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Pluton's Earlier Creation
April 30, 2004 | 0 Comments

I am a big fan of French bistro dining. For my tastes, a good French bistro beats a great Italian trattoria any day of the week. There are a fair amount of good bistros around Chicago to choose from, but I find highlighting Jacky’s Bistro in Evanston to be particularly timely.

Jacky Pluton, once the owner and chef at Jacky’s, has moved on to the heralded Pluton. He remains a consultant to the bistro, but he has passed the reins to another chef from the same kitchen. The new chef is taking the approach, “it it ain’t broke, why fix it”. This is good news, as Jacky’s was far from “broke”.

I’ve dined at Jacky’s many times and I’ve tried most of the menu standards. Dinners at Jacky’s always begin with wonderful bread served with a mouth-watering head of roasted garlic. Wonderful. Entrees of note include a great steak au poivre, a delicious lamb shank, rich calf’s livers, tender braised short-ribs, and a killer cassoulet in the winter (cassoulet, in my mind, being mankind’s greatest culinary creation). There are always some nice specials including some great fresh seafood dishes. I generally have a hard time choosing what to eat at Jacky’s.

The other nice thing about Jacky’s is that it’s a bit off the beaten path, so it is rarely uncomfortably crowded (peak times are obviously full, but not too crazy). The staff is attentive and friendly. I have had one bad service experience there, but I’m chalking it up as an anomaly, since all the other trips have been great.

Cheap Eating Tip: Jacky’s is on the OpenTable.com 1,000-point list. This means that if you book a table at Jacky’s through OpenTable.com for a specific (off-peak) time, you will be given 1,000 OpenTable points as opposed to their usual 100. 1,000 points = a $10 coupon for any OpenTable restaurant.

Check out Jacky’s Bistro at 2545 Prairie Ave. in Evanston, 847-733-0899. Street parking possible, valet also available.

As a side note, I hope to get to Pluton soon and will report when I do.

Posted 08:27 AM
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Why I Love Trader Joe's
April 28, 2004 | 6 Comments

Trader Joe's is not a uniquely Chicago grocery store and it did not originate here either. Nevertheless, it's recent introduction within the city-limits has altered my grocery habits drastically. For this reason, it deserves an entry to this weblog.

TJ's offers a completely unique shopping experience. They pride themselves on offering items bought directly from the manufacturer, having most of them labeled under a TJ brand. They buy direct in high volume, keeping prices very low. This business model provides pretty interesting results: new items constantly, many of gourmet quality, a lot of natural foods, and very low prices. The store is also laid out well, with enticing hand written descriptions of many featured items.

I do not shop at TJ's for everything. I really only reserve it for certain pantry items, freezer items, and some wine. Here's a list of some items that I keep going back for:

1) Fire roasted red-peppers in a jar. Not pickled or vinegary, these peppers are great for an antipasti plate, for adding to recipes, or for filling with cheese..

2) Frozen fish and shrimp are great to have on hand and they have a huge assortment.

3) Mochi ice cream are my favorite Japanese dessert, and I don't have to drive all the way to Arlington Heights to get a box. TJ's offers green tea and mango flavors.

4) Frozen meals that redefine the idea of frozen meals. For $2.29 you can get chicken biryani, chicken vindaloo, vegan pad thai, and more. Many of these, when taste a lot like restaurant leftovers. Good for lunch at work.

5) Wines. TJ's has a great selection of interesting affordable wines. If you like Charles Shaw (three-buck Chuck), spend a buck or two more per bottle and you'll find many wines which are a lot better.

6) Potpourri. I always find something I didn't see before. Last night was some Italian tomato paste in a tube. No more saving half cans of Contadina paste for me! I've also found some great mustards, tapenades, cheeses, and more.

Last but not least. The staff is also fantastic, very friendly but never forced or fake. I think they've all eaten everything in the store because I've never met a TJ's employee who couldn't speak volumes about their stock.

Check out Trader Joes at www.traderjoes.com (great website!) or at any of their area locations.

The two city locations are 3745 North Lincoln Ave., (773) 248-4920 and 1840 N. Clybourn Ave. (312) 274-9733.

Posted 08:44 AM
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Hot Doug's Relocating
April 26, 2004 | 1 Comments

According to a confirmed rumor I picked up from Chowhoud, there was a fire in the apartment behind Hot Doug's that has forced them to close temporarily. The message on his voicemail says they will be relocating nearby. Doug asks that you check the website for further developments and announcements.

Hot Doug's Website
Original EatChicago review

Posted 10:52 AM
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Disappointing Dim Sum
April 25, 2004 | 1 Comments

After a matinee in Evanston, we had a bit of dim sum at Lulu's. Lulu's offers an all-you-can-eat menu during lunch on the weekends and Mon. and Tues nights. Choose whatever appetizers you want in any quantity and half-orders of most entrees for $12.95 per person. It seemed like a good deal, and having been there before (years ago), we gave it a try.

Ms. EatChicago was a bit dismayed by the "Chili's-like," predictable menu, but I held a positive outlook. We ordered most of the appetizer menu including pork dumplings, chicken shao mai, seafood wontons, potato croquettes, crispy pork bao, salmon sashimi, cucumber salad, coconut shrimp. The two entrees we tried were chinese pork & noodles and a thai panang curry with shrimp.

The best of the lot were the salmon (more of a carpaccio, with ginger and a spicy mustard) and the pork bao which were crispy on the outside and soft and steaming inside. All the dumplings were mediocre at best, the won tons actually tasted a bit like Long John Silver's to me. The curry was way too sweet and rich with very little broth.

I used to be a fan of Lulu's in it's old location (a couple years ago). It was always a little to hip for it's own good but I thought the food was passable. I remember enjoying Bi Bim Bop and "firecracker" dumplings (both missing from the new menu). Today it tasted a bit too mass-produced and not too fresh. I probably won't be back anytime soon.

I guess you know you're not having a stellar lunch when the words "Chili's" and "Long John Silver" come up during your conversation.

Lulu's is at 804 Davis in Evanston, 847-869-4343 and at www.lulusdimsum.com. By the way, you can't take anything home from the all-you-can-eat deal.

Posted 09:18 PM
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North-Side Desserts
April 22, 2004 | 2 Comments

The north side is full of places to get great, old-fashioned desserts. In fact, if you include the whole Chicagoland area, you could probably fill a whole website with just "dessert reports".

Here are a few North Side places of note:

Sweet Mandy B's is, in my opinion, the current heavyweight champion of Chicago desserts. Known for their old-fashioned approach to cupcakes, pies, cookies, brownies, ice cream drinks, and more, SMB's makes you feel like a kid. It's also open late enough to stop by after dinner for a cup of coffee, a slice of cherry apple pie, and a cupcake. If you haven't been, make it a point to stop in and check out their wares. 1208 W. Webster 773-244-1174.

Dinkel's has been around since the 1920's and has great cakes, strudels, and famous stollens. 3329 N. Lincoln, 773-281-7300.

Lutz is a bakery and cafe (but I've never bothered to eat regular food there). The German pastries are boiling over with old-European charm. Nice patio too. 2458 W. Montrose, 773-478-7785.

Letizia's Natural Bakery is all about natural fresh ingredients, and it shows. A ton of great dessert options here. 2144 West Division. www.superyummy.com.

On the other side of the coin, I do not like Margie's. A family candy and ice cream shop that's been around since the 1920's, Margie's is a favorite of a lot of people. I find their ice cream tasteless and their hot fudge salty. Also, I don't think the place has had a good cleaning since WWII. I much prefer to look at Margie's from the outside. They do make great turtles, though. 1960 N. Western.

A side note: Chicagomag.com's Morsel's newsletter reported this week on a new soda fountain at 2951 N Broadway called Bobtail. I also saw a sign for an "old-fashioned" general store and soda fountain opening up at Lawrence & Lincoln. I'll be trying to hit both of these this Spring/Summer.

Posted 08:36 AM
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West Town Options
April 20, 2004 | 0 Comments

With last week's entrance of Green Zebra to West Chicago Avenue, West Town is quickly becoming a dining destination.

If you can't get a table at Green Zebra, or if you're like me and would prefer to wait a couple months, I highly recommend moving a couple blocks east to West Town Tavern. WTT is the creation of Susan and Drew Goss, famous for River North's Zinfandel.

WTT specializes in what I would consider american bistro comfort food. The menu, with simple tiles like "Salad 1", "Salad 2", "Pot Roast", and "Pork Chop", lends to the neighborhood tavern feel. Once served, you'll quickly see that the food is well beyond typical comfort food.

There are two dishes that stand out in my mind. First, the pot roast, which I believe was so popular at Zinfandel that they brought it to WTT. It's wine-braised, succulent, and served with garlic mashed potatoes. Second, and most important in my mind, is the duck leg confit. This duck leg may be the only perfect duck confit I've ever had. It is served with mashed parsnips and carmelized shallots, both of which match the duck perfectly.

WTT has a very interesting wine list (divided into "New World" and "Old World"), with a very knowledgable staff to help you choose.

My favorite thing about WTT is that in spite of its popularity, WTT remains unpretentious and relaxed. The atmosphere is very comfortable. The food never disappoints and I always leave happy.

Get the duck. Seriously.

Reservations are probably a good idea, but I've walked in without them and waited a few minutes at the bar. Street parking is possible.

Check out West Town Tavern at 1329 West Chicago Ave., 312-666-6175.

You can see the whole menu and more at their website www.westtowntavern.com/.

Posted 08:39 AM
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Myron & Phil's
April 18, 2004 | 1 Comments

Myron & Phil's is a steak and seafood house on the far North side. It's also something of a time-machine, taking you back to the mid 1950s as soon as you walk in the door.

I've probably been there 3 dozen times throughout my life. It has always been something of a "special-event" place for Jewish families in nearby neighborhoods. I have fond feelings for the chopped liver, onions, pickled tomatoes, dill pickles, and marinated peppers that are served with a variety of breads as soon as you're seated.

M&P's is best for steak and chops, plain and simple. There's really not much else going on. The NY Strip, skirt steak, veal chop, and others are always excellent cuts of meat cooked perfectly. What seems lacking these days at M&Ps is the rest of the meal. The salads are predictable, the sides are bland, and there's really no reason to stay for dessert. In spite of that, I always look forward to dinner there.

M&P's has plenty of atmosphere (check out the wall of celebrities on the way in), a nice kitchy bar, friendly service, great steaks, and a general old-school-supper-club feel.

If you're ever in the neighborhood and are looking for a good steak and feel like experiencing a Chicago classic original, check out Myron & Phil's at 3900 W. Devon (east of Pulaski), 847-677-6663. Valet parking (free), no reservations.

Posted 07:15 PM
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Free Money
April 16, 2004 | 4 Comments

Restaurant.com sells and auctions gift certificates for a lot of restaurants in and around Chicago. What makes these gift certificates unique is that they are sold for well below their face value. I've bought $25 coupons for as little as $3, and for never more than half.

The selection of places is pretty good, the site lists 177 restaurants in the Chicago area. I've used them at Meritage Wine Bar, Becco D'Oro, and Jury's (among others). I've seen them for sale for places such as mk, Emilio's Tapas, and Bistro Margo.

Saving money this way is a little more involved than the painless Rewards Network. You have to buy the gift certificate online, print it, and bring it to the restaurant. The server or manager has to phone in the gift certificate ID to validate it. A little involved, but I've never encountered a problem.

Be sure to read the fine print. Some of the certificates are good only for larger parties, lunch only, or on certain nights. Restaurant.com also charges a $1 processing fee.

A little bit of work, but if someone said they'd sell you $25 for $5, would you say no?

Check it out at www.restaurant.com and at their eBay store.

Posted 08:18 AM
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Hot Doug's in the NY Times
April 14, 2004 | 1 Comments

Chicago's finest sausage stand on a national stage!

Today's NY Times features an article (registration required) about a tour of classic Chicago food. Featured are Hot Doug's, the Vienna factory, Lem's BBQ, Ann Sather, and others. Be sure to check out the slide show, linked on the right, which has some nice photos (including one of Doug's smiling face).

It's a pretty flattering article, except for the end where the author admits to "abhoring" Chicago deep-dish pizza. He can go back to his greasy ketchup-on-cardboard and leave more Lou Mal's for me.

The article is at http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/14/dining/14CHIC.html. Free registration required.

Posted 07:00 AM
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A Night At Opera
April 13, 2004 | 1 Comments

I had the pleasure this weekend of making my second trip to Opera, Paul Wildermuth and Arun Sampanthavivat's acclaimed contemporary Chinese restaurant in the South Loop.

The first thing that will make an impression on you at Opera is the decor, but that will be quickly overshadowed by the food. Opera is hip, eye catching, and loud. The menu quickly lives up to the ambiance.

In my two trips, I had totally different dishes. Morel mushroom wontons, sticky mongolian lamb ribs, lobster spring rolls, and 5 spice ribs (I like ribs) were all excellent starters. This weekend, we were served an amuse-bouche of a delicious tuna beggar's purse.

I never know exactly how to order the entrees and sides, so I always order a little too much and take some home (a good policy). For duck fans, the crowning achievement at Opera is the "Three Preparation" duck. The duck is split into three entirely different dishes. The whole red snapper (Hunan-style) is crispy, flavorful, and fun to pick at with chopsticks. Surprisingly good was the chicken and mushroom stir-fry, traditional and simple but delicious (and made the best leftovers). Wildermuth does an excellent job of updating and enhancing many classic Chinese dishes. The flavors are always a little familiar but fresh and interesting at the same time.

I would rate the service at Opera as "very good", a few steps shy of excellent.

Of particular note at Opera are the old film vaults in the back of the restaurant that have been converted to semi-private booths. The booths are a nice way to have a more romantic dinner, while still experiencing some of the upbeat mood of the dining room. If you request one of these booths during a reservation, you're not guaranteed one, but you'll be next in line when you arrive for your reservation. This weekend we showed up early for our reservation and drank martinis at the bar until the next booth opened up. The dinner made it worth the wait.

Bottom line: For my money, Opera is one of the best restaurants in Chicago.

Check out Opera at 1301 S. Wabash, 312-461-0161, www.opera-chicago.com. Valet and street parking, reservations strongly recommended. Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Posted 08:28 AM
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Knife Sharpening
April 12, 2004 | 2 Comments

If you cook often and have good knives, I recommend having them professionally sharpened periodically.

I've been looking for an easy place to have a couple of my good knives sharpened for quite a while. This weekend I made it down to Northwestern Cutlery, a small cutlery and cookware shop on Lake St. that will sharpen while you wait.

The staff is fast and friendly and the store carries a ton of cutlery, cooking gadgets, and other cookware. I brought in two knives which were sharpened for $3.50 each in less than 10 minutes.

Check out Northwestern Cutlery at 810 W. Lake St., 888-248-4449, and on the web at www.futurechef.com.

Posted 08:42 AM
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Chicago Magazine's "Best New Restaurants, 2004"
April 11, 2004 | 5 Comments

The May issue of Chicago Magazine features their 20 best new restaurants, and it's clear that Japanese food is as hot as ever in Chicago. I've been to 3.5 of them. Below is my quick take on those and the rest of the list.

I've been to:

Saiko, which i thought was way overrated with pretty poor service. A major disappointment since I love Japanese food as well as Saiko's sister restaurant, Opera.

Speakeasy Supper Club was a little better than medicore for me. Good service, fun ambiance, but nothing knocked me off my feet. Except for maybe the chili creme brulee with a curried truffle.

Tank was recently covered in this entry, and will probably be covered again. I'm glad they're on the list.

Avec gets the .5 from me because I drank there but didn't eat. It's a beautiful wine bar next door to Blackbird with an impressive menu and great service. I'll definitely be back there to eat since I wanted to taste everything on the menu.

The other 16 entries in the magazine are:
Boka
Cafe le Coq
Flight
Fuse
Isabella's Estiatorio
Japonais
Koryo
Moto
Park Grill
La Piazza
Pluton
Sushi Samba Rio
La Tache
10 West
Tweet
Vermilion

For more info on these places and the full reviews, pick up the May issue of Chicago Magazine. If you've been to any other's, please let us know in the comments.

Posted 11:45 AM
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Belgian Pub Fare
April 10, 2004 | 0 Comments

Hopleaf, the Belgian pub in Andersonville, expanded last year to include a beautiful, non-smoking restaurant in back. The menu is primarily Belgian pub-food, and it's clearly a cut-above your normal bar menu. Grilled steak frites, mussels, rabbit, duck, and daily fish and vegetarian specials are included along with nice salads and sandwiches.

I've been to Hopleaf for dinner twice now, most recently last night. First of all, the beer list is outrageous, with over 200 to choose from. There are many Belgian beers on tap, with nice descriptions to help you choose. I love the fact that they carry every variety of Samuel Smith's ales (from Yorkshire, England).

The menu is nice, not huge, but big enough to find something for everyone. Beyond soups, salads, and sandwiches, there are nice appetizers and entrees (usually only one dessert, which they ran out of last night). I've tried a few of the apps now including the tasty endive tart and duck confit patties. The duck patties, like crabcakes, were a bit of a disappointment, dry with a thin sauce which was advertised as "rich".

In both of my dinner vists, I've ordered the rabbit. It's bigger than you'd expect, in a rich herb-wine sauce, served with spaetzle and "carmelized" brussel sprouts. The sprouts aren't actually carmelized, more of a sautee, but still good. The spaetzle is perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce, but last night it was a little overcooked and way too mushy (the first time was perfect). The rabbit itself is meaty, but the breast meat can get dry. I've also sampled the grilled ribeye and frites and a vegetarian stew. Both very good.

Hopleaf can get crowded, but we've never waited too long for a table in back. It's an easy place to wait; put your name on the list, the go read the beer list for the next 20 minutes. By the time we chose beers last night, our table was ready. The service can be a bit aloof, so speak up (polietly).

While my rabbit and spaetzle weren't perfect last night, they were nearly perfect on my first trip a month ago. This reinforced the notion that you shouldn't give up on a place right away. If my dinners had been reversed, I might not be such a big fan of thise place as I am. Last night might have been an off-night for the cooks.

Hopleaf is a unique place with an interesting menu and an impressive beer list. I'm anxious to see what they're serving over the summer (I hear they'll change the menu seasonally). I'll be back for sure.

Check out Hopleaf at 5148 N. Clark (near Foster), 773-334-9851, no reservations, and street parking is not a problem.

Posted 07:58 AM
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Hungarian Hideaway
April 08, 2004 | 1 Comments

On a recommendation from "Check, Please!", we ventured west on Diversey to Paprikash, just west of Cicero. Paprikash serves traditional hungarian food in an atmosphere that feels as though you're dining in Hungary. (Although, I'm speculating. I've never been to Hungary).

The food is delicious. I had the chicken paprikash, a house specialty, which was very juicy and served in a deliciously seasoned gravy along with some spaetzle on the side. I also tried the schnitzel, which was very flavorful. There are a lot of other choices, and I'm told the menu changes seasonally. There's also an interesting and wide selection of Hungarian wine and beer.

The only annoyance was the accordion player who stopped by our table. It was early on a weeknight, and pretty empty. The accordionist stood and played the theme to "The Godfather" while we finished our wine, making our conversation impossible. Personally, I am not a fan of unrequested tableside musicans. He would have been much more likely to receive a gratuity from me if he played by the door with a tip jar.

Don't let that deter you. Paprikash is a hidden gem. Great food, a lot of choices, reasonably priced.

Check out Paprikash at 5210 W. Diversey, 773-736-4949. Street parking.

Been there? tell us about it in the comments.

Posted 06:28 AM
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Favorite Restaurant Supply
April 06, 2004 | 4 Comments

Shopping for kitchen tools, cookware, and other cooking supplies doesn't need to be a terribly expensive "Williams-Sonoma" experience in Chicago. Most home cooks know that restaurant supply stores are where to go for deals. The Edward Don Outlet on Elston is a restaurant supply outlet, open to the public and full of deals.

Don has Gadgets, cookware, knives, baking materials, appliances and more at outlet prices. (I sound like a commercial). They have frequent sales that I usually see advertised in the Lerner newspaper.

The best deal I ever found here was my 8" Wusthof Grand Prix chef's knife at marked down to $65 (usually around $95 in most stores). They sell a lot of the stuff that was being supplied to restaurants: very durable tools at cheap prices. It's a big place with tons of deals, so be prepared to hunt around a little bit.

Anytime I need something for the kitchen, I check Don first before I spend full price.

Check out the Edward Don Outlet store at 2525 N. Elston, 773-489-7739. Small parking lot. Credit cards accepted.

Posted 08:58 AM
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Chicago's Italian-Jewish Deli
April 04, 2004 | 5 Comments

I was very excited about finally trying Vito & Kesselman, a new Italian-Jewish deli/restaurant in Old Town. I believe that Chicago has a huge deficit of neighborhood delis, Jewish or Italian. The concept seemed to work for me too, since my Jewish mother prides herself on her lasagna and her meat sauce, in addition to her matzo balls.

My expecatations might have ruined it for me, because I found the food at V&K's to be pretty mediocre. The potato latkes were soggy and flavorless. The brisket was not like any deli briscuit I've had before. It was stringy, chewy, and dry. I also tried the chicken parm. which was just OK.

The best thing I had was the matzo ball soup. The matzo balls had the right heft to them. I hate the mushy softballs from The Bagel. I prefer mine to sink a little, but give in to the spoon, which these did.

The staff is very friendly, but the food just didn't quite live up to my expectations. I'm considering giving them a second shot on the brunch-lunch menu. Stay tuned.

Vito & Kesselman is at 1617 N. Wells, 312-664-0460.

Posted 02:33 PM
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What Would I Do Without Friendship?
April 02, 2004 | 6 Comments

The selfish diner inside me doesn't want me to report on Friendship Chinese, a unique cut-above the norm on Milwaukee Ave. I want to keep it hidden for myself. Nevertheless, as I did with Hot Doug's, I'll report on Friendship because it's so damn good.

Hidden in West Logan Square, Friendship is not your normal neighborhood Chinese restaurant. The chef and owner, Alan, takes great care in the food and atmosphere of his restaurant. The menu carries many of the standards dishes and quite a few originals, and all of the sauces are homemade.

I ate at Friendship last night for about the 30th time in the last few years. As usual, I had to have the Smoky China Wings, an appetizer of huge, meaty chicken wings in an unbelieveable sweet and spicy brown sauce. Our table also pulled in a couple more of my favorites, the wok-seared ginger Honk Kong steak and the spicy schezwan long-beans. The steak is tender, flavorful and tossed with a heaping plate of fresh veggies and ginger. I have dreams about the long beans; crunchy, fresh, spicy, and salty, they're tossed in a super-hot wok with red chilies, minced pork. A couple other dishes we had were sesame chicken and pea pod and mushroom shrimp, both very good.

There are plenty of other things to try. The soups are great, there are 3 kinds of spring rolls and egg rolls, a few different dumplings, and plenty of other entrees. I miss the ma po tofu, a traditional Chinese dish of silken tofu with minced pork mushrooms, and chilies in a very spicy brown sauce, served over rice. It was taken off the menu a few months back (too spicy for the clientele, I was told), but can be made on request (though, I don't think it's the same anymore).

Friendship is also full of other surprises. We were once given a free dessert, (Alan must have been experimenting), of ginger creme brulee. Also, on the first Sat. of the month (I think), the kitchen staff sets up a band to play Chinese music for the dining room. Alan has also done a fixed-price tasting menu from time to time.

Friendship is a gem. It's an affordable, gourmet-style Chinese restaurant in a neighborhood where you don't have to valet park. It's rarely crowded, they do takeout and delivery, BYOB, and have a nice room for a medium-sized private party. Chef/Owner Alan is super-friendly and will usually stop by with a smile to see how dinner is going. It's definitely on my what-would-I-do-without-this-place list. (I'll have to publish that list).

Check out Friendship at 2830 N. Milwaukee (N. of Diversey), 773-227-0970. Street parking, BYOB.

Posted 07:19 AM
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