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.
Monday, August 29, 2011
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.
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