Adrie Reinders

Did not meet expectations

ZED451, 739 N Clark, Chicago IL, www.zed451.com

I had passed this restaurant/bar many times, always impressed by the beautiful design and exterior. It looked very promising so I decided to have dinner there.

The interior looked as well thought out as the exterior and very zen. The restaurant space is rather large and as more clients come in, it becomes rather noisy, something I dislike at the best of times. The comfort was OK. The concept of the restaurant is a little far fetched I think. For your appetizer you have to walk over to a kind of luxury salad bar. I am not that keen on going out to eat and then having to get my food myself. For the main course, they have developed a special system – you get a pebble per person at the table which you lay on the edge of the table if you want something to eat.  The hosts then walk by with a skewer full of grilled, or cooked meats and seafood – of which you can have as much as you like – chicken, lamb, beef, salmon etc. If you want to take a break, you simply remove your pebble. I have to say that the meats/seafood was excellent but the way you get people at your table between every bite is not very peaceful. The server serving me was extremely attentive in the beginning, stopping by repeatedly to see if he could get something for me. But things went downhill as more guests arrived with the absolute low being the time I asked for coffee and after 20 minutes waiting he came to tell me there were some problems with the machine. Overall, an evening that went out like a candle – and definitely was in no equation to what I had anticipated based on the exterior.

Service: 6.5
Food: 8
Comfort: 7.5
Price/Quality: 6.5

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The Place to go for Brunch in Chicago

Oak Tree restaurant & bakery, 900 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

Located at the top floor of the Bloomingdale Centre, you will find the perfect place for brunch – Oak Tree. It is a place to sit down and rest your weary feet before, during or after your shopping. All food is freshly made and offers a wide choice for everyone such as great Salads and wonderful bread. Unfortunately the latter doesn’t fit into my (renewed) lifestyle change diet.
I have eaten here a few times and every time it’s been a good choice. The decor is tasteful and comfortable, service quick, professional and friendly.

Today I had a cup of Turkey Chili Soup followed by an egg white omelet – all in order to balance out the damage I did yesterday

In short, the Oak Tree is a nice place to go during your weekend with friends and catch up on things over a good lunch.

Comfort: 8,5
Service: 7,5
Food: 8,5
Price/Quality: 8

Traditional American Kitchen

Hugo’s Frog Bar, 1024 North Rush Street, Chicago

On my way to buys some new shoes, I saw Hugo’s Frog Bar. It looked great on the outside, with some seating outdoors (too cold for me despite the heaters) and has a nice comfortable interior. The whole restaurant breathes a traditional atmosphere, with a nautical/fishing theme. The waiter that served me, was not very alert – he forgot what I ordered and it took forever for him to stop by and see whether I needed anything. The menu is large enough without overwhelming you – always a good sign.

As a starter I opted for the oysters which were of good quality, as a main course I settled for the spit-roast chicken, with roasted peppers both of which were excellent. The chicken had that nice juicy flavour and tender meat that makes it just right.

Interior fairly traditional – not too fancy but decent and comfortable.

Food: 8.5
Comfort: 8
Service: 7
Price/Quality: 8.5

A good enviroment for a business lunch or dinner.

Great Food … with a view

Perennial, 1800 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago

This is not the first time I have written about this restaurant in one of my blogs, but there is a good reason to do it again. The first time I visited Perennial was in the middle of winter and I had to trudge through a foot of snow to get there – yesterday it was 75 degrees, the lovely terrace was open and filled with people enjoying a spectacular view of Lincoln Park. And last but not least, since I am on a temporary change in my food pattern (no carbs, no sweets, no dairy) I had to find a place that offered me at least some choices

The restaurant was a little noisy due to a large group behind our table but was excellent otherwise as it was on the previous occasion. Very comfortable seating and professional and friendly service.

The food was delicious. As a starter I opted for the 6 oysters, which tasted very fresh and plump and as a main course I had the Halibut which was very well prepared, seared to a lightly crunchy texture and which came served on a bed of mixed vegetables. Unfortunately I cannot tell you about the deserts as they don’t fit into my new lifestyle and my companions were kind enough not to tease me with any either.

Food: 8.5
Comfort: 8
Service: 8.5
Price/Equality: 8.5

If you want to sit outside whilst enjoying great food, Perennial is not to be missed.

Voted Best Chinese Restaurant in Chicago

Opera, 1301 S Wabash, Chicago

My expectations were raised as I walked in yesterday – this restaurant had been recommended a few times by various people as a “must”. On entry to the restaurant everything was as I had heard – a beautiful decor, combining chinese elements with modern touches in a pleasing mix, inviting you to come in and experience the place. Service was good – the waitress very knowledgeable and able to tell you how several dishes were made and thus able to give great advice on my food choices. Overall, the food was good too – but I missed the refinement you expect in a restaurant of this class. It was all in the details – like a starter served as an appetiser from the chef, all finger food – a chicken drumstick and spare rib. It tasted great but there you are with dirty fingers and no hot towel or bowl of water to clean them. The shrimp dumpling served as my starter was good. After that I had an entree of Peking Duck served in three different styles. It was OK, not excellent. And the way it was served was rather strange – the pancakes were on a plate, folded, with all the duck piled on top. It was a challenge to unfold one of the pancakes, to put a little of the duck on top whilst working round the rest of the pancakes and duck. As a desert, I chose the coffee creme brulee – which tasted great, and with the right combination of flavours.

All in all though – the refinement was missing in the taste, combinations and serving of the dishes.  A restaurant of this reputation ought to refocus and have the chef really finetune his/her work.

Food: 7.5
Comfort: 8.5
Service: 8.5
Price/Quality: 7.5