find homes! Leave him a message.

Rob called me back promptly, listened to my wants and needs in an apartment and three hours later he was driving me all over Chicago (well, to the places I specified wanting to live) finding me pretty excellent matches with my requests.

Rob Rules. Use Homestead Group for your apartment hunting needs.

There is no way I am going to be able to follow up that first excellent review. I will, however, provide you with my first Cipollina encounter.

I was just passing by on my way home. It was a little warm inside, but I fault summer and not the establishment.  Admiring the wide range of unique meats that I have not yet seen anywhere in my quest for good slices of ham & pork I was delighted when the gentleman behind the counter (John) imparted all kinds of fancy knowledge and suggested I sample something (I wish he wrote it down for me so that i could ask for it by name the next time) similar, only better than prosciutto. As soon as I put it in my face, and immediately envisioned it going into my salad tomorrow. Baby arugula. Figs, some sliced pears and maybe some goat cheese crumbles. Yes.

The heat in the store was working for them because I was also very THIRSTY. The blackberry lemon italian soda was incredible- light and fresh, not too sweet. Nice staff, very knowledgeable. It is a very small shop, but I'd like to see a few more meat items to choose from. And some peppers where that granola is sitting.

Sneak over to Bari for ideas. I am sure you can't copy their prices with that Wicker Pork rent (and you're worth it), but it can't hurt to ask.

I will definitely be back for that nutella sandwich.

are you bored?
are you thirsty?
are you competitive?

if you are one or all of these, consider guthrie's tavern. a small & intimate board game bar catering to those who are bored and also like to drink.

i cannot imagine this place being enjoyable on any Friday, Saturday, or during Cubs Season; however, I've now been on a weeknight and a Sunday. on both occasions the bar was not too crowded and there were plenty of games left on the big bookshelf o' board games. there was not a huge variety of food on the menu, but from what i saw & read ordering take out or bringing things in is generally accepted.

what impressed me most was the laminated yahtzee score cards (genius) and the hot apple cider. fun in the winter for under 5 dollars?

yes, please.

edit: they DO have a huge bucket of take out menu's. me and a girlfriend ordered middle eastern food that permeated the restaurant and not only did we not get glares, some guy bought us a shot and played a round of Yahtzee with us.

good times.