Five Guys

Five Guys is an upscale fast food restaurant chain that originated in Arlington, Virginia. I've heard about this place from various sources during the past couple of years, and noticed a location that opened in downtown Naperville. However, since Bobcat & I aren't big fans of "grease food", nor do we eat out during the weekdays, we never had an opportunity to stop by.

Then I read an article in INC. Magazine... I really love their coverage on well-known "giants", ie. Yelp, Facebook, etc. Since they're interviewing the owner of these companies, and writing in a story-telling style, I always end up intrigued.

"Five Guys" was named after the owner, Jerry Murrell, and his 4 sons (later, his 5th son also joined this business). Jerry's sons didn't want to attend college, and he was supportive of their decision, so they took their college tuition to open up 'Five Guys'.

This is a place that put little focus on decor, but strong emphasis of fresh ingredients. For example, although it would be easier to import potatoes from California, they are insistent on quality Idaho potatoes. They do not want to add a lot of menu items...just want to focus on making good burgers & fries. They never advertise... they believe customers are their best advertisement. They do not deliver...the Pentagon once called for a delivery, and they insisted they do not deliver. They are also insistent on cleanliness. Although Jerry Murrell originally did not want to franchise (felt he wouldn't be able to ensure quality), they now ensure quality by holding meetings & having 3rd party auditors. They have $1000/store contests for cleanliness and excellent services.

I respect all of the principles, thus, decided that I must try their burgers & fries. Bobcat & I went to their Naperville location after work on Thursday. The place is simple, straightforward, much like their services (nothing extraordinary nor friendly). The kitchen is open, so you can see that it seems well-organized and clean. However, the dining area had nut shells, receipt, misc. garbage on the floor and dirty tabletops. I don't remember seeing anyone on the floor, clearing up the tables after customers (ie. at Panera, there's always someone that sweeps & wipe down tables).

Food-wise, the boardwalk-style fries are good. I thought it had just enough salt, with crisp exterior, soft potato-intense flavor. It's good by itself, but dipped in vinegar & ketchup was tasty too. In the article, it said they soak fries in water, so when they pre-fry them, steam is forced out of the fries. This creates a seal so when they fry them a second time, the fries won't be greasy.

The regular burger is too big for me.. I didn't realize the "little" version would be single patty, which I'd strongly prefer. I thought about getting the smaller burger, but I didn't know what the difference would be. Since it was the first time trying a place, I didn't want to end up not being able to enjoy their "best" item to its full potential. I appreciate the fresh, meaty flavor of the beef. But after getting through half, I was stuffed, and the meat started to feel bland, and I needed more ketchup. I really think a single patty would be a better balance w/ the ingredients. Since it was double, I could barely taste the sauces & veggies. The bread was soft -- I prefer it slightly crisp. I'm surprised grilling it didn't make it crisp. Maybe it was because they use their hand to mash the sandwich together (you can see the finger imprints on the buns). The bun has a sweetness, soft flavor to it though. I do like their variety of free ingredients, since I love piling stuff on my burgers. Bobcat was not impressed by the burger at all. It was complaint after complaint. One of the big issues is their patties are always cooked well-done (another thing they're insistent on). We're used to the red, juicy, soft medium rares (or at least medium well).

It will probably be a while before we stop by again, but when we do, I'm going for the single patty.

Sidenote: HUGE portion on fries -- we shared 1 regular order & it was more than enuf.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries

www.fiveguys.com

22 East Chicago Avenue
Naperville, IL 60540-4900
(630) 355-1850

Vincitori

We paid $2 for a http://restaurant.com coupon ($25 certificate), and stopped by this restaurant on a Saturday night. Even though it was rainy, this restaurant was packed. We actually waited 15mins or so before getting seated. Aside from the crowd, the volume of this space was increased by a singer on a karaoke machine. We definitely needed to raise our voice to converse.

Here's what we ordered:

Grilled Calamari $12.95 (appetizer)
Served over flash fried spinach and topped with plum tomato relish
Although it's $12.95, the portion is generous. Calamari was cooked nicely, but I'm not a fan of the flash fried spinach -- I think this dish would've worked better if it were sauteed or steamed.

Shrimp Vincitori over Angel Hair Pasta $17.95
Gulf shrimp sautéed with garlic, green scallions, plum tomatoes, ground red pepper, finished with white wine, cream and Romano cheese
This was recommended as a "signature/popular" dish by our waitress. Again, it was tasty but heavy.

I've been craving italian-style pizza for a while.. the kind that's thin, flatbread-like, with fresh ingredients. So when my husband suggested ordering a 12' prosciutto & spinach, I said "ok".

THIN CRUST PIZZA
Cheese
12" $14.95

Toppings (each) - prosciutto & spinach
12" $1.35

Pizza turned out to be thin-crust made at mediocre pizzeria. It was overly salty, and we could barely taste the spinach. The only positive point was the flavorful, decent amount of tomato sauce.

Generally, the food was a bit on the heavier - creamier & buttery- side. Tasty, but nothing spectacular.

Vincitori

www.vincitori.com

14 North Cass Avenue
Westmont, IL 60559-1602
(630) 663-9467

Opera

Everyone knows I am not a fan of "americanized-Chinese" restaurants, so I was never interested in Opera (self-proclaimed "Chinese with Modern Presentations"), a part of KDK Restaurant Group. However, this was one of the first groupons we received, and it's located close to our place, so we got overly excited and suckered in.

It took us months to make a reservation. When we finally did last weekend, I decided to keep an open mind, accept it won't be authentic, and just appreciate it w/out thinking it's Chinese... because it won't be.

It's a huge space, exciting/celebratory-ish decor, yet it wasn't overly loud. We were comfortable. There were empty tables, but it was quite busy, and it felt like there weren't enough wait staff, because we waited a while before our guy came to us to take the order.

under "dim sum" - Malaysian Red Chili Mussels ($9) - ground pork, sambal olek (chili paste sauce), cilantro

mussels were fresh, cooked well, and the sauce is slightly spicy but flavorful (reminded us of 苍蝇头 or "mosquito head", a famous Taiwanese dish that goes with rice). Slightly on the greasy end, but good.

under "the wok" - Diver Sea Scallops ($23) - Japanese brown rice risotto, bacon, sweet peas, shitake mushrooms, kaffir lime buerre fondue

Scallops were huge & cooked well, but way too salty. The risotto was kind of tough, but maybe it was supposed to be, since they used brown rice. The sauce was overly creamy, definitely not lime-y at all. Decent, not spectacular.

under "grilled" - Vietnamese Chicken ($17) - 1/2 free range chicken, ginger spring onion marinade

We're not sure what was V. about this chicken, and it seemed more baked than grilled. There weren't much flavor in the chicken...I guess they solely depended on the ginger spring onion sauce on the side, but that was just oily. Vegetables were tasty, but very oily too.

Everything up to this point was workable...I may be able to come try something else. However, I made the mistake of ordering a dessert...

dessert - creme brulee ($9) - flavor of the day: vanilla mint

This was the worst creme brulee I've ever had. The burnt sugar on top was THICK, I had to pull it off, otherwise my teeth would've fallen out. The filling was half cooked & tasted like toothpaste. I don't waste food, and def. didn't want to throw a fit, so we finished it... ANOTHER mistake. I ended up with a stomach ache, then sharp pains in my stomach, then "kill me now" feelings on the toilet until the night ended with D. very painful.

Opera

www.opera-chicago.com

1301 South Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605-2504
(312) 461-0161

Le Colonial

The hubby & I heard so much about Le Colonial, but we never had the opportunity to go (or so we thought). Since they were offering Restaurant Week options (February 19th ~ February 28th), we decided to check it out.

Parking was easier than expected. At first, we accidentally "stole" a parking spot from a cabbie. The driver (of course) pointed that out, so we apologized and circled around again. We then found a spot on the same street. And upon parking, a random stranger had 45 minutes left on his ticket, so he gave it to us (gift from good karma?)

As soon as we came upon the restaurant, the hubby said, "we've been here. I remember going upstairs. I don't remember the food, but I know we've been here." When he went to the restroom (upstairs), he also recalled being seated and looking out the window... I vaguely remember any of this. He said we weren't as into analyzing good eats as we are now. So interesting how the mind recollects, sparks up memories.

Moving forward...

First Course

3. Bo Bia - soft salad rolls of julienne carrots & jicama, bean sprouts, & aromatic herbs in rice paper with peanut plum dipping sauce

Tightly wrapped spring roll that was fresh, crisp, delicate, and perfectly (lightly) flavored. I liked the peanut powder flavor (either in the roll or sauce) that really brought the whole thing together. I really love spring rolls -- it's like one perfect bite of salad, without having to fork through all of the separate ingredients.

6. Banh Cuon - steamed Vietnamese ravioli of chicken & mushrooms, with chili lime garlic sauce

I love steamed "ravioli" & the nuoc mam cham -- absolutely delicious.

Main Course

38. Ca Nuong - grilled salmon over vermicelli noodles, with dill, mesclun greens, & lime garlic fish sauce

Salmon was grilled perfectly. I love the balance of hot (salmon), warm (noodles) & cold (greens, bean sprout, etc.) and the balance of crisp (exterior of salmon, greens) & soft (interior of salmon, noodles). Signature Vietnamese.

42. Com Tho Ga - clay pot chicken with crimini mushrooms, peapods & ginger, over seasoned rice

This is the only dish I wasn't a huge fan of. It tasted like a typical Chinese dish.

Dessert

Banana Tapioca Pudding - warm tapioca, coconut milk & bananas, topped with sesame seeds

mildly sweet, creamy dessert that we appreciated after a filling lunch.

Gourmet Ice Creams - two scoops of ciao bella brand ice cream; chocolate or vanilla

ciao bella ice cream does not disappoint...it's creamy yet silky, & deliciously flavorful.

We were very impressed by their portions...I honestly cannot imagine how big the dinner portions are. At $22/person, this meal was VERY worthwhile. The service was amazing, especially the bus boys...they filled up our waters often, and cleaned our plates / tables in a timely manner. At one point, a guy spilled a piece of ice that went under one of our plates. He grabbed a napkin & delicately covered the spilled spot immediately. As soon as we finished the plates, he grabbed another piece of napkin to re-wipe that spot and pick up the ice that was hidden. He did this faster than I was able to lift my napkin to do the same...and I was actually sitting at the table.

The ingredients were definitely fresher than typical Vietnamese places, but we can definitely get our "fix" at the V. places for a lot cheaper. As good as it was, unless we are in the area and seriously craving V., we probably won't return.

Le Colonial Chicago

www.lecolonialchicago.com

937 North Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 255-0088

The Grocery Bistro

The Grocery Bistro has been on my "restaurant" list for a long time. When we saw an offer from "groupon", we purchased it, and booked a reservation couple months after (hoping to avoid the "groupon" crowd). This is a contemporary French-influenced American fare, using seasonal, organic ingredients that are handpicked from first-class local meat and seafood markets year-round.

Although we had a reservation, we waited for 1/2 hour or so before getting seated. This place is a shoebox. VERY crowded. VERY loud. We did not expect to ever return.

But then the food came...and wow, was it amazing.

ANTIPASTI
Charcuterie For Two- House made Duck prosciutto, Rabbit Rillette, Foie Gras Tourchon, Country Style Pork Pate, Garlic Crostini, Mission Fig Mustard, Herb Salad 18

Everything on this platter was super delicious, flavorful, fresh. We wanted more.

SMALL PLATES
Soup of the Day- Pea Soup (Changes on a Daily Basis) 5

The soup was probably the least-favorite item..nothing spectacular.

Duo of Tartar-
Beef Tartar: Lemon Zest, Fine Herbs, Quail egg, Yuzu-soy Vinaigrette

Ahi Tuna: Chili Oil, Lemon Zest, Toasted Sesame, Fine Herbs, Sesame Aioli 9

The Bobcat added this dish last-minute, and it turned out to be his favorite. The asian-inspired flavors using yuzu, seasame oil, etc... it was so delicious, we couldn't decide which we liked better...beef or ahi tuna.

Rabbit Roulade

I've been very impressed by the Bobcat's tendency to try less-typical meats. The rabbit roulade was tender, tasty, delicious.

ENTRÉE

Pan Seared Colorado Lamb Chops- Persian Feta Croquettes, Tuscan Kale, Housemade Lamb Bacon, Natural Jus 32

We saw a lot of lamb chops passing by us while we waited, so we naturally wanted to try it too. Perfectly prepared temperature and blend of flavors... we loved it.

This statement is what I love most: The Grocery Bistro prepares all dishes to order using local and organic products when and wherever possible.

We will definitely go back (even if we have to wait 40 minutes, and even if we cannot hear each other).

Executive Chef – Daniel Marquis

The Grocery Bistro

804 W Washington Blvd.

Chicago , IL 60607

Reservations (312) 850-9291

Spring

We met up with our dear friends Jon & Susana for dinner on Saturday night, and they chose Shawn McClain's first restaurant (opened 2001), Spring. I didn't have time to do research prior to Saturday night, nor did I remember my experience when we went in 2001... so I didn't expect anything (except a larger-than-typical bill, and Top Chef-like cuisine).

Shawn McClain is the chef/partner behind Spring (homage to seafood, opened 2001), Green Zebra (homage to vegetables, opened 2004), and Custom House (modern interpretation of the classic steakhouse, opened 2005). All three restaurants are very popular, and highly raved by magazines, the public, etc. He is insistent on the quality of ingredients, and having an innovative, unique take on food.

The restaurant was dim, and all I had was my iphone, so I couldn't take any photos. Here are the choices we made, and thoughts:

Amuse Busche - small tasting of warm soup (I forgot what it was, but the flavors were delicious & intensive. On a cold night, this welcoming shot was nice & inviting to future courses).

"Bread" service - big breakable crackers with mashed beans in sesame oil - I appreciate bread over crackers, but this was tasty (I think the 4 of us ate a bit too much of this)

Kusshi Oyster 'bloody mary'/grated fresh wasabi 3/ea

We each had 2 of these $3/pc oysters, but weren't satisfied/pleased at all. It lacked that fresh ocean, remarkable oyster flavor. I've had much, much better (especially memorable are the oysters at NYC's Craft).

Scallion & Peekytoe Crab Pancakes toasted sesame/grilled scallion salad 12.

meh. I wanted to like this, but it was just mediocre. I especially didn't appreciate the sauce on top that reminded me of those americanized bottles of 'hot & sour' sauces.

Crispy Pork Belly Chinese steamed buns/ pickled cucumber/ Thai basil & cilantro 13.

I thought the buns were fresh, chewy, and delicious. The pork belly was slow-cooked to tender perfection. But they also used that 'hot & sour' sauce, which, again, I didn't appreciate.

Seared Maine Sea Scallops braised oxtail/wild mushrooms/sweet soy/baby bok choy 32.

I think there were 6 pcs of jumbo scallops on this dish, so the portion size is pretty good. Everything was cooked well, but the sauce was too sweet, and closely similar with actual Chinese dish (but it's not). Oxtail is tender, but again, I didn't see the innovation, so I wasn't impressed.

Pacific Sea Bass peekytoe crab & pumpkin seed ‘succotash’/Anson Mills grits/apple 31.

note: "succotash" - (from Narragansett msíckquatash, "boiled corn kernels"^[1]) is a food dish consisting primarily of corn and lima beans or other shell beans.

The fish was cooked perfectly, and the husband loved the succotash & grits.

Tea: Pu-er $5/pot. I appreciate the use of fresh tea leaves instead of tea bags. Aside from the slightly difficult-to-pour pot, it was good.

Complimentary: hot chocolate with Chai (thick, heavy, delicious ending)

Services: accomodating, friendly, comfortable

Ambience: peaceful, simple, nice

Prices: After all of the above plus 12 drinks, a dessert, duck entree, and salad, our bill came out to be $100/person (including tax & gratuity)

Overall, everything was prepared perfectly. However, I just felt like it was too Asian. It wasn't just asian-influences or interpretations, it was too closely similar to actual dishes, yet it wasn't authentic.. so it kind of just wasn't impressive to me.

Although I probably won't go back to Spring, I do appreciate his insistence on fresh ingredients (it shows), and would love to see how he prepares vegetables at Green Zebra, and perhaps his modern steakhouse, Customs House.

Spring A Restaurant

www.springrestaurant.net

2039 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647-6380
(773) 395-7100

An Apple a day keeps the doctors AWAY!

My parents are such meat lovers & indulgent folks, that I was never mindful of making healthy food choices until I got married. The hubby squirms at the sight of increased flabs on his (non-existent) "belly". Especially as we leave our 'invincible' 20's, and are increasingly educated / warned by this organic, healthy world, we try to fit as much 'superfoods' in our diet as possible.

Apples are rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, v C, fiber, and potassium. Health benefits include prevention of RR lung cancer & type II diabetes, improved pulmonary (lung) function, and heart health. Superfoodrx.com recommends eating a variety of apples for the best benefits (because the nutrient varies). Since the apple season started this year, I kept hearing raves about "honeycrisp" apples. It's the favorite variety of a LOT of people. I purchased them at Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Fresh Market...but was never impressed. I wanted to stick to the sweetness of Fuji, and balance that flavor with the tartness of Granny Smiths.

Last weekend, the hubby & I stopped by our friend's place for SNF, and our friend proudly cut up 2 apples for us. He said, "have you had these? it's honeycrisp." Since we just had dinner, I wasn't very interested in trying these apples, especially since I've had them and weren't a huge fan. Out of courtesy for his efforts, I took a slice, and was pleasantly surprised by the crisp, juicy explosion of the perfect balance of sweet & tart. I could not stop taking slice after slice...it was the most addictive apples I've ever had. I don't think I've ever looked forward to having apples until that day.

He then explained that these were special orders from honeycrisp.com, which, I know is going to be one of my favorite go-to web sites. YUM. I will definitely place some orders for Christmas (for our own home, and for holiday celebrations... and as gifts!!!)

Honeycrisp.Com - Order Apples

Can't wait to indulge in these again!!