Archive for the ‘New Restaurant’ Category

Always one to be on the lookout for new restaurants, I found my Beauties a good one this week. A couple of months ago, I heard that Lettuce Entertain You was opening a new restaurant in the suburbs of Chicago, not too far from where I live. I was all over it hounding their PR peeps to get me info. Yesterday, I dined at Tokio Pub for their “friends and family” day. Usually, I can gage a restaurant by how often I think I’ll come back. Let’s just say, there’s a chance I could be a regular, if…I can get in the place. I’m predicting LEYE has done it again and the tiny add-on to Shaw’s Crab House is going to draw a crowd. Opening an izakaya-style restaurant is a first in the burbs with most locals not even knowing what it means. So, are we surprised that LEYE is a trendsetter?

Much like the big city food movement, Tokio Pub is all small plates ranging from $5-$7. Their moniker is “Asian small plates, fusion cocktails and pub style beer,” your basic description of izakaya. The menu layout reads: SEAFOOD, CRISPY RICE, ROBATA GRILL, TACOS, VEGETABLES AND DESSERTS plus their self-proclaimed signature dish, pub wings. I tasted six different items on the menu and took sips of four different cocktails. I promise, I didn’t drink all four! I met the guy behind Tokio Pub, Bill the Brains, who explained this concept table-side. 

Within the first week of test runs, Bill is already confident the place will be busy for lunch and dinner and heavy on the cocktails late at night. Easy to see why. The place feels like a cleaned up garage with funky servers and really good bites but still very grown up. I say this with love. Tokio Pub is industrial in design which gives the food and cocktail menu center stage. It’s low-key and an easy place to hang out which is what he was going for. I predict the foodie crowd that lives in the Northwest suburbs will want to be the “in” crowd at this pub. Bill the Brains, I concur. You done good. 

Beauty Bites…

• Chicken Meatballs from the Robata Grill
• Braised Pork Tacos
• Crispy Fish Tacos
• Crispy Shrimp Tempura

And Beauty hearts the cocktail menu!

Tokio Pub

900 East Higgins Road, Schaumburg

847-517-2722

I’m an internet snooper when it comes to food. When my mind starts to drift while working, I start googling places to read menus and chef profiles online. Which is how I landed at Bauer’s Brauhaus in Palatine last night for dinner with Prince Charming. It’s so close to our home, I couldn’t believe I missed it. I knew he would be happy having grown up during his formative years in Germany. If there’s anyone who knows schnitzel, it’s my Prince. 

Obviously, this place is loaded with great German beer but they have a huge selection of stateside as well as local brews. They offer a flight for $12 of six draft tasting portions. We went with a half liter of Tucher Hefe-Weisse. The original space was already a German haunt so when the new chef, Jason Bauer, swooped in, he felt the following was already there…why mess with a good thing. Professionally trained at Kendall College, Bauer previously worked under Paul Virant at the highly-touted and award-winning Vie in Western Springs. He’s now gone into a family business with his aunt, uncle and father inspired by his roots of spaetzle and schnitzel. They completely gutted the inside and succeed in creating an updated Alpine atmosphere. I loved the huge ceiling-hugging stein chandeliers. Prince Charming especially loved the beer wench outfits that each of the female staffers run around in. It made me feel like I escaped to Epcot on a rainy night. 

I was craving a good schnitzel and I got just that. Bauer has done a great job of melding old world dishes in an updating setting with quality ingredients. We started with the huge pretzel served with three dipping sauces along with the potato pancakes. Bauer’s potato pancakes are thick and crispy on the outside yet tender and heavily woven with sauteed onions on the inside. Hard to stop eating them. He was nice enough to send out some plump mussels in a perfectly seasoned Riesling broth spiked with dill. 

I didn’t veer too far from my plan and ordered the veal schnitzel (offered in pork too) with herbed spaetzle. Um, let’s just say, I earned my clean-plate award for the evening with Prince Charming reminding me that he needed to taste it before it was gone. Prince ordered the sausage platter which comes with three homemade sausages: bratwurst, knackwurst, thuringer accompanied by sauerkraut and pretzel dumplings. By meals end, we decided that we’re thrilled to have a really good German option so close to home. The place was packed and for good reason. I imagine it will be with such a huge beer selection and a cozy bar…the wenches help too. I love family owned restaurants as it feels good to support a hard working chef with roots. 

Bauer’s Brauhaus

45 W. Slade

Palatine, Il

No reservations. Plan to wait after 6.30 PM

I recently wrote a review on Fish Bar for Cheeky Chicago. When reviewing restaurants, I don’t always get to interview the chef which I love to do. In fact, some restaurants are awful about getting back in touch via phone or email. It’s interesting that they all want press yet some owners or chefs ignore emails. While I understand I’m not Pat Bruno or Sam Sifton, I guess I’ve always believed in “no small person, only small minds” and I chalk up their elevated attitude to the “big press” they have received. There are a few places in Chicago with bigger ego’s than good food. But I’ll never tell…

When I spoke with Chef Michael Kornick (MK, DMK Burger, Fish Bar), I realized that there are still some great chefs who go out of their way. They accept the new age of publication and welcome speaking with us small fries. There is NO BAD PRESS, unless  of course, you’re Lindsay Lohan. Anyhow, it was such a fun interview, that I wanted to share a few additional comments we discussed that I couldn’t quite fit in my Cheeky article. 

When referring to Fish Bar, Michael continuously pointed out his inspiration of the East coast and the South. It’s clear from the moment you walk in that the place is modeled after a little shrimp shack. Having a background in design, the first thing I do in a restaurant is check out the space: the lighting, the seating, the textures. It’s not just the food that needs to work. Fish Bar is simple. It’s supposed to be. The day I went, Michael’s partner, David Morton, was standing right inside the door greeting guests. He was expecting me and I received a warm welcome. Once seated, I view the space from that perspective and dig into the menu. As I mentioned in my Cheeky article, I love that Fish Bar’s menu is written and categorized by food preparation. While the menu appears uncomplicated at first glance, Kornick will assure you that every detail, in every dish was given great consideration. He points out that the “tarter sauce is on steroids.” It’s his way of saying he took the standards and built up on that foundation. Kornick comes from a background as a chef in fine dining for over twenty years and he isn’t shy about mentioning it, nor should he be. Thus, the details in a straightforward menu makes the difference. He spoke about flavor profiles of his already famous Lobster Roll and how he chose that delicious bread or as he called it, “the vessel.” He explained to me, “It’s like a tortilla to a taco. There needs to be no interference in the food. It’s a part of the flavor.” I get it Michael. It’s balance. Something that comes natural to a veteran chef. 

I couldn't help but notice the huge jars of infused liquor perched behind us. When Stanford (my plus one) and I inquired about their jugs (funny, right?), Fish Bar was excited to share info on what filled the jars…but not the liquor itself. It wasn’t ready. I asked Michael about the contents. He and some of his bartenders from MK and Fish Bar created the drinks together. He wanted to feature “sippers” like the fruity drinks you would find in a beach resort, such as the pineapple thai chili vodka they were marinating. The flavors work well with the menu. He made sure to tell me that the drinks are numbered and there is no No. 1. All the drinks are equal, just another way to amuse diners. It’s great to see a chef with a sense of humor. I agree with him 100% that too many in today’s culinary scene take themselves WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. But that’s a whole different article. 

For now, I was able to connect with one great chef from Chicago. I didn’t realize he had spent time in New Orleans which is where my entire extended family lives and where my parents and brothers were born. Right at that moment, I told him that Fish Bar reminds me of a place I used to go as a kid every time I visited New Orleans, Camellia Grill. I think he was a little surprised because he then told me that is the exact photo he used, a photo of Camellia Grill, when building out Fish Bar. How about that for tuned in and connected? 

Don't forget:

Mention Beauty and Her Feast at MK Restaurant from now until May 1 and receive 25% off your dinner. 

For more details and restrictions, click here. 

So, if I’m being totally honest about this post…I’m jealous. And I’m not embarrassed to admit it. A couple of months ago, I started writing for one of my favorite Chicago websites, Cheeky Chicago, as their “eats” writer. I adore the founders and love the site, so it came as no surprise that they have, yet again, come up with another awesome idea. Erica Bethe Levin and Jessica Zweig have done an unbelievable job not only building Cheeky Chicago but branding it as well. They are out almost every night of the week for events that they sponsor. It’s a ton of work and they live the ultimate Cheeky, urban life. 

There I was, sitting at my home-desk when an email came through about a contest being held by Cheeky. And that’s when I felt it. The jealousy because I’m not eligible. Ya know those contests that say “employees and their family members are not eligible to participate”? I can’t even have my six year old enter on my behalf!  But I’m still so excited about the contest and for Erica and Jessica. Cheers to you both! 

Here’s the deal. 

Cheeky Chicago is teaming up with food travel bloggers Mike & Chao Chow to launch their first-ever guest contributor contest where readers can write about their Cheekiest food adventures in the Windy City.  The top ten winners of the contest will win the opportunity to attend the exclusive opening of the Chow's new restaurant Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar (230 W. Erie), opening in River North in May 2011. The Cheeky girls will also name a grand prize winner that they will send to San Francisco to write about the Bay Area restaurant and nightlife scene in conjunction with their debut of the new Cheeky San Francisco site launching in late 2011. 

Readers who would like to enter can apply here:

http://www.cheekychicago.com/cheekychow/

The contest begins Wednesday, April 6th with winners being announced April 29 and the grand prize winner will be announced on May 6th, at Union's grand opening party. 

Any Beauties that want to be Cheeky…here’s your chance. I promise, if you win…I will come visit you in San Francisco! Good luck.