Hot New Restaurants - Ocotober 2010

Burrata Vasi at Davanti Enoteca
Burrata Vasi at Davanti Enoteca

Davanti Enoteca

Opening kitty-corner from the namesake Francesca's on Taylor, Davanti Enoteca is just as delicious--and more affordable--than its Mia Francesca counterparts. The open kitchen and friendly staff make you feel like part of the family, and the warm brick-and-wood surroundings encourage you to stay a while. For an Italian food aficionado like myself, deciding what to order is a nearly impossible task. Luckily, everything is meant for sharing, so ordering a couple dishes each means getting to try a little bit of that much more.

Some highlights from my first visit: The burrata (pictured) comes in a jar (vasi) and is soaked in olive oil and sea salt. The carbonara risotto is extra creamy thanks to the egg yolk that's mixed in at your table. And the truffle egg toast--a piece of brioche with asiago, egg yolks, truffle oil and a bed of asparagus--is one of the best things I've eaten this year. I'll be back to try the boards (dishes served on wood planks) and the cheese and salumi menu.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse

With white tablecloths, wine lists on personal iPads and a separate entrance for those who work at the Merchandise Mart, this new River North steakhouse seems to be placing its bets that the recession is over, at least for the clientele they're trying to attract. With floor-to-ceiling windows offering grand views of the river, Chicago Cut dry-ages its steaks in-house. Sundays feature a brunch buffet, and there are carving stations at lunch. As for that wine list, users have more than 600 options searchable by vintage, price and country of origin.

Pret a Manger

After discovering this European-born cafe in New York, I couldn't wait for it to come to Chicago. The grab-and-go setup is ideal for lunch breaks, and the cafe prides itself on using natural and locally sourced ingredients. In addition to the already large selection of sandwiches, soups and salads, there is always something new to try, like the fall menu's turkey and corn salsa baguette, seasoned with fresh coriander and yogurt dressing. Eat one sandwich here and you'll never go back to Subway.

Keep your eye out for the second location on LaSalle, opening soon.

Watershed

Goodbye jazz club, hello drinking den: Pops for Champagne's lower level transformed last month into Watershed, a brick-walled, booth-filled lounge that focuses on beer, wine and booze sourced from the Great Lakes region. In addition to the seasonally changing brews from Bell's, Two Brothers and the like, "small bites" include duck fat confit potatoes, barbecue pork rinds and honey-brined Cornish game hen. Come here when the upstairs is inevitably overtaken by boa-wearing bachelorettes.

Vincent
Vincent Exterior

Vincent

This cute Dutch bistro replaced La Tache in Andersonville, and the neighborhood seems to be embracing it already. Dishes like pickled herring--served with a shot of genever gin, onion and pickle to chase--may be foreign to most diners, but the five preparations of mussels and frites with various dipping sauces are great entry points to Amsterdam-inspired cuisine. With entrees around $20, you can save some money by opting for the three-course Dutch dinner for $25, or come in on Tuesday nights for a $30 three-course meal of your choice.


Aquitaine

Another European bistro, Aquitaine is more French than Dutch and features chef Holly Willoughby, formerly of David Burke's Primehouse, in the kitchen. In the traditional French way, dishes here are on the heavy side, with hard-to-resist appetizers like duck confit mac & cheese and potato and blue cheese fritters. Everything is made from scratch, including the ricotta gnocchi, light and dark ravioli, and seafood linguine with champagne truffle butter. A meal here is an opportunity to indulge, so order lots of wine--and definitely save room for dessert.

Top