At Baccala: lamb tongue in red wine sauce, sausage-stuffed squid Rob Warner

April 27, 2007

Baccala
1540 N. Milwaukee
773-227-1400

JOHN BUBALA'S ITALIAN awakening continues with this recasting of Thyme Cafe as BACCALA, a Piedmont-influenced trattoria inspired by Bubala's 2006 visit to the region as a delegate to Slow Food International's Terra Madre Conference. Bubala is known for his rigorous sourcing of local ingredients, here manifested in a short menu of simple, deeply satisfying dishes prepared along northern Italian models. That means meats cooked low and slow, a liberal use of butter and a conservative use of olive oil, and more polenta and risotto than pasta. Pork predominates: whether shank, butt, or luscious belly, the high-fat cuts are fully flavored and luxuriantly tender. Same goes for the dino-size beef short ribs and a curveball -- lamb tongue in red wine sauce, its heavy richness brightened by grilled fennel, grain mustard, and dried tomatoes. Baccala, the restaurant's namesake puree of reconstituted salted cod and milk -- otherwise known as brandade -- comes with chunks of scallop and potato; squid is stuffed with sweet sausage in a rich mascarpone sauce. Pastas are represented by three stuffed varieties, including porcini tortellini in a broth dancing with tiny dice of lardo, a cured lard overlooked here but treasured in Italy. Tables are supplied with plenty of grissini, the long breadsticks that originated in Piedmont, but that's one gesture toward regionalism I'd rather see sacrificed to a breadbasket -- a lot of delicious sauce leaves the table unsopped. There's a small but well-chosen selection of some two dozen Italian reds and whites, plus four bubblies and ten Goose Island brews. --Mike Sula

Boka
1729 N. Halsted
312-337-6070

GIUSEPPE TENTORI, A nine-year veteran of Charlie Trotter's, took over the reins at a revamped BOKA last month, offering a menu with a few startling if enjoyable items. Scallop-stuffed squid with baby spinach, spicy pineapple, and black tapioca was one of the weirdest-looking plates I've set eyes on this year and texturally freaky too -- squishes and pops in every bite -- but really tasty and fun to eat. The bacon-wrapped Berkshire pork tenderloin with Israeli couscous was another odd, vaguely provocative pairing that might have worked better if the pig hadn't been so dry. A salad of luscious raw big-eye tuna, mizuna, grapefruit, and capers was a pretty interesting combination of flavors, though the saffron risotto with serrano and arugula took things too far, gilded with flakes of gold leaf. (Does anyone ever see that on a plate and think, "Mmmm, metal?") But it was sumptuous veal cheeks, topped with a dollop of excellent house-made mustard and served with pureed runner beans and grilled treviso, that won the day. Service was deft, knowledgeable, and unruffled, though on the Friday night I went the place was overwhelmed and I wasn't seated for over an hour after my reservation -- maybe because Tentori wasn't in the kitchen but in the dining room conducting a tasting for a food magazine. The house made amends with a comped round of drinks and dessert. --Mike Sula

HB Home Bistro
3404 N. Halsted
773-661-0299

EXCEPT FOR A tweak of the name, little has changed at HB HOME BISTRO -- formerly HB -- since the Hearty Boys of Food Network fame sold the Boys Town mainstay to their opening chef, Joncarl Lachman. The loft-look storefront decorated with vintage mirrors and black-and-white photos by "front-of-the-house guy" Bob Moysan is the sort of friendly restaurant you'd like to have in your neighborhood. On a recent visit the waiters seemed to know most of their customers, occasionally even sitting down with them. Specials, written on a blackboard, bop around the Mediterranean and beyond, and Lachman's cooking remains . . . well, hearty. Plump black mussels "Amsterdam" style swam in an extremely buttery herb-flecked beer broth, along with fennel, garlic cloves, and slices of carrot. A special of creamy risotto with braised rabbit, topped with coarsely grated Parmesan and garnished with green apple and fennel fronds, had enough flavor to compensate for the slightly overdone rice. Caesar salad came swathed in a tangy anchovy dressing, though I'd prefer crisp inner leaves of romaine to the dark green outer ones and multiple croutons to the single tooth breaker. A seared salmon fillet was cooked through but still moist, and I liked the bed of curried lentils, roasted brussels sprouts, firm chickpeas, and fingerling potatoes in toasted mustard-seed butter, even if it threatened to overwhelm the fish. The massive double-cut pork chop served with sweet mashed butternut squash, peppery braised purple cabbage, and whiskey-glazed apples is one of the most popular entrees on the seasonal menu -- and for good reason. Desserts aren't artful, but bananas Foster bread pudding or chocolate chocolate-chip bundt cake should satisfy anyone's inner child. On Wednesdays there's a $25 three-course prix fixe with your choice of items from the a la carte menu, and HB Home Bistro is BYO with no corkage fee. A couple of caveats: the room gets noisy, and two steps at the entrance make wheelchair access a real challenge. --Anne Spiselman

For more on restaurants, see our blog the Food Chain.

In the Neighborhood

Wicker Park

Adobo Grill
2005 W. Division | 773-252-9990

F 8.4 | S 6.8 | A 7.2 | $$$ (5 reports)
MEXICAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

The second location of the Adobo Grill is all dark reds, Mexican folk art, and paintings of loteria cards, but the night I was there a steady backbeat of cell-phone conversations threatened to kill the ambience. The food, though, was for the most part great. The justifiably famous guacamole was chunky, spicy, and bright; scallop seviche, cool and tart, was also delicious, if a bit difficult to get at in the now-obligatory martini glass. Are you supposed to drink it? Grilled lamb chops, a special, were caramelized on the outside and rosy pink on the inside, and they tasted even better than they looked. Our waiter was charming but agonizingly elusive. Luckily, I could spend all night with Adobo's incomparable margaritas -- and the next morning with cafe de ollo (coffee with cinnamon, orange peel, and brown sugar), served at the excellent, undiscovered Sunday brunch. Chip Dudley

Aki Sushi
2015 W. Division | 773-227-8080

$$$
JAPANESE | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 12:30, MONDAY-THURSDAY TILL 11:30, SUNDAY TILL 11

The decor hasn't changed much -- the exposed brick and the fish-stocked fountain are still around -- but when it comes to the food this sushi spot beats its short-lived predecessor, Touch of Sushi, hands down. Aki serves the basic repertoire, with a larger-than-average selection of nigiri, but there's a clear attention to freshness, and while I'm usually skeptical about whimsical maki creations, I was impressed by the White Sox roll, a mixture of seared spicy tuna, crabmeat, cucumber, and onion wrapped with a tender piece of white tuna and sprinkled with black tobiko. Ponzu sauce and dried herbs overwhelmed the Rainbow Carpaccio -- lovely slices of tuna, salmon, and white tuna fanning out from a pile of greens -- so that it didn't taste as stunning as it looked. But when it comes to the basics Aki does the trick quite nicely. Peter Margasak

Barcello's
1647 N. Milwaukee | 773-486-8444

$$$
ITALIAN | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

David Richards's other spot, Sweets and Savories, turned heads with the $17 Kobe beef burger served with foie gras and truffled mayo; his new place tops that with a $100 pizza gussied up with beluga caviar. He's redone Barcello's, the former pizza and fried chicken spot, in deep mango, exposed brick, and dark woods, matching the rich tones of our meal one night. Starters feature a "mozzarella bar," a handful of fresh mozzarella pairings variously stuffed, marinated, and baked. The incongruous beefsteak tomato in our Caprese selection was a bit mealy, but the Italian buffalo mozz was toothsome. In addition to a range of brick-fired trattoria-style pizzas in varieties ranging from a simple margherita to one bedecked with white anchovies, Richards has a savvy hand with pastas and risottos: papardelle with tender chunks of veal (and plenty of them) was well balanced by its spicy ragout. It's a pity the battered whole figs in sweet cream and truffled honey we tried are no longer offered; they were so dark and lovely we almost forgot to eat the standard molten chocolate cake. Tasneem Paghdiwala

Bob San
1805 W. Division | 773-235-8888

F 8.0 | S 7.2 | A 6.3 | $$ (12 reports)
ASIAN, JAPANESE | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 12:30, MONDAY-THURSDAY TILL 11:30

With a dining area and lounge (currently being expanded), Bob San is the place to be seen washing down your crabby dragon roll with a saketini. So hats off to Bob Bee. He's a hell of a businessman, but no bottom feeder: the sushi bar at Bob San is also a haven for people who take their sashimi and sushi seriously. Show a little interest and Bee and his knowledgeable crew will guide you through the day's best and most unusual catches, presenting them in artful textural combinations and contrasts that don't distract from their God-given freshness -- a face-off between fresh- and saltwater eel, for example, or a plate of engawa, the pale pink and resilient fin muscle of a flounder, or lusty mackerel punched up with a bit of refreshing minty-fresh shiso leaf. In these encouraging circumstances it's easy to forget what comes from the kitchen; simple, winning dishes like gomae or black cod with miso, a heartbreakingly silky and ephemeral piece of fish that dissolves in the mouth like a dream of lush beauty. Mike Sula

Bongo Room
1470 N. Milwaukee | 773-489-0690

F 8.4 | S 7.6 | A 7.8 | $ (18 reports)
BREAKFAST, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | BREAKFAST, LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

"It's entirely worth the wait," says one Rater of this frequently jam-packed breakfast and lunch spot. The weekday menu offers what seem to be standards -- pancakes, omelets, sandwiches -- but the pancakes might be s'more-banana flapjacks (with chocolate anglaise and vanilla bean sauce). The weekend brunch menu adds specials like "Chocolate Tower" French toast, and variations on eggs Benedict -- for example, a BLT Benedict with smoked bacon, spinach, tomatoes, and a pesto hollandaise. The bustling pace and blaring music will not be everyone's morning cup of tea; you could always try the other location, at 1152 S. Wabash. Laura Levy Shatkin

Cafe Absinthe
1954 W. North | 773-278-4488

F 8.7 | S 8.7 | A 7.5 | $$$ (11 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

Unlike many of the trendy joints in Wicker Park, Cafe Absinthe has secured a niche as a classic neighborhood restaurant through an unpretentious combination of well-executed food and relaxed yet expert service. A popular starter is the ostrich fillet with potato-tomato concasse; changing soups range from corn chowder to spring pea. For main courses my friend had rack of lamb and I enjoyed the seared scallops atop creamy mashed potatoes garnished with intensely flavorful mushrooms. Our friendly (flirtatious?) waiter recommended a wine that nicely complemented all these dishes, a 2004 Westrey pinot noir. Dessert -- espresso and an apple-raspberry crisp -- sent us into that blissful coma haze every indulgent meal should end with. Katherine Young

Cold Comfort Cafe & Deli
2211 W. North | 773-772-4552

$
AMERICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED | BYO

This unpretentious deli and dining room is a relaxed and reasonably priced alternative to the more high-concept places in Wicker Park. The menu puts a slightly upscale twist on old standards -- tomato, feta, spinach, and basil omelets, for example, or a chicken breast marinated in olive oil and basil, served on focaccia. Thirty-three sandwiches appear on the menu, but any deli variety can be prepared on request. The adjoining take-out area sells imported and domestic specialty groceries. Laura Levy Shatkin

Earwax
1561 N. Milwaukee | 773-772-4019

F 6.1 | S 5.4 | A 6.7 | $ (7 reports)
VEGETARIAN/HEALTHY, GLOBAL/FUSION/ ECLECTIC | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | CASH ONLY | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED | BYO

"It's great to walk past the 45-minute-to-an-hour wait at Bongo Room for a Sunday breakfast and right to a waiting table at Earwax," says one Rater. This pioneering Wicker Park cafe (with video rental) serves up a fairly consistent menu of vegetarian-friendly dishes at fittingly slack prices. Salads and sandwiches anchor the menu while whoever's in the kitchen indulges an experimental urge with vegan stews and other specials. Service is erratic, but no one seems to mind. The laid-back attitude encourages patrons to linger, making Earwax one of few such oases left in the neighborhood. Martha Bayne

Feast Restaurant + Bar
1616 N. Damen | 773-772-7100

F 8.0 | S 7.1 | A 7.4 | $$ (16 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

The eclectic menu at this popular Wicker Park spot consistently hits the bull's-eye. For starters there are spicy crab cakes with chipotle mayonnaise or a coconut curry chicken quesadilla with a tropical fruit salsa. Main courses are hearty and satisfying: marinated skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and garlic mashed potatoes, chicken breast stuffed with herbed goat cheese and served with potato gnocchi, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. The bread assortment alone is almost worth the trip; it includes savory cheddar biscuits and chipotle bread sticks served in a terra-cotta pot. In warm weather the patio is inviting. Laura Levy Shatkin

Francesca's Forno
1576 N. Milwaukee | 773-770-0184

F 7.1 | S 7.1 | A 7.1 | $ (7 reports)
ITALIAN, SMALL PLATES | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11:30

In a departure from the Francesca chain's reliable if conservative fare, Francesca's Forno offers a seasonal menu of small plates that cost less than $10 and cover virtually the entire Italian culinary landscape: Sicilian tuna, Calabrese-style potatoes, a northern Italian asparagus gratinati. The flavors in an antipasto of roasted beets with Gorgonzola and a scattering of crushed hazelnuts worked beautifully; sausage-style salami and sheep's milk cheese were also excellent. Unable to forgo a large plate, we tried a grilled swordfish special with roasted artichokes and a balsamic reduction. Though a bit dry, the fish was a nice example of the kind of thing Francesca's can do so well -- simple and delicious peasant food. Like all its sister restaurants, this one, in the former Soul Kitchen space, really packs 'em in. Chip Dudley

The Handlebar
2311 W. North | 773-384-9546

F 8.4 | S 7.3 | A 7.8 | $ (26 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC, VEGETARIAN/HEALTHY | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 1:30, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 11:30 | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

A dimly lit cyclist hangout -- the bar stools are made from chrome rims, vintage bikes hang from the ceiling, and there are specials for messengers on Mondays -- this is a theme restaurant that doesn't feel precious or pretentious in any way. The food is cheap and vegetarian friendly: most entrees are under $10, and the only meat option is fish. The chefs don't do anything flashy, but they do a little bit of everything and do it well. For appetizers the samosas with tamarind chutney are on par with any you'd find on Devon. The West African ground nut stew, a hearty mix of sweet potato, zucchini, and kale served over brown rice and garnished with peanuts and toasted coconut, is tailor-made for Chicago winters, as are the black beans maduro, served with mounds of fried plantain and a slow-burning chipotle-tomato sauce. They also do a bang-up job with comfort food: the short list of seitan and tofu sandwiches come with coleslaw and a variety of sides, including a respectable vegetarian version of southern collard greens and a totally addictive smoked Gouda mac 'n' cheese I'll crave on my deathbed. David Wilcox

Letizia's Natural Bakery
2144 W. Division | 773-342-1011

F 7.7 | S 6.3 | A 7.3 | $ (8 reports)
ITALIAN, PIZZA | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: EVERY NIGHT TILL 11

Formerly a history teacher in Rome, Letizia Sorano opened her bakery and coffee shop in November 1998, shortly after she moved to the States. The "natural" in the name means no bleached flours, hydrogenated oils, or artificial colors or flavors; within these restrictions she regularly makes pies, cookies, biscotti, cheesecakes, and truffles (layers of sponge cake and ganache in flavors like raspberry and white chocolate). Also on the menu are 20 kinds of panini and pizza rustica with toppings including pesto, prosciutto, and kalamata olives. Holly Greenhagen

Lucia's
1825 W. North | 773-292-9700

F 8.9 | S 10.0 | A 8.0 | $$ (5 reports)
ITALIAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

I love this little restaurant, located on North Avenue in the back behind a deli. It's BYOB, fairly inexpensive, and a quiet, comfortable space to dine. The eggplant appetizer is amazing -- I can't help but order it every time I come here -- and calamari are exceptionally good too. The pasta selections aren't unusual, but from my experience well prepared without exception. Service is extremely soliticious -- attentive without being overbearing. I always leave this place with a wonderful warm feeling, like I just had a homey meal with great friends and conversation. Lauren Moynihan, Rater

Mas
1670 W. Division | 773-276-8700

F 8.1 | S 6.7 | A 7.4 | $$$ (17 reports)
LATIN AMERICAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

When Mas first opened in 1998, it was eyed warily by many as an early manifestation of the gentrifying beast then slouching slowly down Division. These days the nuevo Latin restaurant is practically old-school -- and downright classy compared to some of its younger neighbors. For the most part middle age suits it well. My seviche of the day paired firm chunks of tilapia with baby shrimp and pineapple in a sweetly tangy citrus marinade flavored with mescal and a tomato, chipotle, and habanero mojo; a salad of mixed greens was accented by guajillo-candied pecans and a cilantro vinaigrette. Main dishes didn't quite live up to the promise of the starters: a tilapia fillet was slightly soggy and other options -- pan-roasted chicken, grilled flank steak -- just seemed blah. To wash it down there's an extensive selection of top-shelf tequilas and cocktails, plus a wine list with several reasonably priced options. Martha Bayne

Milk and Honey Cafe
1920 W. Division | 773-395-9434

F 7.3 | S 6.0 | A 7.7 | $ (6 reports)
AMERICAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | BREAKFAST: MONDAY-FRIDAY; LUNCH: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

Brunch is popular at this Wicker Park charmer, offering mimosas, huevos rancheros, and pancakes with the house-made granola. But the lunch menu is also worth a trip: bread from Red Hen and Turano Bakery is loaded with grilled chicken, thick-cut bacon, roasted tomatoes, and blue cheese; capicola, provolone, and tomato; or a grilled portobello with sauteed spinach, herbed goat cheese, and roasted red pepper. All come with potato chips and a pickle, both homemade; nicely prepared side dishes might include a caprese, pesto pasta, and sesame kale. Laura Levy Shatkin

Mirai Sushi
2020 W. Division | 773-862-8500

F 8.6 | S 6.3 | A 7.6 | $$ (15 reports)
ASIAN, JAPANESE | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: THURSDAY-SATURDAY TILL 11:15

The ambitious menu at Miae Lim's stylish sushi and sake bar includes nigiri and maki, daily fish specials, and several unique creations. The sweet hotate salad, for example, is seared scallops served with sauteed arugula in a sweet soy-mustard sauce. The sakana carpaccio is a nice take on the traditional Italian recipe -- thinly sliced tuna, salmon, and whitefish garnished with capers, cilantro, and sesame oil. The sushi menu is also available in the upstairs sake bar. Raters laud the food -- "Expensive but worth every penny," says one; "Mirai Sushi, I've fallen in love with you," another. Laura Levy Shatkin

Las Palmas
1835 W. North | 773-289-4991

F 8.6 | S 8.7 | A 8.0 | $$$ (9 reports)
MEXICAN, LATIN AMERICAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT

This branch of the local Las Palmas chain is more sophisticated than the others in the city. Appetizers include empanadas potasinas (golden pastries stuffed with Chihuahua cheese and epazote), a seviche trio, and guacamole prepared tableside. The traditional steak taco entree was smoky and good, topped with queso blanco and chipotle jam; enchiladas, served with a choice of fillings and salsas, were stuffed with freshly sauteed button mushrooms. Other tempting options include puerco indigena, a mushroom-stuffed tenderloin served in pumpkin-seed mole; filet mignon in a tomatillo-Roquefort salsa; and a pomegranate-glazed loin of lamb. A jumbo margarita easily carried me through my meal. Kathie Bergquist

Parlor
1745 W. North | 773-782-9000

$$
AMERICAN, SOUTHERN/SOUL FOOD | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: THURSDAY-SATURDAY TILL 11

Parlor pairs a high-design concept with gussied-up comfort food. Meat loaf is rich and juicy, topped with apple-onion marmalade and shredded onion rings and bedded on creamy mashed potatoes. The free-range chicken tenders are a standout appetizer, covered in a potato-chip crust and served with three dips: root-beer barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and smoked tomato mayo. There are retro cocktails and American classics like burgers, mac 'n' cheese (including one with lobster), and fried chicken and waffles. But the star of the show is the house-smoked pork chop, a smoked-meat-lover's dream. Susannah J. Felts

Piece
1927 W. North | 773-772-4422

F 6.9 | S 6.3 | A 6.9 | $$ (13 reports)
PIZZA | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 12:30, THURSDAY TILL 11 | RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY

Award-winning brewmaster Jonathan Cutler supervises the microbrewery attached to the 5,800-square-foot dining room where a pizza party rages nightly. The space has been spruced up with counter-height tables and chairs and two sunken lounge areas up front, where soothing blue banquettes face windows that open onto the sidewalk. The specialty here is hand-tossed thin-crust New Haven-style pizza. Diners create their own, choosing from three bases -- plain (tomato sauce, garlic, and Parmesan), white (olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella), and red (tomato sauce with mozzarella) -- and toppings that range from mushrooms and onions to clams and bacon. There's karaoke on Thursdays and on Saturdays, when a live band fronts the would-be rockers. Laura Levy Shatkin

Podhalanka Polksa Restauracja
1549 W. Division | 773-486-6655

F 7.6 | S 8.3 | A 5.7 | $$ (6 reports)
POLISH/RUSSIAN/EASTERN EUROPEAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | BYO

It isn't just the knickknacks and portraits of the pope in this former tavern, a remnant of Division Street's days as the great "Polish Broadway," that remind me of my grandmother; I'll be damned if I don't sense her presence in the pungent whiff of cabbage that floats from the kitchen or the gentle tang of fermented rye flour in the zurek. That's white borscht, a smooth, creamy dill-specked soup with chunks of garlic and slices of kielbasa that has been fortifying Hunky peasants and steelworkers for generations. At Podhalanka you'll still see old-timers at the bar, warming their bones with cabbage or barley soup or fat pierogi stuffed with piquant ground pork, cabbage, or potato and cheese, but also younger folks who may or may not speak Polish working down bowls of caraway-flecked sauerkraut and heaps of smashed potatoes in gravy, accompanied by something big and meaty: a pork roll, perhaps, stuffed with mushrooms, green peppers, onions, bacon, paprika, and a few allspice berries, or uncured spareribs cooked in sauerkraut until tender. These meals are almost entirely drained of color, but they're big, inexpensive, and preceded by baskets of fresh bread and butter. Mike Sula

Rodan
1530 N. Milwaukee | 773-276-7036

F 8.0 | S 6.7 | A 9.3 | $$ (9 reports)
ASIAN, SMALL PLATES, GLOBAL/ FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 2, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 1

Thai Lagoon owner Maripa Abela's restaurant and club is highly stylized, with a silver and blue ceiling set off by a purple glow from recessed lights. There are 17 tables for diners, a bunch of places to lounge, and a few high-tech details, including a huge screen looping video footage and a mirror in the ladies' room that's like a hologram (it's fun but makes putting on lipstick tough). As an alternative to standard bar food, the pan-Asian-plus fare is fine: pot stickers served on a bed of greens in a bamboo steamer; asparagus and tempura avocado maki; excellent fish tacos prepared grilled or batter-fried; and several larger dishes, including Peruvian steak and a few seafood options. This is not the place for quiet dinner conversation -- particularly after 11 PM, when DJs start playing. Laura Levy Shatkin

Smoke Daddy
1804 W. Division | 773-772-6656

F 6.5 | S 6.9 | A 7.1 | $$ (9 reports)
BARBECUE/RIBS | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 11 | RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY

When in the company of barbecue-seeking friends, vegetarians usually have to resign themselves to an order of fries as their companions tuck into messy, meaty racks of ribs. But Smoke Daddy serves up a mean veggie burger right along with barbecued pork and chicken sandwiches and the aforementioned ribs. The menu also features sides like sweet potato fries and mac 'n' cheese. The room is casual and frequently crowded; live music starts every night around 9, so would-be conversationalists beware -- it can get really loud. Martha Bayne

Spring
2039 W. North | 773-395-7100

F 9.1 | S 8.9 | A 8.4 | $$$ (16 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, SEAFOOD | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY

The first restaurant venture of executive chef Shawn McClain, now the overlord of a mini empire that includes Green Zebra and Custom House, Spring's a half-decade old and still fresh. The concept's simple: clean, clever Asian-influenced seafood dishes. The flavor of the fish is usually kept pure; the corruption's confined to the splendid sides and sauces. The meaty monkfish, for example, might sit on top of pork belly, which it hints at in texture, and a rich salsify puree; mahimahi gets livened up by jasmine rice and lobster curry. Potato "ravioli" tested the structural stability of potatoes, but the single seared scallop that accompanied it was pristine and a pungent mushroom-black truffle reduction was the perfect foil, like a gastronomic good cop/bad cop routine. Nicholas Day

Vintage Wine Bar
1942 W. Division | 773-772-3400

F 6.5 | S 6.4 | A 8.4 | $$ (5 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, SMALL PLATES | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: EVERY NIGHT TILL MIDNIGHT

This unpretentious Wicker Park spot has loungey armchairs, a cozy fireplace, and walls hung with graffitilike paintings. Nearly half of the wine list of about 75 bottles is priced between $30-$50; 30 or so wines are available by the glass. The menu is comfort-food oriented, offering dishes like mussels with pommes frites, short ribs, and a seared pork loin alongside pizzas and plates meant for sharing. "No snobbery or looking down one's nose because you don't know the details of a particular wine," the menu promises; Raters tend to think this holds good. Laura Levy Shatkin

ZKFood
1633 N. Milwaukee | 773-278-9600

$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY | BYO

The team behind Zoom Kitchen is back with a new concept -- and it looks a lot like the old concept, down to the name. Just northwest of the Damen/Milwaukee/North crotch, ZKFood takes the Zoom Kitchen formula of fast, fancified comfort food -- soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees in the meat loaf and roast chicken family -- and adds table service and (eventually) liquor. There's also a take-out counter featuring a build-your-own-salad option and soups by the quart. The vegan tomato-lentil soup was pretty good, hearty and filling if otherwise unremarkable. A flank steak nicoise salad was similarly fine -- some mixed greens with standard nicoise trimmings, including an apparent half-pound of olives -- topped with strips of slightly chewy beef and a little too much creamy tarragon dressing. It's not going to land anyone on the cover of Food & Wine, but it's a reasonably low-key, affordable option in an increasingly overwrought neighborhood. Martha Bayne

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