124 Victoria Street

We had no official say in where we dined this day other than to agree that whatever was chosen we'd have no reservations joining in.  It's a good thing, because had we been in charge of dining location African Taste would never have been on the list.  Now, that's not because we don't like / do African, but because this is a tiny neighborhood storefront place that unless you walked right by the front door would struggle to realize it exists.  Not the same, but sort of the same in that sense as a place right by our house A Previous Article which we missed out on for far too long by not opening our eyes properly.  Our friends are clearly more clever (and have wider eyes?) than us.

A husband and wife team.  It's the wife who greets you from behind her small dessert / coffee counter and then does everything else needed out the front, with the husband in the kitchen doing his thing (I would not be surprised to learn he was the only person back there) and popping out with a dish in his hand every now and again.  All smiles, clearly happy that you've chosen to come dine with them (and double happy that our friends were returning again) this is probably the closest I've felt to eating in someone's home while at a restaurant. 

It's a simple space with a couple of small tables outside (probably perfect for coffee, but not so much for dining) with neat and tidy tables and chairs set up to give options for different sized parties.  For lunch it was quite brightly lit due to the picture windows taking up all of the front and (I guess) depending on which way the wind blows a pleasant spicy aroma keeping us company.

Our Server (and everything else) was patient with us figuring out what we wanted and very helpful in explaining what we could expect from different dishes. We made good use of the explaining as everything was new to the two of us.  She (or they?) is perhaps a little defensive on how spicy hot to make things, which in general is for my palette a good thing.  Anything that has a bit of heat she confirmed how hot we would like it which I really appreciate, but the one dish that was asked for to be quite hot was described as hot, but not that hot.  She also allowed us to take our time deciding on, consuming and then resting for our dessert / coffee course.

It's not a big menu, but there's plenty to choose from if you're new to the cuisine.  It seems most wine comes in BYO? - the Wine List was described to us and we actually got the last bottle of something.  Absolutely no drama with this approach!

Our meal went a little like this:

• Amiri Sauvignon Blanc - this is a sit in the sun type wine, which was just fine as we were sitting in the big open front window with the front door open beside us.
• Katega (an African bread, heavily seasoned with customary herbs, garlic and clarified butter) - really heavy on the spice crust the first bite is a bit confusing but it's ultimately really enjoyable.
• Crambpd Cauliflower (crumbed with herbs, egg and flour) - a fun appetizer, crisp and soft at the same time.  Not hard to see why it's listed as one of the most popular items.
• Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc - perhaps a little more nose than the other, but equally enjoyable with this meal.
• Traditional North African Seafood (prawns, fish, mint, coriander, chilli, saffron rice) - a bit paella like, but not paella.
• Tibes (lamb, onion, garlic, chilli, coriander) - a great lamb dish, mild flavors, but interesting flavors with a couple of spices in there too.
• Doro Tibes (chicken instead) - something different to the lamb, probably the spices changed a little?
• Injera (it's a bread that is offered with each main course or rice is the alternative) - soft and chewy it's a great vehicle for getting your meal to your mouth - no forks needed if you go with this option, and it makes your meal last a bit longer as you (well, certainly me) continually drop things back to your plate...
• Coffee - short, long, whatever you feel like
• Baklava - sweet enough that one per person is going to be too much, but not that evil too sweet you often get in cafés.

The final scheduled it-doesn't-matter-where-we-eat-as-long-as-it's-with-you A Collection of Articles event!  Each one special in its own way, this one was no less special, but certainly the most pleasantly surprisingly enjoyable.

If you're looking for a store front restaurant, run by a very friendly husband and wife team, perhaps only a few more than 20 seats, a wine list that is so short it's dictated to you, a menu that is focused in what it offers but diverse compared to what you're probably used to and the knowledge that it all tastes great.  Then this is probably is the place for you.

Stay JOLLY!
DHelen & Terry

30 Jacka Blvd

The short drive from our rendezvous point A Related Article gave us the opportunity for a quick bout of reminiscing as we wound our way out of Downtown Melbourne and through some of the Inner Suburbs, before arriving at the beach suburb of St.Kilda for the continuation of our evening.

Set right on the beach, the place actually doesn't look anything particularly fancy from the outside although it probably is rated as a nice appropriate building for the locale.  In fact, if we didn't have a useful guide with us the only reason we would have been able to find the place is because it's the only restaurant looking building in the general vicinity - and even then you could be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of yachting club place.

Our friends knew the drill, so inside and straight upstairs to the restaurant - I'm not even sure if there's any sort of downstairs option but I'd have to think the space was well used - maybe some private function type rooms?  Greeted by the host almost as you step off the stairs we were ushered past the quite large painting (of a style I have no idea, sorry) which is only memorable to me because it's also the design on the back of the menu.  I'm guessing there was another similar piece somewhere else because the dessert menu has a different, but similar styled cover.

It's one large room, various sized tables and a great view of the Bay.  I think it goes without saying that every reservation would include 'by the window, please"...  We didn't get one, but that's actually ok.  You still get to enjoy the view and as the sun goes down the other diners are mostly blocking the direct rays that are doing their thing.  Just as the sun hits the horizon, there's a pretty significant evacuation as people who don't have the window seats step out on to the deck for viewing and / or picture taking - yes, we were in on it...

It's not a loud place, but there's definitely restaurant noise through out, especially when we arrived as the place was full, or very close to it. By the time we were packing up much emptier and therefore less noise around, but I still don't recall hearing any specific music, if any at all.

Our Server took care of us, was patient with us as we dilly-dallied a bit making up our minds, had useful suggestions, was polite without being snooty, and took a really good picture of the 4 of us.  The place is at the fancy end of the scale, no doubt, and there's clearly some rules about how the staff interact with their tables, but she had a laugh with us when given the opportunity.  The Wine Dude (not sure what they call themselves here...) also took care of us, but due to the knowledge of our friends he didn't get to offer much in the way of suggestions, perhaps none at all.  It's a wine-off-the-table type place, but we were never left wanting a refill.

This was another meal A Collection of articles where we were way more excited to be with old (Hey!  Not grandpa & grandma old!) friends than to be paying close attention to our meal and to that end we had an awesome evening.  Awesome!  I know without doubt that we all enjoyed what we selected immensely and that there was oohing and aahing across the table at each others dishes, but we really do not have a clear (actually, it's so not clear it's not even close to foggy...) recollection of what we had.. 

Our meal may have gone like this...  Apologies to all concerned for any misremembering, omissions or errors!  They are all my own doing and I blame having too good a time catching up!

• Craiglee Shiraz - selected in tribute to the Sunbury region being the closest thing to a home base we had while on this trip.  But you don't need a reason like this to enjoy it.  Full, but not overpowering, a little bit of spiceyness and some tannins there.  I would have had no problems having a 2nd...
• Kingfish Ceviche, salted grapes, flying fish roe, sunflower seeds, zucchini, chardonnay vinaigrette 
• Seared Atlantic Scallops, ruby grapefruit, walnut & witlof salad, parsnip puree, chickpea cress  
• Brothers in Arms
• Blue Swimmer Crab & Bug Risotto, peas, basil, lemon mascarpone 
• Rolled Quail Saltimbocca, caramelised lemon, nasturtium, almonds, caper & cauliflower burnt butter 
• Western Plains Pork Loin, Belly & Cheek, baked apple, coleslaw, port wine sauce 
• Tuna a la Plancha, butter poached prawns, tomato escabeche, yoghurt, roe, green peppercorns 
• Dessert Wine 
• The Bombe, frozen white chocolate parfait with strawberry sorbet and toasted meringue 
• Soft Chocolate Torte, praline crunch, coffee sable, passionfruit sorbet 

We probably won't get back (not because we don't want to!) due to opportunity but we're certainly happy and better off for having spent an evening 'on the beach' with our dear (not old!) friends.

Stay JOLLY!
DMichael & Luise

Rialto 525 Collins Street

Most people would probably title this post Vue de monde, even though the Restaurant is a whole other space.  We're not like that...  We will get to Vue de monde as diners one day - and as it turns out, we even have a verbal commitment floating around - but not for awhile.

Up on the top (or thereabouts) of the Rialto, it doesn't really matter what the decor is (and it's kind of odd, to me anyway) because it's all about the view.  Back towards the city, out over the bay, way past the bridge, and much more...  On a slightly hazy day we didn't get the best view you could, but we certainly can't say we had a bad one.

Only here for a quick visit prior to dinner just down the road a bit, but we did have time to check out the bathrooms where someone(s) spent too much time trying to come up with a unique style - they did and they're not evil looking by any stretch of the imagination, but [on the men's side] I'd be more than a little uncomfortable in there doing my thing with someone else doing his.  Also, if you feel the urge, there's a small deck where you can get out in the wind - but no tables...

The cocktail list has enough to choose from, some snacks too if you're so inclined.  Set up with odd couches, stools and the like it's a bit of a maze for your Server to come visit, which might explain why he doesn't come by, but I'm also tending to think that they're used to most people coming up for just the one drink - which was us from the second we decided it was a good place to start the evening - so don't get too involved in hovering.

Our cocktails went a little like this:

• White Wine
• Kronenbourg 
• Little Creatures Pale Ale 
• White Rabbit Dark Ale - actually, not all that dark.

A fine place to start off the evening, especially if you want to look down on the world... But, it was just a stepping stone before heading off to Dinner A Related Article.  I guess we'll stop back prior to dinner when that commitment comes to fruition...

Stay JOLLY!
DMichael & Luise

Corner Cook & Wood

We're perhaps not proud, but certainly pleased with the result, for having stalked the chef after learning that he was no longer associated with the restaurant where we 'met' him last time we were back home.  We had learned that he was setting up shop down in Flinders and was aiming to be open a little before Christmas.

As we had plans to be in the general vicinity with the goal of a fine dining experience this seemed like a worthy goal.  A difficult goal, ultimately as the opening date turned out to be quite fluid, but we thank my brother for his perseverance in nailing down the opening date and a reservation (for the record we were in on day 2...).  Technically, this was another A Collection of Articles it-doesn't-matter-where-we-eat get together, but we really, really wanted to dine with Chef Pierre.

As part of a quite significant remodel / upgrade of the Flinders Hotel (which isn't quite finished) you could easily miss that there's a 'fancy' restaurant as part of the complex when you see the Bistro / Bar area spilling out onto the deck (a good sized one, that's for sure) and the I've-just-come-off-the-beach evening wear that is predominantly predominant.  But, once you find it, you know you're somewhere else.  All very modern in style, quite brightly lit there's what seems to be just one room, plus a patio area (which had the heat lamps on this night casting a sort of eerie orange glow).  But, we learned later that there's some moveable walls to give the option of expanding the room, or leaving as is for a private dining area.  It's good to have options, I guess.  There was some sort of gentle jazz type music playing, but subject to how much fun we were having there were times when we couldn't hear / didn't notice it.

We knew they'd only been open a couple of days so we were pretty calm when the Server who greeted us wasn't able to locate our Reservation with out the intervention of the Maître d' (for the record I think our Reservation had been left in the Bistro section) who just took a second to seat us with no dramas - although it was on a table more suited for 6 people, and probably could take 8.  The Servers it seems are still learning and they haven't gotten to the cross training part yet - our Wine Dude got a little flustered when we asked for some more bread; but we did get our bread.  I'd say a little nervous (no chit chat at all), but conscientious so I'm sure by the time you are reading this they are rock'n the joint. 

By no stretch of the imagination are we friends with The Chef, but we did think it appropriate to buy him a beer as a small thank you after a great dinner and also for actually being open.  I guess he was curious who did this because he came out to see us, and actually was able to put 2 and 2 together as to how we had once crossed paths before. He gave us a tour of the place (the kitchen has some pretty swish gadgets), sat with us for awhile and shared his vision for the restaurant.  Thanks Chef Pierre!

The Menu is short and to the point, with a Degustation (although technically correct, I'd prefer Tasting for a less snooty sounding description - but it's not just here as everywhere we went on this trip who offered such a thing went with snooty sounding...) option available.  Had it just been the two of us we almost certainly would have went this route, but with 4 excellent sharers at the table we ordered a unique dish each and passed plates around our [extra large] table.  We're lead to believe the menu will be extended once they've been open a bit longer giving the Kitchen & Serving teams a chance to master Chef Pierre's 'philosophy' and I suspect to see what the customers go for.  We could have gone with everything, given suitable belly space!  Strongly influenced in Morrocan styles there's lots of fun, occasionally in your face, type spices to keep you amused with a good mix of game and seafood in amongst your more common meat type dishes.

Our meal went a little like this:

• 2008 Elgee Park Viognier A Century Club Contributor (family reserve) - we liked it enough to get a second bottle.
• Stuffed Quail, cinnamon & buttermilk gnocchi, dried grape juice - the gnocchi may have been the best part, thanks for boning out the little guy.
• Flinders Golden Beetroot Carpaccio, crab & apple salad, fig & preserved lemon dressing - so so refreshing, beetroot definitely the star, the salad not far behind.
• Ocean Trout Terrine, prawns and preserved lime guacamole - prawns a nice treat, but the terrine with just a touch of guacamole was the best.
• Marinated Yellow Fin Tuna, oyster croquette, eggplant, argan oil - a tartar where all the bits were perhaps a bit yummier on their own.  Oyster probably the most memorable.
• Zucchini Flower & Saffron Risotto, fried ricotta - great risotto, creamy and just a tiny bit of crunch left.  I think there's more than just saffron in there?
• Rabbit with Scampi & Foie Gras Dumpling - quite a lot going on including some unlisted spices, all tasty and mostly quite rich.
• Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb, green tea & almond crust tagine - great piece of lamb and you absolutely should chew every bit off the bones.
• Roasted Duck Breast & Leg Confit, cardamom honey, orange sauce - tasty confit, wonderfully rare breast, both a little better with a little bit of the honey (you can't miss the cardamom) and sauce.
• Roasted Heirloom Carrots, with honey & thyme - a fun side, quite sweet.
• Selection of Cheeses - a brie, a blue, and an aged cheddar (the standard cheese board starting point, it seems).  All fine, interesting condiments.  No idea where they came from.
• Dark Chocolate Fondant, Which Chocolate Mousse, butternut sorbet - a quite rich end.
• Vanilla Flavoured Rhubarb, nectarine compote, creme fraiche ice cream - a refreshing end...
• Kahlua 
• Amaretto 

Clearly some early teething problems, but that's the price we have to pay for stalking The Chef I guess.  We wish Chef Pierre and his team nothing but awesomeness and we absolutely will be back when the opportunity presents - to see everything running with tip top smoothness as well as for the wonderful (and expanded) menu.  We thank Chef Pierre for visiting with us after dinner and for a wonderful meal.  We also thank our dear friends who introduced him to us a couple of years ago - the same friends that found us another dining treat A Previous Article just last week where we'll probably be stalking the chef if he also chooses to relocate....

Stay JOLLY!
DAndrew & Katrina

151 N. Oak Park Avenue

We've been before a Previous Date Night Article and with the same 'team'.   I don't think anything has changed and I don't expect it does very often.  If the menu wasn't the same it was very very close.  But, that's ok as we only get there when the 'team' rounds us up.  And, especially when they have what appears to be a very loyal following of people who know what they like and expect to see it each time they visit. 

The place was jamm'n.  I guess they do things differently in the close by suburb of Oak Park.  We arrived before 6 and there were a lot of tables finishing (or very close to) up their 'dinner', and not a lot of people came in after us.  No drama, just different.

There's an exceptionally strong possibility we had the same Server as last time.  She's definitely a bubbly sort and tries to be chatty given just the smallest opportunity.  The Specials are written down but she did point them out.  Had we been on a date and wanted to order and eat the way we really really really prefer to she probably would have coped, but I believe she would have been confused (and perhaps the kitchen would be too?) because everything appears to be done in a very specific way.

Our meal went a little like this:

• Soda
• Hess Select Chardonnay - perhaps benefited from being away from an ice bucket as it was definitely better towards the end.  A little bit of wood, perhaps a little more fruit.
• Shrimp Scampi - the only bad thing was 5 shrimps and 4 people...
• Pita Chips with Artichoke Dip - usually advertised the other way around...  Yummy, and we didn't run out of chips.
• Mediterranean Pasta, with Chicken - everything you'd expect to see as part of a dish with Mediterranean in the name
• Cedar Planked Salmon - looked great across the table...
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin - great mushroom risotto, interesting sauce.
• Mardi Gras Special, Andouille, BBQ Shrimp,  Salmon, Cheesy Grits - all good, but the grits surprisingly so.
• Something Chocolately - not really focused on it because this was comped due to a small glitch and we had Pie at home

Again, a more than adequate dinner.  Some might argue a bit slow on a busy night, but we could argue a little quick... It's not really a date place so we won't be back until we get rounded up again - which is not a bad thing, just the way it is...

Stay JOLLY!
DMom & Cindy

339 N Dearborn

It wasn't all that long agoA Previous Article that we were here and seeing that our friend who joined us last time was joining us again and she liked it so much combined with how easy it was to just hang out and chat it seemed like a no-brainer to return.

The Space hasn't changed, and it was perhaps a little busier than last time.  Both in the Restaurant Section and at the Bar, and the (what we assume to be) Private Party area upstairs was also occupied. They've added a Cheese Bar just inside the door which I didn't see anyone at, but it's something I think I could give a try one night after work - perhaps sooner rather than later?  We had asked for a window seat, but arriving at 8pm there was not one available - initially we were a bit down on this as we'd half thought it would be fun to check out the costumes passing by, but I don't think we would have had time for this side activity due to how engrossing and fun our little group turned out to be.

We were told the Menu changed in just the last couple of weeks but I have no idea how much of it actually changed and it definitely has the same design / concept that we saw last time we visited.  I again enjoyed looking through the Wine List which was deferred to me unnecessarily as the first pick made by our friend was anything but bad or inappropriate for what we ended up selecting.  The List is big, and could easily be seen to be scary (especially on this Halloween Eve) but it's not - it's separated out into sensible sections and each wine has a description to help get you in the ballpark of what you're after.

Our Server was of the perky, but not annoyingly so type.  She seemed really happy to be there and helping us out.  She was full of energy, but perhaps stretched a bit on the floor because we 'lost' her for a bit a couple of times.  She recognized this herself, because she managed to send someone over to get an order from us.  Not the end of the world on an evening that was more chatty than eatty.  We managed to navigate (and satisfy) ourselves through the menu and wine-list but I'm quite certain she could have helped out had we needed it.

Our meal went something along the lines of:

• Eola Pinot Noir, Orgegon- smooth and almost elegant.  Worked well with the richer cheeses.
• We ♥ Italy - I forget which is which, but there was a Sheep, Buffalo, Goat and a mixture.  A great variety from soft to hard, and acidic to amost meaty.  Some fun sides.
  
  • Caprino Naturale
  • Robiola Tre Latti
  • Quadrella di Bufalo
  • Pecorino Sardo
• Mudhouse Pinot Noir - Much richer than our first, more of the toastyness you often see in a Pinot.
• Cheese Board 1 - We picked our own flight.  We picked 1 cheese each and without consultation came up with a good mix of hard v soft, 'plain' v something added, strong v mild (admittedly, we all stayed away from the blues).
• Cheese Board 2 - And again...  A different cheese each again, and again we managed to mix them up nicely.  I think it would be hard to go wrong given the 50 or 60 you have to choose from, and if it's too over-whelming, just stick with the flights.
• Cripsy Fries, (Tabasco Aioli, Horseradish Mayonnaise, Romesco Sauce) - a nice variety of dipping sauces, 1 with a kick and 1 with a smaller kick.  And yes, the fries were crispy.

Bin 36 is definitely designed, and run, to allow you to nibble and drink and chat.  We chatted a lot, we only nibbled and we drank just fine.

Stay JOLLY!
DHeather & Sherri

3734 N Southport Ave

We'd just left the Cubs game (stupid Cubs!) and weren't ready for dinner but did need a snack of some sort.  We didn't have any interest in joining the post game crush at the nearby bars and seeing our friends' car was parked on Southport, that's where we headed.  We've all been to Blue Bayou before so it seemed like an easy decision.

We were kind of surprised how quiet it was seeing it's not really that far from Wrigley, but it suited us giving the opportunity to easily chat.  It's a fairly dark room, really just a bar with some booths and table, with lots of dark wood and lots and lots of mardi-gras beads and trinkets through out.  I'm pretty sure there is an upstairs section because they advertise live music and I couldn't really see it fitting in to the bar area downstairs.

So, our Server seemed ok.  She managed to figure out we were waiting on one person and came back to get their drink order.  She took our simple order correctly and delivered it correctly.  She didn't talk much, but we didn't have much to talk about.  But, she can't count and managed to blame the error on the computer.  We asked to split the check on two cards, and she managed to come back with 2 cards with the same amount, but when added up a little bit more than the value of the check.  Oh well, mistakes happen, but she couldn't wrap her head around our concern and had to get her manager to sort it out - which took far longer (and a far odder solution) than we thought it should take.  I don't think it would be fair to ban returning based on this, but we will ban splitting the check over multiple cards...

From my limited expertise in this matter, the menu seems to contain all the staples you'd expect on a Louisiana styled menu.  We weren't aiming any higher than an appetizer to didn't look much further than that section.  Easy enough to navigate and understand the descriptions.

Our Meal went a little something like this:

• Corona Light
• Abita Purple Haze (draft) - It's purple because of raspberries.  Exactly as described, fruity aroma and tart sweet taste.
• Soda
• Artichoke Au Gratin - a bit spicier than we're used to, but exactly what we should have expected
• Jumbo Chicken Wings (buffalo) - finger lick'n messy
• Louisiana Sliders (pulled pork) - nothing special, nothing bad

Apart from a Server who can't count, everything was as expected and no reason to think we won't return - probably after a Cubs game (stupid Cubs!) will suit us best.

Stay JOLLY!
DRon & Diane

339 N Dearborn

Arriving a little early and without our complete party it was refreshing to be offered our table with what seemed like the air of 'we do it every day' - thanks nice hosts and restaurant policy maker(s)!  Being on Dearborn and scoring a window seat we were entertained quite nicely while waiting for our friends watching the what we assumed to be the mostly House of Blues crowd go by.

Although not fall down laughing funny, the space to me seems a little bit funny.  There's the wine store right at the door, there's the bar in the middle, there's the restaurant part we were in at the back (with another section above us closed off) and a wine bar sort of area behind the store section next to the bar. Not unworkable no matter how you keep score, but to me, a little funny.

All in all the place was quite loud with people noise, part of which I have no doubt our table contributed to, but I don't think we had any trouble with our own conversation.  I don't recall hearing any music, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any...  The whole space is quite bright but not 'go-home-the-club-is-now-closed' bright by any stretch of the imagination and somehow all the street noises are kept out.

Our server took great care of us, and not once during the over four hours we were there (it was a haven't seen our friends for too long catch up dinner) did he put any pressure on us to order nor did he forget about us.  He was around just enough to be available but not intrusive.  He was able to answer all our questions regarding the menu and wines (awesome list, in case you were wondering with a great range and many things at every price point) and even was happy to postulate with us on some non-dinner, but wine consumption related questions we had.

Our meal went something along the lines of:

• A Riesling from Marlborough - very much at the dry end of the scale and pleasant enough with the cheeses
• Cheese Flight (a Cow, a Sheep, a Goat & a Buffalo Walk into a Bar...)
  • Pleasant Ridge Reserve
  • Manchego - a great firm cheese that works with the berry sauce.
  • Sofia - only a touch of the quite mild blue made it.
  • Buffalo Mozzarella
• A Pinot Noir from Oregon - quite soft and great with both the cheeses and charcuterie.
• Cheese Board (we picked one each)
  • Pecorino Toscano
  • Cocoa Cardona - the cocoa worked surprisingly well.
  • Persian Feta
  • 10 Year Cheddar
• The BIG Salumi
  • Prosciutto, from Iowa, Italy or Spain - we may have got a bit of each?
  • Speck, infused with juniper - first time my way. Enjoyable, but not sure why all the TV chefs think it's the best thing ever.
  • Toscano Salami, loaded with garlic & black pepper - loaded is relative, but a nice off set compared to the other selections
  • Salame Rosa, classic Bolognese salumi
  • Duck Prosciutto, cured in house - my favorite, but not everyone's. Possibly due to it being much heavier (or gamier, perhaps?) than 'regular' Prosciutto.
• A Malbec from Italy - our biggest wine, but with a sweetness of the berry variety rounding it out.
• Steamed Mussels - another great broth requiring extra bread and the occasional french fry.
• Spanish Mac & Cheese, with Chorizo - not being a fan of hot spicy things Chorizo is always on my radar as be careful.  In this case just the right amount for me, perhaps a little more needed for 'normal' people.
• Duck Fats Pommes Anna & Garlic - if you didn't tell me about the duck fat, I probably wouldn't have known why it was so tasty.
• Crispy French Fries with 3 Dipping Sauces - the horseradish one was best by far.
• BIN 36 Chocolate Tasting for Two - arguably too much for 2 people, perfect for 4 and a great variety of textures.
• Chocolate Martini (2)
• Jack & Coke

We have every reason to go back, especially since we didn't partake of any entrees and we do like to try as much as possible - partially because we were very slow, but mostly because what turned out to be our five courses proved to be just about the right amount of food.  We also may find our selves back when we need a place to meet and a glass of wine and some yummy cheese and charcuterie would be a useful way to start the evening.

Stay JOLLY!
DHeather & Kris

151 N. Oak Park Avenue

Vehemently is probably too strong, but I'm vehemently quite against dining out on community recognized celebration days (Easter, Mother's Day (the reason for this visit), Valentine's Day - actually I must use vehemently for this one, etc) because it's so hard for the Restaurant to get it right - they're probably dealing with more guests, larger parties, less staff, new menu items, longer hours and, well people like me.  I admit to it being a generalization and I'm sure a lot get it right, I'm just not particularly interested in trying to figure out which ones.

Now, having said that.  Our Lunch worked out just fine.  I'm not going to completely discount it being Winberie's good work, but I suspect it had a lot to do with us arriving at a time that I wasn't all that thrilled about - 3:30.  It was quite quiet (but certainly not empty so my group weren't the only ones out having Lunner) when we arrived and steadily filled but wasn't full when we left.  Our server must have not worked the Brunch (but I could be wrong) because she was just perky enough to not be annoying.  She was attentive but other than offering up the Specials didn't have much to say other than agreeing that we were picking the right items and a couple of her favorites - not the worst thing a Server could ever do, but the menu wouldn't have had to be much more complicated before we may have missed out on something.

A quite bright space (due to the floor to ceiling windows most of the way around) broken in to two areas.  There is a nice stained wooden (I am nowhere near clever enough to know what kind of wood) bar in the front section and although they call themselves 'Restaurant & Bar' I'm not sure many people (certainly not us) would make it their Bar of choice, but if you had to wait for a table you'd have nothing to complain about - other than waiting for a table...  Actually, lots of stained wood furniture through out.  But I'm not sure what the theme is.  If pleasant is a theme, they are right on the mark.

Being part of the Lunner crowd we received the Dinner Menu.  I guess on non-Brunch days we may have had the option to still partake of the Lunch menu, but no dramas on that count.  A nice uncomplicated menu with enough for the 4 of us to find what we were after, meeting our Dining Quirks of the day.

Our Meal went a little something like this:

• Lemonade
• Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
• Flirtini
• Grand Peach Martini - sneakily Peach flavored, but not colored
• Rustic Bruschetta - tasty tomato 'spread' but maybe a little too much mozzarella
• Tuna Tacos - large pieces of nicely seared rare tuna worked well with the 'normal' taco accompaniments
• Mediterranean Pasta - everything you'd expect to see as part of a dish with Mediterranean in the name
• Cajun Macaroni & Cheese - the andouille played just nicely with the tomoato cream sauce
• Cedar Planked Salmon - looked great across the table...
• Nicoise Salad - perhaps a little more tangy in the dressing?

We were taken care of, everything tasted pretty much as expected and there were no delays that we noticed.  No reason to not go back, but I suspect it will only be as part of some sort of celebration as Winberie's is not located in a place we would put much effort into getting to for a Date - our issue, not theirs.

Stay JOLLY!
DMom & Cindy

410 W. Huron

In a building that may have been a ware house or factory in a past life, it's an easy enough place to locate with the big yellow awning and orange lights around it.  Once inside you can't but notice the big open space and high ceiling which has to be the reason for the almost quiet you get to enjoy even on a night when the place was at a pretty comfortable full.

With a nice selection of wines, Italian and not, it seems that someone decided it's a good idea to show them off with wine arrangements sitting where you might normally expect a flower arrangement and a very extensive rack (covering just about every inch of the back wall) full to bursting.  Without close inspection I'm going with the rack as containing wines on the list and the arrangements with bottles (hopefully full of what the label says) that are interesting to the eye.

We talked our friends into ordering something, enjoying it, and pondering what comes next.  Perhaps something they've not considered before, but at the end of our meal said they were pleased with how it all worked out.  Our Server had no problems working with this plan, being around just enough to take make sure everything was ok and take our next order.  The menu is about as self-explanatory as you can get, but she did make sure that we understood the Appetizer section was designed closer to Tapas style, and that there's a deal on selecting 3 - which we made great use of.  We were verbally given the Specials (one of which we ended up choosing) but shortly after we were also given the Specials Menu - probably a nice way to do it.

Our Meal looked a little something like this:

• Irony Pinot Noir - not too toasty, played really well with the Antipasti
• Bread with Olive Oil and Freshly Grated Parmesan - grated right there at the table
• Antipasti
  
  • Artichoke Hearts - smokey from the grill
  • Grilled Calamari - nicely paired with a pepper dressing
  • Mussels Arrabbiata - a little bit of heat in the sauce
• Salumi & Cheese - hard to go wrong with the choices available, all lovely quality.
  
  • Prosciutto
  • Gorgonzola
  • Taleggio
• Roasted Mushroom Pizza - great crust, just enough sauce
• Lemon & Shrimp Risotto - rich, creamy and very lemony
• Short Rib Ravioli - awesome sauce, needed more bread to make sure we got it all
• Gelato (chocolate, black cherry, pistachio) - what better way to end

As a Party of 4, we were at the smaller end of the scale this night and there were 2's around, but not many.  I suspect we would have enjoyed the meal differently had it just been the 2 of us only because we would have had less things on our table to sample.  Perhaps we'll return with a larger group to get an even larger sampling out on the table...

Stay JOLLY!
DPete & Kris