Hot New Restaurants - April 2010
(Sable lounge picture courtesy of Kimpton Hotels)
Opening in the swanky Hotel Palomar last month, Sable is a welcome addition to the Kimpton Hotels restaurant group. Chef Heather Tune comes from sister restaurant Atwood Cafe and brings Jacques Bezuidenhout to oversee the cocktail menu and sommelier Emily Wines (talk about predestination!) for the wine list. The best thing about the menu is the option to order half portions, allowing diners to try a little bit of everything. Be warned that portion sizes vary greatly: While the half order of mussels is the size of a generous appetizer, the ahi tuna tartar tacos could pass for an amuse. (Speaking of amuses, the amuse cocktails are a nice touch).
Menu items range from simple to elegant, with hors d'oeuvres like corn scallion hushpuppies with paprika salt and pork belly BLTs, and entrees that include buttermilk fried quail, pan-seared barramundi and chicken liver mousse. If you're looking for a place to grab a drink after work, the 15-page drink menu in the lounge area won't let you down.
Not a week goes by that Logan Square doesn't get a new restaurant. First Longman & Eagle brought upscale American fare and smart cocktails; Revolution Brewery quenched the neighborhood's thirst for microbrews; and now Ciao Napoli introduces authentic wood-fired pizzas similar to those found at North Side favorites Spacca Napoli and Frasca. Available in 12-inch or 18-inch sizes, the pizzas here include all of the standard Neopolitan toppings, from fresh mozzarella and pesto to proscuitto and arugula. Other menu items include four bruschettas (the three-piece minimum provides the opportunity to try them all), calzones and appetizers like calamari and a fried mashed potato ball.
Watch your pizza being prepared in the open kitchen--and listen for the cooks singing while the work.
The second Izakaya to open this year (a third, Chizakaya, is coming to 3056 N. Lincoln Ave. this summer, according to Chicago magazine's Dish newsletter), Masu Izakaya took over the space that used to house late-night favorite Minnie's. The Japanese pub comes from former Tsunami owner Steven Song. In addition to sushi, the menu includes gyoza, uzaku (barbecued eel), various tempura items and panko-breaded pork belly, all served as small plates. The restaurant is still waiting on its liquor license but will serve sake in the traditional style--in square wooden masus, overflowing onto the plate.
(Franks 'N' Dawgs' Foss Hog and Posh Dog)
To call this new Lincoln Park restaurant a hot dog joint would not be doing it justice. The gourmet sausages served here are on par with Hot Doug's--but without the 2-hour wait. Chef Joe Doren (formerly of Sixteen and Blackbird) uses Boar's Head meat, perfectly toasted buns from Nicole's Bake Shop, and creates some of the sausages in-house. Owner Alexander Brunacci takes orders behind the counter and is happy to tell you what Franks 'N' Dawgs is all about. Don't be afraid to order more than one, but make sure one of them is the Tur-Dawgen--a turkey and date sausage covered with duck confit, pickled carrots, pickled onion relish and garlic aioli.
Every month, a celebrity chef creates a special dog. This month features the Foss Hog from Lockwood's Philip Foss--a pork sausage with bacon, a fried egg and maple mayo. Brunacci wouldn't spill who's up next but assured me he has some big names on tap.
E-mail me with tips on new restaurant openings at dinechi@aol.com.