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.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Ja' Grill
Ja’ Grill has been around for many years, but personally, I consider it a hidden gem in the City of Chicago. It is one of those places that, even having eating there many times at this point, has always delivered. The vibe is fun and laid back, and I believe that there was only one occasion where I had a slightly surly waitress who steered me in the wrong direction with a special. Beyond that, the staff has been friendly and helpful, and the prices are reasonable.
As one would expect, the jerk items that Ja’ Grill prepares are delicious. I always make sure to order jerk something or other when I’m there. (Big thumbs up on the shrimp and chicken.) I also recommend trying their red snapper and any of the curry dishes. In full disclosure, I haven’t eaten the goat since I am not a fan of the goat, but beyond that, I’ve sampled the other curry dishes and think that they are delicious. Plantains, rice and beans, and the coco bread come along with most entrees, and the bread is perfect for sopping up the delicious remnants left on the plate.
You can’t go wrong with a Red Stripe and dinner at Ja’Grill.
As one would expect, the jerk items that Ja’ Grill prepares are delicious. I always make sure to order jerk something or other when I’m there. (Big thumbs up on the shrimp and chicken.) I also recommend trying their red snapper and any of the curry dishes. In full disclosure, I haven’t eaten the goat since I am not a fan of the goat, but beyond that, I’ve sampled the other curry dishes and think that they are delicious. Plantains, rice and beans, and the coco bread come along with most entrees, and the bread is perfect for sopping up the delicious remnants left on the plate.
You can’t go wrong with a Red Stripe and dinner at Ja’Grill.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
GT Fish & Oyster
Many people might disagree with me, but I found GT Fish & Oyster to be overpriced. I went there for a good-bye lunch, and I feel absolutely no shame when I say that I was glad that lunch was on someone else’s dime. I had very excited to eat at GT Fish & Oyster, and had heard really wonderful things about it. My takeaway after the lunch is that I will not be heading back any time soon.
The décor was probably my favorite part of the meal. I am not a person that typically leaves a place hungry. I usually order just the right amount, and for the record, I do not consider the right amount to be a “cheesecake factory” sized portion. Despite that ordering what I was told was the right amount, I still left feeling hungry.
I went with 6 people and we all ordered various dishes, and we all seemed to enjoy them for the most part, but the portion size for the price is underwhelming. In general, the food is interesting and seems to be prepared in innovative fashions. In order to have a full meal, you will need to order several dishes, and all of the sudden, the reasonable prices on the menu begin to add up. I ordered 2 dishes, and then shared a crab cake with several of my colleagues. Each of us had about 2 bites, of the crab cake, but it was voted hands down, the best dish of the meal. I will say that someone else ordered the shrimp bruschetta, and when 2 small pieces came out, he announced that he was glad that he wasn’t paying.
I also ordered the tuna poke, which I really enjoyed. It was light, refreshing and great for a hot summer day. I also ordered a shrimp spring roll that is served with basil seeds in tomato water. I love basil, and despite never having eaten basil seeds (to my knowledge), I assumed that I would love basil seeds. Wrong! For those who haven’t seen basil seeds, they look like moldy dots in a gelatinous solution. Despite tasting perfectly fine, I had to look away as I ate my food. My colleague ordered the spring rolls as well, and also had a similar reaction. On a happier note, several people ordered the lobster roll, which I hear was more filling, more visually appealing and tasty.
Here's my last not-so-nice comment: the service left a lot to be desired. Not only was our waitress not very knowledgeable about the food on the menu, while sitting in a nearly empty restaurant, our table sat with our water and soda glasses empty for long stretches of time despite promises of refills.
I understand that GT Fish is the new place to eat, but I will not be heading back any time soon…at least so long as I’m paying.
The décor was probably my favorite part of the meal. I am not a person that typically leaves a place hungry. I usually order just the right amount, and for the record, I do not consider the right amount to be a “cheesecake factory” sized portion. Despite that ordering what I was told was the right amount, I still left feeling hungry.
I went with 6 people and we all ordered various dishes, and we all seemed to enjoy them for the most part, but the portion size for the price is underwhelming. In general, the food is interesting and seems to be prepared in innovative fashions. In order to have a full meal, you will need to order several dishes, and all of the sudden, the reasonable prices on the menu begin to add up. I ordered 2 dishes, and then shared a crab cake with several of my colleagues. Each of us had about 2 bites, of the crab cake, but it was voted hands down, the best dish of the meal. I will say that someone else ordered the shrimp bruschetta, and when 2 small pieces came out, he announced that he was glad that he wasn’t paying.
I also ordered the tuna poke, which I really enjoyed. It was light, refreshing and great for a hot summer day. I also ordered a shrimp spring roll that is served with basil seeds in tomato water. I love basil, and despite never having eaten basil seeds (to my knowledge), I assumed that I would love basil seeds. Wrong! For those who haven’t seen basil seeds, they look like moldy dots in a gelatinous solution. Despite tasting perfectly fine, I had to look away as I ate my food. My colleague ordered the spring rolls as well, and also had a similar reaction. On a happier note, several people ordered the lobster roll, which I hear was more filling, more visually appealing and tasty.
Here's my last not-so-nice comment: the service left a lot to be desired. Not only was our waitress not very knowledgeable about the food on the menu, while sitting in a nearly empty restaurant, our table sat with our water and soda glasses empty for long stretches of time despite promises of refills.
I understand that GT Fish is the new place to eat, but I will not be heading back any time soon…at least so long as I’m paying.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Taxim
I recently had the pleasure of joining a few friends for dinner at Taxim. It was easy for us to get a reservation, perhaps it was because it was Wicker Park Fest and few people wanted to venture through the crowds.
For those who don’t already know, Taxim is a Greek restaurant in Wicker Park, and I wouldn’t expect to find a place like this located in Chicago’s Greektown. They seem to have put somewhat of a modern spin (including the small plate fad) on some traditional Greek food. To cut the chase, the food was good, the wine was delicious and affordable, and I would go back.
The four of us shared all of our dishes. We enjoyed the hummus, along with Taxim’s homemade pita. The pita was almost light and fluffy, but yet it worked. My favorite dish of the night was the wood-grilled octopus. The flavors really blended well together, and the octopus was tender and meaty. The fava beans with lamb and yogurt came out differently than we had expected. The lamb was essentially chopped and mixed with various beans and other vegetables with a side of yogurt There was almost too much yogurt, but I still enjoyed the dish. The other favorite for the night was the sea bass. It was beautifully prepared and tasted very fresh. We ordered a few other dishes, but the only real disappointment for the evening was the tomato salad, which the waitress forgot to bring us. After we reminded her, it came out at the end when we were already full, and the feta just seemed to overpower the dish.
One of the most pleasant surprises of the evening was the wine. It was not only affordable (which is always a pleasure after a couple of bottles), the wine fit very well with our meal.
I’m glad that I can now mark Taxim off of the list of places that I’ve eaten. I would certainly go back to Taxim, but I might wait for cooler weather when I’m in the mood to try some of their heavier courses.
For those who don’t already know, Taxim is a Greek restaurant in Wicker Park, and I wouldn’t expect to find a place like this located in Chicago’s Greektown. They seem to have put somewhat of a modern spin (including the small plate fad) on some traditional Greek food. To cut the chase, the food was good, the wine was delicious and affordable, and I would go back.
The four of us shared all of our dishes. We enjoyed the hummus, along with Taxim’s homemade pita. The pita was almost light and fluffy, but yet it worked. My favorite dish of the night was the wood-grilled octopus. The flavors really blended well together, and the octopus was tender and meaty. The fava beans with lamb and yogurt came out differently than we had expected. The lamb was essentially chopped and mixed with various beans and other vegetables with a side of yogurt There was almost too much yogurt, but I still enjoyed the dish. The other favorite for the night was the sea bass. It was beautifully prepared and tasted very fresh. We ordered a few other dishes, but the only real disappointment for the evening was the tomato salad, which the waitress forgot to bring us. After we reminded her, it came out at the end when we were already full, and the feta just seemed to overpower the dish.
One of the most pleasant surprises of the evening was the wine. It was not only affordable (which is always a pleasure after a couple of bottles), the wine fit very well with our meal.
I’m glad that I can now mark Taxim off of the list of places that I’ve eaten. I would certainly go back to Taxim, but I might wait for cooler weather when I’m in the mood to try some of their heavier courses.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Bistronomic
We recently dined at Bistronomic, and were very pleased by the overall experience. Despite accidentally showing up an hour early for our reservation (long story), the staff was incredibly accommodating. When deciding if we should stay or go, I happened to mention to my dining partner (aka my fiancé) that it was his birthday and that we could go wherever he wanted. (And yes, it really was his birthday.) I didn’t say it for them to overhear, but they immediately took note. (Really, I didn’t.)
Fast forward to our actual dinner time, and the service was quick, polite and the waiter was filled with great suggestions, particularly with respect the right amount of food to order. There were many items on the menu that looked fantastic, but we managed to narrow down the choices and started with the grilled cheese of the day--camembert with truffle oil. The grilled cheese was very tasty, and I can’t believe that I’m about to type this, but there was TOO much oil. So much so, that some dripped off of the grilled cheese, onto my napkin and through onto my silk skirt. For our dinner courses, we ordered the chicken and the chicken/sweetbread terrine special. The special was definitely my favorite of the two. Although the chicken was delicious, the chicken/sweetbread terrine special came with a puree that was flavorful and complemented the dish well. Both the chicken and the terrine came with beautifully prepared mushrooms that are also available to order independently as a side. For our side, we ordered the spring vegetables which were fresh, bright and a great addition to our heavier meal choices.
We had planned on enjoying espressos for dessert, but the staff surprised us with a Baked Alaska with a little candle. We somehow found room for dessert in our very full stomachs to eat most of it. The Baked Alaska wasn’t served in a traditional style, instead, it was large scoops of ice cream, covered in caramel and slivered almonds, and topped off with a beautiful square piece of meringue. At the very end of the meal, the chef/owner walked around to each table to check on the customers and our dining experiences. I’m a sucker for those types of touches and attention.
Here’s the takeaway: I would definitely go back to Bistronomic to try various other dishes and to experience the exceptional service. If you’ve eaten at Bistronomic, I’d love to hear about your experience too.
Fast forward to our actual dinner time, and the service was quick, polite and the waiter was filled with great suggestions, particularly with respect the right amount of food to order. There were many items on the menu that looked fantastic, but we managed to narrow down the choices and started with the grilled cheese of the day--camembert with truffle oil. The grilled cheese was very tasty, and I can’t believe that I’m about to type this, but there was TOO much oil. So much so, that some dripped off of the grilled cheese, onto my napkin and through onto my silk skirt. For our dinner courses, we ordered the chicken and the chicken/sweetbread terrine special. The special was definitely my favorite of the two. Although the chicken was delicious, the chicken/sweetbread terrine special came with a puree that was flavorful and complemented the dish well. Both the chicken and the terrine came with beautifully prepared mushrooms that are also available to order independently as a side. For our side, we ordered the spring vegetables which were fresh, bright and a great addition to our heavier meal choices.
We had planned on enjoying espressos for dessert, but the staff surprised us with a Baked Alaska with a little candle. We somehow found room for dessert in our very full stomachs to eat most of it. The Baked Alaska wasn’t served in a traditional style, instead, it was large scoops of ice cream, covered in caramel and slivered almonds, and topped off with a beautiful square piece of meringue. At the very end of the meal, the chef/owner walked around to each table to check on the customers and our dining experiences. I’m a sucker for those types of touches and attention.
Here’s the takeaway: I would definitely go back to Bistronomic to try various other dishes and to experience the exceptional service. If you’ve eaten at Bistronomic, I’d love to hear about your experience too.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Next
I had the pleasure of dining at Next a couple of weeks ago, and I would truly describe it as a pleasure…as well as a complete indulgence in cream and butter. For those who aren’t familiar with the meal or would like to see what we ate, someone from Metromix had a wonderful little photo essay which you can find here: Photo Essay. I tried to take photos, but I found that I was enjoying the dining experience too much to stop, as well as enjoying the wine pairing quite a bit.
Let me first start by saying that the service was fantastic. I was so eager to eat at the restaurant that I arrived 25 minutes early. The staff immediately seated me and poured, what seemed like, an endless glass of sparkling wine. The meal was long and I could describe each course in great detail, but I will simply give you my favorite highlights.
Although the appetizer included a quail egg with an anchovy served on top, a leek wrapped mushroom, a cracker with pork rillettes, a little piece of toast (very soft and delicious) with a foie gras filling and jam, and last, but certainly not least, a truffle topped egg custard in an egg shell. I think I could have eaten a whole bowl full of the egg custard. Well, perhaps if you put truffle on just about anything, I could eat a whole bowl full of it.
We were served a turtle consommé, but I press fast forward to bring you to the filet de sole daumond. Although my dinner date was a tad disappointed that he wasn’t afforded the opportunity to suck the crawfish head as the chefs created a beautiful crawfish mousse that we could easily spoon out and shovel into our gaping maws, we each cleaned our plates of the sole and crawfish served three ways with the side of freshly baked sourdough bread. The next dish was an underwhelming sous vide chicken, so I bring you to my favorite dish of the evening—pressed duck with a potato gratin. The duck was perfectly prepared using an antique duck press, and halfway through the course, we were not only brought a fresh little sourdough roll to sop up all of the goodness, but also a gravy boat filled with the savory duck sauce. Each potato in the gratin was a thin slice of creamy heaven. If the meal ended here, I would have been more than satisfied.
We both enjoyed the ice cream “bombe” for dessert. I realize that the preparation was probably anything but simple, but it seemed like a simple and refreshing way to finish the meal—coffee flavored ice-cream in a cocoa shell. But wait! There’s more! Just when we thought that our pants couldn’t expand anymore, we were served three “candy” treats which included a beet “gummy bear”, a pistachio nougat and a salted caramel square.
Although it was hard to obtain tickets to eat at Next, I will definitely try for a seat at the next round.
Let me first start by saying that the service was fantastic. I was so eager to eat at the restaurant that I arrived 25 minutes early. The staff immediately seated me and poured, what seemed like, an endless glass of sparkling wine. The meal was long and I could describe each course in great detail, but I will simply give you my favorite highlights.
Although the appetizer included a quail egg with an anchovy served on top, a leek wrapped mushroom, a cracker with pork rillettes, a little piece of toast (very soft and delicious) with a foie gras filling and jam, and last, but certainly not least, a truffle topped egg custard in an egg shell. I think I could have eaten a whole bowl full of the egg custard. Well, perhaps if you put truffle on just about anything, I could eat a whole bowl full of it.
We were served a turtle consommé, but I press fast forward to bring you to the filet de sole daumond. Although my dinner date was a tad disappointed that he wasn’t afforded the opportunity to suck the crawfish head as the chefs created a beautiful crawfish mousse that we could easily spoon out and shovel into our gaping maws, we each cleaned our plates of the sole and crawfish served three ways with the side of freshly baked sourdough bread. The next dish was an underwhelming sous vide chicken, so I bring you to my favorite dish of the evening—pressed duck with a potato gratin. The duck was perfectly prepared using an antique duck press, and halfway through the course, we were not only brought a fresh little sourdough roll to sop up all of the goodness, but also a gravy boat filled with the savory duck sauce. Each potato in the gratin was a thin slice of creamy heaven. If the meal ended here, I would have been more than satisfied.
We both enjoyed the ice cream “bombe” for dessert. I realize that the preparation was probably anything but simple, but it seemed like a simple and refreshing way to finish the meal—coffee flavored ice-cream in a cocoa shell. But wait! There’s more! Just when we thought that our pants couldn’t expand anymore, we were served three “candy” treats which included a beet “gummy bear”, a pistachio nougat and a salted caramel square.
Although it was hard to obtain tickets to eat at Next, I will definitely try for a seat at the next round.
Introduction
Welcome to the Hungry Esquire Blog! This blog started because of countless conversations with friends, family and colleagues about our favorite meals, restaurants and recipes. Let me also go on record here and say that I do not have culinary training—ok, only a little, but quite informally. The only thing that I truly have to offer here are my taste buds and my pure desire to eat and enjoy food.
This blog is intended to reflect a non-foodie’s experiences dining out, but hang on to your hats, loosen the notch on your belt and enjoy the ride—maybe we’ll all learn something along the way.
This blog is intended to reflect a non-foodie’s experiences dining out, but hang on to your hats, loosen the notch on your belt and enjoy the ride—maybe we’ll all learn something along the way.
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