Wildfire

 We went dinner at Wildfire in Oakbrook.  This was our first Restaurant week dinner for the year.  We had been to this restaurant before but it had been a few years. For their restaurant week option Wildfire offered both a $33 and a $44 dollar dinner option and we chose one of each.

House Salad

$33
House Salad - slightly fancier than the typical house salad as it had hard boiled eggs and artichokes, it was presented kind of like a cobb salad with all of the ingredients in their own sections
Bourbon Tenderloin tips with broccoli - this was a much larger dish than we were anticipating so we were so full that we had to take 2/3 of this home with us

Shrimp and Crab Bisque

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie - because we were on the full side we took a lot of this home as well, This was really good with chocolate and peanut butter combined in a graham cracker crust.

$44
Shrimp and Crab Bisque - good soup

Petite Filet

Petit Filet Mignon with Mushroom Crust and Au Gratin Potatoes - the steak was great and the mushrooms on top made it even better
Chocolate Cream Pie - we might not have chosen this selection given the other options but this seemed to be their main dessert.  As expected it was a rich pie - super cholateley.  We finished this at the restaurant because it was way to delicate to be transporting home.

Final thoughts on Wildfire:

Tenderloin

Food - overall there was a lot more food than we would expect from a fixed course/price meal. Probably the cuts of meat offered were not as high quality as from a regular meal served there, but we liked the options we had.  We really loved the chocolate peanut butter pie and wish it had been an option for both meals.

Service - good service; even though it was quite a busy weekend evening.

Atmosphere - nice steak house feel. Good thing we had a reservation because it was very busy and there was a large private party.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Chocolate Creme Pie

Forno Rosso

Barese Pizza

We went to lunch at a place called Forno Rosso.  We saw this place a little while ago on Check Please. This is a brick oven pizza restaurant that has the distinction of being one of 2 restaurants in Chicago that have a VPN rating. VPN stands for Verace Pizza Napoletana - True Neapolitan Pizza.  This is an association from Naples.  In order to be certified with VPN a restaurant has to serve Neapolitan style pizza in a 900 degree oven. The pizza can only be cooked up to 90 seconds and must be made with only certain types of ingredients. There only about 500 restaurants in the world that have this certification.

We ordered 2 regular pizzas and a dessert pizza.

Capricciosa Pizza

1) Capricciosa - tomato sauce, artichokes, olives, mushrooms, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella
2) Barese - brocolli rabe, sausage, burrata cheese

The pizzas had thin crusts but still had a good texture (not cracker-like). The Barese pizza had a little more of a char to it than Nick would prefer. But over all we enjoyed all of the ingredients.

Nutella Dessert Pizza - nutella, strawberries and bananas
We had to try the dessert pizza because we love Nutella.  We made sure to box up some of the regular pizza to save room.  The dessert pizza was fun due to the ingredients but nothing overly special.

Nutella Pizza

Final thoughts on Forno Rosso:
Food - good pizzas.  If we lived closer we would go back.  Nick didn't find it that much different than other wood fired pizzas.

Service - in the middle of the day so a bit slow. But maybe they were going for a more relaxed European vibe.

Atmosphere - casual. There was a large group of people watching soccer matches on the televisions.

Mana Food Bar

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We went to dinner at Mana Food Bar in Wicker Park after seeing it on Check Please.  It is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant that focuses on meatless dishes from around the world (there are no meat substitutes)

Horchata

Most of the food options have a small and large plate option.  We decided to go with small plates so we could try more of the menu. 

We started with drinks - horchata with almond milk and a chocolate, banana, peanut butter and almond milk smoothie.  Natalie requests that Nick makes smoothies like this more often - it was a good blend of the 4 ingredients.  The horchata was nice, but tasted pretty similar to traditional rice water horchata.

Smoothie 

Maki

Here is the food we ordered:

Maki - raw vegetables wrapped in collard greens with ponzu sauce (sushi style).  This was like a sushi roll but it was filled entirely with vegetables - carrots, avocado, asparagus, mushrooms and lettuce. Nick liked the freshness of the dish but Natalie missed some more of the traditional sushi aspects such as sushi rice (and seafood).

Curry

Curry - seared okra in a spicy tomato and hominy sauce with corn chutney garnish. We were worried that it could be too spicy but it was just right. Nick actually tried the dish with the restaurant's hot sauce and it complemented it very well. The okra were well cooked and due to their texture we didn't miss meat in the dish at all.

Rice noodles - with green curry, sweet potatoes, garlic chives and spicy peanuts.  This was the spiciest dish of the night. It had a great flavor profile and reminded us a bit of pad thai with all the peanuts.

Rice Noodles

Mushrooms and Polenta

Sauteed mushrooms over creamy polenta. There were a few different kinds of mushroooms in this dish and they tasted amazing with the smooth polenta. It was a break from the spiciness of the noodles we had just eaten. We definitely could have eaten the larger size of this dish. 

Ravioli - spinach filled ravioli with tomato sauce, ancho-hazelnut pesto and asiago cheese.  Excellent ravioli but perhaps least interesting in terms of the vegetarian aspect of it because except for the anchos this dish could be found at most Italian restaurants.

Ravioli

Potato Pancake - sweet and white potatoes with a quince and currant chutney and crema. The potato pancakes were very light and thin and not super filling (unlike what you would get at a European restaurant). The fruit chutney sweetened it up and almost made it seem like a dessert.

Final thoughts on Mana Food Bar:

Potato Pancake

Food - All of the food was fresh and delicious.  We did not really miss having meat.  But that being said we felt the raw/vegan restaurant Karyn's was a more unique experience for us because of the creativity that goes into making vegan options (i.e. cheese) without cooking it above 120 degrees. These vegetarian options were nice to have all together in one place but are certainly dishes that could be ordered at other restaurants.

Service - We got there right when the restaurant opened so we didn't have to wait for a seat.  The service felt a little slow in the beginning and there didn't seem to be many items coming out to any table for a little bit.  Once the food did come out the waiter and kitchen did a good job of pacing the meal so that all of the items didn't come out at once.

Atmosphere - the interior of the restaurant itself is quite small so we were lucky to walk right in. It sounds like there is a patio space for more tables in the summer. It is a trendy spot with modern decore. There was a mix of patrons and it seems like the couple next to us were there for the first time and had also heard of it through the Check Please program.

90 Miles Cuban

When Nick's parent's came into town they wanted to for sure hit up 90 Miles Cuban because they had seen it featured on Diners Drive ins and Dives.  We had eaten at this restaurant a few years ago right before we started the blog but we think it was before the DDD episode so we ordered differently this time based on what Guy Fieri ate.

Croquetas

We ordered croquetas as an appetizer. They were fried ham and bechamel balls that were packed full of flavor.

Puerco Rostizado

Puerco Rostizado - this was the main dish featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  It is a pork dish marinated and roasted over night with bacon guava and ham. So this dish was pretty amazing. Here is the funny thing Natalie tried the dish first and had the ropa vieja second and this dish made the ropa vieja kind of taste bland. Nick tried the ropa vieja first and then the pork and that was the proper order because he loved the beef and then loved the pork even more. The marinade really brought out great flavors in the pork.  This was definitely the best dish we had from both our visits to this restaurant.

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja - slow cooked shredded beef with onions, peppers, garlic, in house creole sauce. The dish was good but not as good as ropa vieja we have had at other restaurants.  It was tasty but not nearly as dynamic a dish as the puerco rostizado.  Natalie wishes she had eaten the entrees in the different order because she would have been a lot happier.

Ceviche

Ceviche - Nick's dad chose to have this as an appetizer but it was so large that we got to try a taste of it later. It was a typical ceviche but such a great deal due to is overwhelming size.

Final thoughts on 90 Miles Cuban:
Food - The pork was amazing! Cuban food is known for its pork dishes so stick with them.  The last time we went we had a Cuban Sandwich which was also very good. We went there on a Tuesday night which is Paella night so lots of other tables were ordering that.

Service - The order and sequencing of bringing out the appetizers and the entrees was a bit weird. The croquetas came out first and then the ceviche a little later.  But then the entrees came out soon afterward so it was awkward with having the courses overlap and not having enough room at the table.

Atmosphere - the restaurant had a vibrant atmosphere and Tuesday night is also Flamenco night so there was live Flamenco music and dancing going on right near our table.  That was fun to experience the entertainment and the dancers were great.  It is quite dark inside the restaurant and we had to use flashlights on our phones to read the menu.

Nick's Fishmarket

We went to Nick's Fishmarket in Rosemont a few years ago for our anniversary before we started the blog.  They went over the top with lavishing us with stuff last time - they gave us a balloon, a picture and a comp'd dessert so we wanted to go back again to get the royal treatment.  But this time they had toned it down and just comp'd us a dessert, which was fine but less impressive. But we ate some good seafood so that made up for it.

Black and Blue Seared Ahi

Black and Blue seared Ahi tuna appetizer - Cajun dusted with soy mustard sauce - this was really good quality tuna.  The spices weren't too overwhelming. It had a very beautiful plating presentation with the sauce swirled around the tuna itself.

Lobster Bisque - pretty typical lobster bisque, but lobster bisque is good overall so that is always a winner for us.

Lobster Bisque 

Chopped Salad

Chopped Salad - arugala, currants, tomatoes, smoked salmon, pumpkin seeds, roasted corn, couscous, Asiago cheese, pesto buttermilk dressing.  Natalie likes salad that have a lot of things in them that are not lettuce so this is the perfect choice for her.  All the ingredients were great together and it was an elevated form of a chopped salad.  This is totally something that would be great to make at home and people could choose to add all the ingredients or not.

Chilean Sea Bass

Chilean Sea Bass - with Asian Slaw, sweet soy sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. Several years ago when we were in Las Vegas we had some amazing Chilean Sea Bass at Tao at the Venetian and we have been searching for similar sea bass ever since. This wasn't quite at that level but it was Chilean Sea Bass so once again how can you go wrong.  The fish itself was buttery and flavorful and surprisingly the stacked slaw, sauce and potatoes paired very well together.

Grouper - macadamia encrusted, with asparagus and saffron rice, Natalie would have preferred a bit more sauce with the grouper.  The grouper had a light crust of macadamia nuts so it wasn't too heavy and the rice was amazing. We usually love asparagus these large stalks were a bit woody.

Macadamia Crusted Grouper 

Meringue topped key lime pie - they gave us this dessert for free for our anniversary celebration. We're starting to get a little sick of key lime pies since ever since we had fantastic key lime pie in the Florida Keys.  The meringue made this one a little different but it otherwise it was pretty standard key lime pie.

Final thoughts on Nick's Fishmarket:
Food - Great seafood. A nice place to celebrate.

Service - It wasn't nearly as stellar as the previous visit. They didn't keep the water glasses filled promptly.  Even though there were lots of open tables they sat us next to a very loud set of people.  It took a long time before they took our order.

Atmosphere - there weren't nearly as many people dining there as the last time we went.  Maybe because of where it is located near O'Hare airport and Rosemont it is more of a lunch place. The chatter of the table next to us was quite distracting and took away from the romantic ambiance we were going for by picking this restaurant.

Key Lime Pie

Avec

Chorizo-stuffed bacon wrapped dates

We went to dinner at Avec in the West Loop. It is a related restaurant to Blackbird, which we ate at a couple of years ago. They are located right next to each other.  Avec is a little more casual than Blackbird and it doesn't accept reservations so we went there on an evening when we knew we could get there early enough not to wait. Avec has also been featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network.

Charred Cauliflower

Charred Cauliflower with tabbouleh, oranges, radish, green olive and tahini - really great dish and we liked that it was an amazing vegetarian option. The tabbouleh wasn't overly bitter like it can sometimes get and this was offset by the smokiness of the cauliflower. We would love to be able to make something like this at home.  Great combination of flavors.

Summer squash with shishito peppers

Charred Summer Squash with shishito peppers, almonds, mint and feta - we have very similar feelings about the squash dish as we did the cauliflower dish.  Another great vegetarian dish with unique flavors. The peppers weren't too hot so it was a mild dish.

Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce - basically this is their version of bacon wrapped dates.  They are just a lot larger than regular bacon wrapped dates because they are stuffed with chorizo. Because of the chorizo and the pepper sauce these were quite spicy but super tasty.  They said this dish was their most popular and this is the dish that had been featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Papardelle pasta

Pappardalle pasta with mushroom bolognese, pine nuts and cheese - another great option (and again vegetarian).  Although when we ate this, the mushroom were so "meaty" in texture they almost felt like meat but then we remembered they were mushrooms.

Parmesan pound cake with roasted apples and candied pine nuts - intriguing flavor with a cheesy touch to it. It was very good and seasonal but very dense as well. Perhaps a whipped cream could have offset the denseness a bit and warmed apples would have been nice.

Parmesan Pound Cake with apples and pine nuts

Gelato - we meant to order the sorbet but got the gelato instead.  Nothing overly exciting.

Cookies and cream gelato

Final thoughts on Avec:
Food - we loved all of the savory dishes.  Nick loved the dates and Natalie loved the squash and cauliflower.
Service - we sat at the bar and probably got faster service this way but it also caused us the mixup with the sorbet/gelato.

Atmosphere - another rustic yet modern restaurant (like Wood). All wood tables and bar area. It is smaller in size than you might expect and the tables are communal so you could be seated right next to people you don't know at busy times.

Wood

We went to dinner at Wood which was featured on Check Please last year. Its menu consists of fresh seasonal items with a section of small plates and of entrees. We ordered 4 small plates and 1 entree to be able to try more things.

Amuse bouche - juice

Before any food came they brought us a juice as an amuse bouche/palette cleanser. It was nice and refreshing.

Burrata - heirloom tomatoes, peaches, arugula.  This was a wonderful, fresh dish with seasonal ingredients that were well paired together.

Burrata with tomatoes

Scallops - cauliflower puree, cabbage, breadcrumbs. Natalie loves scallops so we had to have this dish. The scallops were delicate and tender with a lot of smoky flavor.

Tagliatelle - sausage, olives, tomatoes, basil, parmesan. This was a nice pasta dish and Nick liked it even though he doesn't love olives.

Scallops

Tagliatelle

Flatbread - Saxony cheese, bacon lardons, onions.  We both felt this was a little too salty.  It was not the best flatbread we've had but still tasty.

Roasted pork loin - corn, onion, pepper sauce, bacon and peppers. Another nice seasonal dish with fresh corn.

Flatbread

Final thoughts on Wood:

Food - the food was great.  We especially enjoyed the burrata, scallops and tagliatelle. The produce was all fresh and seasonal and all of the flavors were great together.

Service - They brought out our food in courses - 2 small plates, followed by 2 more small plates followed by the entree.  It seemed like there was a lot of time in between each of these courses but that was our only service issue.

Atmosphere - the interior is decorated in a lot of wood, hence the name of the restaurant.  It felt both rustic and modern at the same time.

Roasted Pork Loin