awbrig

Here is a link showing pictures of the interior of Sugar and the kind of people you would expect to see there... http://www.chicago-scene.com/2002photohtm/...-02-sugar-b.htm

Here are Lady T's notes in re to Frontera and Sugar...reprinted with Lady T's permission My rating for the meal is a B, which is down from the A-/B+ I would've given it on previous visits. Not that anything about the meal was specifically bad -- the appetizers particularly were impressive -- but the excitement I expected on the plate with the main course wasn't there. The pollito was very nicely done and I appreciated the care that had been taken with the partial deboning, but I wanted a deeper flavor from the spices grilled on/into the skin. The beans were underseasoned for my taste, and while I like greens with queso fresco, I can slice romaine lettuce crosswise at home and sprinkle cheese on 'em myself without running down to River North, if you see what I mean. All the above is, for me, minor stuff that could've been avoided if the expediter at the pass in the kitchen had been riding stricter herd on the proceedings. Rick needs to clamp down on that crew the minute he can get the time free. Now that I've been there, I find that I do agree with Aurora: Frontera has slipped a notch. The good news, though, is that the previous level was so high in any case that slipping a notch means it's still pretty dang good. The dessert I had at Sugar was a tapioca pudding with blueberries in a blueberry sauce on top; the nice Trotter-ish geometric plating you noticed was pretty much the raciest thing about the dish. The whole textural thing with the little beads of tapioca and the little globes of berries was cute, but it was frankly sort of two-dimensional at best. I honestly expected more complexity, and it wasn't happening -- it cemented my conviction that Sugar is a club with incidental food rather than a serious sweets place (that happens to be full of skinny trendinistas in black who are immune to the 85-decibel ambiance). I won't knock the place particularly, but I'd steer anybody who was serious about food somewhere else.

One of our waiters making a Topolo margarita The finished product appetizer platter of cheesey quesadillas, crispy chicken taquitos with sour cream, tangy seviche tostadas, and guacamole Gulf shrimp in tangy roasted tomato salsa with avocado and cruncy fresh garnishes charcoal-grilled, butterflied, Coleman natural ribeye, marinated in red-chile, with black beans, fried plantains with sour cream, and guacamole free-range baby chicken, border-style. Half-boned, marinated in garlic and sweet spices, grilled. Frijoles charros, charcoaled green onions, jícama wood-grilled Amish country duck marinated with red-chile adobo sliced and served with roasted pepper rajas, two salsas, frijoles charros, guacamole, and homemade tortillas wood-grilled Red chile-marinated pork (pastor style), with charcoaled pineapple, slab bacon and red onion (no rajas) sliced and served with roasted pepper rajas, two salsas, frijoles charros, guacamole, and homemade tortillas

My wife and I had the pleasure of eating with Lady T and Steve Plotnicki last night @ Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill. We had a great time and the food was very good - Steve told me he would rate it a solid B+. We started out with a few Topolo margaritas and shared: Cóctel de Camarones Gulf shrimp in tangy roasted tomato salsa with avocado and cruncy fresh garnishes Entremés Surtido appetizer platter of cheesey quesadillas, crispy chicken taquitos with sour cream, tangy seviche tostadas, and guacamole Tostaditas de Seviche crisp little tortillas piled with lime-marinated marlin, manzanillo olives, tomato, serrano and cilantro Ensalada de Jícama jícama salad with cucumber, pineapple and tangy orange dressing. Steve had: Carne Asada charcoal-grilled, butterflied, Coleman natural ribeye, marinated in red-chile, with black beans, fried plantains with sour cream, and guacamole Lady T had: Pollito a las Brasas free-range baby chicken, border-style. Half-boned, marinated in garlic and sweet spices, grilled. Frijoles charros, charcoaled green onions, jícama Frijoles Charros - pinto beans simmered with bacon, poblanos, tomato and cilantro Awbrig had: Tacos al Carbón with wood-grilled Amish country duck marinated with red-chile adobo sliced and served with roasted pepper rajas, two salsas, frijoles charros, guacamole, and homemade tortillas Frijoles Charros - pinto beans simmered with bacon, poblanos, tomato and cilantro Allison (my wife) had: Tacos al Carbón - wood-grilled Red chile-marinated pork (pastor style), with charcoaled pineapple, slab bacon and red onion (no rajas) sliced and served with roasted pepper rajas, two salsas, frijoles charros, guacamole, and homemade tortillas Frijoles Charros - pinto beans simmered with bacon, poblanos, tomato and cilantro Afterwards we hit a new desert place in Chicago called Sugar.

Hey Susan, Thats cool, because, in your parents mind, you WERE and (are) royalty... but now they have Krispy Kreme to tell you that, too bad they didnt invent them...

good man toby - its not suggested because of bacteria these days, to stuff your turkey and eat the stuffing. Alton Brown thnks its a bad idea as does Charlie Trotter among others...I follow their advice....

No offense please, I hate anchovies. Is it the name? I know they are good in Caesar dressing but I cant stand the thought of eating anything that has substantial anchovy in it...or by itself...escept Caesar dressing...

Ive had the WS recipe but havent made it...Very good, not outstanding...

I heard if you drink milk the day after the expiration date that you might die...I wouldnt do it...

Hey cab... cool review so far... couple questions.... they obviously know you here now, right...do you recieve any additional courses, special treatment...do they know your likings or have you told them...you seem to be a special customer and I would think they would aim to please...unless you aim to go unnoticed for as long as possible... you mentioned the scallops were nicely seared, but not crispy enough for you? Do you like them beyond nicely seared? Just curious.... As I think you mentioned to me once, it's nice to know a restaurant so well you can tell the different intracacies (sp?) of preparation/cooking and know how well they can present a dish...knowing you were either overwhelmed by the expertise or dissappointed in their execution on a certain course... Anyway, I like your post,made me really craving for a meal like that...and BTW get a digital camera why doncha ya I would love to see how these courses look!

chestnuts, cockroaches...who can tell the difference...

man, I heard about all the cockroaches...do even the beautiful Park Ave places get cockroaches, and what do you do to try to get rid of them? Just curious...

you guys are having an awesome turnout, I hope you all have a great time!

wow did you you do this all by yourself!?!

Williams Sonoma has an outstanding corn bread-appricot stuffing w rosemary at: http://content2.williams-sonoma.com/recipe...Var%3Dsubmitted

My Mother wouldnt breast feed me. She said she just wanted to be friends.

Thx Suzanne and S Girl. After doing a serach on Chicago Sanitary Restaurants Violations I discovered too much info for my own good and stopped the search. Wow, im grossed out and wonder what really goes on in the kitchen in the places I visit....

hey so girl, you have a link for Chicago restaurants? I dont know much about health violations/codes...is it very easy to get infractions...seems fairly common according to this search on the link above Anyone know how this procedure or warnings/fines work?

same w Nobu and Nobu Next Door, shoot...

Daniel and Lespinasse were both cited, interesting, although relatively minor infractions... Pico...vermin???

I hear Olives in Boston got shut down for a few days a few months ago-health inspection-surprising for a place of their caliber...

Marlene, I totally give you the mashed potato volcano, I caused a great deal of butter lava erupting potato monstrosities myself...but salt on fruit I cant do, sugar, but not salt...

salt on cantaloupe, cmon?!?

What are you fixing?...complete menu please... Thanks!

BTW Jason, what is Fidel Castro in your avatar eating, a Big Mac or a Foie Gras Burger from Cafe Daniel?