Sticky Rice Paul L. Meredith

March 9, 2007

Your Top 50

The best restaurants in town according to Reader Restaurant Raters

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A Tavola
2148 W. Chicago | 773-276-7567

F 8.5 | S 8.8 | A 7.8 | $$$ (17 reports)
ITALIAN | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

The dining room at A Tavola is tiny, and so is the menu. I went with the halibut, lightly dusted with seasoned flour and panfried, accompanied by a lemon and caper sauce -- very simple, but perfectly moist and light. Among the three small pasta dishes were the best gnocchi I've ever had, swimming in sage butter and topped with fried sage leaves. And since I'm one who believes there are few more wonderful things you can do with food than bake it with a crisp crust of Parmesan cheese, the polenta, thick and gooey, may have been my favorite. There was one bite left at the end of the night, and I seriously thought about having it wrapped up. David Wilcox

Alinea
1723 N. Halsted | 312-867-0110

F 9.9 | S 9.8 | A 8.2 | $$$$$ (11 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY, TUESDAY

The menu has changed since I first went to Alinea, but the concept remains the same: prix fixe tasting menus of experimental cuisine in 12 ($135) or a daunting 24 ($195) courses; wine pairings add to the bill. The frequently changing menu might include such dishes as Hot Potato, a tiny bowl of chilled potato soup with a pin bearing a chunk of hot potato, Parmesan, butter, and a slice of black truffle; to eat it you slide the pin out so the potato and truffle drop into the soup, then slurp it as you would an oyster. Lamb comes with dates, mastic, and rosemary "aroma," duck with mango and a pillow of "juniper air." Under less polished conditions Alinea might be annoyingly pretentious, but the soothing rituals of fine dining can take the edge off the edgiest of cuisines. Martha Bayne

Allen's: The New American Cafe
217 W. Huron | 312-587-9600

F 9.5 | S 9.0 | A 8.2 | $$$$ (10 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Chef Allen Sternweiler presents a seasonal menu, using local farm products whenever possible and only the freshest seafood. That freshness is epitomized by one of the house specialties: ahi tuna tartare with ginger, a spicy soy sauce, crispy wonton salad, and wasabi vinaigrette. Other tempting options include seared diver scallops with poached oyster mushrooms and tender gnocchi or a bacon-wrapped rabbit loin stuffed with house-made rabbit sausage and Yukon Gold potatoes. Entree prices average in the high $20s (a grilled beef fillet is $40); at lunch, entrees, salads, and a superior burger run in the midteens. Laura Levy Shatkin

Art of Pizza
3033 N. Ashland | 773-327-5600

$
PIZZA, ITALIAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED | BYO

I'm not usually a fan of pan pizza -- I've encountered too many gummy, half-raw bottom crusts -- but the Art of Pizza's pan crust is crisp and buttery, with only a bit of chewiness. Even more impressive: toppings here aren't superfluously greasy. The menu forgoes froufrou California-style pies in favor of specialties such as "Art's Meaty Delight" (sausage, bacon, ground beef, pepperoni, and sliced beef). Reasonably priced subs, sandwiches, ribs, chicken, and pasta dishes are also available, along with prepackaged salads and cake slices for carryout. Anne Ford

Arun's
4156 N. Kedzie | 773-539-1909

F 8.9 | S 9.3 | A 7.8 | $$$$$ (11 reports)
THAI, ASIAN | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY

I'll admit the most oveRRRated Thai restaurant on the planet is a player. But for the price of the degustation with wine pairings, you could put together five more surprising, authentic, and delicious meals at, say, Spoon Thai. If you can't be convinced of that, $85 and your willing suspension of disbelief gets you 12 courses of Arun Sampanthavivat's exquisitely plated but domesticated versions of his homeland's cuisine. The event begins with six appetizer courses, in which every wonderful detail seems to be unbalanced by an inappropriate one: maybe a one-bite salad arrives perched on a perfectly shaped betel nut leaf, but then an oyster pancake will be drizzled with Sriracha, the Heinz ketchup of the Far East. Appetizers are followed by four main courses served all at once, family style, many of which overrely on the sweet end of the Thai spectrum; fat, fresh prawns with an unusual and tangy purple mountain fern might come with a lobster Willy Wonka'd by a sweet, brown, cornstarchy sauce. Given the notorious challenges in pairing Thai food with the grape, someone at Arun's does a really good job matching things up. Then again, the delicate Brut Laurent Perrier that came with crispy fried pike on chard, bean sprouts, and sweet-and-sour rhubarb would get its ass kicked by something like a real papaya salad with chiles and dried shrimp. Mike Sula

Avec
615 W. Randolph | 312-377-2002

F 8.4 | S 6.9 | A 7.5 | $$$ (17 reports)
MEDITERRANEAN, SMALL PLATES | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 1, MONDAY-THURSDAY TILL MIDNIGHT | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

At first, sitting on a bench between strangers in this cedar-lined, saunalike room makes me feel a little apprehensive. But as the wine flows and the evening grows long, everyone's gabbing like pals, offering around bits of robust cheese or chorizo-stuffed dates and dredging juices off empty plates with warm rustic bread. Chef Koren Grieveson's Mediterranean "peasant" food is paired with an ever changing selection of uncommon wines and cheeses. The chefs make excellent and varied use of the wood-burning oven, firing up everything from focaccia to roast chicken, escargot, and sturgeon. And it never ceases to amaze me how combining just two or three seasonal ingredients -- say springtime's baby asparagus, smoked mozzarella, and Meyer lemon vinaigrette -- can be, in the right hands, a kind of alchemy. Mike Sula

Avenues
108 E. Superior | 312-573-6754

$$$$$
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

The "foielipop" -- a dense, sweet, creamy disk of foie gras impaled on a stick and coated with Pop Rocks -- is no longer on the menu, but several other dishes on chef Graham Elliot Bowles's ambitious tasting menus actually topped it on my last visit. A delicately roasted squab, for one, came dressed with a dark, smoky bacon and laurel-scented kalamata olive tapenade. Paper-thin rounds of slightly gamy kangaroo carpaccio, served with tiny "noodles" made of cantaloupe and cucumber, lime caramel, and an aromatic eucalyptus foam, were another winner. But despite all the experimentation Bowles has become famous for, my friend and I voted a simple beef tenderloin best in show: velvety and rare at its core, it was ever-so-slightly charred and dusted with sea salt. This gracious Peninsula Hotel dining room well deserves the buckets of praise heaped on it since Bowles, a vet of Trotter's and Tru, took over three years ago. Martha Bayne

Boka
1729 N. Halsted | 312-337-6070

F 9.3 | S 8.4 | A 8.8 | $$$ (24 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Under new chef Giuseppe Tentori, for nine years chef de cuisine at Charlie Trotter's, the menu at Boka will still be contemporary American, says co-owner Kevin Boehm, "but more progressive, its flavors cleaner." Starters range from stuffed squid with baby spinach, spicy pineapple, and black tapioca to a whole roasted quail with salsify, wild rice, and organic apricots. Entrees are creative and unusual: there's a coriander-crusted pheasant; veal cheeks with grilled treviso, white runner beans, and homemade grain mustard; and a beef tenderloin served with licorice-braised short ribs, collard green puree, and a sweet potato pave (at $35, it's the most expensive thing on the menu). Along with the menu revamp Boka has received a makeover: hello earth tones and fancied-up bathrooms. Kate Schmidt

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

F 8.3 | S 7.8 | A 8.0 | $ (16 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, sweet potato burritos, 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

Cafe Absinthe has secured a niche as a classic neighborhood restaurant through a 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 Jack Daniel's-butternut squash with pistachio creme fraiche. 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

Carnivale
702 W. Fulton | 312-850-5005

F 8.8 | S 8.0 | A 9.2 | $$$ (10 reports)
LATIN AMERICAN | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11:30

When we arrived at this theatrical offering from Jerry Kleiner (Marché, Red Light), we were led across the nearly empty dining room to a small, cold catacomb near the rear service bar. "Are you familiar with mojitos?" our server asked. "Are you familiar with horchata?" Pardon me, but we're familiar with a number of things, overweening waiters among them. We started with an excellent seviche tasting; pupusas with a braised oxtail topping were another standout. Main courses were homey: rum-glazed pork shoulder served with smoky rice and beans and a ginormous slab of filet mignon topped with a blue cheese-bacon "salsa." Hot chocolate mousse was goopy, though we grudgingly admitted the "donus," skewered doughnut holes, were cute if a tad ridiculous. By the time we finished, three hours after arriving, the main dining room was packed to the rafters, festive Latin music blaring above the din. Kathie Bergquist

Catch 35
35 W. Wacker | 312-346-3500

F 8.8 | S 8.7 | A 8.0 | $$$$ (9 reports)
SEAFOOD | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

The crowd is mostly business at this seafood restaurant nestled inside the Leo Burnett building, and the room is flashy in a late-80s way -- oceanscape mural, art deco fixtures, revolving piano bar. Dishes are prepared with an admirably light touch and often show an Asian influence: soft-shell crab comes with Szechuan glaze, Chilean sea bass with ginger-scallion sauce. The menu's huge -- there are three dozen seafood specials daily -- and Raters agree it's best experienced on an expense account. Laura Levy Shatkin

The Dining Room at Kendall College
900 N. North Branch | 312-752-2328

F 9.9 | S 8.0 | A 9.5 | $$ (5 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

A teaching restaurant for advanced students in the school's culinary and hospitality programs, the Dining Room at Kendall College is one of the best fine-dining deals around. The menu changes quarterly; current appetizers include: butter-poached alligator with brandade, lardons, and alligator vinaigrette and smoked sturgeon-eggplant "cannoli" with pickled mushrooms and a battered quail egg. An entree of pan-seared sturgeon is paired with braised veal cheeks, pureed brussels sprouts, and horseradish-potato "noodles." The quotation marks keep piling up with various vegetable "paints" and something called potato-saffron "soup." The student servers are beyond accommodating, making up for the occasional lapses with an extra helping of goodwill. Martha Bayne

Dorado Restaurant
2301 W. Foster | 773-561-3780

F 8.8 | S 8.3 | A 7.6 | $$ (18 reports)
MEXICAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

At this Ravenswood restaurant, chef Luis Perez applies the French bistro cooking techniques to the Mexican food his mother cooked when he was growing up. Perez says he's been "experimenting with different ways to combine ingredients." His brief menu offers unique takes on Mexican favorites like roast pork (his version is a thick tenderloin, rosy and tender and served with a guajillo cream sauce) and delicious combinations like a crunchy almond-crusted trout laced with satiny coconut cream sauce and caramelized plantains, a lovely contrast of earthy and sweet. For dessert there's one of the richest flans around and a moist, light tres leches cake. The typical entree is priced in the midteens, and Dorado is permanently BYO. Laura Levy Shatkin

Everest
440 S. LaSalle | 312-663-8920

F 9.3 | S 9.5 | A 8.3 | $$$$$ (8 reports)
FRENCH | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

If the leopard-print carpeting and white lacquered columns at this dining room on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange seem dated, that impression is quickly dispelled once the meal begins. We opted for chef Jean Joho's seven-course tasting menu with pairings. Dinner began with an amuse-bouche: a mousse-light brandade, a sip of artichoke soup, and a dab of celery remoulade festooned with a crispy piece of fried fish. A single scallop served atop a bed of shredded cabbage was dressed in a hauntingly good sauce featuring melfor, an Alsatian honeyed vinegar, with hints of bacon and pleasant bursts of caraway. The crowning dish, a medallion of venison served with tiny portions of spaetzle and red cabbage, was a revelation. Throughout the wine pairings, which included classic Alsatian offerings -- a Tokay, a Riesling, and a pinot gris -- as well as a big American zinfandel with the cheese course, were right on the mark. We floated through the desserts on a cloud of bliss right up to our after-dinner coffees. Kathie Bergquist

Green Zebra
1460 W. Chicago | 312-243-7100

F 9.0 | S 8.4 | A 7.4 | $$$ (24 reports)
SMALL PLATES, VEGETARIAN/HEALTHY, AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

It's been three years since chef Shawn McClain transformed a dilapidated East Village storefront known to me and my neighbors as the "pigeon palace" into a sleek haven for vegetarian dining, and I'm still impressed with the number he did on the space, all cool earth tones, warm low lights, and bursts of greenery. The seasonally changing menu is currently showcasing crispy sweet potato dumplings with bok choy and a dandelion-miso broth and a creamy sunchoke ravioli with goat cheese, hazelnuts, and fresh dates. Desserts include apple butter beignets with a Riesling reduction and caramel-thyme ice cream and a dark chocolate bouchon with pecan turtles and vanilla malt ice cream. After-dinner options include French-press coffee and some wildly exotic teas -- for example, one that was once harvested by monkeys. Martha Bayne

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 12:30, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 11:30 | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

The food at this dimly lit cyclist hangout 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. 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

Hot Doug's
3324 N. California | 773-279-9550

F 8.9 | S 8.5 | A 8.2 | $ (13 reports)
AMERICAN | LUNCH: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED | CASH ONLY

Doug Sohn is the Crown Prince of Tube Steak, and most afternoons people still line up out the door for his Polishes, brats, Thuringers, andouille, and Chicago-style dogs, dressed and cooked to customer preference. There are daily gourmet specials and a "game of the week" sausage -- gator, boar, rattlesnake, rabbit, duck, kangaroo, or (used to be) duck sausage with foie gras (Sohn was the first Chicago restaurateur to be fined for violating the city's ban). Fridays and Saturdays fresh-cut fries are cooked in duck fat, and the only request Sohn will refuse is to smother them in cheese sauce. Mike Sula

Kevin
9 W. Hubbard | 312-595-0055

F 8.9 | S 8.4 | A 8.1 | $$$$ (16 reports)
ASIAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

There's something faintly nostalgic about Asian fusion cuisine, which flourished during the late 20th century at places like Yoshi's, where Kevin Shikami once worked. He carries the torch at his eponymous restaurant with appetizers like his signature tuna tartare. Many fungi found their way onto our plates, as did ginger, star anise, and other things Asian. I had the pork three ways; loin, belly, and shoulder plopped atop fiercely red and smoky Bhutanese rice. My partner had the duck three ways -- breast, confit, and duck prosciutto mixed with cubed root vegetables and goat cheese. After all this a fitting finale was a modest sorbet done -- how else? -- three ways (mango, cherry, and white peach). David Hammond

Le Lan
749 N. Clark | 312-280-9100

F 9.3 | S 9.2 | A 9.0 | $$$ (10 reports)
ASIAN, VIETNAMESE, FRENCH | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

Under new executive chef Bill Kim, a veteran of Charlie Trotter's and Trio, Le Lan's focus has been broadened from French-Vietnamese to French-pan-Asian, and rather than presenting a dumbed-down, diluted mess of ethnic influences, individual dishes are generally inspired and delicious. A Thai coconut soup was thick but refreshing, with olive-oil-poached shrimp and a buoyant top note of lemongrass. Wagyu beef carpaccio came with a sprinkling of trout roe and tempura cracklings; the spring roll stuffed with pork belly, shrimp, and cilantro was like an upscale banh mi. Both the tea-smoked duck breast with brioche bread pudding and kumquat-star anise reduction and the venison marinated in mirin and red wine were well suited to their fruitier accents. On Tuesday nights (and every other weeknight between 5 and 6 PM) there's a $38 prix-fixe option, with choice of soup or salad, entree, and dessert -- a terrific value. Mike Sula

Lula Cafe
2537 N. Kedzie | 773-489-9554

F 8.4 | S 7.1 | A 7.9 | $ (42 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC, BREAKFAST | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SUNDAY, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH | CLOSED TUESDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

At this point I've taken dozens of people to Lula Cafe, and I don't say this lightly: it may be the best neighborhood restaurant in Chicago. The Tineka sandwich is -- of all things -- a spicy peanut butter sandwich with cukes and red onion and lots of other veggies, plus something they call "Indonesian sweet soy sauce." There's beet bruschetta, and peanut sesame noodles, and a great roast turkey sandwich. Then there's a more expensive menu ($12-$24), as if the owners just thought, "What the hell, this'll be fun too." These items change constantly but have included a scallops appetizer that makes vegetarians very sad to be vegetarians and an ocean trout served with brandade-stuffed peppers. I brought a friend who's a professional chef in New York, and he stuck around for hours to order nearly everything on the menu. And then we came back the next night. Ira Glass

Chocolate-peanut butter tower at Carnivale, Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli Paul L. Meredith

Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli
1141 S. Jefferson | 312-939-2855

F 8.5 | S 7.6 | A 6.4 | $ (5 reports)
AMERICAN, KOSHER/JEWISH/DELI | BREAKFAST, LUNCH: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

The delis of yesteryear were palaces, serving sliced meat a mile high for $1.98. Now? At Manny's the latkes are very good, light and crisp, fluffy and flavorful -- you don't need a side of applesauce to enjoy. But you should have had them before! They were potato ambrosia, splendor in the grease. And these prices: $9.95 for a sandwich in a cafeteria? But Manny's has been here since 1942, and they know what they're doing. They serve brisket, roast beef, corned beef, very lean, and pastrami, fatty in all the right places, piled high on rye. Too high! How are you supposed to eat all this? So share or get a doggie bag. What else are you going to order at a place like Manny's -- a veggie burger? Jeffrey Felshman

Marigold
4832 N. Broadway | 773-293-4653

F 9.3 | S 8.9 | A 9.1 | $$ (7 reports)
INDIAN/PAKISTANI | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

This upscale Indian restaurant just up the block from the Green Mill is a stunner. Grilled scallops were dusted with garam masala, served with tender asparagus, and sprinkled with marigold blossoms. The dahi kebab salad was equally eye-opening: pristine microgreens paired with a warm, peppercorn-encrusted yogurt cheese in a garlicky orange-coriander vinaigrette. Lamb vindaloo -- a huge, meaty shank ("Here's your stegosaurus leg," said our server) that for me could have been more spicy -- was the only plate that slightly disappointed, but a side of three fresh house-made chutneys made up for it, as did a meltingly tender chicken curry. The restaurant has a friendly, neighborhood vibe: "Looks like we ordered the same things you did," a fellow at the adjoining banquette exclaimed to us. "How was it?" he asked. "Excellent, but here -- you must try some of these chutneys." Kate Schmidt

MK
868 N. Franklin | 312-482-9179

F 9.2 | S 9.1 | A 9.3 | $$$$ (17 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Under new executive chef Erick Simmons, entrees shine: pan-seared fluke was perfectly cooked and paired beautifully with celery root puree and horseradish-creamed spinach, and that's just one of four fish dishes. Roasted and grilled meat options round out the contemporary American menu. Kate Neumann's desserts keep up the cutesy tradition of former pastry chef Mindy Segal: One Banana, Two Banana Foster is banana brioche bread pudding with warm bananas, vanilla ice cream, and rum butterscotch, and predictably there's a Cake and Shake. We finished up with a $14 Armagnac that would have been better at half the price. In fact, that's MK in a nutshell: I'd like a little more bang for my hundred bucks. Kate Schmidt

Moto
945 W. Fulton | 312-491-0058

F 9.6 | S 10.0 | A 8.0 | $$$$$ (6 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

Moto chef Homaro Cantu's restaurant is a surprisingly subdued showcase given his gonzo reputation, but perhaps that makes sense: the food supplies the bells and whistles. On a recent visit we tried the ten-course menu and were by turns excited, amused, befuddled, annoyed, impressed, and delighted. "Blue cod and popcorn" -- lightly seared fish served over a popcorn puree, accessorized with noodles made from gelled passion fruit, and finished with an electric green dollop of shiso syrup -- was a riot of strong flavors, but there was no alchemy to them combined. Other dishes are more successful, putting Cantu's trademarked (literally) technical shenanigans to work in the service of food that actually tastes good. A duo of acorn squash broth and a vacuum-frozen and expanded squash foam focused the rich squash flavor in two enlighteningly different forms; a square of ahi tuna served on a "chill grill" (a small stainless-steel grill run through the very busy liquid nitrogen station) was "cooked" by the cold metal. A dessert dubbed "chili-cheese nachos" was a masterful example of the kitchen's ability to mess with your preconceptions of "dinner" and "dessert": candied tortilla chips topped with gelled kiwi-mint "salsa," a lemon-cheesecake crema, and "cheese" made by grating mango sorbet into a liquid nitrogen bath. Martha Bayne

Nacional 27
325 W. Huron | 312-664-2727

F 9.1 | S 8.6 | A 8.9 | $$$ (13 reports)
LATIN AMERICAN, CARIBBEAN | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

Under chef Randy Zweiban, Lettuce Entertain You fuses the cuisines of 27 Latin American and Caribbean nations. There are a variety of seviches to start with, plus "Latin tapas" such as a lamb taco, a beef pupusa, and a pumpkin-goat cheese croqueta. Entrees range from steaks and seafood to a "tasting" of caramelized Latin vegetables served with arroz verde and roasted pumpkin. Sides include coconut rice and truffled plantains; drinks run the gamut from Brazilian caipirinhas to Cuban mojitos to Peruvian pisco sours, all of which pack a punch. Staff are knowledgeable and aim to please, but if you want to eat in peace, best finish before 11 PM on weekends, when the room is transformed into a pulsing dance floor. Laura Levy Shatkin

Naha
500 N. Clark | 312-321-6242

F 8.8 | S 8.0 | A 8.0 | $$$$ (14 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

Chef Carrie Nahabedian shows a fondness for sweet elements, as in an appetizer of scallops with citrus and vanilla bean or entrees like honey-glazed duck breast with caramelized quince and venison medallions with huckleberries, roasted chestnuts and brussels sprouts, celery root, and applesauce. But she marries savory flavors well, too: the wood-grilled rib eye in an oxtail-red-wine sauce comes with a delicate gratin of goat cheese and macaroni; monkfish is paired with Kurobuta pork belly, chanterelles, grilled, and salsify in a lobster-red-wine jus. The decor is neutral: wood floors, taupe walls, a few natural-toned artworks, and a neat row of ornamental grasses serving as a room divider. Laura Levy Shatkin

Naniwa Restaurant
607 N. Wells | 312-255-8555

F 8.8 | S 9.0 | A 6.5 | $$$ (8 reports)
ASIAN, JAPANESE | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Bob Bee is an intuitive fish man who frequently puts forth some very fresh stuff, and his engagement with his customers -- a prevalence of girls-night-outers it seems -- is a winning trait. But this relatively traditional sushi joint, the less self-consciously hip older brother of the equally decent Bob San, isn't terrifically special, no more so than a half dozen other places around, and it's in no way close to an exceptional one like Katsu. An uni shooter -- a shot glass of sake, quail egg, and roe -- is a fun way to enjoy the reproductive organs of the sea urchin, and the silky grilled black cod with miso is pretty nice too (both are on the menu at Bob San). Bee has an appreciation for underappreciated fish like mackerel, and superwhite tuna, or escolar (sometimes feared for an adverse gastrointestinal reaction it's said to produce), and it pays to heed his advice when he declares them, or any other fish, good on a particular day. Mike Sula

Les Nomades
222 E. Ontario | 312-649-9010

F 9.9 | S 8.9 | A 9.1 | $$$$$ (7 reports)
FRENCH | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

Under chef Chris Nugent (Betise, MK, the Park Avenue Cafe), this is still one of the best fine restaurants in Chicago, its traditional tone marked by refined sauces, decadent ingredients in intricate flavor combinations, and gorgeous plate presentations. An appetizer of roasted squab breast is dressed with cabbage, bacon, and celery root; butter-poached Maine lobster comes with a rich risotto topped with lobster sauce. Glistening baby beets and juicy orange sections are gently tossed with roasted red peppers, basil, and pine nuts and served with rich goat cheese phyllo crisps. Roasted veal tenderloin and crispy veal sweetbreads are accompanied by creamy polenta, forest mushrooms, and spring peas, all in a perigueux sauce. The wine list is broad in terms of variety, vintage, and price, and it's served by attentive waiters who've mastered pairing. Laura Levy Shatkin

Los Nopales
4544 N. Western | 773-334-3149

F 8.1 | S 7.5 | A 6.0 | $$ (11 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY | BYO

The grilled tilapia tacos at this low-key, attractive space are so good, so bright and fresh, that at these prices it seems like you're stealing. Tangy seviche with tilapia and shrimp has a splash of orange juice; tortilla chips are made in-house and come served with two salsas, one a deliciously creamy tomatillo-avocado blend. On one visit my entree was grilled pork tenderloin with an aromatic sauce flavored with guajillo and chile de arbol and a side of cactus salad (nopales means "prickly pears"). The sweet, rich coffee flan we finished with was a special -- one of the exceptionally friendly owners told us the chef, her husband, is constantly experimenting. That's the kind of thing you'd expect at a place far more swank; to find it in a modest storefront is beguiling. Chip Dudley

North Pond
2610 N. Cannon | 773-477-5845

F 8.9 | S 8.0 | A 9.4 | $$$ (29 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | LUNCH: TUESDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY; SUNDAY BRUNCH | CLOSED MONDAY

North Pond isn't the blandly well-meaning restaurant its rhetoric -- the modern sustainability mantra -- might suggest. Chef Bruce Sherman's cooking is surprisingly adventurous. Dungeness crab is paired with a poached farm-raised egg and a smoked-caviar-and-clementine butter, jasmine-crusted sea scallops with a Meyer lemon-radicchio salad. Farm-raised venison sits alongside black pepper-ricotta gnocchi; gloriously fatty duck breast is accompanied by a cabbage-pistachio "leg roll," parsnip pancakes, and an apricot-cherry mostarda. When I last visited, the tastes of a wonderfully screwy dessert -- a white-chocolate-and-coconut soup with scoops of key lime cream and mojito sorbet in the middle -- clashed, then melded together. Eating it was like playing a new video game -- only as you finish do you feel you're beginning to master it. Nicholas Day

One Sixty Blue
1400 W. Randolph | 312-850-0303

F 8.7 | S 8.1 | A 8.7 | $$$ (15 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Chef Martial Noguier says his goal is to "modernize" old French recipes for an American audience. Maybe that's why a roasted hedgehog mushroom salad features bacon lardon, French lentils, and a poached farm egg -- but is served cold. Meaty diver scallops were well matched by pancetta, a mascarpone-pumpkin puree, and tender chanterelles, and a fried grouper fillet swam among peppers, capers, olives, and a quail egg. Only the Delmonico steak, the restaurant's much-ballyhooed signature dish, disappointed, literally collapsing from the weight of my knife. The meal was pleasant and the ambience surprisingly soothing -- our Aussie waiter was affable and enthusiastic. Then the check came. Peter Margasak

Pho 777
1065 W. Argyle | 773-561-9909

F 7.2 | S 7.2 | A 5.2 | $ (5 reports)
ASIAN, VIETNAMESE | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SUNDAY, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED TUESDAY | BYO

"Eye of round steak, well done flanks, fat brisket, soft tendon, bible tripe, and meat balls" reads the description of Pho's signature item, the Special 777. But it's not as double double toil and trouble as that might sound: even my squeamish friend tucked in to this substantial beef-noodle soup. The banh xeo, Vietnamese pancake, was filled with slices of pork and notably fresh shrimp and also benefited from the chile sauce (what doesn't?). The only dish to disappoint was the traditional catfish cooked in a clay pot, which tasted far more powerfully of soy sauce than of lemongrass. Foremost Liquors, just down the street, has a surprisingly good selection of wines. I splurged on a Grand Cru -- at $36, it was $16 more than our meal. Kate Schmidt

Pier 5736
5736 N. Elston | 773-774-3663

F 8.9 | S 9.0 | A 6.5 | $$$ (8 reports)
SEAFOOD | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY

A modest family place where people smile at one another table to table, Pier 5736 has a gregarious chef-owner and a number of money-saving offers every night of the week it's open. Lobster medallions were dressed in a white wine sauce with lemon butter and parsley; crab cakes, with a good balance of meat and breading, were accompanied by a flavorful remoulade. Every dish comes with a salad, grilled vegetables, and potatoes, and there's a full bar and a more than a dozen bottles of wine, most in the $20 range. For dessert we went with an airy chocolate mousse, comfortably priced at $4.50. As we were getting ready to go our cheerful server signed me up for a drawing to win a free meal -- like I said, you get seafood bargains here. David Hammond

Roy's
720 N. State | 312-787-7599

F 9.0 | S 8.6 | A 7.8 | $$$$ (16 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

The quality of the service and the food help to make up for the frenzied atmosphere and the overwhelming scale of this 6,500-square-foot space. Roy's Canoe Appetizer includes a few of his most popular specialties: shrimp sticks, Szechuan baby back ribs, pork-and-shrimp lumpia. For entrees there are seafood options like delicate misoyaki butterfish, macademia-nut-encrusted mahimahi, or Roy's signature slow-braised char-broiled short ribs. There's also a three-course prix fixe option for $35. The wine list is outstanding, with more than 30 offerings by the glass and several bottles specially labeled for Roy's. Service is attentive and cheerful, although all the alohas get a bit silly. Laura Levy Shatkin

Salpicon
1252 N. Wells | 312-988-7811

F 8.4 | S 8.2 | A 6.7 | $$$$ (9 reports)
MEXICAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SUNDAY BRUNCH | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

In 1995 Priscila Satkoff was one of the first Topolobampo/Frontera graduates to strike out on her own, and the continued success of Salpicon is as much a credit to her skills as it is to the enduring power of Rick Bayless. Satkoff's tiny Old Town spot continues to bustle, well served by smart waitstaff unafraid to tell you what they think of your order and a sommelier who knows his Super Tuscans just as well as his tequilas. On my visit we ordered almost entirely from the week's specials and were stupefied by a duck confit dressed with cracklings and a sauce of pomegranate, orange, and chiles; a big, beautiful sloppy lamb shank in mole rojo with a side of bacony chiles and beans; and a mango-pear tart, all showing Satkoff's knack for balancing the sweet, fruity, earthy, smoky, savory, and picante. Mike Sula

Schwa
1466 N. Ashland | 773-252-1466

F 9.3 | S 7.3 | A 7.3 | $$$$ (6 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER: MONDAY-FRIDAY | CLOSED SATURDAY, SUNDAY | BYO

The a la carte menu is a thing of the past at chef Michael Carlson's boite; in its place are two tasting options, three courses for $55 or nine for $95. On my last visit some old favorites remained: a brioche-crusted soft-boiled egg was served with a tiny spoon of caviar, creme fraiche, and potato puree -- a daring dish, beautifully presented. Rich, ethereal quail egg ravioli exploded like egg-flavored Freshen-Up gum on first bite. The pork entree paired juicy slices of tenderloin with dark caramelized belly; it was plated with sauerkraut, raisins, and supercrisp strips of house-made bacon. Dessert was pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin puree, a smear of pumpkin oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, and creme fraiche ganging up on a poor defenseless brownie. Schwa is BYOB -- and BYO glassware unless you like drinking out of tumblers. Martha Bayne

Scylla
1952 N. Damen | 773-227-2995

F 9.2 | S 8.4 | A 8.2 | $$$ (11 reports)
MEDITERRANEAN, EUROPEAN | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY

In the wake of a recent menu revamp that broadened the focus beyond fish -- and knocked the prices down a notch to boot -- Scylla is hands-down one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Chef Stephanie Izard plays with flavor and texture at a jaw-dropping level of sophistication and confidence. An appetizer of grilled baby octopus paired the sweetly chewy tentaclettes with creamy white beans, slivers of prosciutto, and tiny, tart pomegranate seeds. Stunningly tender short ribs with decadent Gorgonzola brioche were sassed up beyond comfort food with the addition of escarole, cippolini onions, and a bold huckleberry bordelaise. And a middle course of rosemary linguine dressed with a pork ragu and rapini was a knockout (we scooped the dregs of an addictive rosemary vinaigrette off the plate with our fingers before the server whisked it away). Izard can do delicate too, as evidenced by a trio of carnaroli rice balls filled with Gouda or lightly sauteed trout served with a ramekin of bagna cauda that allows you to adjust the dish in keeping with your garlic-and-anchovy tolerance. The bill was a happy surprise -- we did the math twice to make sure they hadn't left anything off. Martha Bayne

Seasons Restaurant
120 E. Delaware | 312-649-2349

F 9.1 | S 10.0 | A 9.3 | $$$$ (6 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | BREAKFAST, LUNCH: MONDAY-SATURDAY; DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY; SUNDAY BRUNCH

This old-world dining room in the, Four Seasons Hotel is predictably luxurious, with oak paneling, grandiose chandeliers, huge vases of fresh-cut flowers everywhere, and tables appointed with oversize Wedgwood china. The menu changes seasonally; braised beef cheeks, cassoulet of lobster, and Brittany scallops served in the shell are regular offerings. Contemporary American dishes might include roast Colorado rack of lamb and an all-natural beef fillet. An adorable children's menu lists favorites like PB&J and chocolate chip cookies. Raters praise the Sunday brunch buffet in particular: for $62 you get to choose from a staggering selection of about a million hot and cold items. Laura Levy Shatkin

Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan | 312-280-2750

F 9.3 | S 9.6 | A 9.3 | $$$$ (9 reports)
ITALIAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

Chef Tony Mantuano offers tasting menus, but on this visit we went full bore and ordered a la carte, starting with sea scallops paired with Italian lentils and cotechino sausage; a trio of pesce cruda; and delicate house-marinated anchovies with buffalo mozzarella. Pasta here, as one might expect, is terrific, and Mantuano's risotto is not to be missed. My grilled pork loin -- served with morels, ramps, braised pork cheek, and a chunk of guanciale -- was so damn good I felt abandoned when they took the plate away. Desserts -- an intense chocolate semifreddo and mouth-puckering lemon panna cotta -- were grand, but Spiaggia's cheese program is second to none, with superior offerings like a signature aged cow's milk cheese. Service is seamless, and Stephen Alexander, who's replaced longtime sommelier Henry Bishop, did right by us with a sparkling Gavi di Gavi to start the extravaganza. Gary Wiviott

Spring
2039 W. North | 773-395-7100

F 9.1 | S 8.9 | A 8.5 | $$$ (17 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, SEAFOOD | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY

The concept's simple at Spring, the first restaurant venture of chef-turned-restaurant-overlord Shawn McClain: 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 is livened up by jasmine rice and lobster curry. Potato "ravioli" test the structural stability of potatoes, but the single seared scallop that accompanies it is pristine and a pungent mushroom-black truffle reduction is the perfect foil, like a gastronomic good cop-bad cop routine. Nicholas Day

Sticky Rice Thai
4018 N. Western | 773-588-0133

F 8.9 | S 8.0 | A 6.0 | $ (7 reports)
THAI | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: MONDAY-SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

A wonder cabinet of Thai food, Sticky Rice, run by a charming and very patient staff, is endlessly interesting and cheap enough to serve as your substitute kitchen. Their standard English-language menu would be novel enough, with things like deep-fried quail and shrimp on sugarcane, but thanks to a translation of the lengthy Thai-language menu, the options are almost inexhaustible. I've only excavated a tiny quadrant of both menus, but among the standouts are banana blossom salad, Burmese-style curry, duck curry with lychees, and northern Thai larb (made with ground pork and intestine). The only real problem with Sticky Rice is that it's so hard to relinquish these known pleasures for unknowns. But be bold: you can't spend your whole life eating jellyfish salad, after all. Also, for those interested in real grub: with dishes like fried worms and ant-egg omelet, Sticky Rice is your Chicagoland insect-eating destination. Nicholas Day

Sweets & Savories
1534 W. Fullerton | 773-281-6778

F 8.6 | S 9.1 | A 8.0 | $$$ (9 reports)
AMERICAN, FRENCH | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SUNDAY BRUNCH

David Richards doesn't stand on ceremony -- his cozy Fullerton Avenue storefront shares a parking lot with a Pennzoil and a taqueria. But the refined, French-inflected food at his elegantly unpretentious restaurant has more than enough power to carry the show. The star of the a la carte options remains the foie gras burger, a $17 fistful of Kobe beef topped with truffled mayonnaise and a thick slab of illegal pat. On a recent Saturday the nine-course tasting menu ($60) started off with a refreshing tomato-saffron fondant; accompanying swooshes of bright asparagus-and-pea puree gave some seared Alaskan scallops backbone. A pan-roasted piece of blue-nosed grouper over rosemary-potato hash was outstanding, as was the piping hot duo of juicy duck breast and complex, devastating rabbit sausage that followed. "Sweets" included a deliciously diapery Camembert with a fig-and-almond cookie, mango sorbet, and a one-two punch of chocolate ice cream and warm molten chocolate cake. On Sundays there's a prix fixe brunch for $16; on Mondays it's BYO with no corkage fee and no a la carte service, just a discounted tasting menu. Martha Bayne

Tank Sushi
4514 N. Lincoln | 773-769-2600

F 8.8 | S 7.9 | A 6.8 | $$$ (22 reports)
JAPANESE | LUNCH: SATURDAY-SUNDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11:30

Tank's formula -- sleek contemporary space, clubby background music, signature cocktails -- has been done before. But it still feels welcoming and casual enough for the neighborhood folkies and hippie-sters. Many of the sushi combinations nod to tropical climes: the Green Island roll comes with spicy coconut mayonnaise, the Tropic Thunder is adorned with a thin slice of mango. We loved the Ocean Sundae roll, with its combination of sweet and spicy flavors and creamy and crunchy textures. The maki menu also features an unusual number of vegetarian rolls including kampyo, marinated gourd with sesame seeds, and a shiitake roll with sweet ginger soy and sesame seeds. Kathie Bergquist

Taste of Peru
6545 N. Clark | 773-381-4540

F 8.5 | S 7.4 | A 5.4 | $ (7 reports)
LATIN AMERICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY TILL MIDNIGHT, SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

At this BYO storefront ambience is spartan, service is sloooow, portions are huuuuge, and the neighborhood dinner rush seems to peak at 6 PM on Saturday. That said, the food is pleasant and a tremendous bargain -- be prepared to take leftovers with you. We especially enjoyed the pollo en salsa de mani (chicken with Peruvian peanut sauce), the shrimp picante (served in a creamy, savory sauce), and the mixed seviche. There was a superb jalapeno-chile-onion dipping sauce served with simple, tasty bread. Be sure to try an Inca Kola soft drink! On weekends the restaurant features live music. Patrick Brown, Rater

Think Cafe
2235 N. Western | 773-394-0537

F 8.3 | S 8.5 | A 8.1 | $$$ (42 reports)
ITALIAN, AMERICAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

The contemporary Italian menu covers a lot of ground: a half-dozen appetizers, as many salads, and even more pasta and entree options. Raters single out the white asparagus salad with tomatoes and Maytag blue cheese, but my friend went for a plate of arugula, dried apples, and goat cheese in a mango vinaigrette, a nice, teasing balance of flavors. A venison special paired dark, sweet, slightly gamy meat with whipped sweet potatoes, dates, and dollops of now-verboten foie gras -- but its $35 price tag came as a bit of a shock. Another special of grilled bass with mango chutney, served over pearl couscous and topped with two lonely asparagus spears, was unfussy and satisfying. The multigenerational crowd is a testament to Think's appeal. Martha Bayne

Tru
676 N. Saint Clair | 312-202-0001

F 8.4 | S 9.0 | A 9.2 | $$$$$ (7 reports)
FRENCH, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

At Tru you have a choice of wild tasting "collections" (with courses including executive chef Rick Tramanto's famous glass caviar "staircase") or slightly less wild creations prix fixe. On my last visit my meal began with the tiniest of amuse bouches, a circle of braised leek with a salty eggplant concoction in the middle, served on a kind of porringer spoon. Then followed a little peekytoe crab salad, then a perfect lobster risotto served in an individual copper pot with lobster reduction spooned over at the very last moment. For my main course I marched back to heartier fare: an extraordinary prime beef rib eye that made me feel it was just me and the meat, an ancient tale in a civilized place. My friend and I couldn't resist the cheese course, and despite our dainty requests for portion control ("Just the tiniest of slivers, please," "Just the merest mention of Brie"), I think it sent us over the edge. But it was onward into the all-out decadence that is dessert under Gale Gand: first an amuse of strawberry lemonade, then a chocolate semifreddo with chocolated Rice Krispies that rocked my world. Meals at Tru end with one last spoiled grazing through a selection of small cakes, cookies, and candies, along with a goody bag and a handmade lollipop, a petite green round on a long, long stem. Elizabeth M. Tamny

West Town Tavern
1329 W. Chicago | 312-666-6175

F 8.4 | S 7.9 | A 8.4 | $$ (27 reports)
AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

"Tavern" is a stretch -- with exposed brick walls and artfully dressed floor-to-ceiling windows, this is a far cry from a corner tap. As at Zinfandel, Drew and Susan Goss's previous restaurant, the contemporary American menu emphasizes seasonal ingredients. Starters include mussels, calamari with curried slaw, and a hearty antipasto plate featuring prosciutto, olives, oven-cured tomatos, a rich herbed goat cheese, and a savory braised white bean paste. Entrees range from pan-seared scallops atop mushroom-leek risotto to a meaty roast trout over braised artichokes and fingerling potatoes in a funky, delicious jus full of bacon. The wine list has many by-the-glass options, with suggested pairings listed on the menu. Freestyling with the help of an adept waitress, I matched a zippy Washington State Syrah to my fish; my friend tried the "A Thousand Flowers" blend recommended only to discover that a little gewurztraminer goes a long way. Martha Bayne

Wholly Frijoles Mexican Grill
3908 W. Touhy, Lincolnwood | 847-329-9810

F 8.7 | S 8.0 | A 7.0 | $$ (6 reports)
MEXICAN | LUNCH, DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | BYO

Is this the place that launched a thousand trips to far north Lincolnwood? Many reputable sources have proclaimed this strip-mall Mexican joint to be outstanding. I found it . . . OK, not bad, but probably not worth the ride for anyone south of Lawrence. Whole red snapper was probably the best dish we had, fresh tasting and fried right (they have a hand with snapper here). The shrimp were overcooked, but braised lamb turned out to be remarkably meaty, a premium piece cut off the bone for easy eating; we liked it. Stuffed chicken breast had a hint of something like nacho cheese, though we enjoyed the mashed potatoes with chipotle peppers, perhaps "inauthentic" but entirely satisfying. Flour tortillas seemed good enough to be house-made, and the eponymous frijoles were chunky and good if not life altering. Overall, the food seemed of high quality, just seriously lacking cojones; still, with no corkage fee, dining here is a decent deal. David Hammond

Yoshi's Cafe
3257 N. Halsted | 773-248-6160

F 8.7 | S 8.7 | A 6.9 | $$$ (15 reports)
GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY; SUNDAY BRUNCH | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

Yoshi's was ground zero during Chicago's early forays into fusion cuisine, merging culinary traditions from all over the planet. Now expanded and more "casual," it remains a friendly place that gets points for superb ingredients, imaginative presentation, and attentive, unobtrusive service. There are a number of traditional bistro items -- roast chicken, steak frites and cassoulet -- with representative ingredients from Europe, Asia, and California, and several reasonably priced wines by the glass. With inventive salads including the exceptional grilled radicchio with pine nuts and goat cheese, inexpensive side dishes like edamame with sea salt, and an interstellar dessert selection, you can have a fine vegetarian dinner or a nice hunk of meat or fish and enjoy a fine-dining eating experience without a bank-breaking tab. David Hammond

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