Honeymoon Stop 6--Port Douglas, Great Barrier Reef

Ready to scuba!

After snow and rain in New Zealand and lots of rain in Sydney, we were looking forward to returning to a tropical climate at the Great Barrier Reef. Warm weather wasn't our only motive; we were hoping to become certified as Open Water Divers, the first level for PADI certification. We completed the e-learning portion of our course while we were in Sydney, so our training course was just three days. Three very long days.

From Sydney, we took a three-hour flight to Cairns and then a one-hour shuttle to the Sheraton Port Douglas, our home for the six days and nights we were at the Great Barrier Reef.

We spent the first day of training in the outdoor pool at the Sheraton in water with a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius or about 73 degrees Fahrenheit. This doesn't sound cold and under ordinary circumstances--swimming some laps or spending an hour frolicking in the water--it's not. But when you spend more than six hours in the water performing scuba skills, like getting accustomed to using a regulator, taking your mask on and off, taking your scuba equipment on and off, practicing buoyancy, etc., 73 degrees starts to feel cold; our core temperatures were so low, everyone in the pool was shivering uncontrollably.

Getting into scuba gear was difficult at first

Z soaking in some sun

Our scuba class consisted of five students including us. Our German instructor made sure we had our skills down cold. By the end of the first day, we were freezing and exhausted and I was second-guessing my decision to take a scuba course. Z didn't enjoy our first day either, but because he had taken a discovery scuba dive years ago, he knew what we were working toward. An unsolicited tip: If you're contemplating scuba certification, take a discovery or introductory dive. This way you know if you like it and you'll know what to look forward to once you complete your scuba certification.

The next two days of the course in the ocean got progressively better. Not only were we (a little) warmer in the ocean, but we also got to see some coral, fishes and other ocean wildlife. By the end of the third day, we did a fun dive in the ocean, reached 17 meters or 56ish feet and began to understand why scuba divers love diving.

E jumping off the boat

Practicing buoyancy in the ocean

Some of the coral we saw on our dives

"Nemos" at the Great Barrier Reef

Despite our exhaustion every day after our scuba course, most evenings we took the town shuttle into Port Douglas to eat dinner because the two restaurants at the hotel were overpriced and the food was just o.k. The food was still overpriced in town, but at least we ate some good Thai and Italian food and some tasty fresh seafood. A couple of nights we indulged on local gelato with flavors like panna cotta and toasted coconut.

After we finished our scuba course and were successfully Open Water certified, we had two days to kill in Port Douglas. The first day after our course completion, another couple in our course, Ingrid and Ashley, invited us to go boating and fishing with them on a river in Port Douglas. Our fishing expedition didn't yield any seafood we could eat, but we caught and saw some interesting wildlife, including a small (about 2 meters or 6 feet) crocodile on the bank of the river.

Croc waiting for the next animal that makes a misstep

Reeling in a mud crab

Catching mud crabs the "proper" way

On our last day in Port Douglas, we rented bikes--"push bikes" as they are called in Australia--from our hotel and took a ride to a nearby nature park where we spent a few hours feeding kangaroos and wallabies and trying to stay clear of domineering ducks and swans. Because of the liability of a bunch of wild animals running around, a park like this would never exist in the U.S. We enjoyed our time at the park even more knowing this was a rare opportunity to play with the animals.

Trying to get over my fear of birds...

Salt water croc and his girlfriend

Feeding a super-sweet baby kangaroo who came to play

Z and the wallaby

The wallabies liked to hold hands as they ate

Port Douglas is tropical and lush and the beach is beautiful, but after a few days the town begins to feel like the small town it is and our Visa card was exhausted from the over-priced everything. We made a brief stop in Sydney before we left the developed, English-speaking world and boarded a flight to Vietnam...

Fabulous Fusion at Fat Rice

Created by the Xmarx clan, Fat Rice has gotten rave reviews since it opened in 2012. Spoiler alert: This will be another rave review.

Our mistake was going with a party of three around 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening in late winter. Needless to say we ended up waiting more than an hour for a non-bar table. (Fat Rice does not take reservations, nor does it accept parties greater than six.) The benefit of all this waiting was at the end of the evening we got to hang out with Abe, one of the owners, and learn about how he and Adrienne, the other owner, came up with their restaurant concept and menu. They went to Macau and ate themselves silly for four days straight. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me!

While we waited for our table, we indulged at the bar. The drinks were all on the strong-side, but while most had a balance between alcohol and other mixers (ginger, saffron and mint in the GSP, for example), the Traderoute cocktail really knocked me down. I had to cave in and return it to the bartender in favor of something more my speed, like the Salty Hound with vodka, grapefruit and preserved salted plum.

Fat Rice changes its menu often and at the time of this post is now onto a spring-summertime menu, but I am certain that the Arroz Gordo (translated: Fat Rice) is as delicious as it was in winter as it will be in the summer. Think of a big pot of delicious things like chicken sausage, dugenese crabs, saffon-infused rice, peppers, tomotoes, and more! coming together to create a perfect balance of flavors. 

When you go, and you should go soon, be sure to save room for dessert. Whether you order the Pineapple Upside Down Cake or the Winter Fruit in Syrup, it won't disappoint.

Saturday Night at Girl and the Goat

As part of our dining tour with Z's dad a couple of weekends ago, we spent Saturday night at Girl and the Goat. Our friends Alicia and Chris had made reservations months ago and were kind enough to invite us to share their table. Yes, that's still what it takes to get into GATG, unless you have a small table or want to wait for hours.

Even with a 9:15 p.m. reservation, we still had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. And like Nellcote, just down Randolph Street where we had eaten the night before, the dining room of GATG was loud. Very loud.

It's no secret that the food at GATG is excellent. Even then, a few dishes stood out during our experience. Because the menu changes so frequently and you may have a completely different selection to choose from, I'll mention our favorites very briefly.

The goat liver mousse was excellent, as were the roasted beets. Our server was doing us a favor when she recommended the sauteed green beans topped with cashews; they were crunchy and flavorful. The grilled baby octopus with a pistachio-lemon vinaigrette was perfectly cooked and lacked any of the chewiness that can come with octopus. The scallops that night came with short ribs. Yum!

The only thing I didn't care for was the dessert. It was some sort of cobbler with an overly-crunchy, flavorless topping.

Needless to say, we'll be back to GATG, whenever we can get in. 

Gemini Bistro Redux

A few months ago, I raved about Gemini Bistro. When we went in February, we loved it. Perhaps it was the leisurely dinner over a holiday weekend. Or that we were with fun friends. My bet is on the cocktails and delicious foie gras dish we ate as an appetizer.

When Z and I returned to Gemini Bistro a few weeks ago, using a DailyCandy Deal I had recently purchased, I had high expectations. And you know what they say about high expectations...

We started with a glass of wine and a couple of salads--Yia's Yia's Salad and the Red & Golden Beet Salad.  I'm a sucker for beets. And beets with truffle vinaigrette--YUM! The first course was a success.

Next came the Mussels a la Biere and the Blackened Whitefish. Neither was bad, but both lacked flavor. Mussels have become so popular in Chicago recently. It seems like every restaurant I go to has at least one preparation of mussels on the menu. In order to stand out in a city full of mussels, they must be amazing. Gemini's didn't meet the mark.

We left Gemini disappointed. We thought we had found our go-to neighborhood bistro spot. We'll have to keep looking.

Las Fuentes in Lincoln Park

I've walked past Las Fuentes at the corner of Halsted and Wrightwood countless times. The large outdoor patio area with colorful lights always looked fun, but given its size and location in the heart of Lincoln Park, I had low expectations about the cuisine.

One Friday night, when Z and I didn't want to venture too far from home, we decided to check it out. We sat on the patio, where we could enjoy fresh air, the lively conversation of our fellow diners, and the Olympics on a few large, flat screen TVs.

We started with the standard chips and salsa to accompany our half-pitcher of margaritas. After informing the waitstaff that the standard salsa would be too mild, Z took his salsa up a notch with a bottle of habanero sauce. The waitstaff kept stopping our table to check on his progress with the habanero sauce and when he proved worthy of the spice, they offered him a fresh, whole habanero pepper to accompany his meal.

We rounded out our first course with guacamole. Although the guac was good and did have a nice, not overly citrusy flavor, it wasn't as good as the perfectly seasonsed, table-side guac served at some restaurants. It was definitely better than the margaritas, which began to taste a little harsh after a half-glass.

For my main dish, I ordered the Cochinita Pibil (marinated pork, baked in a banana leaf), while Z chose the Chile Tipico en Nogade (chiles in walnut sauce). My pork was perfectly cooked, juicy and tender with light yet distinct flavors. The walnut sauce, covered with pomegranate seeds, made Z's dish unique, but we both found the sauce too sweet and heavy. Z added flavor to the dish with the habanero pepper.

Las Fuentes more than exceeded my expectations and I was excited to see other delicious-looking dishes on the menu. You can't go wrong with a Molcajete or shrimp in mole poblano sauce.

Las Fuentes has two other locations--one in Stickney (southwest suburban Chciago) and one in Alsip (south suburban Chicago).

Street Food in Lincoln Park

As is the trend at mid-priced, popular restaurants in Chicago, The Peasantry doesn't take reservations. So when we arrived with a group of six on a Saturday night, we expected to wait a while. What we found, however, was a very welcoming hostess who went out of her way to find us a table as quickly as possible. We waited about 15-20 minutes while we sipped our drinks at the bar. And the hostess assured us our wait would be shorter "once the basement is open," which should happen soon.

Once we arrived at our table, we started with Poutine with Duck Confit and completed our first course with an order of Truffle Fries and Roasted Beet Flatbread. The fries are waffle fries, which automatically makes them taste better. Not that they needed much help. Aside from a bit too much grease on the fries, everything in that course was delicious.

Z ordered the Beef and Bone Marrow Burger for his entree, while the Baby Octopus Gyro caught my eye. Turns out my choice won. The burger was good, but in a town full of excellent burgers, it doesn't stand out. While my gyro was flavorful, not at all chewy, as is the risk with octopus, and appropriately light. The Chicken and Corn Pancake Gyro was another popular dish at the table.

We finished our meal with an order of the churros, encrusted with macadamia nuts and accompanied by a white chocolate hibiscus anglaise sauce. The churros had a lovely flavor and crunch, while the sauce fell a little flat.

I'm already planning my next meal at The Peasantry. Assuming it's not brunch, where the Pancetta and Chocolate Waffle would get my vote, doesn't the Pickled Lamb Tongue Flatbread with red wine marinated feta, arugula and sous vide artichokes sound delicious?

Chic Cuisine in River North

We went to Paris Club once before, more than a year ago, before it was the small plates hot spot in River North. Now, about a year-and-a-half after the French-themed Lettuce Entertain You restaurant opened in the former Brasserie Jo space, this post isn't telling you anything you don't already know: If you can get past the tables full of 20s and 30s-somethings dressed to the nines for girls-night out and guys-night out, the food is really good. It may even be worth putting up with a club-like atmosphere while you eat your meal.

On our visit a few weeks ago, equipped with a generous gift certificate from a friend, we started at the bar while we waited for our table. Just a few minutes later we were brought to our table in the back of the restaurant.

The atmosphere is loud, just like you would find in a bumpin' club. Fortunately or unfortunately, we were near the servers' station, which offered a small reprieve from the noise, but a constant flow of traffic from servers entering orders.

We started out with the Chilled Seafood Platter and a Charcuterie Board, followed quickly by two escargot bourguignonnes, a cauliflower and arugula salad, braised brussels sprouts and green beans with hazelnuts.

Everything on the seafood platter was delicious, but the lobster was particularly divine. Z and I agreed that it was better lobster tail than the lobster tail we'd had at a VIP wedding at The Breakers in June. The escargot bourguigonne also surprised me. I would have ordered another if it hadn't been for my stuffed stomach.

The biggest disappointment came on the Charcuterie Board in the form of a sausage. It wasn't bad, probably good at many restaurants, but it was keeping elite company and came up short.

You can make a reservation at Paris Club on OpenTable.

Sushi in West Town

Chef's choice sashimi at Arami

Despite a conspicuous location on a dingier stretch of Chicago Avenue, Arami's interior is bright and welcoming. We went on a busy Saturday evening in early June with a group of six that arrived piecemeal. Nevertheless, the staff was friendly and accommodating.

Bon Appetite magazine ranked Arami one of the top 10 sushi spots in the country. A very high honor that comes with equally high expectations.

On the whole, Arami didn't disappoint. After sampling some cocktails, the uni shooters were a fabulous way to start the meal. The Chef's Choice sashimi platter (top photo above) at another table caught our eye while we were still ordering drinks. Our table saved room for two and it didn't disappoint. All of the fish at Arami was very fresh and many of the rolls had a very unique flavor.

More sashimi at Arami

Unfortunately, all of this flavor and freshness comes at a prices. (Or maybe it was our ordering exuberance...) Our final tab came to more than $100 per person including drinks. And as Z said, "I'm still hungry!" With Z claiming starvation, we walked down the street and around the corner to Black Dog Gelato for a sweet end to the day. 

Frog n Snail in Lakeview

When Sura Thai Bistro closed in mid-2011, I felt a void in my Lakeview dining options. Z and I ordered from Sura Thai often and thought it was one of the better Thai spots in the Lakeview area, despite its healthy dose of sushi on the menu. So when I heard that Dale Levitski was taking over the Sura Thai space to open a new hot spot, I had high expectations.

My friend Jenny and I stopped by Frog n Snail for a Tuesday night dinner in late May. We arrived a few minutes before 8 p.m. and waited about five minutes for a table. (Frog n Snail does not take reservations at this time.)

Our waiter was patient as we caught up, took our time with the menu and asked questions about various dishes. Frog 'n Snail has a full bar and select beers and wines. For a beverage, we both decided on a the Great Lakes "Burning River" Pale Ale draft, which was nice and light for a warmer evening but lacked flavor.

For dinner, we shared a few smaller plates. I loved the flavor in the Truffle Chiffon, but Jenny and I both agreed it could use some toasted bread. The Sweet Pea Risotto was predictable and bland. The Slow Roasted Torn Salmon with creme fraiche, egg, fingerling potato, beets and fennel was a surprisingly delicious blend of flavors. We gambled on the Mushroom and Peach Buckwheat Herbed Crepes and won! They were delicious. Given my new-found crepe-making expertise, I'd like to try them at home.


We waited more than 30 minutes between our first and second courses. Not unusual for a new restaurant, but another reason that I'll give Frog 'n Snail a couple of months before I try it again. While Frog 'n Snail may occupy Sura Thai's space, my taste buds are holding out for more. After a few months of working out service kinks and making updates to the menu, I have high hopes Frog 'n Snail won't disappoint my taste buds. 

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.

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.

BYOB Asian Bistro in the West Loop

The Lake Street corridor, just under the Green and Pink Line El train tracks, can be dicey. Businesses that aren't in the meat packing industry seem to come and go frequently. At any given time, about 25% of store fronts are empty and the roar of the train passing overhead blocks daylight and masks neighborhood sounds of bird chirping, children playing and even cars driving by.

While Lake Street may not be the most scenic street in the city for a stroll, it and nearby Randolph Street offers excellent dining options, including the recent addition of Anna's Bistro.

Anna's emphasizes its take out and delivery business, but if you eat at the restaurant, Anna's menu resembles a constitutional law book. It's filled with a wide variety of Asian cuisine--Thai, sushi, Laoatian, Vietnamese, Indian and more. I'm wary of dining at restaurants that seem to be a jack-of-all-trades, and Z and I were initially overwhelmed by the options when we dined on a busy Friday night. We took our time with the menu and eventually decided on a variety of dishes representing nearly all of the ethnicities that Anna's menu covers.

Z loves shumai, so we started with that. While it is difficult to disappoint with shumai, we were genuinely impressed with Anna's. Our other favorite dishes on the menu included the Peking Duck Bun, The Samurai sushi roll and the Filipino Pansit Noodles. The best part about Anna's: our delicious meal was about $50, thanks to the affordable food prices and BYOB liquor policy. We'll definitely be back to Anna's.

You probably won't need it, but you can make a reservation at Anna's on Open Table.

Slurp your dinner in River North

Slurping Turtle opened at the perfect time of year in Chicago--late November. What makes Chicagoans want to eat hot, salty noodles more than blistery winds and freezing temperatures? With perfect timing and the reputations of its predecessors Takashi in Bucktown and Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi at Seven on State paving the way, Slurping Turtle has been mobbed since it opened.

I finally had a chance to go on Tuesday night with my friend Tamara. At 7:30 p.m. we were seated right away at a booth. Tamara ordered a sake, while I opted for a glass of Vouvray. The menu offers an impressive selection of items from the bincho grill and sashimi, dumplings and other hot tapas, but Tamara and I went straight to the noodles.

Tamara's Shoyu Ramen was predictably delicious, but I was more impressed with the broth in my Slurping Noodles. My dish contained a healthy dose of cilantro, which I will never protest.

Red Bean Macaroon at Slurping Turtle

We concluded our meal with a couple of macaroons. While Slurping Turtles' macaroons may be inspired by the traditional French cookies, the cookie portion is much heavier and the fillings much more unique. Tamara's was filled with traditional red bean paste, while mine contained a delicious caramel soy concoction. 

Caramel Soy Macaroon

Slurping Turtle does not take reservations, so I recommend going at an off time, like a weeknight or an early lunch or dinner on a weekend. Bear in mind that it closes from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and doesn't open until 5 p.m. on Sundays. 

Branchin' Out at Branch 27

Friends Kelley and Peter (mentioned in the previous post) had been raving about Branch 27 for months. I felt like I was missing out, so when my friend Arianne came into town and we needed a dinner spot in a location that was accessible to both downtown and the interstate, I picked Branch 27.

The space itself was enough to peak my interest. Branch 27 is located in the former 27th ward Chicago Public Library building. Hence the name, Branch 27. As a lifelong nerd and bookworm, anything related to a library has a special place in my heart.

Branch 27's cocktail menu is particularly intriguing, but on a cold and rainy Wednesday night, Arianne, our friend Alicia and I decided that a bottle of Four Vines Zinfandel was our best bet.

In keeping with the need for comfort food on stormy night, we all ordered a bowl of flavorful, creamy tomato soup. (Branch 27 changes its menu from time-to-time and the tomato soup is no longer on the standard menu.)

Delicious tomato soup at Branch 27

I ordered the rib eye sandwich (also no longer on the menu), while Alicia ordered the PEI Mussels and Arianne opted for the Housemade Tagliatelle. They both enjoyed their dishes. My sandwich had a really nice flavor, but could have been split between two people. 

Rib eye sandwich at Branch 27

If a large portion size is my only complaint, I'd say dinner at Branch 27 was a success! During the week you probably won't need it, but you can make a reservation on OpenTable.

An American Bistro in Lincoln Park

My dining companions at Gemini Bistro

If you're not looking for it, you'll zoom right past Gemini Bistro on Lincoln Avenue. But if you are looking for the cool flatiron building, you'll appreciate the clean exterior and convenient location in the middle of Lincoln Park. Parking is usually easy on Lincoln Avenue and the restaurant isn't too far from public transit.

The location is great and the building is a unique design, but, really, you should visit Gemini for the food. And drinks. And the homey atmosphere.

Our table wasn't quite ready on a busy Sunday night during restaurant week, so we started at the bar. I had a delicious Chicago Sidecar, while Z had a Lychee Martini, one of his go-to drinks.

We dined with friends Kelley and Peter, also adventurous foodies, so we had the luxury of being able to try many dishes on the menu. My favorite dish of the evening was a special--foie gras atop a toasted ciabata, accompanied by a cherry chutney. We ordered two. It was that good. Z still talks about it and holds it up as the gold standard in foie gras.

Other favorites on the menu included the Creamless Tomato Soup, the Baby Beet Salad and the Truffle Parmesan Fries. I typically love brussels sprots, but I found the sprouts at Gemini to be mushy and flavorless. The Gemini Burger wasn't anything special either.

Gemini Bistro is another Michelin Bib Gourmand winner. You can make a reservation on OpenTable. In the warmer months, request a table outside on the sidewalk cafe.