Barcello’s
RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED. BUMMER.
Location – 1647 N. Milwaukee (Milwaukee and Hoyne)
In one word – Close
Food – So to be perfectly honest, I didn’t love this place, however it’s downfall was not the food. The food, in fact, was pretty good. We shared a margharita pizza (something which I CRAVE) and their balsamic salmon with roasted potatoes on the side. All of which, delicious.
Drink – This place didn’t go wrong with it’s drink offerings either. It’s BYOB, so if you don’t like your beverage, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Service – Ahhh, one part of the issue. They don’t have enough service. For the whole place, there were about three servers. I had to utilize my eye contact trick I mastered in Spain (where there really is no service) to get the waiter to take our order and to get our check.
Occasion – This is another part of the problem. The place is small. Real small. If you are sitting in the middle, you’re essentially in quiet communal setting. Your neighbors are your dinner partners. Normally (at a place like Avec), this wouldn’t be a problem. We just had some people who I’d never want to eat with next to us, which was a damper…or total amusement, depending on how you look at it, on the night. Honestly, I would come here with a bigger group than 2. It means that you will be sitting on the outskirts of the restaurant, thus ensuring your party’s privacy. Another note, beware, people bring their kids here despite the quiet atmosphere of the joint.
Dress – You can still keep your prom dress tucked in your closet, but everyone here did put a little bit of effort into their looks.
Cost – This totally goes against the principle of the website, but I didn’t pay for dinner. And I’m not going to be insulting and guess the price per person…so I’ll let Metromix do it instead, “$8-15 per entree.”
If you like, try…Avec, Spacca Napoli
Wakamono
Location – 3317 N. Broadway, http://www.wakamonosushibar.com
In one word – Bargain
Food – Wakamono is the Japanese sibling of Ping Pong. That already gives it favor in my book. You’re going to get your standard Japanese fare with a couple of interesting twists. Take the gomae (spinach salad) that comes in a roll form. The most clever roll is the Oedipus roll – salmon roe over salmon (shouldn’t that be named the Electra roll to be correct?). I dug the Maki Mexicana, cilantro in a roll, interesting idea…And apparently their spicy miso soup is one of a kind.
Drink – BYOB! Hurray, a cost saver! Another restaurant helping me to send in my rent check. Thank you Wakamono.
Service – So you don’t have the fabulous men of Ping Pong here. Instead you have their sweet sisters (I mean I don’t know if they’re ACTUALLY related). I was pleased with the service, nothing more to say.
Occasion – The place is small, so if you’re with a group larger than four, uninvite someone. The space feels very zen with the dark decor (quite the contrast to the stark white walls of Ping Pong).
Dress – This place feels low-key. Perhaps just a sweater and jeans would allow you to go unnoticed.
Cost – With no cost for booze, the place is cheap. You’d probably pay $25 for a good dinner. Given that it’s Japanese food, it’s a bargain.
If you liked…, try – Ping Pong, Oysy, Mirai
Yolk
Location: 1120 S. Michigan
In one word – Apathetic
Food – From the name, you shouldn’t be shocked to hear that eggs are the speciality here. Apparently this place has the best eggs benedict in the city, but I didn’t feel like assessing that claim. Instead I had the Santa Fe fritatta, which had bacon, avocado, peppers and three kinds of cheeses. In addition to the egg options, there are crepes, pancakes and french toast. The menu is vast…to the point where it’s overwhelming.
Drink – They have fresh squeezed juices here, including a strawberry/orange juice. If you’re looking for a morning spirit, it’s BYOB.
Service – Everything was fine and dandy until the end of the meal. The waiter dropped salsa on my friend and there was no compensation, just a “sorry.” This is a service industry, even if it was an accident, there needs to be some effort to remedy a situation like that. This place lost all marks for service with this incident.
Occasion – Come for the usual brunch occasions, but keep your party size small. While this place is pretty large, you will have to wait a bit for a table if you come at peak brunch time. It’s sceney here, so you’ll have a fun time people watching as you wait for your table.
Dress – Again, the typical brunch attire is acceptable.
Cost – About $20.
If you like…, try – Bongo Room, Orange, Oak Tree
The Medici on 57th
Location: 1327 E. 57th Street
In one word – Mexicana
Food – You should know that as a University of Chicago graduate I am obligated to speak highly of “the Med” (a requirement to graduate). It really is the Hyde Park hang-out. Get a Med burger or the Garbage Pizza while here. I really like the chili (but that might be a result of my cheapness in college, it was one of the cheapest hearty options you could find).
Drink – You really go to the Med for the milkshakes. My recommendation is the Mexicana milkshake, which is basically a chocolate milkshake with some fun spices like cinnamon. Others come here for the Grenadine float or the fudge-banana-nut shake. In the winter, indulge in their hot chocolate (again, my recommendation is the Mexicana). 57th Street in Hyde Park is a dry street, but you are allowed to BYOB.
Service: The staff here are usually students at the University of Chicago. That means they’re going to be a little bit quirky and always willing to engage in a conversation. I have had many an insightful discussion with my waiter/waitress at the Med. Talk to them, you might learn something.
Occasion – The place is so low key. When you walk in, you’ll see that the wood walls and tables have etchings from past customers. That’s what gives this place it’s character, all the initials and drawing from diners before. If you have the option, sit on the second floor. This will allow you to peer down at the first floor. Maybe some of the best people watching I’ve done thus far. The crowd is a mix of college students, professors and their families and other Hyde Parkers.
Dress: If you have ever visited the U of C, you’ll know that fashion sense is not at the top of these people’s priorities. As a result, I promise you that no matter what you wear, whether it be a sweatsuit, jeans or a skirt, you’ll be better dressed than the other patrons.
Cost: I’d expect to pay between $15 – 20 here if you do a shake and an entrée.
If you like…, try – The Florian (also in Hyde Park, join in the on-going debate about which is better, the Med or the Florian), Meli Cafe
Caliente
Location – 3910 N. Sheridan
In one word – Unfulfilling
Food – Okay, I am usually easily sold on Mexican food, but Caliente just didn’t do it for me. I found the food to be far too standard. There was nothing special about it, they gave me no reason to trek all the way to Uptown. I started with the ensalada fresca which sounded promising: spinach, mango, jimaca, cucumber and an orange vinegrette. Only I never found the vinegrette. Call me picky, but I don’t go for the dressing-less salad. I had the tamales as well…nothing exciting to report. My table shared the empanadas, there were supposed to be three types. Only two varieties ended up at our table…Entree portions are large here, but I’m a fan of quality over quantity.
Drink – It’s BYOB, which I appreciate given that I’m still struggling with my New Year’s resolution to stay within my budget.
Service – Pretty standard. Our waiter knew about the dishes and went to ask the chef for any of our left field questions. There’s a relaxed feel about this place, so the service is not too formal.
Occasion – I came to catch up with friends, that seemed to be the general trend amongst the other patrons. You could probably come here if you were in a very stable relationship and wanted to go some place low key (and not impressive).
Dress – Jeans are totally appropriate. Anything more would be overdressed.
Cost – You’d probably spend $20 – 30 a person here. The portions are huge, so I’m pretty sure you’ll go home with a doggie bag, but I still don’t know if this place is worth the price.
If you like…, try – Uncle Julio’s Hacienda (but keep in mind that Caliente is much much much more low key than UJH)
Ping Pong
Location - 3322 N Broadway St
http://eatpingpong.com/
In one word – Clubby
Food – I’m all for authentic ethnic cuisine, but you can’t discount the value of pan Asian comfort food sometimes. When you’re in that Big Bowl mood but want to stay away from a chain, go to Ping Pong. They do good things with both chicken and tofu. I am a big fan of the sesame chicken.
Drink – It’s BYOB here. Love that because BYOB can be a real cost saver when dining. Lucky for you, there’s a great wine shop just across the street from PP.
Service – This could be reason enough to come to PP. If your runway strut needs work, come here to learn from the experts. Each time I am at PP, I marvel at the beauty of the staff’s walks…maybe that’s just me being weird, but I swear, it’s captivating. No reservations are taken here, so pop open that bottle you brought and wait for a table. The restaurant has just expanded so maybe your wait time will lessen?
Occasion – Let’s cut to the chase, the majority of the patrons are gay male couples and the girls who love them. The combination of the white based décor with the club beats make you feel as though you’re in a scene and will get you in the mood for your next stop at Berlin.
Dress – Hip is good, but choose your outfit carefully because I, along with all the other members of the patronage, will judge your ability to pull off the Sienna Miller wannabe look with slouchy boots and skinny jeans.
Cost – Entrees will run you at about $10. With an appetizer, expect to pay about $17 – 20 bucks with tip.
If you like…, try - Firefly, Sura Thai Bistro, Republic
