This Horse Knows How to Cook!

Back in March, during an unseasonably warm stretch of weather in Chicago, I went to Au Cheval twice in one week. I was inspired to be out-of-doors exploring the new haunts in the West Loop, but realized I didn't need to go farther than the corner of Randolph and Halsted streets.

Occupying a long, narrow, dimly lit space, Au Cheval didn't look like much when I first stepped inside. The long bar and open kitchen give it the ambiance of a 1950s diner. It's charming and approachable. The staff is friendly and the patrons range from hipsters, to neighborhood yuppies, to hard-core foodies, to all of the above.

Salad at Au Cheval

On my first visit to Au Cheval, I went with my friend Vicky. She resisted the temptation of rich food and stuck with a salad (herbes and sherry vinaigrette). I, on the other hand, caved and indulged in the toasted open-faced ham and cheese fondue with fried egg. Oh, was it rich! But also delicious. I balanced out my meat and cheese with a side of bread and butter pickles, similar to my mom's recipe. I washed everything down with a pint of wheat beer. Vicky opted for a cocktail.

Open-faced sandwich

Bread and butter pickles

On my second visit to Au Cheval with Z and friends Andrea and Javier, Andrea and I split the foie gras terrine with tart cherry jam. This particular preparation of foie gras was better than the preparation I had Maude's a couple of months ago. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Foie gras terrine with tart cherry jam

Balena on a Friday Night

Since Balena opened in the middle of March, critics have given it nothing but rave reviews. (Four stars from TimeOut Chicago, the subsequent posting on Eater Chicago, a write up in Daily Candy Chicago) This combined with the backing of The Bristol and The Boka Group, (Think: GT Fish & Oyster, Girl & the Goat, Perennial Virant and, of course, Boka) gave me high expectations for my meal. Perhaps too high.

On a busy Friday night in early May, we had to wait about 15 minutes after our 9 p.m. reservation. Especially for a new restaurant, I consider that on-time. We got a table for three on the mezzanine floor, near the kitchen. If you didn't know Balena occupies the same space that Landmark Bar & Grill occupied until mid-2011, you'd never guess. The space has been transformed beautifully to look like a rustic Italian farmhouse.

The wine list is exhaustive and almost exclusively Italian, with a couple of bottles from Slovenia, Greece, Lebanon and Israel thrown in. I tried a glass of Sangiovese from Lazio, while Z tried a glass from Tuscany. Neither glass was bad, but I think mine was better.

We started with the Tuscan Kale Salad and a burrata with beets, which seems to have disappeared from the online menu. I liked both. The kale salad had a pleasant citrus flavor and the beets were perfectly cooked. Next came the Tagliolini Nero with Crab, Sea Urchin and Chile. Z and I both love uni (sea urchin), but had never tried it in pasta. The dish was good, just a touch too salty and could have used more sea urchin. I loved the crust on my pizza. It was appropriately salty and crispy and very flavorful. The ingredients on the pizza itself, pancetta with some vegetables (also no longer on the online menu) were just o.k.

Nothing at Balena was disappointing, but only the pizza crust made me want to come back for more. But that's enough to entice me to come back. That and the other delectable-looking dishes that caught my eye--charred quail, short ribs and whole roasted fish. With all of the recent press, getting a table may be another story.

Make Way for Goslings

I'm not a fan of geese. In fact, I think they're some of the nastiest animals on the planet. And may the nastiest in an urban area. But baby animals always make me smile, regardless of their menacing nature as adults.

I've been watching this family for a while. Mom and Dad seem very attentive and protective.

The little family about three weeks ago

The babies

I saw them again last week, stopping car traffic as they crossed the street to go back to their plot of land on the Chicago River near the East Bank Club. Mom and Dad still hover over their little brood. 

Three weeks later their goose-shape has started to fill in.
They look like fluffier versions of their parents.

Friday Night in Little Italy

One Friday night in April, Z and I had the luxury of not having plans and not being so tired from the week that all we could do was sit on the couch with take-out Thai food and Netflix. I had wanted to check out the new Urban Union space in Little Italy for a while, so we used our free time as an opportunity for a field trip.

Little Italy is easy to get to on the Pink Line. Just take it to the Polk stop, walk a few blocks east and a few blocks south to Taylor Street, the heart of little Italy. As Z pointed out, Little Italy doesn't look particularly Italian. If you didn't know you were on Taylor Street, you could be in Bucktown, or Lincoln Park or Lakeview.  It's a lovely tree-lined street with a healthy dose of restaurants and bars.

Before dinner, we grabbed a drink at Beviamo, a cute wine and cocktail bar at the corner of Taylor and Ada streets. On Friday night, the bar features live piano music beginning around 8 p.m. Later in the evening, a DJ spins.

We had a late-ish reservation at Urban Union, around 8:30 p.m., which was the earliest I could get same-day on a Friday. We arrived a few minutes early, checked in and were told we would be seated soon. In the meantime, we grabbed a couple of glasses of wine at the bar. One of Urban Union's claims to fame is the wine on tap. Our wine was o.k. Z's was better and less dry than mine, but neither was worth writing about.

Thirty minutes later, we were still standing at the crowded bar, waiting for our table. After 45 minutes, we started hovering near the hostess stand. Annoying, yes, but by this point we were starving. We had a reservation and were already 45 minutes past the time of our reservation. Finally, after we'd been waiting nearly an hour, we were brought to a table in the back of the restaurant.

We ordered quickly--Spring Fava Beans, Frites, Wood Oven Roasted Marrow Bones, Grilled Stuffed Fresh Squid, Bar Harbor Mussels. Nothing that we ordered was bad. Most items were average to slightly above average, but the Grilled Fresh Stuffed Squid was divine. I would go back to Urban Union just for the squid. Just maybe not on a busy Friday night.

After our meal, we had just enough room to split a dessert. Z isn't a huge fan of desserts, but does seem to have a soft spot for bread pudding-type dishes. We ordered the Sticky Date Pudding, a date cake with butterscotch and vanilla sauce, topped with creme fraiche ice cream. Amazing.

A Little Birdy Told Me about a Hot Brunch Spot in Lincoln Park...

Wall of canning jars just inside the entrance at 2 Sparrows

Plan your visit to 2 Sparrows strategically. Despite opening more than seven months ago in September 2011, this popular brunch spot is still mobbed around weekend brunch hours and doesn't take reservations. Z and I tried to go one weekend and were told we would wait more than an hour. We tried again the next Sunday around 2 p.m. and waited just a few minutes. Note: This is a risky proposition; 2 Sparrows closes at 3 p.m. every day.

Given the amount of press the restaurant has earned and the track record of its culinary and management team, we had high expectations for 2 Sparrows. Z, who naturally gravitates toward breakfast sandwiches, ordered the Belly Sandwich. The sandwich looked beautiful--a fluffy biscuit hugged pork belly, a sunny-side up egg and pickled onions. But looks aren't everything. Z said the biscuit provided too much bread, masking the flavors of the sandwich.

My Chilaquiles were equally uninspiring. I liked the crisp corn tortilla chips, but found the tomatillo salsa too limey. We did enjoy our coffee.

One data point isn't enough to write off a restaurant, so we will be back to 2 Sparrows--if we can get a table.

Mansion Museum in River North

Chicago is known for its museums. Tourists from all over the world come to see the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science & Industry and even the Museum of Contemporary Art. But for locals who've lived in the city for a while, rotating between the major museums can get monotonous.

Office or study at the Driehaus Museum

To break the routine and still get my cultural fix, I decided to check out the Driehaus Museum in River North. Several acquaintances told me about the museum; they liked its beautiful, authentic decor and the historical context it represents--the Gilded Age in Chicago in the late 19th century.

Parlor room at the front of the house

We went on a chilly Saturday afternoon and splurged on the guided tour, which is an extra $5 per person. (The standard  admission fee is $20 per person.) The tour added at least 60 minutes to the visit, but was well-worth the time and expense. Our tour guide, Mary, was very knowledgeable and obviously loved the museum. 

Dining room at the Driehaus Museum

The first floor of the house has the standard rooms of the late 19th century elite--a grand entrance, a parlor at the front of the house, a beautiful dining rooms and other sitting rooms scattered throughout the floor. My favorite room sits at the back of the house; it's a beautiful library, turned conservatory complete with a beautiful stained glass dome. 

Beautiful dome in the conservatory at the Driehaus Museum

The second floor of the house features the family's bedrooms and a beautiful balcony area that overlooks the foyer on the first floor. The third floor features a terrific party room that can be reserved for private events.

Japanese vases at the Driehaus Museum

The Driehaus Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10a-5p and Sunday noon-5p. It's also available for private tours and other private events. On the first and third Tuesday of every month, the museum offers a Twilight Tour. A walking tour of other Gilded Age-buildings in the neighborhood is offered on the

first and third Saturdays of the month beginning April 7th and ending November 17, 2012.