gmi3804

I told you not to mention my name at Carson's! Last year for Father's Day we went to Sal Y Carvao (one of those Brazilian churrascarias). If that wasn't enough, my Dad wanted to go to Culver's for dessert! He'd never been. He had a Banana Split the size of your head, and he and my mom polished off the whole thing! Their browine sundae ain't bad either...

Dreaming of Turtle Sundaes, truth be told! Their "concrete" turtle shakes are heavenly (I'm partial to "turtle" anything). Their ice cream sandwich is THREE scoops of custard between two huge chocolate chip cookies. I think their custard is wonderful. Only vanilla and chocolate, however. Their "flavor of the day" always uses one of these as a base, with things just mixed in, with varying degrees of success. Their burgers are just average, but I do love their crinkle-cut fries (ask for them "crispy" next time). Their fried chicken is delicious and fresh. They do a good pork BBQ sandwich (ask for it - it's not on the menu). And their cheese curds are wonderful as well. So's their Culver's brand Root Beer (no ice, please). The Buffalo Grove store is always spotless (like McDonald's used to be) with friendly staff. Can you tell I'm a fan?

And in season, their Cherry Sundae is wonderful as well.

Two words: Turtle Sundae!

My recent meal at Le Cirque 2000 was a four-star experience. Service, surroundings, food: all top-notch.

We had a wonderful dinner last night at Miramar, Gabriel (Gabriel's) Viti's new Highwood bistro. Much care was put into the design and decor of this major new North Shore eatery. Decidedly French in style, there are many touches of Cuba (Miramar is a suburb of Havana) present, from the Cuban short-sleeved shirts worn by the waitstaff to several menu items. Subway tile, which line the walls, was reclaimed from Paris and New York. Two authentic Zinc Bars (one in a private party room) are Parisian imports. Intricate marble mosaic tile work is featured on the floors of the entrance. There's lots of wonderful woodwork, large antique mirrors (angled down so you can people-watch without having to turn around), and vintage light fixtures. The place is reminiscent of such NYC eateries as Balthazar and Pastis. The menu is printed on the placemats which set atop casually set wood tables. Several communal tables are featured in the center of each room, along with the requisite red leather banquettes along the walls, which means that smaller parties may be seated together (two of us were seated at a six-top with three others, but the table was large enough so we didn't feel like we were thrust upon strangers). Large French doors can be opened to the rather large sidewalk cafe part of the restaurant. A breathtaking room which immediately takes you away to France. Cocktails are a real steal here - $6.50 for my usual Grey Goose up with a twist. (Red Star in Glenview charges $10 for the same drink - outrageous!) I had three! The MENU mostly consists of French Bistro staples, but there is the occasional Cuban Ham and Cheese sandwich or mojito thrown into the mix. My partner Greg and I started with Shrimp de Jonghe and Mussels in White Wine (about $9 each). Both were perfectly executed and arrived at the table piping hot. For our entrees (about $17), I had the Duck a l'Orange and Greg had the Steak Frites (we decided we'd test the place by ordering "classic" bistro fare.) The duck arrived in a light (not cloyingly sweet) orange sauce, was perfectly crisped, and laid atop a mirepoix of carrots, celery, and wild rice. The Steak arrived perfetcly medium-rare (as ordered) with a pile of the same tiny shoestring potatoes that we love so much at Gabriel's - they're addictive! Dessert consisted of a Lemon Tart, which was slightly disappointing: this one had a layer of curd and a thin cakelike layer. I prefer all curd, but the flavor was nevertheless spot-on. The other dessert we shared was the Chocolate Mousse, lighter-than-air and appropriately chocolaty. Desserts were $6.50. We skipped wine after all the cocktails, but the medium-sized wine list looks comprehensive and attractively-priced. There are many bottles under $35, and lots of by-the-glass-or-carafe selections. A word or two must be said about the staff: As should be expected from a Gabe Viti restaurant, there were dozens of waitstaff in the 200-seat Bistro. Service, like at Gabriel's, is polished, prompt, and friendly. Having a napkin folded while one is away at the restroom is a wonderful touch that's not common in a casual place like this. Empty bread baskets are rapidly replaced, and water glasses are kept full by an always-there-but-never-in-your-face staff. Reservations are not taken except for parties of five or more, and the place was hopping at 6pm yesterday. Currently, the restaurant is open until 1am during the week and later on weekends. This makes it a terrific spot for late-night dining on the North Shore. Look for this place to be HOT - you heard it here first. And no, I'm not on the payroll. I just appreciate good food and good service efforts and am willing to pay for both.

I ate at Miramar (in Highwood) tonight. Wonderful. It opened yesterday. Once things really get swinging, there will be lots of outdoor seating on the Temple Ave. side. Very French.

I ate at Babbo in early May. It was after a show on a Friday night, so we didn't sit down until about 10:45pm. I did notice the high volume of the music and wondered why they played it that loud. It certainly wasn't ear-splitting, but it wasn't exactly in the background either. The food approached perfection, but the atmosphere was decidedly casual and not "four star" caliber. I, of course, wasn't looking for a four-star experience

...then Bruni should have used the word "iff," which means "if and only if."

Based on my experiences at Babbo, I agree wholeheartedly with Bruni's review. I find Babbo to be a superlative three-star "experience" (taking everything into consideration). Back to why I started this thread, I think Bruni is a wonderful critc and writer, based, as it were, on just this first review. I'm thrilled he's on board and will look forward to his next review. And I'll have a good resource for planning my next trip to NYC - as if eGullet weren't enough!

I think Bruni's point was that the food is near-perfect, but the atmosphere (including, but not limited to, the music) is not four-star level; he cites (in addition to the music) the crowd downstairs and the hectic pace of the table-turning. He writes: This slightly ragtag quality is Babbo's limitation, not because it bucks classic formality, which matters less than ever, but because it undercuts the kind of coddling that restaurants can also provide. They can muster a style of theater and degree of pampering that make more universally appealing sense than the sounds and scrum of Babbo. They can be easier on the ears and elbows. We all know that a four-star restaurant experience is not just about the food.

Admin: with the advent of a major new review in the New York Times today, we now have this new thread for reviews, reports and discussion of Babbo. An archive of discussion covering Babbo prior to this date may be found here I'm ecstatic about Bruni's appointment as The Times' Restaurant Critic. His review of Babbo in today's paper is everything I hope a review to be: informative, literate, and entertaining. I'm an infrequent poster here and live in Chicago. I often rely on Times reviews when planning my culinary adventures in NYC. I miss the days of Reichl, and didn't care much for Hesser. George

Trying to make a reservation on Opentable.com, I noticed that Bastide only offers two seatings per day: 6pm or 9pm. Are a certain number of tables held for 7pm or 8pm seatings, or is each table turned every night?

How about some details on the meal? (I hope you didn't get the "waiter with the attitude" that we had!)

I'm going to tell them that you said I should "demand" them. =R= Go ahead - they don't know me there!

Well, as you know, before their recent name change, L. Woods was known as Bones...and they didn't call it that for nothing But, I've never had their ribs, because I'm addicted to their steaks--particularly their rib eye and skirt--which are both fantastic. And they turn out a very nice au gratin potato there too, IIRC. I agree with you about the pork chops at Carson's too. They can be dry on occasion but when they're on, they're on. Have you ever actually requested the fattier chops there? If so, I'm curious to hear what the response was. =R= Yes, we request the "dark end" chops each time we go. And sometimes they oblige, sometimes they don't (at least at the Deerfield location.) I'd say go and demand these particular cuts next time you go. They're heaven if they're done right.

I think there's room enough for different kinds of rib preparations. I like Carson's ribs, but they're not the only type I like. But their pork chops are quite good - if you're fortunate enough to get some from the "dark" (i.e., fattier) end of the loin: demand this next time you go. If they're too lean they turn out like wood blocks. Not good. I think L. Woods makes one of the best slabs around - smokey, sweet, and slightly hot as well (more so if you request they be make with their "devil" sauce.)

Much as I'd love to take all the credit for this, it was my partner Greg who actually first read about Marisa's on the Check, Please! message board. But I still posted here first!

I've not been, but here's what Zagat has to say: While its St. Helena storefront suggests a simple joint, this newcomer’s pedigree hints at potential greatness: Nick Peyton (a front-of-the-house veteran of Gary Danko and the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room) and chef Doug Keane (ex Jardinière) present an all-American menu, while sommelier Bob Stuckey (ex French Laundry) oversees a wine list of both notables and little-knowns. No ratings yet, as it's too new. But it sounds good!

I take it that you haven't been to one of these yet (since Champaign)? I was thinking of trying one. I don't have many memories of the one from College but that can be fully explained due to extenuating circumstances. Steak & Shake burgers arent bad at all for a fast food burger. And they're cheap. And don't forget to try their chili - the best thing on the menu, along with their brownie a la mode with hot fudge.

Yes. And a great nut selection too. And their "Prelude to a Quiche" mini quiches are quite good for frozen food - buttery and ready in 15 minutes!

I miss Brasserie T too (although I never had their burger) . It was directly accross the street from my office and I miss the convenience of having a quality place so close to our front door. The new establishment in that space isn't very good, IMO. =R= And Gale Gand's Coconut Cream Pie was the best I've ever had. And I live practically around the corner from that space. Sigh... I agree that mk north just doesn't cut it.

I'm partial to R.J. Grunts' burgers. They're just about perfect, no matter how you top them. Brasserie T used to have the best - God, I miss that place!

Treasure Island in Wilmette has caciocavallo cheese, a special Italian cheese not unlike Romano. My Dad makes a zillion-layer tomoato bread at Christmastime, and used to make me drive out to the Italian grocery stores on Harlem Ave., to find it. Treasure Island is five minutes away!

DOH! It's on Skokie Boulevard (east side of street) between Dundee and Lake Cook in a strip mall and in the former Linens N' Things space. And yes, you are correct about LP's location. I haven't been to Carrot Top in years. That's the place on Willow (between Waukegan and Shermer), right? =R= Right! Thanks for the info.