Moroccan Carrot Soup (serves 4)

The motion picture 'Casablanca' was the theme for the meals served the last week of August and that meant an all-Moroccan day. The soup served at this day's brunch, Moroccan Carrot Soup, brought the best attributes of this hearty root vegetable... from the earthy tones of the root to the enigmatic notes of roasted cumin and finishing with the bright flavors brought by the yogurt. Give this soup a try.

- Chez

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen

Preperation:

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes.
3. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool.
6. Finely grind in spice mill.
7. Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth.
8. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice,sour cream and allspice.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.

Beef and Guinness Pie (Serves 4)

The anniversary of the English Civil War provided Chez with an opportunity to look for fine culinary offerings from England… and this is no mean feat!

Despite the reputation that English food has, several potential Stars did in the end, show bright… but it was the Beef and Guinness Pie that won the day.

Unique, pleasing to both eye and palette and hearty as the day is long … what else is there to say!

Enjoy,

- Chez

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• puff pastry dough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.


2. Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate.


3. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.


4. Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer,


5. Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven.


6. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)


7. Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.


8. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters.


9. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere.


10. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.


11. Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.


12. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

Tinga Pueblana (Pulled Pork)

August 15 is the anniversary of the completion of the Panama Canal so as expected, Chez did an all Panamanian Day, and while the day gave us many surprises (all of then good) like yucca root, plantains and Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)... it was the Tinga Pueblana that won the Star for today.

Viva la pig!

- Chez

• 3 medium or 2 large russet potatoes to equal about a pound, peeled and diced
• 1 (2 to 3-pound) pork loin
• 1/2 yellow onion, whole, plus 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 ounces raw chorizo, casing removed and crumbled
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped (seeded and ribbed for less heat)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• salt
  

For serving:

• 16 corn or flour tortillas
• Lime wedges
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped
  

Directions:
Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Add the salt, bring to a boil and cook until tender, 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Place the pork in a large pot of cold water. Add the onion half, the garlic, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the pork is cooked through and is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from the water and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle (discard the cooking liquid). Using your fingers or 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute crumbled chorizo until completely cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a paper towel lined plate. Add the chopped onions to the chorizo skillet and cook until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shredded pork, the tomatoes, and the chipotle chiles. Cook until the tomatoes break down and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Return the potatoes and cooked chorizo to the pan. Stir in the vinegar, thyme, marjoram and salt, to taste. Continue to cook over medium heat until some of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

While the pork cooks, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10 to 15 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and continue to warm until the tortilla is pliable and heated through, another 10 to 20 seconds. Place warm tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a plate, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside; repeat with the remaining tortillas (or warm the tortillas in the microwave: stack them on a plate and cover with a damp cloth; microwave for 30 seconds and keep them covered until you're ready to serve).

To Serve:
Place the pulled pork in a serving bowl or bring to the table in the cooking pot. Arrange the limes, avocado, and cilantro on a platter. Scatter the serrano on top of the pork. Pass warm tortillas so each diner can fill a tortilla with some of the meat and accompaniments. Squeeze lime juice over each serving.

Kyoto Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, Crystal Lake, IL

So, there we were in north-east Illinois on the second weekend of August in preparation to attend the second-helping of the Woodstock Mozart Festival. (Editor’s note: This is a MUST ATTEND for all Chamber Music aficionados out there.) With the pangs of hunger gnawing at our innards, we ventured to the Crystal Lake Region of Illinois to try out Kyoto Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. Sheb had had a hankering for Asian food for quite a few weeks and this place seemed like a safe place to sate those needs.

The décor was standard Japanese Steakhouse and nothing to get too excited about. The faux Japanese artwork, hibachi tables and shoji screens were in abundance but we hadn’t come to appreciate the furniture. Tonight it was about the food… so bring it on!

Round 1 –The Sake Martini: This one was a bit of a disappointment. Well, it actually was a bit more than ‘a bit’. When you order a sake martini you kind of expect sake to be the predominant tone but not in this case. Even on their second attempt, the sake was only a fleeting memory.

Round 2 –House Salad with Creamy Ginger Dressing: We were very glad that this was included in the cost of our main course because if we had been forced to pay for this we both would have been irate. Now in vegetal matters I tend to be more gracious than Sheb, but this salad was not good at all. The lettuce was wilted and flecked with brown age-spots that the chef had hoped to hide under a soupy abundance of cloy ginger dressing. So as my wife so aptly put it, “Ick!”

Round 3 –Sushi Appetizer Plate and Harumaki Plate: I refuse to go to a sushi house and not order sushi, even if it is just for an appetizer. Sheb on the other hand can refuse sushi 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Faced with this conundrum we each ordered our own appetizer, with Sheb going for the Haru-maki (Japanese Spring roll) and I venturing into Sushiville. Sheb was happy with her order and found the dish to be light, fresh and a good opening course. For her, it was the first ‘thumbs up’ of the day.

I found my choice as ‘just acceptable’. Why? Well one of the fine points of sushi is the artistry of the dish and in my view this was lacking. It appeared that the items were just piled on the plate… no flair, no eye for the dramatic. It was just raw fish and rice.

Round 4 –Miso Soup: Since it was not Miso Soup, I guess that this one doesn’t qualify for a grade in the Miso Soup course. Instead we were given an anemic version of Chinese Egg Drop Soup, which we both found tasty… however what that had to do with a Japanese restaurant still has us baffled.

Round 5 (Her) – Hibachi Chicken Teriyaki: Sheb thoroughly enjoyed the dish, while I thought the chicken was a bit dry… no doubt a function of the excessive cook-time that she had requested of our chef. Moresthepity, but it was her meal and she can have it any way she likes.

Round 5 (Him) –Hibachi Steak and White Tuna: I was disappointed that this was done with a ‘white’ Albacore tuna rather than a ‘red’ Yellow fin tuna. The subtle flavor of yellow fin would have complemented the steak portion of the dish better but alas, it was not offered, and while the steak was cooked to perfection I did find the dish in it’s entirety to be ‘only average’.

Honorable Mention: Bar none, the brightest spot of the evening was our chef… a Masaharu Morimoto look-alike who was also quite the comedian. We have seen the ‘standard show’ at Japanese steakhouses many times in our travels so the ‘initial flame-on, onion volcano and smoking choo-choos’ don’t hold our attention as much as they once did. Our chef, on the other hand, seemed to sense this and pulled out all the stops to make the dinner preparation the centerpiece of our evening. From his amalgamation of Spanish and Japanese to his self deprecation to his bumbling antics, he managed to salvage a mediocre evening and bump it up to ‘enjoyable status’. Thank you sir for a great show!

As for the restaurant as a whole… well, I am going to have to give this one a ‘Thumbs Down’. The food wasn’t special, the décor was cliché and I have to ask myself, “Is a Benihana-look-alike really the best we could have done?”

- Chez

La Petite Crêperie, Woodstock, Illinois

"Don't you guys ever just stay home on a weekend?"

Well, the short answer is, "No, there is just too much to see, do, experience, taste, savor, etc!"

So as fate would have it, upon our return from the Florida Keys (and for the next two consecutive weekends) we are privileged to attend the Woodstock Mozart Festival [http://www.mozartfest.org] in the quaint, and just a bit retro, village of Woodstock, Illinois... and as we are apt to do, this gives us an opportunity to sample the culinary efforts of a local hot spot and enjoy something new and exciting. For this week, it is all about La Petite Crêperie and Bistrot and all things French (with just a little Baroque thrown in for good measure).

So, what did the menu offer us? Well, suffice it to say, a great deal!

We began with cocktails; the Dirty Martini for her and I ventured into real France and ordered the absinthe. I do so love the gentle, licorice-tones and the sublime 'fogginess' that this drink offers.

As our eyes turned towards the appetizer course, we (I) found myself in a quandary... pate' or escargot... pate' or escargot, which to choose... oh my. Which to choose?

In the end, I took my lead from King Solomon and ordered both. The Pate' Trio, composed of duck, lamb and rib eye were good, with the rib eye playing first violin status and the duck a strong second and the lamb a somewhat weak third (it needed more zing).

The escargot, on the other hand was 'TO-DIE-FOR', with all of the garlicky-goodness and buttery-richness that any self respecting French dish is renowned for. Salty, flavorful, plenty of taste and texture... what else is there to say... except I wish there had been more bread available, so I could have soaked up more of that snail-love potion.

Sheb took the safer route and ordered the Tiger Shrimp in a Lemon Butter Sauce. She reports that this appetizer was most excellent and more than worthy of a big, fat, French thumbs up.

As we considered our main course options, I decided on the lighter fare of French Onion Soup. One would expect this to be most worthy at this French Bistro, and worthy it was indeed. The tang from the Gruyere and the sweet from the onion brought a tear to my eye... and it wasn't the onion, it was my nearness to greatness.

Sheb, on the other hand went for a savory crepe option and ordered the Country Crepe, filled with Brie, spinach and mushrooms. I can only assume that it was good since I heard no complaints from her side of the table and none was left on the plate to signify that there was a quality issue.

The dessert and cheese course soon loomed near and while Sheb was all about the cheese (not pictured) I was all about the Crepe Suzette, and while the flambe failed to perform as requested, the subtle orange notes and paper-thin crepe were an excellent ending note to a dinner composed of great food, good friends, excellent atmosphere and a quaint locale.

So... if you ever get to Woodstock, Illinois, give La Petite Crêperie a try. You might just find your 'inner Frenchmen (or woman)' and fall in love with the food of the continent!

- Chez

Marker 88, Islamorada, Florida

As our vacation came to a close we managed to sneak in one last restaurant and appropriately, one last restaurant review. The place is called Marker 88, just south of Key Largo, in Islamorada at… yup, you guessed it, Mile Marker 88.


The establishment offers both interior and exterior dining and while the outside might have added to the spectacular views at sunset, I’ll wait until it is just a bit cooler before I try that. Instead we chose inside, by a window and with that, fine dining took place.

We began with cocktails (of course) and Sheb had a Blood Orange Margarita and I had the Hemingway; an interesting concoction of vodka and rum, cola and citrus. I’m certain this is just the kind of drink that ‘Papa’ would order.


Our appetizer course was highly interesting and incredibly flavorful warm flat bread topped with goat cheese, herbs and sliced tomatoes. In a word, fantastic!

Salad course was just a house salad, but at Marker 88 they do simple salads up right, from the threads of micro greens, to the crumbled bacon to the chopped egg. You will be hard-pressed to remember that this is just a house salad. As for dressings I can only speak to the one I had, an Asian Ginger Dressing that added a nice zip and zing to the dish. Who knew salads could be so good.

Our main course was the Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail Combo with a side of sautéed button mushrooms. The steak was incredibly flavorful and had the consistency of butter. The lobster was poached in a house specialty broth that brought a succulent tenderness to the dish and complimented the sweetness of the lobster.

For dessert I again delved into the land of Florida Crème Brule and while it wasn’t the best thing I ever ate I can say that it was the best I had eaten on our trip to the Keys. If I had to give it a grade then I guess B+ is where it would land.

In all, Marker 88 is cozy, scenic and a provider of top-notch dining in the Florida Keys and is well worth Chez ‘Thumbs Up’.

- Chez

Old Tavernier, Islamorada, Florida

After close to a week of seafood indulgence it was time to give our palettes a break from the fishy sustenance that we had been enjoying. Fate would have us visit the OLD TAVERNIER, located just as you enter the Islamorada Isles of the Florida Keys from the north (US-1).


In truth neither my wife nor I were expecting much. After all, Italian and Florida are not exactly synonymous. It was with great surprise that we found this particular establishment to be one that offers Italian food that is well within the preferred offerings of any fine Chicago-based Italian eatery.


The obligatory Dirty Martini graced our table first, and while the bar did not have blue cheese olives on hand, the waiter assured us that he would pack us some… and he did. The service at Old Tavernier is excellent. (Well, at least our server was.)


We moved on to the appetizer which was a platter of Buffalo Mozzarella Carprese with pungent balsamic vinaigrette. Most excellent and worthy of any 5-star offering.



With the order of our main courses, we were optimistically hopeful. Sheb ordered the Spaghetti in Meat Sauce and I opted for the Baked Manicotti, and to both of our delights they were fantastico! Both dishes had all of Old World Italy imbued into them and while I could almost have asked for just the slightest increase in my oregano content (in the sauce), both were very good.


As the dessert course neared, I ask myself, “Should I risk it? Should I ask for the Crème Brule?”
Sadly, I answered yes and to my disappointment it was SO NOT right. The main culprit was the very dish it was served in… a soup bowl? What, no ramekins? Be still my Brule-wounded heart. Sheb took the easy route and ordered the Key Lime Pie, and she reports that it was great. Well, sure… they make the limes here, but to make the perfect Brule… that is skill.


So, what is the final evaluation? That’s easy! This place is a keeper and deserves to be on your culinary seeker-list when in the area. Just order something other than the Brule when the dessert cart rolls out.



- Chez

Banana Walnut Bread

Familiarity and nostalgia were the watchwords of the day for my brunch and dinner of 7/11. The fact that I was able to share the day with my Dad made it all the more special... so it comes as no surprise that this dish won the Star of the Day prize.

Moist and flavorful, just pure comfort food, just slather on a generous pat of butter, grab a glass of cold milk and sink into your favorite memory with this treat.

- Chez

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) plus more for pan prep
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with fork
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Whisk eggs and vanilla together and set aside.
• Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan (glass is preferred.)
• In a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one egg at a time, incorporating each egg fully before adding the next one.
• Add bananas to mixture and mix until fully combined. Mixture will appear curdled.
• Remove from mixer and add flour, mixing until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
• Fold in walnuts and transfer to loaf pan.
• Bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
• Cool, in the pan, on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then de-pan and continue to cool.
• Once cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store. Bread is best if served after 24 hours.

356th Fighter Group Restaurant

So, there we were in Canton, Ohio on a Sunday night, enjoying our 4th of July Weekend and without a dining establishment in sight.

"What is an omnivore to do?"

Sure… we could have settled for some ‘chain’ or perhaps we could have ventured up I-77 to the big city of Cleveland, but we had our hearts set on dining local and enjoying what Canton had to offer.

With memories of our previous evenings dining extravaganza fresh in our minds (previous post) we sought a comparable experience. What we decided on was the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant (http://356fg.com/), nestled quietly beside the Akron/Canton Airport.

“Interesting place for a restaurant,” she said, “…and even more interesting choice of décor.”

“This place is most assuredly worthy of a visit,” I said, “… and so we will.”

As we walked the grounds and explored the exterior we were amazed. The level of attention to detail was astonishing and it really did feel like you were on a WWII American Airbase in England. From the ramshackle guardhouse to the vintage vehicles and equipment strewn on the grounds, it was indeed an astounding experience.

The visual assault did not stop there however and once we were inside we were accosted with the bric-a-brac of war; from broken pieces of Stuka dive bombers gracing the ceiling, to framed black-and-white photos of long ago aces, to ‘Kilroy was Here’ graffiti adorning the walls. It was a visual experience ‘to-die-for’. But we didn’t come here for the ‘visuals’… no, for us it was about the dining, and it was Cocktail Time!

Dirty Martinis were the call of the day and both arrived at the proper temperature, with the proper brine content and both were accompanied by the mandatory blue cheese olive. Things were looking very good for the Old 356th.

As appetizer time came around we chose the ‘Bomber Sauerkraut Balls’, served with a spicy mustard sauce. Both Sheb and I, while initially unsure about these but were pleasantly surprised once we tasted them. Nice texture, great taste and very unique.

The salad course on the other hand, had us a bit concerned, as the house salads arrived looking like something ordered off the local Denny’s menu. After tasting them, we found that they also tasted like they came from the aforementioned ‘fine dining establishment’.

“Well, it is only the salads.” we said, as we tried to convince ourselves that better quality was ahead of us. The main courses however had more in common with the salads than they did the appetizers.

Sheb’s choice, the Pecan Encrusted Tilapia served with a Honey Glaze, was neither pecan-encrusted nor flavorful. (A smattering of pecans strewn on a fish does not ‘encrusted’ make.) While the fish was cooked quite well, it had no flavor; no seasoning to speak of and to call it bland is to do a great disservice to that word. As for the Honey Glaze, it had apparently gone AWOL.

My choice was the General’s T-Bone, purported to be a 16 oz ‘hunk-O-meat’ smothered in mushrooms. What it was instead was a gristle-filled piece of low grade cow that had the texture of a wet combat boot and while I can not say with absolute certainty, I believe it had the flavor to match. In all, both of our main course selections were very disappointing.

Dessert was an Upside-Down Apple Walnut Pie, and while it had merit it didn’t make up for the terrain that was lost during the main course… there would be no victory here today!

So, if for some reason you are at the Akron-Canton Airport… and if you are feeling the pangs of hunger gnawing at your innards and if you are so inclined… go to the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant. Enjoy the ambiance of the grounds, marvel at the decorative details within the establishment, order a refreshing adult beverage and sample the ‘Bomber Balls’, perhaps even nibble on a dessert…

… But under no circumstance are you to order a meal there. That’s an order!


- Chez

The New Peter Shear's Downtown

4th of July weekend brought us to Canton, Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While there, we managed to find two interesting establishments that are worthy of note and while ‘worthy of note’ does not necessarily denote ‘good’, that doesn’t necessarily mean ‘bad’ either. Confused? Well don’t be. Read on and clarity will come to you. Here is the review on the first of these finds.

We began our culinary quest on July 3rd, and while our plans had been to enjoy the offerings of ‘The New Peter Shears Downtown’ on Sunday, much to our chagrin we found out that all ‘worthy’ dining establishments are closed in Canton on Sunday. “Hey, Canton Chamber of Commerce… want some advice on how to weather these difficult economic times? Open your doors on 3-day holiday weekends!” Now that I have vented, let us continue…

We rearranged our dining plans and put ‘Peter Shears’ on our Saturday list and it was, in a word, FANTASTIC! Located in the sub-level of a 100-year old building, the décor is comparable to anything you will find in an upscale ‘Big City’ bistro and the place exudes a metropolitan chic and sophistication that I was not expecting in Canton, OH. If I have one negative about the place, it was the quality of the web site, which does not do this fine dining locale justice (http://www.petershears.com/).

We started with the obligatory cocktail order, Sheb had The Bahamas Martini (she was feeling particularly ‘fruity’) and I enjoyed the P.S. version of an Old Fashion. Both were good, but both paled in comparison to what was to come.

For the soup course I had the Creole Roasted Tomato Bisque garnished with Chive Oil and it was ‘Bliss in a Bowl’. The slight bite of the pepper coupled with the subtle tang from the tomato was beautifully tied together with the floral notes of the chive oil. This one is a real keeper!

When the soup course ended and the salad course drew near our expectations were running pretty high and we were not disappointed. I had the P.S. Goat Cheese Salad; tender greens with both dried and fresh strawberries, a few smokehouse croutons, candied walnuts and herbed goat cheese with just enough maple syrup vinaigrette to keep it interesting. Sheb, on the other hand opted for the daily special; a melding of arugula, Danish blue cheese and blackberries, dressed with a Muscat Grape vinaigrette. Bother offerings were outstanding!

Our main course choices continued the high level of quality with Sheb’s selection, a vegetarian linguine dish of pasta, sweet peppers, corn, baby spinach, roasted tomatoes, roasted button mushrooms all served in an herbed butter wine sauce. Sheb reports that is was blissfully delicious.

For me, it was all about the protein and I went for the Pistachio Minted Pesto Encrusted Rack of Lamb served with a sweet mint purée. Words cannot describe the tender melt-in-your-mouth texture and sublime taste. As I write these words I already miss them!

The dessert tray brought us two offerings to sample. One was very noteworthy and the other was a bit of a disappointment. The former was the Fried Banana Cheesecake topped with a bourbon caramel sauce. Salty, savory and sweet come together in this divine dish and had this been our only choice the evening would have ended on a very high note. Unfortunately, I had to ‘push the envelope’ and risk the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Crème Brule… but alas, they rushed it and the Brule had no ‘crack’ thus the top was grainy. (Call me a Brule snob, I don’t care. If you are going to do it, you gotta do it right and this just wasn’t right!)

In all this dining experience was very noteworthy and the efforts of Chef and Proprietor Nathan Mushrush are to be commended. Good job sir and keep up the great work. We may have been in ‘Little Old Canton’, but our dining experience had Chicago appeal!

- Chez