Daily Archives: October 4, 2009

Cheap eats: Hiro’s Cafe in Lakeview-all you can eat sushi worth visiting

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Hiro’s Cafe

2936 N. Broadway

Chicago, IL 60603

(773) 477-8517


Hours: 5 p.m.-11 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday;

11:30 a.m. – midnight,

Friday and Saturday; noon-11 p.m. on Sunday.

Closed on Wednesday.

Prices: Buffet: $17.95

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman

Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Here’s a twist on your typical Sushi experience: A sushi all you can eat buffet feast for $17.95—a price that can’t be beat. Many of us sushi lovers find that, while the food is wonderful, the price tag—if we order the quantity we really want—can be considerable. The folks at Hiro’s Café have found a way to offer very good sushi, plus traditional Japanese entrées and some Korean offerings, at a price we can more than live with.

This storefront eatery is casual and pleasant, not overly chic but not drab, either. It has a lounge-like atmosphere and is conversation friendly. The service is friendly and the vibe is upbeat.

The center of attraction is the large buffet menu, which was just added about two months ago. It’s not the kind of buffet where you go to the line and take what you want from a large display. In fact, the buffet is a virtual one—it’s a special menu with an ample choice (more than 50 selections) of standard maki rolls, nagiri and sashimi, plus some specialties, like fried albacore, “samurai sexy”, “smokey bear” and “sangria”. The specialties are particularly delicious. Appetizer selections are also included on the menu.

Here’s how it works: You can order two maki at a time, and you can keep on ordering as much as you want. It’s a great way to enjoy new things and come with a group so you can share. The buffet menu changes frequently so there is always something new to try. As an added plus, it’s BYOB and there is a nearby liquor store if you need a quick bottle of sake or wine.

Beyond the buffet menu, on the regular menu you’ll find a wide range of Japanese and Korean classics and some more complex maki choices. Your meal will end with a complimentary fresh orange, which is a nice refreshment after such a fulfilling food journey.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you’d like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Photo courtesy of Laura Hansen
Examiner.com
BestoftheBestDiningChicago.com

Argyle worthwhile destination: Hai Yen, a great choice

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Hai Yen

1055 W. Argyle St.

Chicago, IL 60640

773-561-4077

http://www.haiyenrestaurant.com

Most dishes under $10


Hours:

Mon., Tues., Thurs.: 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Fri.: 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Sat.: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Sun.: 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.


By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman

Story originally appeared in StreetWise


West Argyle Street is known as Chicago’s place for authentic Vietnamese cuisine. On a recent Friday night, two restaurants were busy. We chose one of them: Hai Yen, located at 1055 W. Argyle. Delicious and inexpensive, it was a great choice.


We were greeted by friendly staff helping guests navigate the robust menu of Vietnamese and Chinese delights. The menu is nicely divided into categories so it’s relatively easy to pick out an assortment of dishes, all of which are large enough to share: appetizers, salads, soups, noodle soups, rice dishes, fried noodle dishes, vermicelli rice noodle dishes, traditional favorites and an assortment of chicken, beef, pork, seafood and vegetarian entrées. There are so many choices that it would take several trips to fully explore the menu. For the uninitiated, the servers are happy to point out the most popular dishes, so it won’t be a total guessing game.


On this particular day, we enjoyed the Banh Xeo, a Saigon-style crepe made from rice flour and filled with shrimp and pork, accompanied by lettuce and fresh herbs—mint, basil and others. We piled the herbs on the crepe and made a wrap; very fresh and aromatic. We also enjoyed Goi Cuon, large spring rolls.

For a salad course we ordered the fresh and crunchy Goi Ngo Sen (Lotus Root Salad) featuring shredded lotus roots, chopped cucumber and onions in a light, tangy dressing. Our rice dish was the flavorful Chinese specialty, Com Tom Thit Ram Man, shrimp and pork braised in a traditional brown garlic and lime sauce.

With these four dishes we were quite satisfied, but we had to at least try one of the very popular frozen fruit drinks, basically a smoothie made with fresh fruit and tapioca. There were some exotic sounding flavors—Durian, Sapoche and Guanabana—but we were politely advised that these Southeast Asian fruits are an acquired taste so we chose the popular Banana/Strawberry. It was excellent; the large tapioca balls added a distinctive texture.


Food adventurers, start your engines and visit Hai Yen. You’ll thoroughly enjoy the quality and variety of this delicious, but not too spicy cuisine, amidst the friendly, fun-loving crowd.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you’d like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Fat Willy’s Knows How to Satisfy a BBQ and Burger Crave Better Than Most

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Fat Willy’s Rib Shack
2416 W. Schubert Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 782-1800
www.fatwillys.com

Hours :(open for lunch and dinner):
11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., Sun. – Thurs
11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m., Fri. and Sat.

Prices: entrées: $12.95 – $24.95


By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Ah, barbecue! There are days when nothing else will hit the spot. Fun, comfort and good eatin’ all wrapped up in one meal. We happen to enjoy a good dry-rubbed slab of Chicago baby backs and Fat Willy’s, right across the street from the Kerasotes City North 14 movie multiplex, is one of our favorites. The popular restaurant has been around for a few years and is as busy as ever.

What we like about Fat Willy’s is the combination of good service, hearty portions and the quality of the barbecue. They pay attention to details and the preparation is superb.
We dined here recently with some good friends and their food lovin’ teenage sons. We had a great time and the teens were more than delighted with their feast. But keep in mind that this is no dieter’s paradise. The food is rich and you can quickly accumulate mucho calories, so moderation—in other words, sharing—is a good idea at Fat Willy’s (be prepared for a $3 sharing charge, however). A roll of napkins is on the table and you’ll use plenty, but that’s part of the fun.

The dinner menu begins with a variety of rich but tasty appetizers. We loved the baked artichoke dip, smothered in garlic cheese and served with bite size rounds of garlic toast. The BBQ chicken wings are meaty, not too hot and served with three types of BBQ sauce. The chili cheese fries are what you would hope for—indulgently gooey and delicious. If you want to cross over into fried food, the Jalapeno Corn Fritters are truly decadent, with a touch of bite but not overly hot. Other decadences include a hand dipped corn dog (kids will love ‘em) and amazingly plump doughnut-inspired onion rings.

Although we didn’t order soup in the hot weather, Fat Willy’s does offer a robust Andouille sausage gumbo, with nice chunks of okra. Again, it’s got bite but is not too spicy. Fat Willy’s signature chili is what you would expect—a nice smoky flavor paired with rich cheddar; jalapeno salsa served on the side.

On to the barbecue! Fat Willy’s serves several cuts. They are dry rubbed, marinated, smoked and finished on the grill. The full rack of baby backs is generous, and served with fresh cole slaw, soup or salad and choice of side dish. The ribs have a modest amount of sauce, which is how we like them, but there are three BBQ sauces on the table to enhance your food, if you desire. The Kansas City style ribs are larger, with the same preparation. If you’re a rib tips fan, you can get these as well.

Additional entrées include a very moist and tender sliced barbecue beef brisket, which our friend loves, and a clean but smoky flavored barbecue chicken which is smoked over Applewood and hickory. If you’re a mac and cheese fan, Fat Willy’s is the place for a hearty, baked-to-order dish. This is a great dish to share; no one will be disappointed unless you didn’t order enough. If jumbo shrimp are a favorite, you can order them either breaded and fried or marinated and grilled.

The meals come with a choice of side dish and there are several good choices. The baked beans were excellent and, as corn bread fans, we enjoyed Fat Willy’s rich take, with some jalapeno and cheddar thrown in for good measure.

If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, Fat Willy’s offers rich, hefty choices. Our teenage dining companions went simply wild about the BBQ Burgers. These ¾ pound monsters were thick, juicy and when ordered medium rare, they came out tender and pink on the inside, the way they’re supposed to be. Other sandwich choices include a hearty BBQ beef brisket sandwich, a non-greasy smoked chicken sandwich and a satisfying pulled pork sandwich.

Fat Willy’s doesn’t skimp on dessert, but you should plan ahead if you’re going for it. There is a very good New Orleans chocolate pecan pie, a rich and moist chocolate brownie served with ice cream and a creamy peanut butter chocolate pie made with an Oreo cookie crust.

There is a nice kids’ menu, and other extra touches include homemade lemonade and yes, some nice salads, including a cobb salad and a roasted veggie salad.

You can park in the movie theater ramp for $2 or there is some limited street parking.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you’d like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Evergreen is a Chinatown spot that satisfies

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Evergreen
2411 S. Wentworth Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 225-8898

Hours:
Open 7 days 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Sunday-Thursday
11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday

Prices: $8-$14 for regular entrées; up to $30 for special fish or seafood dishes

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Discussing what is the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown is like debating which is better, Mac or PC. There will never be a clear winner because different folks like different experiences. Plus, there are just too many choices in Chinatown for any one restaurant to gain the majority vote. So, what one should hope for in a visit to Chinatown is high quality, but not necessarily superlative, food and an enjoyable time strolling through the neighborhood’s gift shops, bakeries and food markets. When we recently accompanied our friends to Evergreen restaurant, based on their recommendation, we had very good food and a quite pleasant experience.

Evergreen is handsomely, but not necessarily stylishly, appointed. The dining room is large and able to handle big groups. The menu is divided into numerous sections featuring fare most Americans would be familiar with plus some enhanced house specialties. An additional green-colored menu presents dishes that are a bit more authentically Chinese. All in all, there is a very large selection from which to choose.

We started with a variety of shared appetizers. The traditional egg rolls, hot and fresh, were delicious. We also ordered some tasty fried wontons which were of homemade quality and surprisingly non-greasy. Other good choices were the pot stickers and chicken lettuce wraps.

For main courses, we ordered three entrees and a side of Szechuan stir-fried green beans. Our server informed us they had no green beans and suggested pea pods instead, which turned out to be a fine substitute. When in a Chinese restaurant, we always hunt for the Crispy Shrimp and Walnuts, which is usually not on the menu. At Evergreen we were excited to find it. With its slightly sweet juxtaposition of chewy and crunchy, it’s a unique recipe. Evergreen’s rendition was as good as any we’ve had, which is quite a compliment.

We were surprised when our foodie friend ordered Cantonese-style Chicken Chow Mein, but once it was served we totally understood: It’s a beautifully presented dish that’s infinitely better than the chopped-up concoction you get at your typical Chinese take-out. Finally, we shared a Crispy Duck with Taro Root. This dish, from the green “authentic” menu, featured a nice breaded boneless duck breast and resembled a shepherd’s pie. Sandwiched in between two layers of duck meat was a layer of mashed taro root, which has the texture of mashed potatoes but a unique, pleasing flavor.

We had no room for dessert, but with several Chinese bakeries on the street, finding a delectable sweet while strolling nearby is easy. Enjoy the neighborhood.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you’d like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.

Essence of India offers refined, superbly interpreted South Asian cuisine

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Essence of India
4601 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 506-0002
http://www.essenceofindiachicago.com/

Hours:
Lunch: noon-2:30 p.m., Friday-Sunday
Dinner: 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Mon., Wed., Thurs., Sun.; 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Fri., Sat.
Closed on Tuesday.
Entrée Prices: $8.95 – $15.95

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Story originally appeared in StreetWise

Chicago’s storefront Indian restaurants are numerous. Although many are concentrated in the Rogers Park neighborhood, there are some gems to be found in other areas. One of our favorites is Essence of India, a three-year old neighborhood spot in Lincoln Square that has been consistently popular since it opened.

We consider Essence of India to be a particularly well thought-out and proud establishment. The décor is simple and warm, with silk tablecloths and interesting artifacts. The service is humble, gracious and attentive. The food is traditional but is prepared in a refined way that brings out the best in the dishes. The recipes may be familiar but the quality and tastiness of the final product is well above the norm. At Essence of India it is always a satisfying and fun dining experience.

First, a word about the Naan bread: it’s as good as you’ll find anywhere—tender and hot, fresh from the oven. So enjoy it plain or in such varieties as garlic, lamb or onion.

The appetizers are perfect for sharing and provide a great opening for the adventure to follow. Our favorite is the Vegetable Samosas, an appetizer consisting of two deep fried crispy stuffed pastries with potatoes and green peas, is delicious and creates a perfect opener. Another appetizer that we love is Jhinga Karahi, deep fried marinated shrimp.
If you would like to share more appetizers, order the Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Samplers, each with a variety from the appetizer menu.

The entrée choices showcase Essence of India’s exacting, balanced sauces in a variety of textures, flavors and levels of heat. Our entrée favorites include the Chicken Malai Kabob, the house specialty of boneless marinated chicken on a skewer and prepared in the tandoori clay oven. We also like the Lamb Palak, lamb and fresh spinach leaves cooked in a pungent spicy sauce of ginger, coriander, garlic and garam masala.

Vegetarians will delight in the menu; there are fourteen vegetarian entrées to choose from. Our favorite is the Mutter Paneer, a combination of cheese and peas cooked in a creamy sauce. Often, we’ll spoon this dish on top of some yummy basmati rice and enjoy the hearty combination.

If you’re a tandoori oven fan, you have seven items to choose from, including the Chicken Malai Kabob mentioned earlier, plus Tandoori Shrimp, Chicken Tandoori, Lamb Chops and Murg Tikka, a yogurt marinated boneless chicken barbecued in the tandoori oven.

Among the chicken dishes, the Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani), tandoori chicken simmered in a tomato sauce with butter and spices, and The Murg Lajwab, a chicken curry, are excellent. We also enjoy the spicy Bhuna Chicken, simmered in a masala sauce with onions, garlic, tomato, ginger and green chilies. An interesting twist is found with the Achari Murgh, chicken cooked with ground spices such as cumin, rye, fennel and fenugreek.

If you’re a lamb aficionado, you will have six choices. Our favorite is the Gosht Korma, cubes of lamb cooked in a sweet saffron sauce with raisins and almonds.

In the fish section, we fancy the Goan Fish Curry, a spicy dish of catfish cooked in a coconut curry sauce and the Jhinga Masala, shrimp cooked with onions, ginger and spices.

Don’t underestimate the value of the rice dishes: the entrée sauces are so delicious you’ll find yourself spooning them onto a bed of rice so you can continue to delight in them even after the meat or vegetables are devoured. There are several rice choices, so you’ll have a great time, and you’ll be satiated, without a doubt.

We can’t even talk about dessert, because we’ve always been too full to try it. Our suggestion would be to go for something on the refreshing, palate cleansing side.

After a meal at Essence of India, you’ll understand why it has become a place we return to when we want a food experience that leaves us smiling and glad we came, each and every time. If you think you don’t like Indian food, I would reserve judgment until you’ve been here. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you’d like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.