Even More Chicago Dining

Schwa Restaurant is a different kind of "fine dining" restaurant.

Lucille's Tavern is a cut above typical bar food.

Gino's East has the deep dish goods.

Carriage Greens Country Club - Sandtrap Grill is a nice place to visit if you are in the south west suburbs.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

As of Oct 8 2007 Schwa is "closed indefinitely."

Schwa has been up and running for a couple of years now, and it is still one of the most interesting "foodie" places in Chicago. It does not have valet parking, or a bar, or a maitre’d, or a waitstaff. There are only 14 tables in the storefront restaurant. Chef Michael Carlson works with Nathan, Blake, and Aaron (although I have heard Nathan has left), and that is the entire staff! Michael and crew prepare the food, serve it, and clear the tables. They also answer the phones. Reservations are a must, given the small dining room and popularity of the restaurant. Call well before 5:30pm, as once they start serving, no one will answer the phone. If no one answers, leave a message. They will call you back.

They are only open from Monday to Friday.

There are two menus offered at Schwa. The four course menu is $55, while the nine course menu is $105 (see my next journal for a run down on the nine course menu). Given the focus on the food, they do not have a wine list or a liquor license. However, their corkage fee is only $2.50 per person (you can bring your own wine glasses or simply use their bistro glasses). The menu is friendlier towards sparkling wine or food-friendly whites. If you must drink red, anything more than a Pinot Noir would be too overwhelming.

We were a bit apprehensive when we arrived a little before our 5:30pm reservation, to find we were the only two people in the restaurant. On the other hand, we had our choice of seating. The tables and decor are quite simple and comfortable. We took a small table in the corner, near the front window…we thought the four votive candles burning there would be nice touch for our dinner.

The apprehension we felt at first was washed away by the enthusiasm these guys have for their cooking, and for their genuine interest in your evening. We brought a split of champagne for the first courses (we took Aaron up on his offer of keeping it in their cooler). After finishing our champagne, we expected our Vouvray. Instead, Aaron suggested a glass of sake (the next dish was prepared using sake). We accepted that offer and were pleased with the match. The next course again saw a suggestion of "something one of our friends brought for us." Again, being the gracious guests, we couldn’t say no, and again we were pleased with the pairing. It was this kind of unexpected offers, along with their patient explanations of the dish, that really swept us into fully enjoying the evening. The dinner did last about 2 ½ hours, but we probably stretched it a bit by talking with the chefs as they cleared the tables.

Their website is www.schwarestaurant.com. While their hours are 5:30pm to 10:30pm, you need to call earlier in the day to speak with someone.

As of Oct 8, 2007 Schwa is "closed indefinitely."

Menu from Spring 2007

Peas & Carrots
What kind of restaurant offers peas & carrots? Well they are not the kind your mom made. Small pieces of crunchy, Thai-style pickled carrot were served in a small bowl along with a paper thin sheet of pea-wasabi 'nori.' I quickly gave up on the chopsticks and simply picked it up with fingers.

Oysters
This dish combined lightly-breaded and flash-fried oysters with, of all things, oatmeal with maple syrup, studded with plump, warm raisins. Also served with this was a raw oyster shooter in a tiny shotglass at the top corner of the plate. This seemingly wacked-out combination really worked. The oatmeal and oysters complemented each other very well and the sweet accents provided by the maple and the raisins rounded out the dish nicely. Who knew?

Fava
This course was a salad of fresh favas, ramps (kind of like mushrooms) and morels served with a demitasse of warm fava soup that had been laced with black truffle. The fava bean soup was unbelievably rich.

Quail Egg Ravioli
The ravioli arrived swimming in ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, brown butter and black truffle. A quail egg is inside the ravioli, so there’s no choice but to pop the entire thing into your mouth. Good thing, too…the rich and silky combination of the egg plays well with the ravioli, and the sharpness of the cheese gives some contrast as well.

Steelhead Roe
Sake-cured steelhead roe was combined with a pine nut puree and topped with yuzu foam and barnacles. While not a huge roe/caviar fan (I’d rather have my fish a bit more grown up), it was a nice contrast with the ravioli, and served as a good stepping stone into the "heavier" part of the menu.

Halibut Cheeks
The cheeks were cooked en sous vide, served with dual sauces of meyer lemon and basil, over artichoke confit. Outstanding.

Sweetbreads
In this dish, the sweetbreads were paired with plums (prepared in different ways). The lightly-coated, sauteed sweetbreads were very good by themselves. They took on a sweeter taste when paired with ultra-thin plum slices, or with the smoked plum puree.

Lamb
Two types of lamb were presented: strips of lamb loin, and a square of braised, crispy lamb belly. The lamb strips rested on a bed of green curry sauce and beans. Of all things, a house-made shot glass of root beer accompanied the dish. Of course by this time we knew it would pair well, and it did.

Dessert
Two different plates of desserts were served. Warm, soft pretzels served with honey mustard dipping sauce, dates, and tumeric ice cream was very good. A chocolate lover’s plate had two different desserts: a pyramid of chocolate cake was accompanied by a block of the most delicate chocolate caramel mousse I have ever had. What a meal.

Gino’s East opened in 1966, and quickly made its way into the top five Chicago pizza places (of course that is a very subjective list). They became well known for their deep dish pizza and cornmeal crust, and for the sheer size of their pizzas. At the 162 E. Superior Street location (the flagship restaurant), the decor (and I use the term loosely) was also well-known: besides the classic red and white checkered table clothes, any part of the dark paneled booths or walls were fair game for carving or writing your name, date of visit, or just about any (non-profane) thing that you could think.

Quite some time ago, however, the flagship restaurant closed, replaced by a super-sized Buona beef location. Other Gino’s East locations remained open, and pizzas were still available in local supermarket freezer sections. But then in early 2005 (or so, the exact date escapes me now), Gino’s East re-opened at the Superior street location. This location has an expanded bar area in the front, featuring seats at the bar, a few booths, and some high bar tables with bar stools thrown in. There is a carryout area as well. Dining areas are present on the first floor, behind the bar area. This dining room has a set of celebrity caricatures on the wall, and a Chicago mural on the other. The second floor, reached via a sweeping staircase, has banquet rooms in addition to additional dining areas.

In homage to the orginal Gino’s East, they even replicated the graffiti on the walls.

On to the pizza, then. As mentioned Gino’s East is known for its huge, heavy deep dish pizzas. We had the Supreme, which is sausage or pepperoni (our pick), onions, green peppers, and mushrooms ($24 for a medium which guaranteed leftovers). We received the requisite warning that it would take around 45 minutes for our pizza to arrive. We opted for an order of mozzarella sticks ($7.95), in addition to a pitcher of "312." "312" is a wheat ale, brewed by Goose Island Brewing Company, a Chicago-based brewery and restaurant (but that is perhaps another review for another time).

The mozzarella sticks were nothing special, a serviceable enough offering with plenty of marinara sauce for dipping.

The pizza, however, was far better than we remembered it. Besides the generous spread of pepperoni, their tomato sauce featured plenty of tomato chunks. The cornmeal crust was nice and firm, and it has to be to support the massive slices of pizza. They are pretty generous with the butter or oil used to season the pans, too; the crust did seem to have a buttery taste which actually was quite good.

Service was efficient and friendly, and geared toward making out-of-towners feel welcome.

Suburban locations have virtually the same menu, although the Nathan’s Jumbo hot dogs are only available downtown; prices are a couple bucks cheaper out of the city as well.

Carriage Greens Country Club is a public-welcome country club, located in Darien, IL, 25 miles southwest of Chicago. Carriage Greens features an 18-hole golf course and pro shop, banquet facilities, and even a gazebo designed for weddings. Of course an integral part of the golf experience is the "19th hole," also known as the bar. At Carriage Greens, that is the Sandtrap Grill.

The dining room features a long bar (one television at either end) that runs about half the distance of the entire room, with ample seating at the bar and at tables spread through the room. The rest of the room simply has tables. Large windows run the length of the room across from the bar, although they face the front of the building and not the golf course (that is visible through the windows at one end of the room).

The menu is balanced nicely between "bar food" standards and more elegant fare. Buffalo wings, nachos, and chicken tenders (listed as appetizers) and sandwiches like burgers, French Dip, Philly cheese steak, and Rubens represent the more casual dining. Items like quesadillas, shrimp tycoon, and a kabob trio are on a section of "small plates" (more than appetizers but not a full entrée). Entrees include various pastas, pork chops, chicken, fish, and steaks; daily specials are also available.

A basket of bread rolls, house salad or cup of soup, potato, and vegetable is included in most menu items.

Eight-ounce filet mignon ($18): This steak was served with an onion ring riding on top, a double-baked potato, and cauliflower and broccoli, and a steel ramekin of juice for dipping. The steak arrived cooked as ordered (medium well), and did not need the additional juice – the steak was quite tender and lean, and very enjoyable. The potato was good, and the vegetables were serviceable (perhaps steamed a bit too long).

Baby back ribs ($18): This full slab of ribs also came with the same cauliflower/broccoli combo (but who pays attention to veggies when ordering ribs!), thick-cut french fries, and extra barbecue sauce. The slab wasn’t quite as large as you’d see from other Chicago steak houses, but were very meaty and fall-off-the-bone tender. The sauce was more mild than wild.

Blackened chicken breast ($16): The chicken breast was one of daily specials. It was served with pico de gallo (chopped tomato, onion, and chiles) and sliced avocado. All that was balanced atop a mountain of garlic mashed potatoes. This dish was excellent. The first few bites (of chicken alone) left me wondering why people thought blackened anything was too spicy...then the heat began building. It was sneaky spicy...but not overwhelming. The creamy avocado helped cool down the chicken’s spiciness, and the pico de gallo added nice texture and some additional flavor. The garlic mashed potatoes were pretty much overwhelmed by the rest of the dish (but were good by themselves the next day as a side dish for something less spicy). I highly recommended this restaurant.

Their website is http://www.carriagegreens.com.

Lucille’s Tavern and Tapas is more bar than restaurant, but the food they offer is far above the typical burger/wing/nacho bar food nibbles that many places serve. On a recent early Saturday night, around 6pm, we stopped in for a bite. Surprisingly, the place was just about empty except for three folks at the bar. Just a handful of other couples and groups stopped in while we ate. I understand the place does tend to get quite crowded later on at night when the "bar vibe" really takes over, but the upside of a nearly empty restaurant is attentive (almost hovering) service.

In addition to a few wrought iron tables and chairs on the sidewalk, Lucille’s has some tables set near the front windows, affording a view of bustling Lincoln Avenue. The side near the window has booth seating, with chairs facing. The bar runs the length on the room towards the back, with tables set opposite the bar along the facing wall. A single tea light candle graces each table. We grabbed a table near the window, to take advantage of the summer sun.

We started with a pitcher of red sangria (white is also served but red is recommended) for $10, as we reviewed the menu. We had reviewed their menu listed on their website (www.lucilleschicago.com), so were a bit surprised when we were given a two sheet menu printed on white copy paper. The dishes offered on that menu were a subset of the website menu.

We decided to start with two appetizers. The goat cheese croquettes ($6) are a unique take on the typical goat cheese appetizer. Instead of baked goat cheese in a marinara sauce, this dish consisted of four fresh goat cheese (and some cream cheese too, I suspect) balls rolled in seasoned breadcrumbs, then deep fried. A drizzle of Michigan blueberry honey completed the plate. This was a very enjoyable dish, but was quite sweet due to the honey and may have been better at the end of the meal.

The crab cakes ($9) were two white lump crab meat cakes served with Louisiana remoulade and what seemed like fresh cocktail sauce. These crab cakes had a decent amount of crab meat and we really enjoyed the seasoning and the cocktail sauce. What really kicked the dish up (as Emeril might say) were the three dollops of red remoulade...definitely one of the spicier condiments I’ve had and very good. We were glad to have the sangria on hand.

After these two dishes, we had room for a third appetizer. The chicken skewers ($8) feature two marinated chicken skewers with green bell peppers and onions, served with a teriyaki dipping sauce. The chicken, peppers, and onions were nicely grilled, with some pieces a bit crispy around the edges. The teriyaki sauce was serviceable but not particularly memorable.