Absentee

It's been a bit, and I have eaten food since last writing. I assure you. Here's a recap of some of my favorite dining spots in Chicago over the last couple of months...

Sunda (north of the River)

We ventured here for a lush going away dinner for two very dear friends, who now are living in Houston where Alan is managing one of the top steak houses in the City. We had the Kobe beef sushi (you can see on the right) which were melt in your mouth, as well as a the Crispy Pata, very nice with the two accompanying sauces. We also had the long ribs which were great. The only thing about this place is that that bar service (not the table!) is awful. Completely non-attentive bartenders. I hope it has changed since were were there over a month ago!

The Gage (on Michigan near the Art Museum)

This is one of the few places open nights after we closed shows at the Harris Theater. Apart from being a little pricey, their menu is a tribute to the higher table of Irish cuisine. A good friend of mine ordered the Scotch Egg, probably the most elegant presentation that said dish will ever hold. And it's really good there, perfect combo of crispy outside, rich sausage-egg innards. Yum. The husband also enjoys their fish and chips, which are plentiful and served pseudo-newspapered. They used to have a great tuna tartar that was wonderful and light, but it is now absent from the menu. Recently I had a brunch there with a friend from out of town. They had one of my all time favorite dishes on the list, Corned Beef Hash, served with poached eggs. It was pretty good, kind of more like a potato and beef salad, not so hashy as usually seen in a diner, a little too salty. But pretty great, none the less!

Hot Doug's (the hot dog stand of hot dog stands)

I did not, sadly, have the foie gras dog...it was not on their rotating menu when I went with a could of good friends. I did have some winners, though my favorites were not what I expected. I really love their red hot dog, which is spicy and classic. We shared one with brie and cranberries, which was alright, and another with a pork sausage. The classic one still lingers in my mind as being one of the greats, however. A tip: know how you want your dogs cooked when you get to the front of the line (oh and there will be a line), and what you want on it. They apparently do not take kindly to the indecisive.

Uncommon Ground (East of Clark on Damen)

A cosy bistro type place, which frequently has live music. We came here a lot with friends this winter after rehearsals. They have a decent wine list and an excellent selection of items all made from somewhat local ingredients (more like, non-imports). The used to have this amazing burger, which I experienced on the eve of its removal from the menu. I can't even really remember what was on this thing. But it was so good, the juices once dripped down the arms of a companion while he dined. How's that for an image. And they took it away! It had these peppers on it that they were no longer able to get from a supplier inside the US. So they canceled the burger. I have also had the polenta as a main dish, and at the hours that we usually visit this joint, it's a perfect amount for a late night.

That's just a taste! More to come, we just bought a grill, so there will be many summer appropriate installments coming up!