Nursery Inspiration

I've been really MIA...since August. I had a crazy busy summer and now seem to cram all my cold fall nights (ahem, feels like winter) watching Parenthood and drinking wine. I have no excuse.

Anyways, anyone that knows me is aware that I am the queen of neutral. I don't really like color, especially when deceorating. I am a gray all the way, kind of girl. So when my friend asked me to help her decorate a gender neutral nursery, I happily obliged. You might remember I've helped with living room mood boards in the past (see here and here). Thoughts?

Fig and Olive

Fig and Olive, which has restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and now Chicago, is to die for. This place has Mediterranean food, with its origins from the South of France, Italy and Spain. You can feel the Mediterranean vibe with the ambiance and decorating. The space is extremely open and airy with two floors, and the decor is almost all white (hello, my dream). The bar is a huge square, so this would be a fun place to post up for a drink. You can easily hang here while listening to the DJ (that plays subtle party music). There is also an open-air garden terrace. This restaurant almost feels like it belongs in an upscale Vegas hotel, and you are going to walk out onto the pool and cabana at any moment. This is also the most well dressed and wealthy crowd I've seen at a restaurant in Chicago. I've never seen more Hermes and Chanel in one place. This is definitely a place to see and be seen.

The food is also great. They are known for their olive oil, and bring out this amazing bread to start with three different dipping oils. I've also learned that they use olive oil in all of their dishes, instead of butter and cream. Also, like most restaurants these days, they have a great small plates and a shared menu. We ordered a burrata dish, a crostini and a pasta dish. We were too stuffed to even look at the dessert menu. The wine pours were also huge, which was a great bonus when you're out for a girls night.

The only cons about this place were that it was extremely cold (although they did turn off the air a bit) and they didn't dim the lights early enough. That wouldn't be enough to keep me from coming back though. I highly recommend coming here, and putting this top of your list. I would have to say this is up there with Bottlefork, Nico Osteria and Cicchetti for me (as far as new River North restaurants go).

Summer House Santa Monica

I could go on and on listing off the wonderful things about this place. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing, and you truly feel like you're in Southern California. Come to this place in the winter if you need a dose of summer! Also, the people at this restaurant were extremely attractive. I was actually getting distracted because of how good looking the men were. Clearly I need to be coming here more often!

The food was slightly expensive though. We ended up with a decently hefty bill at the end of the evening. If I were to do it over again, I would probably share some of the small plates with a pasta entree. Just don't eat too much before you go, because you'll want to save yourself for the carb heavy menu and amazing pastas. The service was great though, and all the waitstaff were all super friendly.

The only negative is how hard it is to get a reservation, and the weak cocktails. We had to make a reservation a month in advance! Although all the cocktails looked amazing, they were not strong enough...at all. Stick with the wine here. Especially because the featured winery on the menu was Sanford. Good pick!

Overall I would highly recommend coming to this place! And make sure to take home some goodies for yourself from the bakery at the front of the restaurant. 

Temperance Beer Co

One of the hardest parts about moving to Evanston for me has been being just that much further away from all my friends who live downtown. So I was super excited to organize an outing with my friends to go to Temperance Beer Co in Evanston.

Temperance is Evanston's first craft brewery, and is getting quite the following. The location is a bit hard to find, and you initially feel like you've come to the wrong place, as it looks like you are pulling up to a loading dock of a commercial building. That feeling quickly subsides after you turn a corner and realize you are looking at the Temperance tap room and beer garden. The atmosphere is absolutely perfect...fun and relaxed, with good music and my favorite strung patio lights in the beer garden. The place was relatively packed with almost all tables, both inside and out, taken. They don't have a restaurant portion that serves food, so some nights local restaurants bring in food. The night we went Edzo's was there grilling burgers. What could be better on a summer night than craft beer and delicious burgers? For nights they don't have a restaurant on-site, you can bring your own food or have something delivered. Brilliant.

Now onto the beer. They have ten beers, of which I tried three or four and liked all of them. Some of the beers are seasonal or extremely limited. They have 4 oz glasses, half pints or pints so you can drink as much or as little as you want while tasting. Clearly other people are noticing that the beers are good, as I've seen them on the menu at a couple restaurants recently. You can also buy cans of the Gatecrasher IPA to take home (they'll also be on retail shelves at Whole Foods and Binny's). Yum!

This would also be an amazing place to host a private event (they close on Monday's for that purpose). Given the outdoor space, and garage style doors that open up the inside to the outside, you could put together something really fun. I'll have to keep that in the back of my mind...

Regardless of whether you live in the city of northern suburbs, I highly recommend coming here (especially on a night they have food brought in). You will not be disappointed. I left wanting to come back many more times.

Table, Donkey and Stick

Table Donkey and Stick is a neighborhood restaurant in the outskirts of Logan Square. They were recognized by Chicago Magazine as one of the 2013 Best New Restaurants. The seasonal menu was inspired by the owners numerous trips to the Alps, and is based on the mountain cuisines of France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Slovenia. You can also get the mountain feeling with the dark rustic look of the place. We sat out in the amazing backyard patio that has strung patio lights, and feels quite magical in the middle of the city.

The kitchen works with local farmers markets for most of their produce, and whole animals for their meats. They also make the bread and charcuterie in house. The menu is a bit out there though, and I left hoping there could have been a few more "normal" things to order. I could also probably just learn to be more adventurous. That being said, everything we ordered was great - from the house made pretzel with dipping cheese to the burger. Both were so mouthwatering tasty that I even forgot to take a picture before eating, oops. The brunch menu looks delicious too, so I would definitely be interested in coming back for that, and trying more things.

They have some fun events too. The first Sunday of every month there is a guest chef that prepares a special meal. Also, they have Monday Night Specials, that include the kitchen staying open late and offering a selection of $5 kitchen special and 50 cent PBRs. Now that sounds like a good time!

I would definitely recommend coming to this place, preferably in the summer when you can sit out back. The good news is that they take reservations, so you can get a guaranteed table.

Laughing Bird

I love Lincoln Square and would have considered buying a place in this neighborhood, had I not moved to Evanston. So I was excited to learn of a hot new opening in the area. I was meeting up with a girlfriend who lives in this neighborhood, so we went to Laughing Bird, which is a Filipino-American restaurant that opened in May. This place was concepted and opened by the Top Chef alum Chrissy Camba, formerly of Bar Pastoral.

We had heard that this place was known for their great small plates and bar snacks, so we ordered from that portion of the menu versus the main entree dishes. I really enjoyed everything we ordered, especially the burrata, which is the cheese with a thick, sugary, carmelized-coconut jam, served with these to die for salt bread rolls. I could have ordered this three times over and still wanted more. The green papaya and raw beet salad was also so much better than I was expecting a salad to be. I would have never thought to mix peanuts with beets, but it sure was good. 

My one complaint would be the size of the wine pours. Although I can be a bit of a lush when it comes to my wine, the pours seemed extremely small for a relatively hefty price. I would have liked a bit more in my glass...  Also, I didn't love the decorating inside. I can't put my finger on it as to why, but for some reason it felt cold and dark...and not dark in a good way (like I normally like). Luckily we had a nice enough night that we could enjoy the outdoor patio weather. 

Overall, although I had fun, there are so many other restaurants I'd rather go to again in the city. This is a great option if you're further north though in that neighborhood.

TETE Charcuterie

I've had this place on my list but I was never dying to go because it seemed to have a limited menu.  That being said, Tete Charcuterie has been getting tons of buzz since before it even opened, so I obviously had to go. This restaurant made Chicago Magazine's 2014 Best New Restaurants list in April, and has been on Chicago Eater's Heatmap for over three straight months.

That being said, I had a great experience at this place. The owner was super nice and created a very hospitable environment. When we didn't love the texture of our pate, he brought out a new mousse pate that was absolutely amazing. The pate had a strawberry topping that was to die for. I am not someone who likes mixing fruits with anything, so I was shocked at how much I loved it.

Also, the atmosphere is great. The outdoor patio has music pumping from three different restaurants, which actually was really fun. You just feel like you're in a happening place. The inside has a great ambiance too, so this place would be good to visit year round.

Overall, given the high level of service and ambiance, if you are a meat lover, definitely come visit this place. And as it's on Restaurant Row, there are a plethora of places to hop to after (we went across the street to RM Champagne).

Kinmont

Kinmont made Chicago Magazine's 2014 Best New Restaurants list in April, and ever since seeing that, I did a bit more research on the restaurant, and realized they have been receiving tons of phenomenal press. They've also been on Chicago Eaters Heatmap, which is somewhat of a bible for me. I was actually shocked at how easy it was to get a reservation given the reviews!

This place was opened by the same owners as Old Town Social, RM Champagne, and Nellcote. I love all three of those restaurants, so given its accolades and the other restaurants in the group, I knew I had to go. The Executive Chef came from Lula Cafe, so it's not shocking the food is great. This place is also notable because it is entirely sustainable and responsibly sourced fish and seafood, and focuses on rough fish (species that aren't commonly caught or eaten), meaning there will be some unfamiliar varieties. I do feel like I missed out though by not ordering the Parker House dinner rolls...I've been reading that they are quite delicious. I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices. You definitely won't break the bank here and can easily have more than one cocktail, while still keeping the bill reasonable.

The location of this restaurant is great. It is in River North downtown, but a bit further west. It would be easy for people to get to from work, but because it's further west there is tons of parking if you're meeting someone who is driving.

Overall, I highly recommend coming to this place. Great meal, good atmosphere, reasonable prices, and easy to get to.

The Dawson

I had heard that the Dawson had a phenomenal patio, so when my sister asked me if I wanted to check it out with her, I happily obliged. This place is in West Town at six corners, and was opened by Billy Lawless (The Gage, Henri). The restaurant has a massive layout with an upstairs, downstairs, and spacious outdoor patio. And although I didn't see it, from reading, it sounds like there's a great private space with a large fireplace. Hello, winter party.

Luckily because it was a gorgeous night we were able to enjoy the outdoor space. Although I had a lovely time, I wasn't crazy about the food. They've already gone through several Executive Chefs, the most recent starting in May 2014, so I can imagine the menu isn't that stable. I would say this is more of a drinking focused place. That being said, the cocktails were amazing...some of the best I can remember in the recent past. I had a frozen Mai Tai and I am craving another just writing about it. Bottom line, I think it's best to come to The Dawson on a nice night when you can sit outside and enjoy a cocktail, and then grab dinner somewhere else nearby.

Au Cheval

I have been dying to go to Au Cheval for years and it took me forever to get there because they don't take reservations, and I lack patience. I finally made it there though with my friend Rochelle. I was warned that the wait, even on a weekday, would be long. And it was. An hour and a half wait for a table! On. A. Tuesday.

That being said, the meal was totally worth it. The Au Cheval burger has been recognized and voted nationwide as being one of the best burgers. And it is. I literally couldn't get enough and was almost sad we'd decided to split. We also got the fried bologne sandwich, which was equally as good. They had a special smoked salmon dip that we just had to order, and of course it came on buttery texas toast. There was not a bad thing about our meal, all amazing.

AND the best part might be that you can bring your own wine. There is no corkage fee, they just ask that you give a glass to a neighboring table. So worth it (especially with my huge discount on luxury wine!).

Au Cheval is also owned by the same people as some of my other favorite restaurants...Gilt Bar, Maude's, and Bavette's. Although I loved Au Cheval, I wouldn't recommend brining out of towners or impatient people here. Try one of their other places that take reservations.

Cicchetti

Italian restaurants are some of my favorites, and there seem to be an abundance of them opening up in Chicago the past few months. Cicchetti is in Streeterville and was opened by restaurant vet Dan Rosenthal. There are also some heavy hitters as the executive chef, sous chef and pastry chef.

I absolutely loved this place. Not quite as much as Bottlefork, but a close second for new places I've been to recently. The food is so good and we could have ordered so many things on the menu. The Nonna's Meatballs are must, as well as getting a flatbread. I've also since learned Dan Rosenthal's restaurants are known for their homemade ravioli, so wish we'd gotten those. At the end of the meal, they bring out a shot of limoncello for everyone. This was such a fun touch and made us very happy!

The staff was super friendly, and the ambiance and interior are also just my style. Lots of white, marble, exposed wooden beams and black metal. They have a great area that could be separated off for private parties. The layout is a bit confusing though because it is connected to a Sopprafina (which Dan Rosenthal also owns), and at first you might think that half the restaurant is empty. Well, apparently that half is not part of Cicchetti and is actually Sopprafina. They also have a great outdoor area, so this would be a fun place to come back for brunch. Overall, I highly recommend this place!

Stella Barra Pizzeria

If you know anything about me, you know I love pizza. So I had to try Stella Barra Pizzeria in Lincoln Park, which was opened by Lettuce Entertain You and is the sister restaurant to Summer House Santa Monica, which is next door. This place has been getting rave reviews and seemed like the perfect spot for a girls night out. Although I always have an amazing time with these girls, this place definitely made it even better.

The artisan pizzas were truly amazing, and the menu has so many good options that we almost had to play eeni meeni miney mo to make our choices. We settled on three pizzas, my favorite being the Prosciutto and Farm Egg. I know that to some a runny egg on pizza sounds disgusting, but man oh man do I have a newfound love for egg on pizza! The crust was also to die for. There are also salads and pastas, but we didn't try any of those. We did try one of the vegetable sides, and the brussel sprouts were delicious. If I could make brussel sprouts like that, I might eat vegetables more often. This is the type of menu that you could order anything and be happy. The prices are also incredibly reasonable, considering you generally split a pizza anyways. The less money you spend on food means the more money you can spend on wine and cocktails!

The ambiance was great. The walls are painted a dark almost black color with black subway tile, dim lighting and wooden tables with tea lights. I didn't like our seating though. We were seated in a raised booth that was open on one side, so you weren't able to face the people at your table. Great for people watching though... I would have rather watched MY people though.

Overall, although this wasn't one of my all time favorite most amazing restaurants ever, it definitely is a great place to go and is an easy place to grab a good bite in a chic setting with friends. You should definitely come here if you live in Chicago, or heck, even bring out of towners here if you're up in Lincoln Park!

La Scarola

To celebrate my mom's birthday, she decided she wanted to go to La Scarola, which is an Italian restaurant just east of the highway on Grand Ave. This place is real, legit Itlalian. There are no frills and no sexy ambiance here, just phenomenal food. The restaurant actually looks like kind of a dive. That being said, you know it must be good when the place is absolutely packed and there are lots of Italians. The service was also great; we had a very nice waiter who was patient and joked around with us (in a good way).  And the wine list is fabulous (although I am biased) and the prices for the bottles are not overpriced. Overall, I would definitely recommend coming here if you want an amazing Italian meal. This place has been around forever, and although it doesn't have much to it, it draws some heavy hitters (as evidenced by all the pictures on the wall).

Bread and Wine

I haven't heard much buzz about Bread & Wine, but saw that a friend had gone here, and I usually trust her finds. This place is in the Old Irving Park neighborhood, just off the highway. So easy access for those of us that now live in the suburbs (womp).

When we first arrived, we were thrilled to find that there is a free parking lot out front of the restaurant. I have since learned that this is because it used to be an old laundromat. My immediate reaction after stepping into the restaurant was that the lights were on way too bright and it killed the ambiance a bit. They finally turned the lights down after about an hour. The music was good though, and the place has a nice neighborhood vibe. They have a great bar while you wait, and there is also chefs seating available, in which you can sit at another bar and watch the chefs cook.

The staff was super friendly and made good recommendations (like pointing out we probably shouldn't order a starter of pommes frites when our main entree burgers come with fries on the side). The service was terribly slow and it got annoying after a while. We had to wave someone down to get a second cocktail, and even to pay our bill. The menu is small, which is expected for a small restaurant, and the menu was good but not amazing. I wasn't dying to have several things, and it was clear what I was going to order after looking at the menu for a couple of minutes. That being said, the burger that we both ordered was amazing - cooked just the way we asked it to be, and had amazing beef bacon on it. Yum. The desserts were totally killer. The carmel popcorn panna cotta is a MUST.

Overall, I liked this place but wouldn't put it on my must go to list. I also wouldn't recommend this place for out of town visitors, and the location is pretty out there. If you are an adventurous restaurant goer though, and like to explore, but this on your list.