Image via www.southportgrocery.com
Fans of Check Please!, the show that lets every day people review their favorite Chicago area restaurant, will be happy to know that the host Alpana Singh is opening a wine bar in River North. No word of exact location or estimated opening date but I will be on the look out for more updates. In my opinion there can never be enough good wine bars.
Alpana Singh Restaurant, Wine Bar In The Works: ‘Check, Please’ Host Patners With Bistronomic Owners.
Image via pchannon.blogspot.com
12/5/11 Update: BIG & little’s has moved to 860 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL
I heard that Chick-fil-A opened in Chicago and it got me thinking about fast food. I remember liking it back in the day but would I like it now? It’s like when you have a favorite movie from your teenage years and you go back and watch as an adult and are so disappointed because it’s really bad and not bad enough to be good, just really bad. I am rambling but in between thinking about going to Chick-fil-A and missing In-N-Out Burger my friend April suggested we check out BIG & little\’s in River North/Near North Side.
It is a tiny place with about 10 counter spaces to sit. Seems the majority of people take the food to-go. Parking isn’t the easiest now since they are redoing the street and it’s in a part of town that is probably not on your usual path if you are walking around the Near North side. Stepping inside you are immediately hit with the smell of seafood being fried and burgers being cooked — it was a great. Reggae music was playing and it made me feel like, “where are we??” It was a good feeling though, nice to be out of a comfort zone as they say and have a new experience.
Chef Gary Strauss welcomed us and gave us some recommendations. He didn’t mind me taking pictures and had a very laid-back vibe. We went with the Whitefish Po Boy and truffle fries.
While waiting for the food I noticed BIG & little’s has won a few awards for cheap eats and chef Tony was on the reality show Hell\’s Kitchen. Also they will be on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on Monday November 7th. All really great, but not as great as the smell of the truffle fries when I opened the to go bag (pictured above). I had to dig right in instead of waiting until we got home. These were some of the best fries I have ever had. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and perfectly fresh. No ketchup needed, in fact it takes away from the fry. YOU NEED TO EAT THESE FRIES.
The White Fish Po Boy was huge, can be split even if you have a healthy appetite. I’m not the biggest fan of fried fish but this sandwich did not feel too heavy or greasy. There was a bit of spice to the sauce and the bread was fresh. I recommend eating the food there (if there is room) since it does lose a bit of the crispness over time. The fries were still great but by the time we were home there was difference.
I will be back, for the fries obviously but to try their fish tacos. I’ve heard they have some of the best Fish & Chips around. So if you are looking for seafood (or burgers/fries) and don’t feel like a sit down place like GT Fish & Oyster or Shaw\’s Crab House come here. Especially if you work in River North and want something new or need a snack break when you’re shopping downtown. Oh, it is cash only.
BIG & little’s – 939 N Orleans, Chicago, IL 60610
I didn’t plan on it, it just happened one night in River North. So began my meal at Union Sushi + Barbeque. Seems to be the “it” thing this year in Chicago, sushi & BBQ. Said alligator is pictured above on the right-hand side. Looks harmless, doesn’t it? Someone asked me if it was crispy, it was not. It had the consistency of chicken just a bit heartier tasting. I did go back and ordered the alligator again and they were out so it must be popular. My recommendation is to try it. It won’t hurt and the portion is so small you don’t have to commit to a full appetizer or entrée and you can feel adventurous.
From left to right:
PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED SCALLOP | wasabi-avocado purée, sweet plum sauce, fried ginger – Very tasty and the most interesting item from the barbeque bar to me (including the alligator). Plum sauce and ginger were a good complement to the scallop.
CHICKEN THIGH | Japanese-curry – Good flavor but with so many other items on the menu I wouldn’t order again.
BEEF FILET | ginger-soy – I did not try this but my meat-loving dining partner really liked it.
ALLIGATOR | garlic-soy + Kirin Light - You should try it just to try it. Heartier like a venison but not strong flavor.
WHOLE SQUID | tare-soy – Pictured below. I did not try it but was told it was good and it would be a repeat order.
Having the BBQ part out-of-the-way I moved on to the sushi/seafood. First up was the truffled tuna with truffle oil, avocado, parmesan, chile fresco + wonton chips. For some reason I couldn’t initially taste the truffle oil but once I did it made the dish worth ordering.
Next: OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL | (6) red tobiko, green onion, crispy shallot + jalapeno-cilantro ponzu. I’m not a huge oyster eater but the flavor combination was great. The green onion with the texture of the crispy shallot was really good. Bold but in a delicate way…if that makes any sense. These were ordered again on the second visit.
The Union Rolls look a lot more interesting than the classic rolls so we went for those and were not disappointed. You can order half-orders of all the rolls so it makes it easier to try more at one time.
OLD CITY MARKET | spicy tuna, seared salmon, spicy ponzu, cilantro, green onion, fried okra + wrapped in collard green. I really like the collard green wrap. The fish tasted fresh and did not seem hidden behind all the flavors. It was ordered on the second visit.
THE BELLY ROLL | hamachi, cucumber, orange tobiko, scallion, chili paste aioli, crispy tempura crumbs, fried pork belly strips + eel sauce. I loved this roll, yes there is pork belly on top and it seems weird but it worked. Another repeat order.
Besides the rolls my next favorite thing about Union Sushi + Barbeque were the craft cocktails.
THE SPARROW BEE | El Dorado 5 year Rum, Lemon, Honey Syrup, Mint, Bittercube Jamaican #2 Bitters. This is the type of drink that if you are not careful you finish it in no time. Not because you want a buzz but because you don’t want the perfect taste to end. When you take the first sip and your eyes get bigger and you say, “Oh my god, this is so good, you have to try it.” Then the person with you is bummed because your drink is so much better.
That is unless you ordered the NIGHT SCENE | Sobieski Vodka, Rock Sake, Cocchi Americano, Combier Orange Liqueur, Bittercube Orange Bitters. Another perfectly balanced drink and deceptively strong as the vodka is hardly tasted.
I did get a dessert but don’t necessarily recommend it. Tasted like prepackaged dessert: KILLER YUZU PIE | coconut biscuit crust, fresh whipped cream
Before the rolls and cocktails, my favorite thing about Union Sushi + BBQ is the space itself. It is nice and open, visually interesting and the music is great. The atmosphere makes it hard to leave and miss going to Up Bar that is you guessed it, upstairs to continue the night.
Open for about four months, GT Fish and Oyster took over the space that used to house Tizi Melloul and changed it into a bright and open restaurant. Sunshine was streaming through the windows and the vibe was relaxed. The music lent to the ambience, Neil Young‘s Harvest Moon, Mumford & Sons and Ray LaMontagne. From what I have heard, this is opposite of the feel at nighttime, crowded, loud and more like a scene.
Here’s the lunch breakdown:
Tuna Poke: mango, cucumber, black sesame. Fresh and good flavors. The mango keeps this dish from tasting like the standard poke.
Tuna Poke
Oysters served with Ponzu Mignonette and GT Cocktail Sauce: 3 Pebble Beach (West, Washington) and 3 Kusshi (West, British Columbia). I’m not an oyster expert but I did like the Pebble Beach oyster, tasted like the sea. I did not try the Kusshi but my friend really liked both and he knows his oysters.
Fish Taco: Rockfish, chipotle aioli, chicharron, garlic, pea shoots. Perfect size and great flavor combination. Pea shoots added a nice dimension and balanced the aioli.
Tuna BLT: seared tuna, bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, aioli. Served with Fried Pickles. This was my favorite dish of the meal. The tuna was seared perfectly, sourdough bread was fresh, avocado/bacon/aoili and tomato together, delicious.
The best fried pickles I’ve had north of the Mason Dixon Line and no dipping sauce needed.
I would recommend GT Fish and Oyster for a nice lunch with a friend/date or a business lunch. It also sounds like it could be fun for a night out if you are up for it. High quality ingredients and excellent service, however, this is also reflected in the price.
GT Fish and Oyster is on 531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654.
Image via Wikipedia
A couple of weeks ago I was downtown near River North and had a craving for sushi. It was Sunday around 6pm so any of the normal lunch sushi places that come to mind were not open. I have been wanting to try a place up north but my appetite wasn’t having it so thought, Sunda. I know what I am getting, I like it and it won’t be crazy crowded. Walking there I looked across the street and noticed a restaurant that I had never seen before.
I crossed the street to check it out and noticed it was huge, easily over 5,000-square-feet. The design drew me in enough to pique my curiosity and look at the menu. Once stepping inside it was decided, why not try a new spot? After chatting with the waiter I learned that Roka Akor is a chain but not with the “bad” connotations that chain restaurants can have. In fact, Bon Appetit lists this as one of the Top 10 Sushi Spots.
I guess I came at the right time as there was not wait and the restaurant was not crowded as I’ve read it has been after it opened. I am glad that I came in not having any expectations or knowing the history of the restaurant. Having been open for less than two weeks you could tell the staff, although well-trained, was still getting a feel for the service they were presenting. I am one that does not necessarily “require” the wait staff to be hyper attentive. It’s okay if my water-glass is half-full or my plate not cleared the second I am finished. Someone was there the second after I finished or had less than “enough” water. It wasn’t annoying just noticeable and I do know that there are a lot of people who like their service this way. This really would be my only complaint and it really isn’t even that, more an observation.
Along with sushi Roka Akor is known for its robata grill. The second half of the menu is dedicated to grilled items.
The drink menu is extensive and by extensive I mean about 45 pages. Sake, wine, cocktails and beer. I had the Blood Orange Margarita. It was delicious. Any drink that uses fresh juice is automatically going to be good and the chili salt/sugar rim was a great finisher to the drink.
Dinner:
Wagyu Beef Kimchi Dumplings – Very tasty. Kimchi was just the right bitterness for the rich Wagyu
Maki Roll, Hamachi Serrano Chili Roll – One of the rolls that was further way from the traditional rolls you see on every menu. The chili on top was just enough for a kick but not overpowering.
Prime Skirt Steak (8 oz.) with Sweet Garlic Soy – The flavor and texture were the best I have tasted in a while in Chicago.
Salmon Nigiri – Very fresh, the melt in your mouth fresh that seems to be hit-or-miss in Chicago.
Dessert – Chocolate cake with roasted coffee beans and coffee ice-cream
Overall I would recommend this place for those that want an alternative to Sunda, have both sushi and steak eaters and don’t mind spending some money. I would like to see how the lounge/bar area of the restaurant pans out, will it be a cool place to hang out and they will throw a dj in there or just a place to wait before dinner? The music they played in the dining room was very modern and even had some hip-hop thrown in. Menu is extensive so you can go back again and again and work your way through it. Good for a date or dinner with friends but for me, not for your everyday. I don’t think Roka Akor is top 10 but does rank highly with solid sushi.
P.S. Since this was an impromptu outing I did not have a good camera with me so the pictures are a bit off as I used my phone.
