Kevin

I was curious to eat at Kevin after reading about Kevin Shikami. His menu supposedly changes daily. I liked the general atmosphere of the restaurant and the decor was earthy and minimal. I just found the bar area to be obtrusive.

I went for lunch and had duck confit appetizer and wild Alaskan salmon roasted with red cherry tomatoes and purple potatoes for the main course. The appetizer was very tasty but had too much volume. I was already getting full after the appetizer. The salmon was deliciously roasted and the portion was just right. The dish was aesthetically pleasing because of the color palate of orange (salmon), red (tomatoes), and purple (potatoes).

The best part of my dining experience there was dessert. I had the marscapone cheese creamed in a cornet with orange segments, figs, and walnuts. The whole thing was drizzled with a orange-flavored honey which brought the flavors of the cheese and the fruits together. I would definitely go back. I am curious to see the daily menu changes but it's not exactly an affordable place for every day dining.

Kevin
9 W Hubbard
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 595-0055

Chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the simplest but most fulfilling foods to bake. It's hard to mess up and there are very few people that can actually say no to a chocolate chip cookie. I made a batch using the "classic chocolate chip cookies" recipe from the Joy of Cooking. You really can't go wrong with using this cookbook to make the classic dishes and desserts. I like my chocolate chip cookies very soft and chewy so I baked the cookies for a one or two minutes less than the cookbook recommended.

One of my favorite ways to take advantage of the warm fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies is to make an ice cream sandwich. The ice cream starts melting as soon as it touches the cookies and the chocolate oozes out when you break the cookie open with a spoon. It's worth making a whole batch just for this fugacious indulgence.

Mia Francesca

Some friends recently threw a "wig-out" party which required all attendees to come wearing his or her favorite wig. Of course, neither Zack nor I had any wigs so we decided to go to Ragstock in Lakeview before going to Mia Francesca, an Italian restaurant nearby. Zack bought a "Hollywood actress" wig and I bought a bright red "devil" wig with two horns coming out of the top.

We started out in the cobblestone terrace but were ushered inside to the second floor after it started drizzling. The interior was elegant and had interesting black and white photographs and antique lamps and finishings.

We ordered calamari fritti which came out piping hot right out of the fryer. The batter was very light and the squid very tender. For the main course, we shared a pesto pasta and roasted chicken with a tomato-based sauce. They were nice enough to bring out two plate with some of both dishes after we told them that we were sharing. The chicken was not bad and the pesto was good. The prices are very reasonable and I would go back or try one of their other locations.

Mia Francesca
3311 N Clark
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-3310

Berry Almond Cake

I was in the mood for cake and really wanted to use some of the huckleberries that Zack and I picked in Montana. I searched for berry dessert recipes on epicurious.com and came across a recipe for almond cake with berries. I liked the idea of combining fresh berries with an almond cake.

I didn't have any problems making the cake but it was a hassle whipping the egg whites to stiffy, glossy peaks with only a hand mixer. I really need to get myself a real mixer!! I expected the cake to be a little bit lighter and more spongy than it actually came out. I suppose the almonds had something to do with that.

While it turned out great, I was a little disappointed that the cake was somewhat dense. The almond flavor was good but I would have preferred a plain spongecake with the fresh berries over the almond cake. Zack wasn't exactly fighting me over the last piece. In fact, he barely ate any of it and I ended up eating half and throwing the rest away. Note to self: Don't bake cakes for two.

Il Mulino New York

For my birthday, Zack took me out to Il Mulino New York, which opened around nine months ago right near our apartment in the historic Biggs Mansion. I was really excited to go since I would pass by it every day to go the grocery store, pharmacy, or train station.

We got dressed up and fit right in with the crowd. The lighting is dim and we were escorted to the room immediately to the right after entering the restaurant. The decor was very dramatic with the floor-to-ceiling dark drapery and chandelier in the middle of the room. As soon as we sat down, we were bombarded with a fleet of waiters in tuxedos. The first came to explain the food already on our table, which included a plate of soprasetta salami slices and a plate of spicy sauteed eggplant. A few more waiters came by (one with a whole half wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano that carved out a chunk for each of us, another with bruschetta and mussels, and yet another to show off some fresh langoustines). Finally, another waiter came with the menus. Before he handed them to us, he breaks out into a five-minute long oration of the specials, most of which was incomprehensible.

After the first exhausting fifteen minutes, things calmed down and we were able to take a moment to look at the menu. We ordered some wine by the glass, half orders of pasta, and entrees. Zack ordered seafood pasta and grilled steak. I ordered porcini-filled ravioli with champagne cream sauce and black truffle paste. The dish tasted even richer and more luxurious than it sounded. After seeing the langoustines, I made up my mind to get them for the main course. They give you a choice between having them prepared in or out of the shell. I had them in the shell. It was definitely fresh but was overpowered by the thin but greasy batter that covered them. Also, it was served with an enormous mound of garlic spinach that I barely touched. I thought the price wasn't too bad for the half portion of the pasta at around $18 but the entree was outrageous at around $42 for four langoustines. For dessert, we ordered a medley of "mini" desserts including tiramisu, ricotta cheese cake, and flourless chocolate cake. I really liked the cheesecake and the tiramisu was good too.

The service and prices were too over the top with not enough attention paid to the preparation of the food itself. I realized that you're paying for the atmosphere and service. While I did enjoy the experience of dining there, I would rather spend that kind of money elsewhere.

Il Mulino New York
1150 N Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 440-8888

Beef Stir-Fry

There's nothing that special about this beef stir-fry in terms of special ingredients or cooking methods. This dish was created by my bf Zack. He loves beef.

Things have been hectic at work so Zack has been dutifully taking over as head chef. I really liked this because there were a lot of fresh vegetables and really tender meat slices (as the sous chef, I was responsible for slicing the beef). We used the "beef and vegetable stir-fry" recipe from the Joy of Cooking. I love using the simple and traditional recipes from this book because it never fails.

Usagi Ya

On a very rainy Chicago night, Zack and I tried out Usagi-Ya because one of my managers from work recommended the place. The decor was trendy and modern. We were seated at one of the "two platform-style pillow-stuffed tea rooms" as described in metromix.com.

Ever since my bad experience at Tsunami (see my March 31, 2006 post), I've been skeptical about trendy new sushi bars that serve flashy and over-the-top rolls and traditional sushi that tastes subpar. I'm not claiming to being an expert on sushi by any means, but I'd like to think that I know a thing or two. I probably tell everyone this but the best sushi I've had was in Tokyo near Tsukiji Market, one of the largest fish markets in the world.

Here's our order at Usagi-Ya:

• Beef Tataki
  
• Tempura Udon
• Negi-Hamachi Maki
• Ikura Nigiri
• Anago Nigiri
• Amaebi Nigiri (wih fried shrimp heads)
  
• "Summer" Maki (tuna, yellowtail, cilantro, avocado, chili oil, spicy sauce, and lime juice)
• "Salmon Skin" Maki (grilled salmon skin, cucumber, yamagobo, and radish sprout)
  

Everything tasted great and I was assured that this place actually has good sushi. While the beef tataki and summer roll were delicious, my favorite piece was the amaebi with the fried shrimp heads that came with it. It was so good that I ended up eating both mine and Zack's. However, I was not sure that what I got was actually amaebi because I have always had it with two tiny shrimp side-by-side (see example picture). I would like to go back there but not before trying out some other sushi spots in Chicago.

Usagi Ya
1178 N Milwaukee
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 292-5885

Near North Farmers Markets

Since my birthday, Zack and I have been going to the local farmer's market every weekend. We've been buying different vegetables and fruits like cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, apples, watermelons, plums, etc.

Here are some cute cherry tomatoes that I couldn't resist buying. They pop in your mouth and were sweet and delicious. No need to prepare anything with fresh produce. Just wash and eat!


Near North Farmers Markets
Location: On Division between State and Clark
Address: Division & Dearborn (1200 N - 50 W)
Dates: June 3 - October 28, 2006
Hours: 7 am - 2 pm

Naha

I recently went to Naha restaurant for lunch and had a great meal. The decor is very simple and clean, which was very refreshing since some restaurants can get a little carried away with the interior decorating.

For appetizer, I had a chicken risotto and seared scallop. The chicken risotto was good but the scallops seemed a little tough and overcooked. For the main course, I ordered the halibut. The halibut was cooked to perfection and the accompanying vegetables complemented the fish well.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time for dessert. I definitely want to go back for dessert as well as dinner. They have seasonal menus that seem to change frequently so I'm excited to go back to see what's new on the menu.

Naha
500 N Clark
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 321-6242