Autre Monde

We finally went to dinner at Autre Monde in Berwyn.  We had heard about it from friends a while ago and then it was featured on Check Please last year.

Most of its menu consists of shared smaller plates.  So we ordered a few.

Roasted Cauliflower with raisins and pine nuts.  There was a sauce that covered this that was a little spicy.

Roasted Cauliflower

Scallop Spiedini - 2 scallops with broccoli rabe and grapefruit.  It was an interesting combination to have these ingredients together.  We were not expecting the grapefruit but the flavor of the fruit offset the saltiness of the broccoli.

Mushroom and Ricotta Tagliatelle

Mushroom and Ricotta Tagliatelle - This was our favorite dish of the night since we both love this type of pasta and this is a classic dish.

Duck Sausage Flatbread - with Manchego cheese, smoked tomato and basil oil.  This had a little kick to it as well.

Scallop Spiedini

We were pretty full after these 4 dishes so we didn't order dessert but it did seem like several people were ordering dessert around us.

Duck Sausage Flatbread

Final thoughts on Autre Monde:
Food - It was all great.  We were happy we got to try a few things - that is what we like about tapas style restaurants

Service - The food got out to us fairly quickly.  Pretty good service overall.

Atmosphere - It is a fairly small restaurant so it probably could get pretty packed on the weekends. We were there on a weeknight so it wasn't completely full.

Farmhouse Tavern

Fried Cheese Curds

We went to dinner for Restaurant Week at Farmhouse Tavern in Chicago.  We had seen this restaurant featured on Check Please of couple of months ago and decided to go when we saw they were participating in Restaurant Week. They offered a 3 course $33 dinner.

1st course
Fried Cheese Curds with house made catsup and spicy sauce.  These were amazing.  I guess you have to like cheese.

Winter Salad

Winter Salad with endive, bibb lettuce, cranberries, pistachio, mint, white balsamic.  So this salad offset whatever guilt we were feeling about the cheese curds.  It was light and refreshing and tasted great. Definitely one of the better salads we have had recently.

2nd course
Braised Short Ribs with celery root, puffed wild rice and wheat berries.  We enjoyed the short ribs themselves and the whole dish had a lot of flavor.  What we didn't like was that the short rib was presented still attached to the bone.  It was extremely difficult to get the meat off the bone and would have been so much easier to eat if the kitchen had just done that part for us. It probably was part of the presentation to have it arranged this way but was quite challenging.

Pork Loin

Grilled Pork Loin - with cabbage, mushrooms, bacon and peanuts.  So this dish was a lot spicier than we would have ever imagined as there was no indication of this on the menu. The flavors of the pork with the veggies and especially the peanuts was neat. We didn't like the bacon that was part of the meal as it tasted like all fat to us.  Fortunately it was arranged as 2 larger chunks that we could easily avoid eating without mixing with anything else.

Chocolate Budino pudding with toffee and ice cream - the pudding was good and it went down easily as we were starting to get full.

Rice Pudding - milk jam, pistachio and cherry brittle. Very sweet and a little more liquidy than other rice pudding, probably due to the milk jam.

Chocolate Budino

Final thoughts on Farmhouse Tavern:
Food - we didn't know what to expect from the food, but we enjoyed most everything.

Service - pretty good service, but nothing special

Atmosphere - the interior of the restaurant is a bit cramped.  There are 2 levels but both levels have large bar areas so the actual restaurant seating is tight.  We were at a very small table and felt a bit crowded when others were seated at a table next to us.

Rice Pudding

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.

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

Topo Gigio

On a day off together we went to Topo Gigo for lunch in Old Town.  We had seen it on Check Please and it was recommended by friends.  We were in the area and stopped by.

Polenta with Bolognese

Appetizer - Polenta with bolognese sauce.  Nice, smooth polenta and quite filling with the sauce. There are 2 polenta appetizers so we had to make sure we ordered the one we wanted.

Entrees:
Tortellini alla Panna - with peas, mushrooms, and pancetta in a cream sauce. This was a huge portion and quite filling.  We both enjoyed the dish.  It was pretty typical Italian fare.

Tortellini alla panna

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala special with spinach. The chicken was tasty; moist and good flavor. It was good but not spectacular.  There was a lot of spinach which Natalie thought was a bit excessive.

Final thoughts on Topo Gigio:
Food - good Italian food at a good price. But there are lots of Italian options in the city so its not worth going out of your way for
Service - There weren't that many people in the restaurant but it took a bit for the food to come out to us (for a lunch)

Topo Gigio himself

Atmosphere - the exterior was under construction but the inside was fully functional. It has a large dining area and lots of pictures of various forms of "Topo Gigio" the mouse from 1960's TV shows.

Fresh Starts

Mesclun Salad with Goat Cheese

A couple of months ago on Check Please we saw Fresh Starts in Flossmoor featured.  Since we don't work that far away from this restaurant we figured we would give it a try.

Crab Cake Appetizer - Natalie thought something was a little salty, but maybe that was the sauce that was with it.  Nick thought it was good, but nothing amazing.

New Orleans Pasta with chicken, Andouille sausage, green onions and a Cajun cream sauce - nice taste, good bit of heat, and fun shaped radiatori pasta.  It was quite a large quantity with both of us trying it and still a lot for leftovers.

House Salad

Scallops with Risotto -
the scallops were jumbo sized and tasted great. They were served with a lemon chive cream and vegetable risotto.

Both of the entrees came with salads. Natalie upgraded to a mesclun salad which was great as it had 2 huge chunks of goat cheese in it.

Final thoughts on Fresh Starts:
Food - good food. Natalie might consider ordering out for lunch.  They have lots of good salad and lighter options.

New Orleans Pasta

Service - The service was attentive.  The owner walked around at one point to ask how we were doing.

Atmosphere - cozy and casual neighborhood feel.

Crab cakes

Scallops and risotto

Antique Taco

We saw Antique Taco recently mentioned on Check Please.  It looked fun and interesting and we wanted to try it.  We heard it can get crowded at night so we were able to get there for a super early dinner to avoid the crowds.

Pork Carnitas Tacos

Pork Carnitas Tacos with adobo rub and tamarind glaze, bacon, spinach, onion, avocado and queso fresco
Nice sauce and glaze on the pork.  Very good but a typical taco offering at these modern Mexican restaurants.

Garlic Shrimp Tacos with purple potato, black bean and edamame

Shrimp Tacos

We wish there could have been a few more shrimp in the tacos.  Halfway through eating the taco, Natalie had to check to make sure it was the shrimp taco because the 2 shrimp were located on the other half of the taco.  It had a surprisingly spicy flavor and was hearty with all of the vegetables.

Chili Cheese curds with chorizo chili, crema fresca and scallions
These were great.  Out of all of the dishes this was the most unique and fun.  If we were in the area we would definite go back for this dish for a good snack.  It elevated the concept of cheese curds  (kind of like the cheese curd version of poutine).

Chili Cheese Curds

Horchata milkshake - interesting concept but not quite thick like a milkshake would be .  It was runnier than we thought (therefore easier to drink and we drank it faster than a normal milkshake - so it didn't last very long).

Horchata Milkshake

Poptart - ice cream and chocolate and marshmallow, kind of like a dessert empanada/s'more.  Oeey gooey goodness but a little difficult to eat. (also did not last very long).

Final thoughts on Antique Taco:
Food - good and tasty not sure we would go out of way to go there again.  Like most places we eat at that are further away, we wish they were closer so we could go more often.
Service - you order your food at a counter and then it is brought out to your table.  They were observant and made sure to wait until we finished the tacos and cheese curds before bringing out the poptart which had ice cream in it.

Poptart

Atmosphere - lots of reclaimed wood and vintage signage throughout. Surprisingly they had real cloth napkins despite being a more casual and fast food type of place. There weren't that many people there at the time we were but they were all younger and probably from the neighborhood.