Comments on: Nightwood Chicago Bites #148

By: Tammy

Tammy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:22:08 +0000

@Dantaniel Yes, I think that summarizes what I was getting at. Thank you.

By: Dantaniel

Dantaniel — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:12:31 +0000

Tammy, I kind of understand where you were coming from – I certainly don’t think you deserve the backlash you’ve gotten – and I think you raise some valid points. A restaurant can come in a neighborhood and offer something counter to possible ethnic expectation and that can work, but if it misses the mark in a major way, then that difference is a glaring one. I think all that you meant to say is that Nightwood doesn’t fit at its current location. I happen to disagree, but I think that’s what you meant to say, right?

By: patric king

patric king — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:21:06 +0000

okay. so at least i can see why you were thinking of them as a neighborhood place, which caught me off guard. i never got that impression at all.
i did, however sense a pretty big implication in your tone that you felt like it was a case of the man coming to the hood and gentrifying it. particularly in calling the clientele “very white.”
that’s what i found odd. it’s on a block that’s right on the edge of pilsen, and maybe a block from a row of recently-developed spaces… so it’s not like they’re staking a claim to any new territory in an old neighborhood.
overall, it sounds like we had a more interesting experience at nightwood than you did. the difference being that we insisted we were seated at the kitchen, (which i always do if i can; i like watching the craft). we made kind of a fuss over being there when we were offered a table instead; i guess the hostess thought we were being given “bad” seats or something. once the kitchen staff saw us there, we were talked to about the farms they source from, shown ingredients, given several amuse bouche, and generally treated like kings.

By: FLM

FLM — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:26:01 +0000

How did/does Lula “integrate” itself into Logan Square better than Nightwood does in Pilsen? As far as I know, when it opened it was as much an anomaly as Nightwood is now. And when you were driving down the oh-so-Mexican Halsted Ave., did you happen to notice UIC and the Podmajersky Gallery Explosion? Further, if you wanna take it back historical like, you know where the first Pilsen is, right? Just outside of Prague, in the CZ, which happens to be in central/sort-of-Eastern Europe. Not exactly taqueria town.
What I’m trying to say is that your review seems short-sided in the least. I mean, how offended would you be if the Lula peeps had moved to Pilsen and opened a taco shop? Me thinks the blog clatter would be all, “Gringos! Bah humbug!” Hammel and Tchilds are doing the same thing here they did 10 years ago; namely, opening a challenging (and good) spot in an up-and-coming ‘hood. Shit’s been going on for years. (BTW, where’s the Polish/Ukrainian influence at Bristol?! Inauthentic jerks!)

By: Tammy

Tammy — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:14:40 +0000

Tom, thanks for elevating the level of conversation.

By: tom

tom — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:50:03 +0000

i know you probably won’t post this, but you are an idiot.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:10:38 +0000

Ah, but Nightwood came to Pilsen with Lula Cafe baggage which I (mentally) dragged along with me that evening. I’m not judging the inclusion of ethnic influences into the neighborhood, but rather stating that Nightwood doesn’t integrate at all. Lula Cafe does. Also, visually, its placement along Halsted is striking.
Having said that, Nightwood is far from a 10 out of 10. It shows promise, sure, but will it ever be a Moto (definitely a 10) or Alinea (awesome 10)? Uh, no. It’s a mid-range restaurant choice in terms of overall food quality and has a concept that’s been implemented better (Bristol), and nothing I experienced from their menu that evening suggests otherwise.
I’m glad your experience was better than mine.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:00:51 +0000

Most recently, they were listed in the Taste of Pilsen proceedings. I don’t keep press releases, so I can’t cite anything else.
Admittedly, much of my complaint boils down to a violation of expectations…I was used to Lula Cafe and its integration into Logan Square and wanted a similar experience with Nightwood. I’m not opposed, in principle, to cuisine cross-over in Chicago’s neighborhoods. It’s just that some implementations are more jarring than others. I feel that Nightwood sticks out like a sore thumb, is over-priced, and very, very noisy.
Others obviously don’t feel that way, and that’s okay by me.

By: patric king

patric king — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:16:06 +0000

i’m confused about the nieghborhood restaurant title you apply to them, which is where my above comment is coming from.
where *did* you see them saying that they were one? that’s an actual question, not a challenge — i’d never heard that in any PR or the press.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:03:01 +0000

We’re not making nasty generalizations, but talking about our experience the evening we were there. Would also like to point out that there’s nothing on the menu or in the look and feel of the restaurant that pays homage to either the Pilsen or Chinatown neighborhoods that border that restaurant. If it’s meant to be a reflection of the neighborhood, then we don’t feel it succeeds.
Peace,
Tammy