Can anyone guess which new Gold Coast restaurant has zebrawood bathroom doors that blend seamlessly into the wall? 
Mystery door
Filed under mystery spot
Graham Elliot
I hadn’t eaten at the former Allen’s restaurant in years, but all I remember is lots and lots of wood. Since former Avenues Chef Graham Elliot recently took over with his namesake restaurant, there is still a lot of wood, but now there are cool mod lampshades, narrow windows that reveal lemons that reach to infinity, and the chef’s own iPod cranking out everything from Postal Service to Led Zeppelin. And the food? Don’t let the kitsch of Pop Rocks, Cheez-its and popcorn fool you, everything is delicious from the Buffalo chicken with blue cheese and Budweiser foam (pictured below) to the Hawaiian wahoo with forbidden rice, peanut sauce and lime foam. 217 W. Huron St., 312.624.9975
Buffalo chicken with Budweiser foam
Filed under new restaurants
Chatting with chef Frank Brunacci
With the stunning skyline view in the background, Chef Frank Brunacci of 16 restaurant in Trump Tower describes his deliciously deconstructed Caesar “salad” pictured below.
Filed under I like to eats, video Q & A
Perennial birch trees
The centerpiece of the new Perennial restaurant in Lincoln Park are these eerily beautiful birch trees that look stunning in natural daylight or when underlit at night. Food shots and mini review of the dining experience to come.
Filed under new restaurants
Mercury Cafe cuts the pickle
It’s the kind of place that seems like it could be swallowed up by new condos any moment, but the bizarre Mercury Cafe is still around in West Town. The floors are uneven, the air a little (OK, a lot) musty and random crap is stacked everywhere, but I still pop in for the decent menu of sandwiches on the cheap—like the turkey, guac and provolone. But even better than the great bread selection is the cup of sliced sweet pickles offered as a sandwich side. They may not make the best use of their obnoxiously large space, but they do know how to slice up a damn good pickle.
Filed under random spottings
Red Velvet Cupcakes at Alliance Bakery
OK, here goes volume 2 of the red velvet cupcake report. I read all kinds of great things about the RVC at Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park, but they just don’t hold a candle to the Goddess and Grocer. I found the cake a bit on the dry side and the cream cheese frosting had a strange sourness to it. I did dig the red sugar crystals added to the top and liked how you can unwrap them pretty easily. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Alliance for its retro bakery vibe and great sugar cookies, Key lime tarts and espresso drinks, but when it comes to RVC, the goddess still reigns. Anyone know of another RVC worthy of investigation?
Filed under red velvet cupcake report
On the table: La Pasadita
Filed under on the table
Going gastrosexual
While a metrosexual man takes over the bathroom, a gastrosexual guy goes straight for the kitchen.
Filed under ..and more
ELIZABITES 