Mercat a La Planxa *

Mercat a La Planxa

638 S. Michigan Ave

Anyone who watches “The Iron Chef” knows that celebrity chef Jose Garces is behind this dimly lit Tapas style restaurant located in the highly esteemed Renaissance Blackstone Hotel. In its three year lifetime, Mercat a La Planxa has earned a James Beard Award and has easily become one Chicago’s most sought after Spanish restaurants.

Upon entry, Mercat a La Planxa resembles a circular sub-level auditorium where the guests appear to be the center of attention. The elevated aisle that wraps around the entire restaurant grants staff members optimum visibility of the center entertainment. Since Mercat a La Planxa has an open floor plan, every seat in the house offers a great view of Grant Park. Hard to miss is the 30 foot high, glass enclosed private dining room referred to as the “Lava Rhoda” and the massive multi-colored hexagonal designer pieces guiding the way to the downstairs lounge.

In the lounge area, I enjoyed a delicious glass of the signature red sangria. Joey, the bartender made a very personable impression sharing with me some of his career goals and aspirations.  If Joey was any indication of what the other staff members would be like, I knew it would be a pleasant night.

Upon being seated, it took over 10 minutes before we were even acknowledged by our “senior server”.   When he finally came to the table, he didn’t point out any featured items or new additions.  He neglected to share with us any of his favorite dishes and without so much as a proper introduction he asked us if we had been given enough time to order  (I didn't complain, I just took note).

Disappointed in the lack of menu presentation, we entrusted the Chef with his personal tasting menu, which included three wine pairings suitable for each course (i.e. $65 dollars per person without the wine pairings). If you take this route, keep in mind that the chef has supreme jurisdiction over what is delivered to the table, and the chef knows all..


Plus it's just an exciting way to challenge your palate and explore a new menu.  As long as you don't have too many crazy allergies, it can be rewarding to say you've tried something new and exotic.

Pan con Tomat

Chorizo Cantimpalo and Cana De Cabra

Paired with the first course was a citrus, crisp white Rias Baixas, 2006 vintage;  it enhanced the lime and garlic in the “pan con tomat” which is served as a complimentary starter relatively similar to traditional bruschetta.  Included in the first course was the “Chorizo Cantimpalo”; thinly sliced slivers of spicy cured meat served atop bread, “marinated olives”, and “Cana De Cabra” (a spreadable goat cheese, paired with thinly sliced apples and an accompanying balsamic strawberry preserve).  The “Truita De Patata” had an interesting texture and consistency. This Spanish omelette, is more or less a spinach and potato frittata with a saffron aioli drizzle.

Truita De Patata

Gine & Gine 2006 vintage, was the second course wine, a blend of Grenacha, Carinena, and Cabernet. Not to intimidate, but this is by no means a light wine, expect a spicy kick and a lingering aftertaste. So much to say about the “Datiles con Almendras”s; the combination of flavors in this sweet and savory treat was mind boggling to be sure.  Drizzled with a thick sweet sauce similar to condensed milk, but wrapped in juicy bacon, you can't decide if it's a dessert or something else… Regardless, these stuffed dates are well worth the confusion; it's living proof that bacon really does make everything taste better!

Datiles Con Almendras

Also noteworthy were the Creamy “Mixto Croquetas” stuffed with ham, chorizo, and romesco. Perfect in size, texture and consistency; savor them as long as you possibly can because they literally melt away before you you know it.   Shrimp on pizza? Oh Mercat's got it!  “Gambas Con Garbanzos” is a sweet, flaky flatbread pizza that’s topped with chorizo, shrimp, and a special garbanzo bean puree.

Gambas Con Garbanzos

Mixto Croquetas

Lamb lovers should consider the “Pelotas De Calabaza y Cordero”; A unique preparation of ground lamb, butternut squash dumplings, and tangy beech mushrooms.

Pelotas De Calabaza y Cordero

 

Though our server did sporadically come by, Josh the runner who essentially delivered all of our food had already won us over.  

Lentil salad with endive lettuce

The third course wine was a 2004 Yonna Tempranillo, a well balanced medium to full bodied red wine with a milder blend of spices.  The acidity of the wine paired well with the roasted tomatoes, and feta cheese in the warm lentil salad. The char grilled prawns were smoky but still tender and sweet in flavor. Last but not least was our juicy Black Angus rib-eye steak prepared borderline rare to med rare.   Absolutely no complaints here; moist, flavorful, perfectly season and served hot off the grill!

Black Angus Rib-Eye

The Arroz con Leche was the perfect finale to a well rounded evening; a light creamy vanilla custard, swirling bits of rice, garnished with a refreshing dollop of the finest peach sorbet.

Arroz Con Leche and Peach Sorbet

We sampled at least a fourth of the menu if not more in opting for the chef's tasting menu, but it wasn't a bargain.  Between the two of us, we racked up a $240 dollar tab, adding to it two more glasses of wine and a dessert.  If you're not very hungry, you're better off ordering a few dishes and perhaps a bottle of wine.  Mercat a La Planxa is an enchanted little place, with decadent tapas plates that combine unique flavors to create an exceptional dining experience.  

As delicious as the menu was, the service was less than satisfactory; I will be the first to say that I doubt I'll ever go back! If our server was considered a "senior server" I'm not so sure I dare take a chance on the newer ones.  

One star for Mercat a La Planxa

Taxim ***

Situated at the 1500th block of Milwaukee Ave, is Taxim; one of Wicker Park's newest misfits.  If not for the large hookahs perched above the host's stand, or the extravagant bronze tabletops and the plush velvet pillows backing the surrounding benches, Taxim (pronounced 'tax-seem') could easily be mistaken for a Greek Orthodox Church.  With its Cathedral style ceiling structures, rustic medieval light fixtures, and the impressive center display reminiscent of an alter, it's only a matter of time before you start praising executive chef and owner David Schneider on his skillful contemporary Greek menu.

In an attempt to expand people's perceptions of regional Greek cuisine, when David Schneider compiled his seasonal menu featuring seven small cold plates, eight small hot plates, and seven main entrees, he made a conscious effort to leave out (among other traditional dishes), the typical lamb gyros, and the predictable fried "saganaki", opting instead for "htapodaki" a.k.a. tender wood grilled octopus tossed with sweet caramelized red onions and the pastourma rubbed "duck gyro" prepared with the utmost attention, lightly seasoned with cinnamon, delicately tucked into a warm Pontian satz wrap, and drizzled with mint yogurt. Without exaggeration, it tasted like nothing else on earth.

Duck Gyro

Htapodaki- Wood Grilled Octopus

Our server directed our attention to the fabulous wine list that looked to be about three times the size of the regular menu if you can imagine that. Mark, our server, was so helpful; vividly describing what grape varietal each wine producing region of Greece was most famous for; what the temperate climates of each were like, the overall level of acidity, and unique flavors of Greek grapes. I was pleased to find that both he and our table shared the same preference for drier red wines so we went with the 2007 Tsantali “Metoxi” Cabernet Sauvignon, Limnio from Mount Athos.  Mark's only downfall was that he failed to mention that our selection was not one of the selected bottles to be included in the Monday special (50 percent off selected bottles of wine). Though we coughed up an additional $30 dollars, it was money well spent, because the wine was the perfect complement to what would come. It was a powerful, medium to full bodied wine that had a softening aftertaste as the night progressed.
 

 Though the "duck gyro" was the table favorite, the "paidakia me pligouri" a.k.a. "the lamb chops" were as succulent and juicy as could be; served with almond currant bulgur wheat pilaf, and marinated pepper salad.  Seafood lovers can feast their appetites on the "dodekanisiotiko pilafi me melani soupias"; think ample amounts wild Atlantic prawns, mussels, cuttlefish rubbed in a spicy tomato sauce, then accompanied with flavorful southeastern Aegean pilaf of inked basmati rice which was loaded with unidentifiable seasonings. The oven-roasted half chicken was anything but Falstaff; meaning half a chicken is really what you get people! Anything but simple; this dish is heavily infused with wild Greek oregano, and fresh savory; served with roasted fingerling potatoes.

Atlantic Prawns, Mussels, Cuttlefish, Aegean Basmati Rice

Half a Chicken

Believe it or not, we all managed to save some room for dessert, even after our royal feast. Upon Mark's recommendation, we ordered the "boughatsa"; a freshly baked phyllo pastry stuffed with creamy lemon custard, drizzled with honey, lightly garnished with powder sugar, served with two lemons on the side and four forks putting us to the challenge! The "boughatsa" was perfect in size, warm in the center, not too sweet or tart, and is closely related to the "dutch baby pancake"

Boughatsa


 

The Silk Mandarin * * .

The Silk Mandarin requires no advertising, no publicity, and little if any marketing. The reason for this, being that anyone who's stumbled across this mystical little spot, inevitably comes back for more, bringing with him/her, another dilettante with the curiosity and eagerness of a young child. Despite it's shared parking lot, The Silk Mandarin operates by its own set of rules, easily shying away from its surrounding.  Turn your cheek as this place smacks you in the face with it's impressive collection of plaques, awards, and recognitions plastered all over walls of its entry hall. In just 22 years of operation, the restaurant has received rave reviews from the Chicago Sun Times, The Daily Herald, North Shore Magazine, etc. 

“Best Chinese Food” Pioneer Express
“Best Chinese Restaurant” (9 straight years) North Shore Magazine
“Silver Platter Award” Food Industry News
“Reader’s Choice Award” Sun Publications
“At The Silk Mandarin the usual becomes the unusual” North Shore Magazine”
“Asian with a flair” The Daily Herald,
“A smooth style that seduces jaded diners with a promise of excitement and discovery” Chicago Sun Times

North Shore Awards (9 straight years)

Put to shame, I vowed never to underestimate the capacity of any restaurant, however big or small, be it a corporate chain or privately owned.  Guilty in thought, owner of the restaurant Lydia Tsai, walked us past an impressive rectangular fish tank, through the main dining area, and to our comfortable seated booth where we were immediately greeted by our server. Wu Wei, (pronounced, ‘euw’ ‘whey’) did his best to introduce himself; an admirable touch considering how little server/guest interaction generally takes place in oriental restaurants.  Because I didn't expect a wine presentation upon ordering, it came as a pleasant surprise to see Wu Wei approach the table eager to offer a sampling flight of my selected glass of Sur De Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon, an Argentinean wine infused with hints of blackberries, wild cherries, and black currants. 

After what seemed like 30 minutes of me analyzing the menu and bombarding our poor server with countless questions, we finally decided on the sweet and sour seafood soup, the shrimp toast and the potstickers as our appetizers.  The presentation or the soup was unpredicable and was most hospitable.

Sweet and Sour Seafood Soup

From the large bowl of hot soup placed in the center of the table, Wu Wei filled our cups with the sweet and sour goodness, carefully scooping both of us a generous amount vegetables to the light broth. Each spoonful was better than the last, leaving a pleasantly luring aftertaste. I was most satisfied when I'd land a random shrimp, or a fully loaded mushroom combined with a swirling peas and a subtle piece of tofu. Thank God our phenomenal shrimp toast arrived when it did, else we would've been too tempted to continue filling up on the soup. Allow me to say, that the shrimp toast are without a doubt unlike anything you've ever tasted; they'd easily take first place in any pastry contest. An absolute must order here!!!  Expect 6 little wedges: fried crisp on the outside, doughy from the tender buttery shrimp mixed throughout the center. No complaints about the potstickers; powerful in flavor, served with a sauce so pertinent as salt is to a steak.

Shrimp Toast

Appetizers

My Formosa Chicken held both sweet and sour elements with chunks of pineapple, water chestnuts, baby corn, and green onion served with white rice on the side. Wu Wei quickly grabbed my attention when he used the word, “pancake” to describe the Mo Shu; I knew he probably meant to say something along the lines of a steamed rice paper wrapper.  Because there was no attached description, we didn't know what to expect when we ordered the Chicken Mo Shu, (which is available vegetarian, beef, and seafood style).  This dish  was unanimously on of our favorites. A uniqueness in it's preparation; Asian shredded vegetables, grilled and infused with a enjoyable smoky aroma, folded into a steamed rice wrapper. For lack of any sort of menu description, and in case you are allergic, you should probably know that this dish is loaded with Asian pickled cabbage, hidden beansprouts, grilled onions, carrots, and the added chicken.

At any rate, The Silk Mandarin, does not disappoint. The Mo Shu is a great choice for the health conscious, potstickers for the average Joe, and Shrimp Toast for EVERYONE! No excuses. Give your taste buds the ultimate reward they deserve.

Formosa Chicken

Mo Shu

If if sounds too good to be true, It probably is. Though we had such a fabulous experience at dinner time, I wanted to try the lunch buffet to get a better grasp on ALL The Silk Mandarin had to offer. I arrived at 1:30pm, two hours after open, and an hour before lunchtime close. I was flattered that Wu Wei happened to recognize me and that he was much more open this time, offering his wealth of knowledge with little if any prompting from my end. Wu Wei insisted we pass on the buffet claiming most of the food was dead, dry from sitting out so long.  I should have agreed with his opposition upon first glance, or even after the first couple samples, but I committed myself to the crappy buffet so I followed through :(. The buffet does not convey the quality of this restaurant's menu in the slightest. Please do yourself a favor, and just say no to the God awful buffet unless your level of satisfaction lies in fried egg rolls, the crunchy green beans and the red bean paste stuffed sesame ball, the only three selections worthy of consumption. I will say though, the sesame seed balls were damn good! I only had three or four of the perfectly prepared treats.

Portion of Buffet

Wu Wei could see how much I liked them, and packed the last three sesame balls for me to take home to my momma! Definitely a nice higher touch.

Sesame Ball

If it weren’t for the terrible buffet, I would easily rate this restaurant 3 stars; but that requires perfection. The Silk Mandarin gets 2.5 stars for regular dining food quality, personalized service and above average hospitality.

Sapori Trattoria **

Monday family night at Sapori Trattoria is the quintessential essence of Italian style dining. I would be lying if I didn’t say I had one of one of the best dining experiences at Sapori Trattoria. Upon entry, executive chef and owner, Anthony Barbanente, personally escorted us to a lovely patio table, directly under a winding string of incandescent lights, where warm crusty bread and extra virgin olive proactively invited us to indulge.

The warm summer breeze called for a cold refreshing wine that would pair well with our selected dishes. Eli, our self-educated wine connoisseur, provided us with a number of accommodating suggestions as well as various wine samplings. We decided on an Argentinean Malbec Corte C-VistAlba, a beautiful rose, meant to enhance the different sauces in our Cappellacci all'Aragosta (described vividly below), the Gnocchi al Brivido, and finally our Bass a la Piccata.

Each appetizer came in courses; we were given the perfect amount of time to savor each taste. The tomatoes in our bruschetta were red and juicy; they very easily could have been handpicked out of Barbanente’s grandfather’s garden in his hometown Puglia. To say that the Calamari Griglia was phenomenal would be an understatement. One can expect a perfectly grilled squid served a top a well-balanced balsamic vinaigrette, accompanied by roasted red peppers; I doubt I could ever go back to eating fried calamari. Brace yourself for Barbanente’s towering Caprese salad sure to impress; slices of moist mozzarella perfectly sandwiched between alternating layers of tomato slices stacked into a hillocks formation.

If you’re not already booking a reservation to Sapori Trattoria, I’m sure you will after hearing about the Cappellacci all’Aragosta; a perfect conglomeration of sweet, lobster stuffed pasta, tossed in a light creamy tomato sauce. The pesto gnocchi held a strong consistency, a powerful sauce infused with ample basil; and quite possibly the tastiest sun-dried tomatoes I’ve ever have. The bass was not a hit for me; however my team players seemed to enjoy the mild flavors it offered.

For dessert, we ordered the Pana Cotta, a signature Italian treat. I would describe it as a cross between smooth Nutella fudge and Jell-O. For no particular reason, we were offered a complimentary piece of tiramisu and three accompanying glasses of sparkling dessert wine.

I was so impressed with the Monday Family Night theme at Sapori Trattoria, that I was compelled to check it out again during “Tuesday in Tuscany”. Choosing to sit inside this time, I was able to gain a better perspective on the ambiance of the restaurant. I was able to appreciate the live jazz exclusively offered on Tuesdays. The atmosphere indoors was much more reserved and conservative compared to the patio seating though that didn't stop up from taking full advantage of the featured tapas menu.  Spicy polenta fries, savory mushroom risotto, and succulent beef ribs were our tasty tapas selections. The julienned sweet potato shavings accompanied with the beef ribs were so flavorful; they could have easily passed for a self standing tapas dish.

Tuesday tapas are offered at an amazing price with small plates ranging anywhere between $4.99 to $8.99. Vhino Verde was the wine selection for the evening; a dry white wine with a unique citrus lime twist. Not only was the bottle was affordable, but it was the perfect pairing for tasty tapas dinner.

For anyone who’s looking for an authentic Italian dinner, with exceptional hospitality, and countless higher touches, Sapori Trattoria is for you. Eli, our server, was personable, and welcoming; his recommendations were of impeccable taste. I will definitely be revisiting this magical restaurant especially for “Wine Tasting Wednesday”!