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wine-centric concept. In the Tavern wine bar, you can swirl, sniff, and snack,
and or settle down at the Cellar for a full meal of American bistro fare (where a
list of higher-end wines by the bottle is available).
Bin 36 manages to be both upscale and relaxed. The restaurant is certainly seri-
ous about wine, but you're not expected to be an expert—this is a place where
you're encouraged to experiment. The menu includes two or three suggested
wines for every dish, all of which are available by the glass—and you won't go
wrong by following the menu's suggestions. “Small plates” available at the Tavern
include shiitake spring rolls, steamed mussels, and a selection of homemade pâtés,
along with a few basic full-portion entrees (hamburgers, roast chicken, ahi tuna);
you can also have fun ordering creative “wine flights,” small glasses organized
around a theme (Italian, Australian, and so on). The Cellar menu focuses on
upscale American dishes, including a variety of seafood, seared venison, and
braised pork shank. The food-wine pairings continue on the dessert menu—I'm
no after-dinner drink fan, but when I tried a recommended sherry along with a
slice of gingerbread-pear cake here one evening, I was converted.
339 N. Dearborn St.
&
312/755-9463.
www.bin36.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $9-$15
lunch, $18-$26 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-midnight; Fri 11am-1:30am; Sat
noon-1:30am; Sun noon-10pm. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Chilpancingo
MEXICAN Here, chef Geno Bahena provides further evi-
dence why Chicago is a center of modern Mexican cooking. The understated,
dark wood of the loftlike interior is livened up with colorful Mexican folk art
and masks, making this a very cheerful place to enjoy a meal. The name comes
from the capital of Mexico's Guerrero state, a town where (according to the
menu) “everything goes.” The same could be said for the restaurant's menu,
which includes a range of upscale Latin American cuisine. Starters include
ceviche on crispy tortilla triangles,
sopa de ajo
(roasted garlic soup), and jalapeño
peppers stuffed with pork and served with black-bean sauce. Bahena has built
up a reputation with his mole sauces; the version to try here mixes 25 ingredi-
ents in a dark, complex sauce served over chicken. Salmon, rack of lamb, and
tuna with squid also take adventurous diners far beyond enchiladas and tacos.
Whatever you have for dessert—crepes, pecan bars, flan—don't miss the Café
Maya Xtabentun, coffee flavored with Kahlúa and a Mayan liquor, delivered by
servers who light the Kahlúa before pouring it into your glass.
358 W. Ontario St. (at Orleans St.).
&
312/266-9525.
www.chilpancingorestaurant.com. Reservations rec-
ommended on weekends. Main courses $7.50-$13 lunch, $15-$25 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs
11:30am-2:30pm and 5-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-11pm; Sun 10:30am-2:30pm and 5-10pm.
Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Crofton on Wells
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN Chef-owner
Suzy Crofton has devoted herself to this contemporary American restaurant, a
70-seat River North storefront with a loyal following and plenty of critical
acclaim to its credit. Crofton's food is simply sophisticated and decidedly Amer-
ican, and the relatively spare dining room fits in with her no-attitude, Midwest-
ern aesthetic.
Crofton's menu is based on seasonally available ingredients: You might start
with a chilled cucumber-and-Vidalia onion soup in the summer, or a roasted
squash soup in colder weather. Entree selections always include a vegan choice and
run the gamut from a simple ginger-miso broth with soba noodles and seasonal
vegetables to more complex creations (such as grilled venison medallions, soaked
in a red-wine sauce with cabbage, huckleberries, and arugula pesto). Crofton's
Finds
