Everest

I used to be really into the fine dining scene. Name a fine dining restaurant in Chicago, or better yet, across the world, and chances are I have been there. But, surprisingly, last week was my first visit to Everest. My husband thought it would be a nice surprise after our busy move the week before.

As far as fine dining restaurants go, unless the restaurant if completely outstanding in every aspect (food, dining, decor/ambience), and the restaurant somehow sets it self apart from the crowd, after awhile, most of them start to seem exactly the same.

All in all, I thought the service was great. Not the best I have ever had, but great. This is to expected in restaurants like Everest.

The decor. Absolutely horrible. I know some people say the setting does not matter, but I think it does, especially if you are spending this kind of money. The entire place just looks kind of drab and outdated. This restaurant prides itself on being romantic but with this setting, I just don't think it is. Sure, the view is nice, but, believe it or not, some girls don't care about view. And, this restaurant is in Chicago afterall. If you are talking about view, I rather be gazing down at beautiful mountains or serene beaches, not buildings in Chicago that I have to walk by everyday to get to work. And the ambience was not helped by the fact that a spider was dangling from a spider web from above our table.

The food. It was outstanding, better than the food I have had at other fine dining restaurants in Chicago, but not the best. The sea scallops were my favorite! And, of course, the dessert!! But the food does not make up for the other aspects the restaurant is lacking in.

As far as fine dining in Chicago, I think you are better off going somewhere else for a more unique and memorable experience.....Everest just doesn't do anything to make itself stand apart from the crowd. I would recommend Alinea for the spectacular presentation of the food, Charlie Trotter's for service that goes above and beyond, or Arun's for fine dining Thai....the list goes on.

Lai Wah Heen Restaurant

When in Toronto, you must visit Lai Wah Heen.

In an elegant room with a sculpted ceiling, etched-glass turntables, and silver serving dishes, the service is formal. Go for lunch, the dim sum is divine: baked meat-filled morsels and translucent dumplings burst with juicy fillings of shark's fin sprinkled with bright red lobster roe, and shrimp dumplings with green tops reminiscent of baby bok choy.

http://www.metropolitan.com/lwh/

Zagat Survey - Top 11 Restaurants of the Year

Zagat Survey has chosen the top 11 restuarants of the year based on cost service and decor. All of the restaurants scored a 29 out of a possible 30 points.

The restaurants included:

Bacchanalia - Atlanta, GA Barrington's - Charlotte, NC Carlos' - Highland Park, IL, Jean-Robert at Pigall's - Cincinnati, OH Thomas Henkelmann's Homestead Inn - Greenwich, CT French Room - Dallas, TX Sanford - Milwaukee, WI Restaurant Nicholas - Red Bank, NJ Gary Danko - San Francisco, CA The Inn at Little Washington - Washington, VA Xavier's at Piermont - Piermont, NY

I have only been to one of the restauants listed, Jean-Robert at Pigall's. I definitely enjoyed my experience there...the service was outstanding and the food wonderful. I do remember being disapointed by the dessert and thought this aspect of the restaurant could be greatly improved. It was a fabulous meal with a depressing ending!

Landmark Restaurant

I've been to Landmark twice now, and both times I have been impressed. The first time I dined at the bar and I loved the thin-crust pizza, tuna tapaki salad and lobster club sandwich. The second time I had the short ribs...they were great. But next time, I am going to order the double cut pork chops. I sampled my brothers and they were fantastic.

La Madia

I love pizza, but then again, who doesn't. And, even though I am a Chicagoan and love my deep dish pizza, I also love my thin crust. In the case of La Madia, Napolitano still pizza is served, which is ultra-thin crust pies. The pizza is definitely tasty. They also seve antipasti, salads, artisan cheeses, handmade pastas and a gelato. There's a good wine list also.....there are 2,000 varieties of wine (50 served by the glass) stored in a 13-foot-tall, glass-enclosed wine cellar. However, my favorite thin crust in the city is still served up at Quartino.

Now, when is Chicago going to get a New York style pizzeria????

One Sixty Blue Restaurant

One Sixty Blue is one of my favorite restaurants. The last time I went I got the rock shrimp gnocchi and the beef tenderloin..both were unbelievable. Also, you have to try the cheese that they bake in the oven...it is so good...and I have never had anything like it at another restaurant.

I also really like going to there "dust of that bottle night". They have it the last friday of every month. You bring your own bottle of wine (every month is a different type) and they pair it with a special menu. It's so much fun!

Go to One Sixty Blue! You will love it too!

Le Lan Restaurant

I took my best friend to Le Lan this weekend to celebrate his birthday. I love Le Lan, and the restaurant definitely made the birthday celebration special.

The food was excellent as always. For the appetizers we had the squash dumplings and the tofu. The tofu was amazing with pickled red onion and red chili vinaigrette.

I had the short ribs for my main entree and my friend had the tilapia. The presentation on the tilapia was beautiful.

One of the reasons I love Le Lan is because I think they have a fabulous reasonably priced wine list. We ordered a bottle of fantastic 99' Bordeaux that was only $54.

For dessert, they sent a speciial creme brulee with happy birthday written next to it. The creme brulee was some of the best I have ever had. We also ordered the chocolate banana pastillas, and this dessert was actually a let down. The coriader ice cream that came with the pastillas was yummy, but the rest of the dessert was just ok.

http://www.lelanrestaurant.com/

Meritage Cafe & Wine Bar

I just read that Meritage Cafe & Wine Bar is closing its doors for good on January 1.

This restaruant has been open since 1997, and has won a handful of awards. I dined here for the first time last summer, and, honestly, I can't believe the restaurant managed to stay open for 10 years.

I hated everything about it....the food was horrible, the wine list average, and the decor tired. Really, at these prices there are much better choices. For an appetizer, I had the crab cakes. My only explanation of these are that they really grossed me out. I left hungry because I could not finish my entree, which was salmon. It was not appetizing at all, and lacked flavor. It was probably the worst salmon I have ever had in a restaurant. Our waitress was indifferent to us and could have cared less if we were having a good time. Her response to our question to explain a certain menu item was, "yeah, it's good."

Luckily for me, we visited the nearby Hot Chocolate, where I ate lots of yummy desserts and drank some great wine.

Sepia Restaurant

I just returned from a lunch at Sepia Restaurant. This was my first lunch, but have visited the restaurant for dinner on numerous occasions. It's definitely one of my favorite new restaurants.

The restaurant used to be a print shop, and is decorated in shades of brown, with lots of wood and exposed brick. It's a unique look that works well for this restaurant. I will definitely be visiting Sepia frequently in the future.

I love the bar area, and they serve some killer cocktails here, so if you don't eat here, I would still recommend visiting the bar area.

The food is excellent, and focuses on contemporary american food using fresh, locally produced ingredients. Start with the flatbread if you go, It's unbelievably good. The bison burger with blue cheese is a good lunch option. As for the entrees, the flat iron steak with potatoes is phenomenal, and the pork was just as good. For the sides, try the onion rings, which is usually not something I would eat, but, wow, these were so good, although not the healthiest! Also, the potatoes in duck fat are yummy.

I really enjoyed the chocolate crepes we had for dessert. For something lighter I would recommend the nectarine upside down cake.

http://www.sepiachicago.com/

Copperblue Restaurant

It is refreshing to dine at a restaurant and have a truly great experience....excellent food, outstanding service, and great ambience. Many, if not most, restaurants are completely horrible all together or have only one redeeming quality about them.

Copperblue is small and intimate, and the walls are lined with paintings that are an interpretation of work and play, a theme that weaves throughout the menu and dining experience. Some of the canvases depict the labor of field workers and water bearers and other express the pleasure of play, from children frolicking to adults enjoying music, dance and drink.

The food is wonderful and inventive. I started with the crispy saffron and Spanish ham rice croquettes with sofrito fondue. Honestly, I did not particularly care for this dish. However, the service is so outstanding that a waiter must have sensed this, and they took away the dish and let me order something else...and I did not even have to ask. Instead I ordered the grilled shrimp with blue crab salad and pestle curry mayo. It was fabulous. My friend started with the artichoke soup which was rich and creamy.

For the main courses, my dining companion ordered the organic Illinois pork, with basil gnocchi and green tomato. I loved the basil gnocchi! I chose the grilled beef strip loin, with swiss chard, cardoons, pancetta, orzo, and Barolo wine sauce. It was fabulous.

For dessert we had the chocolate mousse cake. My dining companion declared that it was so good that we had to order another.

As far as the service, it is top notch, and arguably the best in the city. The goal of Copperblue's service is to pamper you and make every diner feel completely welcome in their restaurant.

Copperblue is a great addition to the Chicago fine dining scene.

http://www.copperbluechicago.com/

Avenue M

Buttercup loves dessert, and for this reason she loves Avenue M.

Nothing beats the S'more Pie..... chocolate cake with a graham cracker crust, marshmallows, vanilla gelato, and toasted coconut.

http://www.avenue-m.com/

Canoe Restaurant

Canoe Restaurant should be on the top of your dining destinations if you plan on visiting Toronto. Critically acclaimed as one of Canada's best restaurants, Canoe offers breathtaking views of the city. The modern Canadian cuisine feautures entrees such as yukon potatoe gnocchi and peaches and cream corn chowder. Yum!!!

Best Chicago Restaurants

Chicago has a great dining scene. From deep dish pizza, to steakhouses, to molecular gastronomy, there is definitely something for everyone. Being a huge foodie myself, I spend lots of time checking out classic Chicago restaurants to new hotspots. Here is a list of my favorites, in no particular order.

Arun's Thai Restaurant - a unique fine dining experience
One Sixty Blue - best cheese experience in the city
Coco Pazzo - best italian in the city
Alinea - have to go at least once!
Le Lan - my favorite restaurant...i take lots of friends here
Shanghai Terrace - i love the peninsula and i love shanghai terrace!
Les Nomades - french food at its best
Charlie Trotter's - food is o.k., but this is all about the experience
Tru - caviar staircase anyone??? I like the cart of petit fours
Naha - unbelievably awesome!
May Street Market - gnocchi with parmesan cheese and truffle oil is simply the best
David Burke's - david burke's knows steak!!!
Sepia - yummy flatbread
Lou Malnati's - nothing says Chicago like to die for deep dish pizza
Gene and Georgetti's - you must order the veal parmesan
Kevin - my mouth is watering think about my last meal here
MK - pomme frites with truffle cream...awesome!

May Street Market

Wow!! May Street Market is my new favorite restaurant!

When you first step into the restaurant you are greeted by a friendly and welcoming host. The hospitality and service continue throughout the dining experience, and the waiters are helpful and knowledgeable about the menu.

The food is fabulous and focuses on Contemporary American cuisine. The chef uses fresh, locally produced ingredients to create wonderful dishes. Some of my favorites were the maytag blue cheesecake appetizer and the gnocchi with parmesan cheese and truffle oil.....I think it was the best gnocchi I have ever had. The wine list focuses on wines throughout the world and includes well known and lesser known varietals. The list is reasonably priced. And being a dessert person, I can honestly say the desserts are sinful!! Definitely don't skip dessert!!

I will definitely be back to May Street Market on a regular basis.

North Pond Restaurant

I wanted to try North Pond for a long time, and was extremely disappointed by the outcome.

I was underwhelmed by the food, service, and atmosphere. Maybe I am just extremely picky, but this restaurant really lacked in lots of areas.

First of all, the food was a complete let down. The amuse bouche almost made me throw-up. Literally, I was gagging and drinking tons of water just to get the taste out of my mouth. Now, this could be due to the fact that liver pate just really isn't my thing, but my dining companion did not care for it either. For an appetizer I had the sweet corn soup which was just o.k. Again, I wasn't like "Oh my gosh! This is so good!". Also tried the beet salad, and, what can I say, it was beet salad. For my main dish I had the cannelloni with ricotta. It actually lacked flavor...in other words, not so good. The dessert was an extreme disappointment. The raspberry and vanilla pot-de-creme just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty but I like sweet desserts, and this wasn't sweet at all. What bothered me about this is the waiter recommended it after I implied I was in the mood for something sweet.

And, the service was definitely off. Horrible spacing between the courses, waiters did not know much about the menu items, etc.... They did print cute birthday menus for me and wrote happy birthday on my dessert, which was nice. However, this is standard practice at any nice restaurant.

And the view...o.k. I guess it's nice, especially for Chicago. But, I was sitting inside, so I really did not get to gaze at the lake all that much. I really think they should have sat us outside since it was one of my birthday dinners, but I guess they did not think so.

Also, I really did not care for the decor of the restaurant. And, all in all, I can think of dozens of more romantic restaurants. I probably won't be back to North Pond. Maybe I just had a bad experience, but one bad experience is enough for me.

Arun's Thai Restaurant

I have wanted to dine at Arun's for such a long time! Afterall, Arun's is considered the best Thai restaurant in the country, and I wanted to see if it lived up to the reputation.

When you step into Arun's you feel like you have been transported to Thailand. The beautiful interior is decorated with ornate thai artifacts and beautiful vibrant paintings that cover the walls. My seat was overlooking a beautiful mural depicting the life and death of Buddha, and unique Thai dolls displayed in a mahogany cabinet.

The 12 course tasting menu ($85/person) begins with six appetizers served degustation style followed by four family-style entrees and two desserts (thai food is traditionally served banquet style). In fact, there is no menu presented to you at Arun's. Each dish that presents itself is a surprise, which is part of Arun's unique experience. The food does not fail to amaze, and is prepared with top-notch ingredients and creativity. The presentation and attention to detail makes the experience even more special and memorable (such as tomatoes shaped as roses and carrots carved to resemble goldfish complete with eyes and fins).

The food is complemented with a stellar wine list with many unexpected choices.

Although some would argue that it is silly to spend so much money on Thai food, I would beg to differ. Each course served was complex and required extensive preparation. I would almost consider $85 per person to be a great bargain. Besides, the memories that you have from such a great dining experience are well worth the price.

In Chicago's vast and excellent fine-dining scene, I would place Arun's in second place, following Alinea, and before Tru.

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Seasons

Last year, I was very fortunate to have a "pre-thanksgiving" dinner at the Seasons Restaurant, located in the opulent Four Seasons Hotel downtown Chicago, and it was a fabulous experience.

I would really love to go back for another "pre-thanksgiving dinner" this year! Great food, great wine, and great service.

But, what really stands out about my experience here was the dessert that I had. I had the S'mores and that sounds simple enough, but they were like nothing I have ever eaten. The ingredients were simply grahm cracker, toasted marshmallow, chocolate, cognac sauce, and smokey ice cream. What made the dessert so unique was the smokey ice cream. The waiter told us it was infused with tobacco, and it really tasted like smoke! It was the strangest dessert I've ever had, and I don't even think the smokey ice cream even tasted that great, but it was just the the fact that it was so different....quite bizzare.

Birthday Dinners Don't Get Better Than This!

This year, I celebrated my birthday by eating lots of birthday dinners. And Charlie Trotter's is definitely the best place to have a birthday dinner! I love Charlie Trotter's! And, I loved everything about my experience here.

I enjoyed the food. By enjoyed I imply the following: I thought it was good but not great. Only 2 of the courses "wowed" me. In particular, I loved the toasted milk ice cream with nutmeg. And, I have to hand it to Charlie Trotter's....I have hated lamb my entire life. I have never enjoyed it, I just don't like it. However, the lamb shoulder with manchego cheese and parsley definitely "wowed" me. It was simply unbelievable, and this is coming from someone who does not like lamb. One course I actually hated...the cockles with serrano ham. I could not eat this course and neither could my ex-boyfriend (I know, I'm crazy, who goes to Charlie Trotter's with an ex-boyfriend!!). Charlie Trotter's more than graciously replaced this course with a fabulous beef dish. And, even though I honestly think the food is better at some of the other restaurants in this league (Tru, Alinea, etc...), for some reason I enjoyed my experience at Charlie Trotter's infinitely better.

And, yes, you have to order some great wine when you dine at Charlie Trotter's. Unfortunately, we didn't order the 1949 Haut Brion, but the half bottles of Volnay, Montrachet, and Tokaji were all fabulous and more than sufficient. However, I informed my ex-boyfriend that when his hedge fund takes off he better not forget about me, and that we are coming back to Charlie Trotter's to order some yummy wine.

The service...so great, so perfect. Not pretentious in the least, which is one of the reasons I like Charlie Trotter's so much. Alot of restaurants of this caliber and price have an air of pretention about them, and I hate this. In fact, this is one of the reasons Tru annoys me. But, at Charlie Trotter's they are so nice and friendly and really make you feel happy about dining at the restaurant. They were so sweet, and gave us a tour of the kitchen and the wine cellar, where I kept gasping in awe at all the fabulous bottles of wine.

And, most surprising of all, when I was leaving they gave me a gift bag. I have actually never encountered this before and was rather surprised. They gave me the "Charlie Trotter's Cooks at Home" Cookbook and another book called "Les Grandes Tables du Monde" (Great restaurants Around the World). And being a crazy foodie, this is the perfect book for me. They also gave me an organic yuzu-miso vinaigrette. It made me wonder if they do this for everyone who celebrates a birthday here. I have celebrated some special occasions such as anniverseries and birthdays at some extremely nice restaurants, and never have I received a gift. It just goes to show you how classy Charlie Trotter's is.

I have decided I will definitely be back to Charlie Trotter's for my birthday every year from now on. Nothing else will do other than Trotter's!! I wish everyone could celebrate their birthday at Charlie Trotter's, at least once.