Bavette's Bar and Bouef

I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally dine at Bavette’s.  Friends of mine have raved about the place, but for some reason, it sat there patiently waiting for a visit on my “restaurants to eat at” spreadsheet.  (First, ignore the grammar on my spreadsheet title…and maybe altogether.  Second, yes, I really do have a spreadsheet for places where I want to dine and places where I would return.)  Back to Bavette’s.  It earned a spot on the “will eat at again” spreadsheet.

Let me first start off by saying that the service was great.  I was a little nervous as I’ve found the service at Gilt Bar to be lacking on many occasions, and they are sister restaurants.  However, the service at Bavette’s was nothing but pleasant and attentive.  On to the food…

We didn’t order the seafood tower, although we admired it on several other tables.  There were in fact so many dishes on the menu that looked appealing, we had a hard time ordering.  Ultimately, we did enjoy the shrimp, as well the smoked whitefish Caesar salad for starters.  Again—this one is a sucker for Caesar.  Not to mention, a good smoked whitefish brings back happy childhood memories…but I digress.  I thought that it was a great little play on a traditional Caesar, and there wasn’t a leaf of lettuce left on that plate. 

For dinner, again there was a dilemma because every dish looked appealing, we ended up going traditional brasserie—roasted chicken and steak frites.   Both were fantastic.  I am not sure if someone in the kitchen had a heavy hand with the salt that night, but I found my chicken skin to be slightly salty as well as the frites.  (How can they be too salty you ask?  Well, they just can!)  However, that didn’t stop me from eating the chicken and frites that night, nor did it stop me from indulging in the roasted chicken leftovers the next night.  We ordered some sides as well, but I thought that I would mention the Elote style corn.  It is not for those on a diet—essentially corn kernels mixed with a delicious aioli, other spices and of course some cheese (I believe).  We ate every kernel.

Believe it or not, there was still some room for dessert—but only a little bit.  So we opted for the Black Dog malted whiskey gelato, and it even came with a side of hot fudge.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful and decadent meal.   And a perfect excuse to hit up Black Dog Gelato later in the summer!

I now see why so many friends raved about Bavette’s.  I’m looking for another occasion to go back—any suggestions? 

Beatrix

Beatrix is the most recently opened venture from the Lettuce Entertain You Group.  It is attached to the Aloft Hotel, but it doesn’t give the impression or feeling of being a “hotel restaurant”.  I’ve had the pleasure of dining at this casual restaurant a couple of times since it opened. 

I didn’t feel blown away by my meals, but there were enough successful dishes that I am looking forward to experimenting with menu upon upcoming visits.  My favorite thus far is the Caesar salad.  For the record, I’m a sucker for a good Caesar.  I really enjoyed the lighter version of their yogurt dressing, and instead of large croutons, there were crunchy bread crumbs sprinkled throughout the dish.  So each bite was almost a perfectly orchestrated forkful of salad and toppings.  The tsukune (aka chicken/turkey meatball) in a chili cilantro sauce was definitely enjoyable as well.  The big hit thus far in my book, is the chili and chocolate glaze salmon.  (No, I’m not just saying that it was delicious because there is some chocolate in there.)  The mole-esque sauce does not overpower the salmon, and serves as a wonderful compliment.  It is served with an almond slaw which was excellent. There were corn tortillas for those that wanted to make salmon tacos, but I think that the dish stands on its own without the tortillas. All in all, the salmon all made for an excellent dish. 

There was one huge miss in my book—the chicken with leek bread pudding.  The bread pudding itself was outstanding—it was flavorful, and I think could potentially be served as its own side dish.  However, the Amish chicken was a major disappointment.  To say that it was bland was an understatement, and to put it into perspective, I have made better chicken at home.  It was essentially baked chicken with a piece of thyme shoved under the skin.  I’m sure that there were other seasonings included, but they were unrecognizable.  The only time that the chicken tasted remotely interesting was when it was paired with the bread pudding.  Personally, I believe that when you have a “simple” dish of chicken and stuffing/bread pudding, each component should be able to stand on its own…they will just be even better together.  Hopefully they will figure out how to improve this dish over the coming months.

I also tried the fries, which are made with Kennebec potatoes.  These are less starchy than some of the traditional potatoes such as a russet, and deliver more flavor.  I was really looking forward to trying these, and, although the fries were decent, I felt a little let down.  Perhaps my expectations were too high for these little spuds?  Or perhaps I may have to pay closer attention next time?  Perhaps a taste test is in order? 

Overall, I liked the concept of Beatrix—especially that they have items on the menu that one could consider lighter fare.  It is great not only for summer, but there are just some nights when I can’t stomach a heavy meal.  Beatrix is a great option--not to mention, the cocktails and wine were delicious, and the wait staff was quite attentive.  

The Bedford

The Bedford has been on the list of places to dine for quite some time, yet for some reason, we didn't make it there until recently.  I will admit that my expectations of the food actually weren't that high based on some early reviews.  Perhaps that is why we weren't banging down the door to eat there.  However, I was pleasantly surprised, and would put it on the list of places that we would certainly re-visit. 

We were joined by friends, so we had an opportunity to sample quite a few things from the menu.  We started with the shrimp cocktail and the charred baby octopus.  The shrimp were great—plump and fresh.  However, as a lover of eight-legged friend, I felt a little let down by this appetizer.  The octopus was certainly edible, evidenced by the fact that we finished every piece, but the meat itself didn’t have the buttery texture that I enjoy.  Also, the beans in the dish were served a little too “al dente” for my liking.  All in all, not horrible, but I can’t say that I’d order it again.

What I would order again was the scallop dish!  I don’t often order scallops, as I often find that I’m let down—not enough sear; a little too rubbery; etc.  I was not let down this time.  The dish came with 3 large scallops and the sear was beautiful.  The texture was meaty and the flavor was complimented by the cauliflower soubise (aka béchamel type sauce).  I cleaned my plate! (Although, for those that know me well know that I am a regular member of the Clean Plate Club.)  Other dishes enjoyed around the table were the rainbow trout, which I sampled and found incredibly flavorful, as well as the lamb meatballs.  The lamb meatballs with polenta dish was incredibly rich, but delicious.  Fair warning:  I’m a sucker for polenta, so you can pretty much mix it with just about anything—dirt, bugs, you name it—and I’ll happily eat it.

The service was great, and they were a little late in bring out my entrée, so they brought out four—you heard me FOUR—desserts.  (Let me note: We were enjoying ourselves with friends, and we did not complain.  I was busy enjoying samples of everyone else’s dish.  However, the restaurant took it upon themselves to do this.  They get an A for services in my book for this!)  We passed around the gelato, but my favorite for the evening, was a wonderful mint chocolate chip Sunday.  I enjoyed it so much that I didn’t even get upset with myself when I spilled a spoonful all over my shirt and pants as I was trying to shove the last bits of it into my gaping maw.   (Isn't that a lovely thought?)

Here’s the takeaway—a little loud, but good food and tasty cocktails.  Enjoy!

Long time no...

So it's been a long time (over a year) since my last blog post.  For those that know me personally, which I assume all of the three total readers do, there have been many events that have transpired over the past year that have steered me away from this little blog, from dining out as much as I used to and from writing.  However, as life returns to normal, so does my appetite.  I will do my best to keep up with the blog and share my thoughts on some of the food I've consumed in the Chicagoland area.  For the three readers out there...this is for you!

Balena

Balena is hands down one of my new favorite restaurants, and I have already eaten there on several occasions.  The staff is incredibly courteous and knowledgeable, and the food and cocktails do not disappoint.  The former dark and cavernous Landmark space is now a bright, open and airy environment. 

Where to begin?  How about we start with their delicious cocktails?  I’m still recovering from the several Manlinos that I had the other day.  They are sweet, refreshing and delicious…and one doesn’t taste the alcohol.  I have sampled several of their other cocktails, but I have already discovered that the Manlino is a great drink for a hot summer day.  If you don’t like it, I will finish it for you.  Although I could simply spend my evenings drinking all of the tasty beverages, it would be a shame to miss some of the great dishes on the Balena menu.  I have to mention the bread.  I was informed that Peter Becker was previously a bread chef at Charlie Trotter’s, and you would be remiss if you passed on his beautiful bread basket and the pizzas.   The bread is incredibly flavorful and the pizzas have just the right consistency. 

As far as the rest of the menu is concerned, I’ve sampled a little bit from each category.  The beet salad with Zingerman’s burrata is smooth and creamy.  The tagliolini is a must if you have any interest in seafood.  The dish has a wonderful brininess from the sea urchin.  My only complaint is that I had to share it! Balena is constantly updating its menu, so be sure to try whatever else is new on the menu.  I recently had their fava bean bruschetta which was rich in flavor and the creamy fava beans were a great contrast to the crisp and crunchy bread.   Recently, I had handmade spaghetti with a fennel and snail ragu—I wanted to take Peter’s bread sop up the residual ragu on the plate.  Unfortunately for me, I had already eaten all of the bread.  A fork just had to do.  I’ve heard that the chicken thighs are going stay on the menu, so whenever you go, make sure you give them a try.  The skin is crispy, but the meat is soft and buttery. 

The desserts do not disappoint either.  I have tried several, and I am not sure that I can pick a favorite.  I will just say that the gelato is velvety and the doughnuts are a wonderful treat.  If you’re looking to try a new spot in Chicago, Balena is a must.  

LM

Yes.  A considerable amount of time has passed since my last post, but please cut me a little slack.  A wedding and honeymoon seemed to occupy a considerable amount of my time.  Those events may not have stopped my eating, but they did get in the way of blogging.  

OK--So LM.  My husband and I ate there for our last date night as a non-married couple.  LM is a French Bistro up in Lincoln Square.  I had heard mixed things about the restaurant, but we decided to go anyway.  Also, we were seeing a show not too far away after dinner.  So between my desire to try LM and the proximity to the concert venue, LM won.  We were not disappointed.  The restaurant is fairly small, so be sure to make a reservation.  There were many attempted walk-ins, but the restaurant truly fully booked for the evening.

We each started with a salad--I had the beet salad with goat cheese, lemon confit, pumpernickel and orange oil.  The beet salad was beautiful.  It was really well balanced and a great size for an appetizer.  For dinner, my husband ate the scallops, and they were wonderful.  I often am nervous about ordering scallops because I feel that they are either really delicious or horrible.  The worst is when I've tasted grains of sand! Ugh!  Note: That did NOT happen at LM.  I sampled his scallops and they were perfectly cleaned and prepared.  I ordered the Cod with cauliflower, golden raisins and olive oil tapenade and a little bit of brown butter.  The dish was incredibly well-balanced, and the fish was fresh and light.  I would highly recommend both the cod and the scallops (maybe the cod a little bit more!).  

For dessert we shared the apple tarte for 2.  It wasn't too sweet, and it was just what we wanted to finish off our meal.  We were told that the crust is prepared as you order, so be prepared to wait a bit for the dessert.  We didn't mind.  Despite the fact that I am sure that the beautiful, flaky crust was almost pure butter, it didn't taste like a heavy dessert.   LM can become a bit pricey when you add in the wine, but we thought it was a great place to celebrate our last weekend as a non-married couple.  

Gilt Bar

A few weeks ago, I finally was able to dine at a restaurant that had been on my “list” for quite some time—Gilt Bar. A friend was in from out-of-town, and it seemed like the right time to experiment. I’d already been to Maude’s Liquor Bar, so I had similar expectations for Gilt Bar. The meal got off to a bit of a rocky start, as we had a reservation for a particular time, and then proceeded to wait for 15 extra minutes staring at the completely empty place where we were to be seated. I know that there are constantly restaurant seating/timing issues, but this was a little bothersome as the table was almost right in front of us.

If you enjoy rum, I highly recommend the Dark N’ Stormy. The cocktail was smooth and delicious, and I wanted to order more, but feared for a difficult next morning. As a group, we ordered the toast with sweet balsamic roasted garlic and olive oil. I’m a sucker for whole roasted garlic, so I figured that this would be an immediate hit with me—and it is was. I would like to try the ham and cheese toast at some point, but there was only so much that I could eat in one night!

We shared the heirloom tomato salad—‘tis the season! There were mixed reviews about the burrata, but overall, I enjoyed the salad and would recommend it if you go sometime soon. Overall, everyone enjoyed their respective meals—fennel salad; chicken; pan roasted Scottish salmon; and pork meatballs. Each person’s dish was flavorful.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was actually dessert. We ordered the pistachio ice cream, which came with two giant scoops in a frosted glass—perfect for 4 people who just wanted a little something sweet. The ice cream had the Goldilocks consistency—not too hard and not too melted. It was just right—smooth and creamy.

Despite the enjoyable meal, there were a few nits in the service. It’s not enough to stop me from going again, but I do think that I will try out a few other places in the meantime.