Chicago Bites

Our waiter said the lamb shank would be the envy of the table. He was right.

At Kan Zaman we reclined on floor pillows as we ate. But is eating on the floor all it’s cracked up to be? Did the Lebanese menu meet our expectations? Does belly dancing enhance the ambiance or detract from it? Listen in, and we’ll tell you what we think.

(19.5 M)

00:00 - 01:57 Great expectations and the joys of dining on the floor
01:58 - 04:30 Lessons about location and starters
04:31 - 06:11 Ambiance and more appetizer talk
06:12 - 06:55 Great wait staff and BYOB comments
06:56 - 09:28 Main dishes -- Veggie options and two kinds of lamb
09:29 - 11:51 Dessert and a belly dancing invitation
11:52 - 14:12 Ratings and sign-off

Kan Zaman
617 N. Wells

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 4/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 2/5
Value: 2/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 3/10

Average price per person: $25

There was still hummus left in the bowl at the end of the evening. That sums it up.

Related Chicago Bites Post:
Semiramis

Online buzz about Kan Zaman:
Menu Pages
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Kan Zaman photos on Flickr.

Posted by Bridget at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Solomillo a la Parrilla -- the beef was tender, but the potatoes lacked character.

In the mood for some tapas? You could take the Brown line train to the newly renovated Southport station and walk to the revamped Neybors spot to enjoy the latest offering in Chicago. Will this newcomer hold up to the city's stiff competition for tapas cuisine? Listen in to find out.

(18.1 M)

00:00 - 01:22 The pleasures of Southport dining
01:23 - 02:39 Accessibility conundrums
02:40 - 05:01 Baseline tapas dishes & drinks
05:02 - 08:36 The ups and downs of tapas
08:37 - 09:53 A tapas history according to Bull-eh-dia's [Wikipedia's article on tapas]
09:54 - 11:47 Thoughts on service
11:48 - 13:10 Ratings and sign-off

Bull-eh-dia's Tapas
3651 N. Southport

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 5/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 2/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 4/10

Average price per person: $30

One of the best seafood dishes on the menu were the scallops.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Arco de Cuchilleros
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Online buzz about Bull-eh-dia's:
312 Dining Diva
Yelp

Check out our Bull-eh-dia's Tapas Bar photos on Flickr.

The Calamares a la Plancha, while tasty, were also were served with too much oil.

Posted by Tammy at 9:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cupcake research is underway. More details to come!

Instead of recording yesterday, Tammy and I got busy planning cupcake crawls, site improvements, and social networking opportunities. Stay tuned for more details, and expect a return to our regularly scheduled programming next week.

In the meantime, here's a list of my top ten tips for dining out in Chicago in no particular order... tricks-of-the-trade that I've learned on our quest to become more seasoned diners:

10. Call ahead. Even if a restaurant doesn't officially take reservations, some will let you put your name in when you're on your way there. Shorter wait times are good. When you call, also double check wheelchair accessibility. Just because Metromix says a place is accessible, doesn't mean it is.

9. Order the staff favorite. If all of the waiters are eating a particular dish, it's likely the freshest and most flavorful on the menu. Asking a waiter what he really thinks can improve the entire evening!

8. Ask about special discounts. Many Chicago restaurants offer tasting menu and drink deals on weeknights that aren't well advertised. Expensive menu options can be made affordable.

7. Expand your horizons. Food in the city’s ethnic neighborhoods is almost always 20-times better than what you'll find at a Gold Coast chain. Period. Something on the menu kind of scare you? Order it! I ordered gizzards once, and Tammy tried them too. I liked them!

6. Plan for the occasion. The type of place you'd want go on a date is likely very different from the place you'd take a party of 30 for a Birthday dinner. Think about what kind of restaurant really fits the bill.

5. Make a change. Don’t eat at the same place every Tuesday night. Spread the wealth, and try the place next door. It's always worth it.

4. Set dining goals. Trying one new restaurant every month is a good place to start.

3. Get a tip card. It's not only handy… it's my favorite accessory.

2. Don't hesitate to send food back. I'd never done it until recently, and although it is something I don't enjoy doing, I always have a good reason for it.

1. Be honest. When servers and chefs ask how my meal is, I tell them. I try to be respectful and courteous, but also bluntly honest. That’s because Chicago's restaurant scene is cutthroat, and I’m not doing anybody any favors by sugar-coating my experience.

Posted by Bridget at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The house special burger comes with a nice slice of brie.

We stopped by the Rockit Bar & GrillIs to judge how hard tourists should work to find a good burger. Does Rockit stand on its own or do other places rock harder? Tune in and find out.

(18.0 M)

00:00 - 03:20 Get the trendy, yuppie vibe via your cellphone
03:21 - 05:25 Lobster burger? Stick to the sweet potato fries.
05:26 - 06:43 You can rock the burger, but the truffle fries steal the show.
06:44 - 08:20 Angus burger & BBQ salmon
08:21 - 09:42 Macaroni and cheese efforts
09:43 - 11:08 Differences in service
11:09 - 13:06 Ratings and sign-off

Rockit Bar & Grill
22 W Hubbard St

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 6/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 2/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 5/10

Average price per person: $26

There are more than burgers on the menu at Rocket. Try the BBQ Salmon if you can't handle the meat.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Dublin's
Kuma's Corner

Online buzz about Rockit Bar & Grill:
Citysearch
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Rockit Bar & Grill photos on Flickr.

The lobster burger was voted one of their best in 2007, but we found the texture to be odd.

Posted by Tammy at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The perfectly sliced grapes were the highlight of the Brie.

Cafe Barnard is a Lincoln Park staple. But what is it about its French fare that keeps folks coming back? Tammy and I brought friends to dinner to test the menu and find out.

(26.2 M)

00:00 - 01:21 The mystery French place
01:22 - 04:26 Lived-in charm, basket-o-bread, baked Brie, and escargot
04:27 - 06:33 Wine and service commentary
06:34 - 13:28 Main dishes A.K.A. a game of chess with sauce
13:29 - 18:08 Dessert and dessert wine not so sweet
18:09 - 19:06 Ratings and sign-off

Cafe Bernard
2100 N. Halsted

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 5/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 2/5
Overall: 5/10

Average price per person: $45

The steak is very peppery but some thought it better than those at a fancy steak house.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Bouchon
Cyrano's Bistrot
Kiki's Bistro

Online buzz about Cafe Bernard:
Citysearch
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Cafe Bernard photos on Flickr.

Posted by Bridget at 9:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The orecchiette tartuafate was very tasty, but too rich to finish.

Prosecco is the new Italian offering on the Wells Street dining corridor that takes the place of the old Xel-ha restaurant. The two places couldn't be more different -- Yucatan cuisine has been replaced by rich, well-served Italian pastas and seafood. Do we think this restaurant will last longer than its predecessor? Tune in and find out.

(19.3 M)

00:00 - 01:45 Are they in business? Appearances.
01:46 - 02:57 Restaurant Week
02:58 - 05:30 Starting at Prosecco
05:31 - 08:35 Portions & pastas
08:36 - 09:56 Surf & turf
09:57 - 12:46 Desserts & service
12:01 - 14:03 Ratings and sign-off

Prosecco
710 N Wells St.

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 5/5
Overall: 7/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Overall: 7/10

Average price per person: $60

The calamari was one of our favorite appetizers.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Fiorentino's Cucina Italiana
Leonardo's
Terragusto
Trattoria Trullo
Xel-ha (even though it's closed!)

On-line buzz about Prosecco:
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Prosecco photos on Flickr.

The homemade pastas will keep us coming back.

Posted by Tammy at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 'famous' Kuma Burger is topped with bacon and a fried egg. Breakfast on a burger.

Kuma’s Corner is a heavy metal pub that specializes in hamburgers – succulent creations served with fried eggs, BBQ sauce, frizzled onions and other creative toppings on hearty pretzel rolls. Any burger on the menu can also be had veggie style, and those are tasty too! Then there’s the add-your-own ingredients mac and cheese. I’m going to go ahead and “through down the gauntlet…” Kuma’s Corner has the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had. Listen in to find out why the food at Kuma’s is truly worthy of our 100th episode. But is the fare enough to over-power the crushing crowd and pounding rhythm?

(20.4 M)

00:00 - 01:03 100 podcasts!!!
01:11 - 05:42 Exceeded expectations? What we'd heard, getting in, and waiting
05:43 - 06:48 The pay off -- starting with mac and cheese
06:49 - 12:00 The burgers
12:01 - 14:49 Ratings and sign-off

Kuma's Corner
2900 W. Belmont Ave.

Bridget's Ratings:
Food Quality: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 9/10

Tammy's Ratings:
Food Quality: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 2/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Overall: 7/10

Average price per person: Roughly $16 per person equals burger bliss.

We added sun-dried tomatoes to our mac and cheese. It was so good that I was tempted to order seconds!

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Dublin's
Elephant and Castle

On-line Buzz about Kuma's Corner:
Metromix
The Chicago Burger Project
Yelp

Check out our Kuma's Corner photos on Flickr.

Posted by Bridget at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)