Chicago Bites - Restaurant Reviews & Dining Podcast

The signature seafood salad, sprinkled with cilantro, was off-putting.

Thalia Spice holds the promise of every other neighborhood Thai restaurant, but can they overcome obsequious service, questionable seafood and no liquor license to meet that standard? Listen in as we navigate through an interesting evening.

(10.9 M)

00:00 - 03:12 Neighborhood vibe and lofty space and the chill
03:13 - 04:56 Authentic Thai?
04:57 - 07:30 Timing is everything
07:31 - 12:44 Placement is everything, too
12:45 - 14:00 BYOB
14:01 - 16:20 Appetizers and stinky feet
16:21 - 19:37 Entrees
19:38 - 21:45 Perking up for dessert
21:46 - 23:41 Ratings and sign-off

Thalia Spice
833 W. Chicago

Bridget rates Thalia Spice 2/10
Tammy rates Thalia Spice 4/10

The panang curry was a tasty entree.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Arun's
PS Bangkok
Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant & Lounge

On-line Buzz about Thalia Spice:
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Thalia Spice photo set on Flickr

Posted by Tammy at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The beet salad is presented beautifully and is tasty too.

Sola dishes up flavorful food that is beautifully presented. The seasonal menu features American cuisine with Asian and Hawaiian flair, resulting in some explosive and unusual taste combinations. The food may be creative, but it’s not always successful. Does Sola make the grade despite its inconsistencies?

(6.4 M)

00:00 - 01:16 From Deleece to Sola
01:17 - 02:27 Tuna tartar taste test
02:28 - 03:38 Order that soup in the name of humanity!
03:39 - 05:42 Beet salad and other appetizers
05:43 - 07:40 Service? Can we get some service here?
07:41 - 09:58 Cod done right and other main courses
09:59 - 13:07 Dessert goodness, port, and atmosphere
13:08 - 14:02 Ratings and sign-off

Sola
3868 N. Lincoln Ave.

Bridget rates Sola 5/10
Tammy rates Sola 6/10

The potstickers are good but greasy. They are not worthy of a repeat order.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
A Tale of Two Brunches
Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant & Lounge

Posted by Bridget at 5:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The tuna tartar was a favorite.

Republic has a long and satisfying list of appetizers and curries, but seems to have trouble with the sushi and dessert side of the menu. And while it has a beautiful atmosphere, the service lacks polish. Does the good outweigh the bad in this new near-north offering? Tune in and find out.

(9.5 M)

00:00 - 01:49 Intro & wine pairings
01:50 - 05:14 Exploring the appetizers, wonderin' about grandpa squid
05:15 - 06:37 Salad, salad, salad
06:38 - 11:15 Curries, hot pots & sushi ruminations
11:16 - 18:14 Service, sake, ninja theater & atmosphere
18:15 - 20:38 Forgetable desserts, wrap-up & sign-off

Republic Pan-Asian Restaurant & Lounge
58 E Ontario St.

Bridget rates Republic 7/10
Tammy rates Republic 6/10

Wine featured in this podcast:
Bitch Grenache Wine 2005

Sushi is a hit or miss venture at Republic.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Mizu Yaktori & Sushi Lounge
Morimoto

Posted by Tammy at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Mizu Yakitori's sake flights are a must-try!

Mizu Yakitori is a fun place to take a large group of picky eaters. The restaurant features a wide-ranging menu of yakitori (think BBQ without the sauce), sushi, and Asian-inspired cooked and cold dishes. We worked our way through the extensive menu, but did we come away feeling satisfied? Tune in and find out!

A very special thanks to Dave for dinner! You're the best!

(6.4 M)

00:00 - 00:49 Regarding the sushi bet
00:50 - 03:05 A panapoly of choices
03:06 - 08:00 Drinkies, chicken gizzards, and halfsies
08:01 - 12:15 Presentation problems, crimes against fish
12:16 - 13:56 Service, ratings and sign-off

Mizu Yakitori & Sushi Lounge
315 W. North Ave.

Bridget rates Mizu Yakitori 4/10
Tammy rates Mizu Yakitori 5/10

The salmon ceviche was one of the best dishes on the menu

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Jin Ju
PS Bangkok
Jia's

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

Steaming seafood soup served in clay bowls are one of the delicacies available at Jin Ju

Jin Ju offers modern takes on traditional Korean food. Soju-tinis, squid and kimchi are a few of the wonderful items we enjoyed from the menu. But is Jin Ju, a restaurant located in restaurant-rich Andersonville neighborhood, worth a repeat visit? Tune in and find out!

(7.8 M)

00:00 - 02:49 Urban, Untraditional, Unexpected
02:50 - 04:53 Rhapsodizing about Appetizers
04:54 - 11:30 Squid! and Other Main Dishes
11:33 - 16:54 Service, Ratings and Sign-off

Jin Ju
5203 N. Clark St.

Bridget rates Jin Ju 7/10
Tammy rates Jin Ju 8/10

O Jinga Bokum? Squid! Wonderful Squid!

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
PS Bangkok
Opera

Posted by Tammy at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicago Dining Out Meetup Group

What happens when you combine the Internet, Thai food, a dark and stormy night and a group of total strangers? Why, our adventure at P S Bangkok! In this episode, Bridget and I head to North Clark with a group of people we discovered through Meetup.Com. Was the adventure a success? Tune in and find out...

(13.9 M)

00:00 - 00:43 Intro
00:44 - 01:30 Wine Review
01:31 - 12:47 P S Bangkok Review
12:48 - 15:12 Announcements & Sign Off

P S Bangkok
3345 N. Clark St.

Wine featured on this podcast: Gnarly Head Zinfandel

Bridget rates this restaurant 6/10
Tammy rates this restaurant 5/10

Try the saucy & spicey Garlic Shrimp!

Posted by Tammy at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Our podfriend, Julia, enjoys three preparations of duck at Opera

Did you know that Opera offers a prefixed menu on Tuesday nights? You can get a three-course meal --any appetizer, entrée and dessert on the menu-- for $25! In a word… it's fantastic! This tasting is not listed on the menu... you have to ask for it. See there? You're in-the-know now. Tell them we sent you!

On a sad note, Tammy and I went to Opera to bid farewell our podfriend Julia (above), who will soon be moving to Kansas City. We will miss you Julia (and Andy)!

As for the rest of y'all... don't miss out on Opera! It sings.

(11.2 M)

00:00 - 01:17 Intro
01:18 - 10:04 Opera Review
10:05 - 12:12 Wrap-up & Sign-off

Opera
1301 S. Wabash (on the corner of 13th and Wabash)

Bridget rates this restaurant 9/10
Tammy rates this restaurant 8/10

Shrimp Dumplings!

Posted by Bridget at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chicago Bites went on the road to lovely Philadelphia, PA. It was a great trip and we took advantage of all the good food that Philadelphia had to offer. Remarkably, I had to travel all the way to Pennsylvania in order to experience my first "10" for the show. I don't think this is any reflection on Chicago, but a happy marriage of opportunity and food. I look forward to continuing the hunt in Chicago!

Bridget and I didn't find a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, but we did hit Philly favorite Bookbinder's. Their eponymous soup is fantastic and worth the trip all by itself. The real surprise for us was an unexpected trip to Morimoto's. Neither of us was aware Iron Chef Morimoto had an establishment in Philadelphia. We managed to snag a table and spent an incredible evening learning why he deserves the title of Iron Chef. We enjoyed the trip and hope you enjoy the podcast just as much.

What did we miss in Philadelphia? Drop us an e-mail and let us know!

(15.7 M)

00:00 - 01:37 Intro
01:38 - 09:27 Morimoto Review
09:28 - 12:45 Bookbinder's Review
16:24 - 17:08 Wrap-up & Sign-off

Bookbinder's
2125 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA

Morimoto's
723 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA

Bridget rates Morimoto's 10/10 and Bookbinder's 7/10
Tammy rates Morimoto's 10/10 and Bookbinder's 7/10

Posted by Tammy at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tucked away in the Whitehall Hotel, Fornetto Mai is my new favorite hang out. Tammy and I went there for brunch and dinner before reviewing it, and we enjoyed it so much that we've been back since with more friends in tow. Its upscale atmosphere is surprisingly unpretentious, and the dinner menu is particularly tasty. I crave the veggie pizza, which is the perfect size to share (if you’re trying to eat healthy and watching those Weight Watchers point values). And the chocolate fall-out cake? It defies description. The first bite literally left me speechless. And that’s really saying something!

(11.4 M)

00:00 - 01:02 Intro
01:03 - 02:15 Mini-Wine Review
02:16 - 09:55 Fornetto Mai Review
09:56 - 12:24 Wrap-up & Sign-off

Fornetto Mai
107 East Delaware Place

Bridget rates this restaurant 8/10
Tammy rates this restaurant 7/10

Posted by Bridget at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arun's is a four-star rated restaurant set in an unassuming neighborhood -- my neighborhood. I walked past this place for years and had no idea that such an amazing experience in Thai cuisine awaited me. Arun's has incredible service, impeccable presentation and truly wonderful flavors. I'm glad I went, but I still have doubts about whether this place lived up to the hype of being one of Chicago's highest rated restaurants. B & I debate the question in this podcast, but would love to hear your opinions. Been to Arun's? Love it? Hate it? Let us know what you think!

(17.1M)

00:00 - 00:24 Intro
00:25 - 01:47 Wine Mini-review
01:48 - 11:24 Arun's Review
11:25 - 11:55 Wrap-up & Sign-off

Beverage Art, Brewer & Winemaker Supply
10033 S. Western

Bridget rates this restaurant 7.5/10
Tammy rates this restaurant 6.5/10

Posted by Tammy at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

This morning, on my way to work, I went over to Jia’s to get another picture of the place. Tammy took this one when it was snowing (obviously), and I thought I might be able to do a little better. Jia’s is a nice, friendly, little place, and a snowy picture doesn’t do it justice. But alas, all my shots were out of focus. That’s probably because I was almost plowed over by three different pedestrians. But hey, what can you do?

Jia’s has a ton of options for y’all who want to eat healthy from sushi and soups, to tasty salads and entrees. It’s a good weeknight spot… you can walk right in… and in the summer they have tables set up outside. Jia’s is wheelchair accessible, but I haven’t checked the restrooms yet. I’ll get back to you on that!

(17.6M)

00:00 - 00:24 Intro
00:24 - 01:05 Wine Mini-review
01:05 - 9:19 Jia's Review
09:19 - 12:42 Wrap-up & Sign-off

Bridget rates this restaurant 5/10
Tammy rates this restaurant 5/10

Posted by Bridget at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)