RoobiFood

110 W. Illinois St.
Chicago, IL 60654

A new kid on the block in Chicago fine dining, Sunda takes its name from an extension of the geographical continental shelf of Southeast Asia and has crafted as its menu an amalgamation of the various cultures, spices and cooking techniques in the region. Japan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand are among the influences for this contemporary Asian fusion restaurant.

Sunda goes for an über trendy vibe with its dark, sleek, cavernous space containing several dining areas including private tables, long communal benches, a cocktail lounge and seating at the extensive sushi bar. A newly opened restaurant, Sunda is already busy enough that diners without reservations are usually relegated to communal or bar seating (which is not really an inconvenience as the top notch service and delicious, innovative cuisine are unaffected).

The menu is a dizzying array of choices ranging from edamame beans to entrees such as a half chicken fried with coconut milk and Thai chilies and a Malay style Chilean sea bass. Appetizers and small plates alone take up two pages of the menu, with entrees covering one page and a full sushi menu of traditional and specialty rolls, sashimi and nigiri comprising the rest of the menu. Sunda has a plethora of sake, domestic and imported beer and wine (red, white and sparkling) offerings by the bottle and some by the glass as well as a long list of specialty cocktails.

With such a range of mouth watering choices, my boyfriend and I were thankful for our server who was polite, friendly, extremely knowledgeable about the menu and able to offer helpful suggestions without a hint of persuasion. We finally decided on a few small plates, sushi rolls and sashimi. As we sipped from a reasonably priced, clear and just sweet enough bottle of sake, our parade of food began to arrive.

Among the several options we had that evening, our clear favorite was the rock shrimp tempura, delectable bits of fried shrimp and walnuts lightly covered with honey. The lemongrass beef lollipops offered five pieces of tender NY strip beef skewered on lemongrass sticks with a spicy chili glaze. Our salad comprised of chili caramelized watermelon pieces topped with slices of unagi fish prepared to taste like bacon. Determined to explore the sushi side of the menu also, we enjoyed a Sunda signature roll of hamachi poke with mango and macadamia nuts in a citrus marinade. Our tastes diverged at sea urchin sashimi- I am willing to try many things but this was just too much for me. My boyfriend cheerfully found it exotic and different. We ended our meal with the “great white tuna” roll, another specialty, which was topped with a crispy potato chip.

While Sunda is definitely not an everyday restaurant, the high level of service and interesting menu makes for an enjoyable evening of fine dining.

For more information, see www.sundachicago.com

1647 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

The tagline for this small, intimate space in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood is “Midwestern farmers, Mediterranean flavors.” They live up to this by utilizing four farms within 50 miles of Chicago to construct an Italian centered menu with influences from everywhere along the Mediterranean coast. Mado is BYOB- fresh food expertly prepared is their focus, wine and other drinks are up to the diner.

Things got off to a delicious start with a complimentary appetizer of fried pig skins served with an ever so slightly spicy crème fraiche and chipotle dipping sauce. We then moved on to a serving of wonderfully fresh and crisp radishes accompanied by creamy homemade butter and English and snap peas served on a bed of ricotta cheese and fresh marjoram. Always up for trying something a little different, my boyfriend ordered the tripe, which came in a rather large appetizer portion in a tomato and fresh marjoram sauce. Inspired by his expressions of delight, I tried some for myself and found the tripe itself actually quite delicious with the hint of spice in this fresh sauce.

From there, we ordered a half portion of the pasta special- penne with green beans and small red potatoes in a pesto sauce. As with everything else it was extremely tasty but we both agreed that as an entrée the combination of carbs smothered in pesto might just become a little tiresome.

And then, the moment of the entrée had arrived. I ordered the rainbow trout with couscous, saffron and harissa. The fish’s exterior was crispy and the meat tender and flavorful with the harissa (a spicy North African paste of smoked or dried chili peppers, garlic, coriander and cumin) adding a nice kick. My boyfriend ordered the beef heart with spicy turnip slaw and green garlic trencher. It was presented with the heart seared medium rare, cut into several slices and served on a piece of toasted bread that had been spread with the green garlic. The turnip slaw featured wide slivers of crispy turnip dressed lightly with an olive oil vinaigrette that was spicy, as promised, without being overwhelming.

We capped off the meal with a dessert of almond cornmeal cake with sour cherry jam and a marscarpone-goat cheese cream topped with candied almonds which added a lovely crunch without being overpoweringly sweet. It was a wonderfully crafted dessert with a great balance of tartness and sweetness and a perfect way to end a stellar meal.

The service matched the food’s high level of excellence. Our server was friendly, attentive and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. Her solicitous manner topped off our fine dining experience.

More information can be found at www.madorestaurantchicago.com.

676 W. Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614

If it’s great seafood you seek, you’ll find it in spades at Half Shell, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. It’s a pretty simple joint- just a small menu offering all sorts of fish and sea creatures set in a garden level space which creates a dark, almost cave like vibe (garden level in Chicago means slightly below ground). In the summer, there is a small outdoor seating area for those who don’t want that “octopus’s garden” feeling! No frills here and the service is brusque almost to the point of rudeness but Half Shell has been going strong for over three decades and upon receiving your more than ample sized entrée, you’ll understand why.

The menu begins with a variety of appetizers, both hot and cold. Of course, fresh oysters on the half shell are a given! With items ranging from fried jumbo shrimp to Russian caviar, you can accommodate your taste buds and wallet as you like. As for entrées, the menu skews heavily toward fried food in the $12-17 range but also offers grilled fresh fish as well as lobster and crab offerings at market value, which can bring the price closer to the $30 range. Each entrée comes with French fries, an appropriate sauce for dipping and a small multicolored lollipop. I can’t speak for the lollipop but the grilled swordfish with garlic lemon butter was delectable and my boyfriend’s sampler of perch, frog legs, shrimp and squid with tartar and horseradish sauces was quite yummy. All around us, diners were merrily digging into the sea’s bounty right there in Chicago.

Fancy it is not and service is not five stars but with its full bar and consistently excellent seafood Half Shell is definitely a noteworthy restaurant. Bring cash and a hearty appetite!

1742 W. Division, Chicago, IL 60622

Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you, I have a carnivorous appetite. I love roasts, burgers, and barbecued chicken. When I was younger my best friend was a vegetarian so I decided to step in her shoes and not eat meat for at least one week. It lasted for one meal.

My good friend’s birthday was yesterday and she is also a vegetarian and I knew that MANA Food Bar would be a great place to take her. It is one of the few vegetarian restaurants whose dishes truly taste meaty. All of the items on the menu come in small and large plates and a large portion of the dishes have a strong Asian influence.

The restaurant is very small and seats about twenty-five people (about ten of those being bar seats) and so my group of seven friends sat by the bar for a bit and drank delicious sake cocktails. They were all delicious, fruity, and refreshing. I ordered the pineapple and ginger sake drink and loved the combination of flavors.

When you visit MANA you must order the mushroom sauté with creamy polenta. The polenta tastes almost like smooth mashed potatoes with a hint of Parmesan cheese and the flavor is perfectly paired with the mushrooms. Another great dish is the sweet potato curry with cauliflower, brown rice, peas, cilantro and lime. It is simple, hearty, and outstanding.

Everything on the menu is superb and satisfying and MANA Food Bar is a place that I, a meat lover, would voluntarily go to. To see the menu and find out more about MANA Food Bar, visit their website at www.manafoodbar.com.

As you walk along the street you could blink and miss this unassuming storefront but that would be a pity indeed. It’s not much from the outside but once you enter Rique’s small but cheerful dining area, you are in for an evening of authentic Mexican cuisine that will leave you- and even your wallet- in a happy mood.

The walls are starkly painted with dark blue rising from the floor and golden yellow taking over halfway up. A few well placed pictures complete the wall decor and the back of the room features a tall straw-ish sculpture reminiscent of Rodin’s “The Thinker.” Tablecloths resembling traditional multi colored sarapes complete the cheerful vibe.

Rique’s offers a plethora of tasty dishes (some vegetarian) from various regions in Mexico. Their signature appetizer is a dip made of refried beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and panela cheese but my favorite is the shrimp cerviche. The delicate and zesty flavors of shrimp marinated in lime juice and fresh salsa is heavenly on the palate although somewhat trying as it is served on a crunchy corn tortilla that breaks apart easily. The cerviche is definitely satisfying but I also recommend the Ensalada Yucatan, a mixed greens salad with fresh orange and avocado slices and julienned jicama adding a lovely crunch. Featured entrees include Tinga, slow cooked shredded chicken simmered with onions and oregano in a chili chipotle tomato sauce. Another standout is the homemade almond mole sauce, wonderfully rich and a particular delight over grilled chicken served with rice and beans.

With a BYOB policy and the majority of entrees coming in under $10 (shrimp and other fish entrees still not going above $15), Rique’s is a delightful place to enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine that leaves enough in your wallet for a return visit- and trust me, you probably will!

Rique’s is open for dinner every day of the week and for lunch Wednesday through Saturday. They also offer brunch on Sundays.