Viaggio

psss. I have a secret to tell you. Some Italian food is better than others. And Viaggo is some of the best. Like maybe they put crack in the sauce good. Like using my finger to get every last drop of sauce out of the take out container good. Like you should probably go eat there tomorrow good.

Neill and I had dinner at Viaggio on Friday night with three friends. We got a reservation for 8:00 and after a bit of a wait we were seated in their cozy dining room. I was a wee bit testy at first because as I've mentioned before, I really hate to wait. I'm kind of annoying like that. But, after a glass of wine and seeing the menu I was in a much better mood.

We ordered three appetizers for the table--the meatballs with romaine salad, stuffed artichokes, and fromage fritti. I know what you are thinking - any restaurant that offers a salad with meatballs is probably pretty freaking awesome. And you would be right. And lemme tell you. The Meatballs. Oh The Meatballs. They were ridiculously good.

For the main course I ordered spaghetti carbonara and the people sitting to my right and left both ordered the rigatoni with sunday pork gravy. This is notable because I'm a big fan of stealing bites off other people's plates when they aren't looking. It was a win for me that night because both dishes were complete standouts. My carbonara was rich and a bit smokey and the rigatoni came with big hunks of tender slow cooked pork with a big ol' scoop of ricotta cheese on top.

Damn. It was bomb.

I wish I could tell you about dessert, but we skipped it with the plan to hit up Black Dog Gelato on the way home. Unfortunately, it was closed. But, no worries. We topped the night off with a 99 cent cone from McDonalds. ha. Aren't we classy?

Anyways, I really do think I need to try Viaggo again. By the end of the night we had gone through a few bottles of wine so I want to make sure the food is actually as good as I remember it. But mainly, I want to get my hands on some more of those meatballs.

Big Star

When Big Star opened up in the former Pontiac Cafe location there was buzz galore about their up-scale tacos, drink selection, and uber-hip crowd. So I did what I always do in situations like this--avoided the place like the plague.

Eventually the buzz simmered down and I felt it was safe to give it a try. I started out timidly, ordering tacos at their walk-up window. It was fun to step out from my usual order of steak tacos and I really liked the tacos al pastor, the tacos de panza, and the tinga de pollo.

image via chicago now

Then, the other night, I dove right into the snakes den and actually had dinner at Big Star with a friend . . . like in side sitting down and everything. And guess what?

image via rock n roll ghost

The space is really nice! I liked the lighting in there. I felt like it made everyone 5% more attractive. Plus, the food was even better eating it right when it was ready instead of bringing it home and I got to try one of their cocktails. I ordered a La Paloma (lunazul blanco, grapefruit, lime, mexican fresca) and it was delicious. ( I've got to be honest - I didn't even know what kind of liquor lunazul blanco was, but the description sounded yummo. I just looked it up and it is tequila.)  I really wanted to end the night with one of their mexican hot-chocolate, but somehow I was able to exert some ounce of self-control and walk away. But, you should get some if you go this winter because it is perfection.

 So, there you have it. My big review of Big Star. What do you think of the place?

J. Wellington's

Like every god-fearing, flag worshiping American I love love love a good hamburger. And in the summer, it is easy to get my fill of hamburgers (and pretty much all other grilled meats). We grill. Friend's grill. Everyone wants to get together and grill.

But, then the cold weather comes and the grilling stops and so we stop eating hamburgers. Yes yes we could make them on the stove, but we've tried that and have never been fully satisfied with the results. And while I'm sure there are some wonderful burger places out there, we haven't found them*!

Well, that is until last night.

J. Wellington's opened up in our neighborhood maybe six months ago. I thought the sign was kind of cheesy and we've pretty much avoided the place (except one day when I had a serious craving for a root beer float. it was delicious). After our dinner plans last night fell through and Neill had a serious case of hunger induced crankiness, we decided to give J. Wellington's a try. We ordered at the counter and then grabbed a seat to wait for our burgers. About ten minutes later someone delivered the meaty goodness to our table.

I did the "build your own" and added lettuce, tomato, a fried egg (because why the fuck not), and siracha may on the side. ooo and a pretzel role, which pretty much makes everything better. All in all, the burger gets two thumbs up. Not over cooked (thank god) and I liked the variety of toppings to choose from. Plus, the fries are delicious.

Did I mention that its also BYOB? Yeah. That's pretty fantastic. (although, this isn't really the place I'd hang out all night. Its more like a Jimmy Johns than a restaurant)

So now we have a burger place to go to all year round. Thank god for that.


*I do like Kuma's corner, but I'm not always up for the wait. Bin Wine Cafe also has a good burger, but for some reason I never think of going there. 

The Violet Hour

A few weeks ago Neill and I finally decided to try out The Violet Hour - a speakeasy style cocktail lounge with a refined atmosphere. Considering that it is only a few blocks from us,  I'm embarrassed it took us this long to visit. But, I've always been turned off by the constant line of people waiting to get in and the "we're too cool to put a sign up" vibe I thought I was picking up. It didn't seem like a place for me. But, as it turns out, having no sign is part of the speakeasy theme. And while there is a line to get in, its because they only let people in when they have seats for them. So, there is no crowding around the bar waiting to get a drink while scanning the room hoping for a table to open up. Instead, you are shown to a seat and helped by a waiter. It is all very dignified.

So yes, I broke my own rule and waited in line for a chance to see for myself what the buzz is all about. And you know what? It wasn't that bad (the waiting that is, The Violet Hour was much better than "not that bad"). Our group of four kept the conversation lively and the hour nearly flew by. (To avoid the line go early! We got there around 9:30). Once in side, I was struck by the design. Reminiscent of a French Salon, the walls are a beautiful blue and there is white crown molding. We were seated in a private enclave made up of two love-seat style, high wing-backed seats. The music was pleasant, but quiet enough as not to intrude. Everything seemed to be done to create intimacy and leave plenty of space for quiet conversation.

Oh and I haven't even mentioned the cocktails yet! Each special and delicious sounding, our group had a great time discussing the menu. I had two wonderful gin cocktails, each deliciously foamy because of the addition of egg whites. The second wasn't on the menu, but I told our waitress how much I had enjoyed my first drink and she offered to bring back a "surprise". How fun! At the end of the night, our waitress offered us each a free shot of whiskey or chartreuse, a french liquor. While I ended up sipping my chartreuse, I loved the herbal flavor. Plus, we all had a good laugh at the contrast between the elegant atmosphere and free shots. 

Overall, we had a wonderful experience at The Violet Hour and I hope to make it back one day. At 12 dollars per cocktail, this isn't somewhere I would plan to spend all night, but I see it as a perfect spot to go for a few special drinks.

[Photo Credit:Clayton Hauck for Metromix]

Alix Klingenberg Photography

I've had Alix bookmarked to review for months now. I've breezed through my other wedding related reviews, so I'm not sure why I've been procrastinating on this one. I think it has something to do with the fact that I highly doubt my unartistic self can adequately describe just  how awesomely wonderfully beautiful Alix's pictures are. Seriously wonderful. We received SO many compliments  on our engagement pictures and two friends actually booked her after seeing them! She took us - a normal looking couple - and made us look . . . .magazine worthy. But in a totally cool way - not stuffy magazine.

Not only does she have mad skills - but she is incredibly friendly. You have to be around your photographer ALL DAY for your wedding and so we really wanted someone with positive energy. Bless her soul, because Alix basically radiates positive vibes.

Plus, her prices are super competitive. While this definitely factored into our decision to choose Alix as our wedding photographer, after seeing our pictures I truly believe the work she does is priceless.

as in just do it. make it happen any way you can.

Native Sun

Native Sun
209 E Atlantic Ave
Delray Beach, FL 33444

I really like this store. I've got to agree with Andrea R though - a lot of the clothes are a bit too mature for me. But, my mom and aunt love this store so I always end up browsing around and I usually find something I "need". On the most recent trip, I got an awesome cardigan that was definitely not made for the older ladies. If you're around the area, Native Sun is definitely worth a browse.

Carnival Flea Market at Delray

A trip to Florida has always meant a trip to the Flea Market. We used to go to one in Lake Worth, but it closed down. So, now we come here. There is one really nice Jewelry stand here that sells all sorts of stones and they will custom make things for you. Also, a few different places sell discounted perfume. Pretty much everything else isn't really stuff you buy while on vacation. At least I don't go on vacation to buy packages of socks :) But, it's fun to walk around and see all the random stuff being sold. Plus, this flea market has slot machines and a food court!

Sloan's Ice-Cream

What a fun place! The pink. The glitz. The ice-cream! This is the sort of place that I would probably never go into at home, but its the perfect dessert spot when you are on vacation! The decor is over the top and it makes getting a scoop of ice-cream something to celebrate!

Il Bellagio

I'm probably a little biased because we originally went to CityPlace to eat at Legal Seafood and only ended up at Il Bellagio when we found out our original destination had closed down.

That being said, our experience at Il Bellagio was pretty decent. My risotto with shrimp was rich and creamy and my fiance's homemade Italian sausage was also very good. My grandfather ordered the linguine with clams and the number of canned clams in the sauce far outweighed the fresh clams that came with it, but it still had a lot of flavor.

Il Bellagio has standard Italian food. Nothing was stand out, but it certainly was good. I would eat here again if I happened to be at CityPlace for dinner - but I wouldn't go to CityPlace just to eat here.

City Place

Now, here is a place to SHOP. This is a wonderful outdoor shopping center that has every store you could ever imagine. This place caters to the serious shoppers or those who just want to enjoy the weather and stroll. Unfortunately, it did seem like a lot of the nicer restaurants have closed down and been replaced by bars. In fact, we came to CityPlace to eat at Legal Seafood (yum) - only to discover an obnoxious martini lounge in its place. But, no place is perfect and the wonderful stores at CityPlace deserve 5 stars!

Paradiso Restaurant

This is one of my grandfather's favorite restaurants and he has been coming here for years. Decades probably. So, whenever I visit him he always wants to go here. And I happily oblige :) I've never had a bad meal here and the ambiance is beautiful. It is definitely more fancy (and expensive!) than I do on my own, but its always a treat when we come here. On my last visit here I noticed a lot of people ordering the salt crusted fish and so I hope to try that on my next visit. My only complaint is that the whole table felt the dessert we ordered (pear tart) did not live up to our expectations. But, I would still recommend this restaurant to people for a special occasion!

Prime Catch

After another visit to Prime Catch I knew I had to revise my previous review. I must have been having a bad day or something, because I've completely changed my mind about Prime Catch. We came for dinner this time, not for lunch, and the food was excellent. I had Chilean sea bass on a shrimp cake in sweet corn chowder and it was delicious. like for real delicious. Everyone at the table loved their dishes and they all looked beautiful.

So here is the deal. The food is very good and it is worth coming to Prime Catch, even if you don't get a table outside. I wasn't as impressed with my lunch experience at Prime Catch, but dinner was wonderful.

I stand corrected.

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach

This review is only for lunch at the four seasons.

To cap off our visit to Florida, my grandfather took us out to lunch at the Ocean Bistro at the Four Seasons. It is a casual lunch spot with, quite honestly, spotty service and (just) okay food. But, the atmosphere is beautiful. Coming from a Chicago winter, there is nothing better than sitting outside and being able to feel the breeze off the water. Plus, the Four Seasons is such a gorgeous hotel that the okay food is elevated to be something a bit more special than it probably is. While normally I deem having to wait half an hour for some sandwiches unforgivable, the Ocean Bistro somehow managed to turn it into an enjoyable experience.

Chico's

Chico's
266 S Ocean Blvd
Lantana, FL 33462

You might be wondering why a 23 year old is reviewing Chicos. And if this is what you are thinking, I don't blame you. I have no business shopping here. BUT my mom and aunt LOVE Chicos so we always stop here.  And what do you expect me to do, stand around and not look? That's just not my style. If I'm in a store, I will shop. And I shop to buy.

So - that is why Chico's get's four stars from me. I can always find something to buy and mix into my clothing rotation.

Eventually, I'm sure I will end up buying more and more of my clothing here as I plan to be a stylish older lady :) I guess I'm just starting a bit earlier than most.

Portillo's Hot Dogs

I love a chicago hot dog just as much as the next girl - but portillos is just okay in my book. IMO they are lacking in flavor and character. My friend's italian beef did look pretty delicious, so maybe I'm just ordering the wrong thing. I suppose they should get extra points for having a drive through, but on the downside I'm pretty sure it encourages driving under the influence. Who doesn't want to satisfy the munchies with fries and a dog?

Bin Wine Care

This is more of a "Yay! I'm a fan . . I think". I feel Bin Wine Cafe deserves another trip before I make my final final judgment. Some thoughts:

Showed up unannounced with a group of 7ish around 7 on a Saturday night with no reservations. After some hemming and hawing and waiting at the bar, they graciously sat us.

Menu is surprisingly small and clustered in two price categories. On the low end, there are hamburgers (11) and pizza (11 or 12). On the high end, there were entrees for 20ish. I wasn't feeling either and so I got olives (5), a beet salad (8), and the tempura green beans. The serving of olives was extremely generous and the beet salad was delicious. The tempura green beans were snooze. Tasted my fiance's burger - it was wonderful. (Note to self: go back to bin on a tuesday for 5 dollar hamburgers).

Atmosphere was warm and jovial. I'd really like to go back with a smaller group and eat a full dinner. I have a feeling I'll really enjoy it :)

Subterranean

I can't believe I've neglected to review SubT for so long! It's my favorite place to see music in the city! The set-up makes you feel like you are in some awesome, vintage house party and they always have good sound guys working. Whether you want to be close to the action on the first floor or hang back a bit more on the balcony, you'll always have a good view. All around great venue!

Double Door Night Club

Another great Chicago music venue that I've somehow missed reviewing. tsk tsk.

Most recently, I was at Double Door for Window Licker's Holiday Hangover Show. There was a good crowd going and the sound was good. My only complaint is that beer here is expensive. 4 dollars for a pbr?!? ugh. But, the fact that there is a downstairs bar you can escape to when you'd rather hold a conversation than be drowned out by just okay music is priceless. seriously. there is nothing worse than having to stand through loud crappy music. I love that you can hang downstairs for bands you dont like and then go back up to rock out when you want. I also once saw an awesome acoustic show down there.

double door is double the fun!

The Metro

This is another really good venue to see music in Chicago, but I've got to agree with julie e  - there are better. Yes, the sound is good. Yes, the stage is awesome. Yes, they book a lot of great bands. Yes, it is in a convenient location. But damn, it seems like you've got to be a douche to work here. Plus, a sold out show here is so uncomfortably packed to the gills  that unless you're really in to being pushed around and full body contact with strangers it is super unpleasant.

Ravens

In my book, this place deserves more than the three stars it currently has.

I went her last night after dinner at Green Tea (which I'll say makes me REALLY interesting according to Phil M, the reviewer under me) and my first impression of the bar was that it was unlike most other LP bars. I usually avoid going out to bars in Lincoln Park, but there were no Chads or Trixies to be seen here! My friend and I ordered our drinks, got a table, and enjoyed the low key grungy vibe. At some point some crazy drunk guy wandered in and asked if he could bring his dog into the bar. The bartender said "I don't give a shit" and then it was true love. I heart places that have no rules. (Although, later some lady bartender who seemed to take her job much more seriously had a shit fit about it and made them leave.) From the reviews, it seems like this place might get hella crowded after 2 when other bars in the area close down and I'm glad I wasn't around for that, because the main selling point of Raven's IMO is the lack of collared shirts and stilettos taking up space on a Saturday night.