ment, money it got on a five-year no-interest loan from Gillani’s brother.Noble Fool staggered under monthlyrent and utility costs of about $15,000,but Silk Road will pay only a share ofmaintenance costs, not expected toexceed $12,000 annually. There’s nolease, only a multiyear renewableagreement. Silk Road’s budget,$284,000 this year, will grow to$349,000 for 2007, including in-kinddonations like the rent. The theater willpresent a three-play season next yearwith spring, summer, and fall produc-tions—taking advantage of tourist sea-son—along with staged readings and aprogram for Chicago schoolkids.

Lives of the SaintsThere was grumbling among theSaints, the city’s volunteer usher corps,after a recent advisory that they shouldbe prepared to stand for the entire per-formance of The 25th Annual PutnamCounty Spelling Bee at Drury LaneTheatre Water Tower Place. The showuses four Saints at every performanceto augment the theater’s paid staff. “It’sunusual,” says Saints president B.J.Nelson. “We go on duty at 7 and theshow’s out at 9:15, and this is one of thetheaters that wants us to pick up after-

ComedySportz will be out by the end ofthe month and will take up temporaryresidence at Fizz Bar & Grill, 3220 N.Lincoln, for at least two months.

Like to Do It in Public?Harry Gantz, director and producer ofTaxicab Confessions, is searching for afew dozen couples willing to take reali-ty TV to another level. Sexual Healing,a series starring local therapist LauraBerman, is halfway through shootingeight installments and still looking forsubjects willing to share their idiosyn-crasies with a few million viewers.Each of the hour-long programs fol-lows three couples through a six-dayworkshop. “We’re recruiting heavily inChicago,” says Gantz, who’s serving asexecutive producer. “There’s no partic-ular demographic—straight, gay, what-ever—but they have to be in a commit-ted relationship. And we want coupleswho genuinely have problems.”Dominance issues, body-parts aver-sion, and an open mind about infraredcameras, for example, could qualifyyou and your sweetie for a week offood, lodging, and counseling—not tomention a pair of remote-controlvibrating panties. Call 800-854-0018for an interview. v

The Business

F rom the deck of the pastor’squarters on the 23rd floor of theChicago Temple, it’s easy to spot

the facade of the former Noble FoolTheater Company a block away. TheBavarian fantasy structure—formerlythe Old Heidelberg restaurant andhome to the Fool for less than threeseasons—is now a teahouse, wherecustomers sip masala chai on the tinybalcony and the waitstaff bustlethrough a door marked ACTORS to getto the kitchen. When the comedygroup walked away two years ago itwas a state-of-the-art venue, built withthe help of a million-dollar grant fromthe city and $125,000 from the state,but no theater company was willing totake it over. “You can’t operate a 150-seat theater as a commercialenterprise,” Fool’s managing directorPaul Botts said. So what makes SilkRoad Theatre Project think it cansucceed with an even-smaller venue inthe temple’s basement?

The plotline is similar: a Cinderellacompany lands a fabulous new home inthe downtown theater district, whereit’s expected to live happily ever afterserving an intimate off-Loop-styleexperience to tiny audiences. SilkRoad, the not-yet-four-year-oldcreation of partners Jamil Khoury andMalik Gillani, will present Yussef ElGuindi’s Back of the Throat as itsinaugural production in the temple’snewly constructed 80- to 120-seatvenue. Located on Washingtonbetween Clark and Dearborn—facingDaley Plaza, a block away fromMarshall Field’s, and down the streetfrom Millennium Park—it’s a primepiece of real estate. Gillani just doesn’twant you to call it a basement.

The 27-story skyscraper, designedby Holabird and Roche and completedin 1924, is famous for its soaring spireand the way its first-floor sanctuary isechoed by a tiny, octagonal chapel atthe top, where natural light filteredthrough stained glass windows—notthe view—is the main attraction. Thatand a pair of carved wood altarpieces:one in the lower sanctuary, showingJesus gazing across Jerusalem, theother in the sky chapel, where he’sfocused on the Chicago skyline circa1950. Now, after a $1.5 million renova-tion, it also has an elegantly lit, mar-ble-floored, brass-and-oak-trimmedtheater complex, complete with class-

rooms and offices and planned byBailey Edward Design to be compati-ble with the church’s neo-FrenchGothic architecture.

The temple is home to the FirstUnited Methodist Church, which wasfounded in 1831 and has had a mixed-use facility on the site since 1858. Thecurrent building has 17 floors of offices,most occupied by lawyers (Clarence

Darrow was onsix), which providean income streamfor the church.That commercialorientation issomething thechurch shares withSilk Road: bothartistic directorKhoury and execu-tive directorGillani have moreexperience in busi-ness than they doin theater. Thatcould be a weak-ness, but Khoury, across-cultural con-sultant and fledg-

ling playwright, thinks it’s an advantage. Khoury and Gillani come from

Middle Eastern and South Asian back-grounds, and each had struggled withtheir cultures’ resistance to homosexu-ality. Galvanized by the anti-Arab andanti-Muslim sentiment they saw after9/11, they formed the theater to pro-vide a bridge-building local forum forthe work of playwrights and actorsfrom the Silk Road diaspora. Theycame in contact with First Methodist,which also shares their interest indiversity, while selling group tickets toa play they’d mounted at the CulturalCenter. Though the church didn’t buytickets, Gillani, being a good marketer,kept the conversation going. In 2003Silk Road became the church’s residentcompany, performing in temporaryquarters on the second floor, butretained its artistic independence. “Thechurch is our patron, but they do notcontrol our content,” Khoury says. “Weare not a Methodist theater.”

And here’s where the story departsmarkedly from the Noble Fool folly.The church has paid for nearly all ofthe $1.5 million build-out and is pro-viding the space rent free. Silk Roadcontributed $100,000 toward equip-

ward. A lot of people can’t stand thatlong.” Eileen LaCario of Broadway inChicago, which is presenting the show,and Drury Lane general managerJames Jensen say the problem is thatthe show’s been sold out. “If we havefour unsold seats at showtime,” Jensenpromises, “the ushers can sit.”

The Saints, now nearly 1,800 strong,were among the groups that got theirstart at 2851 N. Halsted, former home ofSaint Nicholas Players, Steppenwolf,Organic Touchstone, and soon,

ComedySportz.That was in 1980,former presidentPenny Schaefersays: “An ad in theReader asking forvolunteers to helpat Saint Nicholasdrew more than 50people.” After thatcompany folded in’82 the Saintsmoved to the

Organic, and in ’84 they broadened theirmission to serve theaters across the city.Schaefer will be part of a panel at a clos-ing event for the Halsted space, which isabout to be demolished. The event willalso include excerpts from notable pastproductions and a guided tour.

Cinderella StorySilk Road Theatre Project’s sweet deal

FLYN

N

Jamil Khoury and Malik Gillani

By Deanna Isaacs

thebusiness@chicagoreader.com

A Farewell to 2851WHEN Sun 4/9,1-4 PMWHEREComedySportz,2851 N. HalstedPRICE $25INFO 773-549-8080or comedysportzchicago.com

Back of theThroatWHEN Previewsthrough 4/7, opensSat 4/8, runsthrough 5/28. Seetheater listingsfor details.WHERE Silk RoadTheatre Project,77 W. WashingtonPRICE $15-$25 INFO 312-857-1234or srtp.orgMORE Silk Roadwill host a freeopen house on Tue4/11, 5:30-8:30 PM.

2 CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO

CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO 3

What Else Is NewTwenty-five more

Bombon Cafe38 S. Ashland | 312-733-8717

$MEXICAN | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER:MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY

A charming new outpost of Pilsen’sBombon bakery, Bombon Cafe offers a lim-ited but excellent selection of lunch itemsin addition to an array of Mexican pastriesand breads. Tortas here feature a vibrantmix of ingredients: the Piolin, for example,layers tender chunks of adobe-marinatedchicken breast with tomatoes, grilledonions, mesclun greens, avocado, andpaper-thin slices of Chihuahua cheese on apumpkin seed-encrusted teleras bun.There are also tasty variations on stapleslike tamales (mushroom, pork in salsaverde) and mini quesadillas, which replacethe typical tortilla with small triangles ofpastry; fillings include bacalao (codfish),zucchini blossoms, and an exceptional onewith huitlacoche (corn smut). ProprietorsLuis and Laura Perea offer two daily soupsand five salads, among them the Popeye(spinach, radicchio, jicama, and bell pep-pers with a serrano vinaigrette) and theXochimilco (beets, frisee, mesclun, apples,pears, and goat cheese with an orangechile piquin vinaigrette). As you’d expect,the spot’s desserts are delicious, from thetres leches cake to treats like piedras, achocolate-topped dried bread pudding.Peter Margasak

Copperblue505 N. Lake Shore Dr. | 312-527-1200

$$$$MEDITERRANEAN, FRENCH | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY | OPENLATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11:30

Copperblue’s stated mandate “to deliver toguests everything they want” was evidentfrom the moment I called to inquire aboutvegetarian options and was told that they’dbe happy to prepare something specialshould the regular offerings not suffice.The focus on personal service extended tolittle table hooks to keep our bags off thefloor and, at the end of our meal, a ques-tionnaire about our preferences, to be kepton file for future visits. The French-Mediterranean cuisine draws from Spainand North Africa, but despite such spicyinfluences flavors were oddly muted.Scallops in sea foam were fresh and per-fectly cooked, but the foam seemed gim-micky and added little to the dish. Anotherappetizer, ravioli with veal, got a fruity kickfrom mostarda di Cremona and came withchewy veal kidneys. Duck leg prepared

with the seasoning blend known as ras elhanout had a nice crispy skin, but theaccompanying foie gras espuma was sosubtle as to taste like savory whippedcream. A bland chocolate torte seemed likea sop to chocolate lovers; a blood orangeparfait was more successful, one clear notedissolving on the tongue. With chefsMichael Tsonton (formerly of Tizi Melloul)and Victor Newgren (MK North) in thekitchen, I’m inclined to think the intensity

will eventually be kicked up a notch.Heather Kenny

Cousin’s Incredible Vitality3038 W. Irving Park | 773-478-6868

$$VEGETARIAN/HEALTHY, SMALL PLATES | LUNCH,DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY &SATURDAY TILL 11

Chef Mehmet Ak has traded his kebab grill

in for two dehydrating cabinets, trans-forming Cousin’s Turkish Cuisine intoCousin’s Incredible Vitality, a veganrestaurant specializing in raw (or “living”)foods. The place reeks of nag champa, butthe menu still nods to his Turkish her-itage: there’s zucchini hummus and tab-bouleh made from soaked and sproutedquinoa; samplers of “living mezes” featurestuffed grape leaves, shepherd’s salad,and house-marinated olives alongside

“not tuna” wraps and minipizzas with avo-cado, mushrooms, olives, and almondcheese on flaxseed flatbread.Mediterranean “pasta” has angel-hairmade from zucchini, raw marinara, and“Parmesan” made from pine nuts. A deli-cious wild cherry cheesecake with a wal-nut crust contains cashews, dates, andraw agave nectar for sweetness. Or try therich hand-rolled raw-chocolate truffles.Susannah J. Felts

RestaurantsListings are excerpted from the Reader Restaurant Finder, an onlinedatabase of more than 3,000 Chicago-area restaurants. Restaurantsare rated by more than 2,200 Reader Restaurant Raters, who feedus information and comments on their dining experiences. Webratings are updated daily; print listings reflect the most currentinformation available at publication time. Reviews are written by

Reader staff and contributors and (where noted) individual Raters.Though reviewers try to reflect the Restaurant Raters’ input,reviews should be considered one person’s opinion; the collectiveRaters’ opinions are best expressed in the numbers. The completelistings and information on how to become a Reader RestaurantRater are available at www.chicagoreader.com/restaurantfinder.

Great Neighborhood Joints and a Steak House That’s Not Just for Tourists

molecular biologist) Eben Klemm nailed it with hispick of a Syrah from Walla Walla, Washington, thatemphasized the subtle buttery notes in the richly mar-bled beef. Side dishes include tempura green beans and onion rings, (both with a subtle note ofcurry), so-so creamed spinach, and in the only misfireof the evening, oily and oversalted hash browns. Thereare a number of sauces available, including a bearnaise,a lush truffle sauce, and a house-made steak sauce—allof which gild the lily. —Gary Wiviott

The crystal ball is cloudy as to whether BLOCK 44can distinguish itself among the dozens of neigh-

borhood joints now boasting hand-harvested heir-loom thises and organic filbert-fed thats. Though theowners have adopted a contemporary American

menu and scrubbed the lateAcqualina’s LED effects thatmade bar drinkers appear to becarousing on the set of Tron, interms of scope and ambition it’s

very familiar. Most of chef Rick Spiros’s menu itemsare really good: the entree-size appetizer of pulledshort ribs, their richness amped by a drizzle of truffleoil, was one of the most luxurious things I’ve slurpeddown in a month. Seared tuna with shoestring pota-

toes and a diced potato salad (truffle oil here again)had very satisfying textural combinations, as did sal-ads with fried artichoke and crabmeat or fried pota-toes, goat cheese, and frisee. Invariably some brightlycolored emulsion—jus, aioli, gastrique, or what haveyou—prettily dresses the entrees. Skate wing, one ofthe trickier cartilaginous fishes to work with, wasvery tender and moist in its yellow pepper-lemonvinaigrette, and the seared duck breast with fig com-pote was lush and flavorful. The only disappointingaspect of either of these dishes was the absence ofany crispy exterior; crispy red snapper, on the otherhand, lived up to its name despite being plopped in apool of thick corn sauce and capped by a large crabpierogi. Even the most conventional dish was suc-cessful: three meaty chops of spring lamb with but-tered brussels sprouts and a risotto croquette.Smaller versions of these and other dishes are avail-able on a prix fixe menu with wine pairings for—waitfor it—$44. —Mike Sula

OTHER RECENT OPENINGSEleven City Diner, 1112 S. Wabash, 312-212-1112Olé Olé, 5413 N. Clark, 773-293-2222Over Easy, 4943 W. Damen, 773-506-2605Wakamono, 3317 N. Broadway, 773-296-6800

What’s New

Baked polenta and spinach tagliatelle; Theo Gilbert making pasta at Terragusto

T ERRAGUSTO, a new Italian cafe and market inRoscoe Village, is a neighborhood restaurant socasual that the waiters eat their staff meal out

front and the chef personally serves and apologizesfor a late appetizer. It also happens to serve house-made pasta as good as—what the hell—any inChicago. Owner and chef Theo Gilbert, who’s workedat Spiaggia and Trattoria No. 10 and hawked his pastaat the Green City Market, works off a tiny but pristinemenu: a handful of antipasti, a half-dozen fresh pas-tas, and family-style plates of meat and fish, all searedand roasted. The bywords are local, organic, and sea-sonal—at the front market counter, alongside thefresh pasta, there are multihued local eggs for sale. Adeboned half chicken was glisteningly moist, rich,and impossible to improve on, and if I could I’d orderthe deeply flavored accompanying spinach as anentree. Baked polenta with sausage and rapini wastexturally perfect, simultaneously yielding and firm,with a transcendently simple stock-butter-cheesesauce. If the thin Swiss chard pasta with Bolognese

sauce was underwhelming(the pasta itself was superb,but the Bolognese was miss-ing the fatty sensuality of thebest versions), that’s in partbecause the cinnamon-dotted

squash ravioli were good enough to silence the loud-est conversation. Terragusto is BYO and open allday—Gilbert figured he’d be around anyway. If youcome for breakfast or lunch you can watch the staffmake pasta in the front window. —Nicholas Day

A t first blush DAVID BURKE’S PRIMEHOUSE seemsstraight out of the steak house manual: boutique

hotel location, well-known chef, and plenty of sizzleto go with the steak, including an in-house dry-agingroom, tiled with Himalayan salt, and a proprietarysire bull named Prime 207L. But on a visit just threedays after the opening, I was already impressed.Service was smooth, professional, and affectation

free, with chef Burke chattingup customers and tossinga Caesar salad tableside. Allmeals begin with addictivecheese popovers, baked inindividual copper pots; fine

starters include Kobe beef sashimi drizzled with truffle oil, pristine east- and west-coast oysters servedwith three sauces, including a terrific tomato-horse-radish granité, and Angry Lobster, a dismantledwhole lobster spiced with cayenne and paprika andserved propped up on a florist’s frog, claws akimbo,with candied lemon and basil. For the main coursesteak is clearly the way to go: my dining companion’sfilet mignon, a lightly aged bone-in beauty, had a dis-tinctive beefy tang, and my bone-in rib eye, dry agedfor 28 days, had me composing a mental thank-younote to Prime 207L. A great steak necessitates a greatwine, and Primehouse mixologist (and former MIT

ROB

WA

RNER

Terragusto Cafe& Local Market1851 W. Addison773-248-2777

David Burke’sPrimehouse616 N. Rush312-660-6000

Block 444436 N. Lincoln773-868-4404

4 CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO

Custom House500 S. Dearborn | 312-523-0200

$$$$AMERICAN, STEAKS/LOBSTER | BREAKFAST,LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

I wanted to like Custom House, ShawnMcClain’s third big splash (after GreenZebra and Spring) in the city’s ever deep-ening puddle of international culinarycredibility. But try as I might, I can’t believethis rarefied steak house completes anysort of holy trinity. On a visit about amonth after the opening, about half thedishes served to my party of eight failed tolive up to their tantalizing descriptions (ortheir prices): the Oregon black truffle risot-to was salty enough to clear tarmac, andthe cannellini beans served with the babylamb were undercooked. On the otherhand, tender veal cheeks with tomatoanchovy preserves were very good, andbaby beets with mascarpone were fluores-cently bright and explosively flavorful. Apiece of marinated yellowtail was flopping-fresh and tasty, and the best dish at thetable was a bone-in rib eye with a redonion tarte tatin. A month later I had amuch better lunch. Cured sturgeon withjulienned apples and pumpernickel toastwas similar to the yellowtail we had thefirst time, and every bit as good. A sea bassfillet was delicately cooked, with crispyskin, though the accompanying truffledmashed potatoes lacked any truffle note.Once more, I think the best thing was thebeef—my prime sirloin was perfectlycooked—but I can’t get past the kitchen’spaternalistic decision to cut up steaks andfan them out like a duck breast beforeserving. Custom House is a tranquil openspace conducive to business meals, prettilydecorated with pebbles, twigs, and rockslike a Zen garden. Still, it seems like thelove is missing. Mike Sula

My friend and I started out with sashimi-grade tuna from the cold-plate menu, twoor three little quivering bites each, accom-panied by a smoked sea salt. Thinly slicedserrano ham topped with manchego wasdelicious; anchovy bruschetta, tiny silverfish piled on toast with thinly sliced avoca-do, were perhaps the best thing we ate.Our large plates were poached halibutand something truly special—simmeredpork belly with that ultrasalty, meaty fla-

vor that screams pig. We finished with abowl of mission figs steeped in red wine,accompanied by a delicately flavored icecream made from cream cheese andMahon, a cow’s-milk cheese from theSpanish island of Minorca. The atmos-phere is loungey, but there’s a plus tothat: the enormous cocktails are serveduntil the wee hours, and there’s a late-night menu Thursday through Saturday.Chip Dudley

Dodo935 N. Damen | 773-772-3636

$AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL |BREAKFAST: SATURDAY-SUNDAY; LUNCH: SEVENDAYS | CASH ONLY

Fans who mourned the closing of Leo’sLunchroom (and pretty much everybodyelse) will find a lot to like in Dodo, a tinynew Ukrainian Village spot. The cafe sharesthe space with an art gallery, and the pre-dictable funky, punky music plays, but theplace isn’t so arty that it fails to be familyfriendly—in fact kids seem to outnumberthe grown-ups at times. Breakfast dinersare promptly greeted with outstanding cof-fee (La Colombe Torrefaction fromPhiladelphia); French toast is moist inside,crispy outside, and for an extra buck canbe upgraded with maple-sauteed bananas.Other breakfast items range from theexpected (Irish oatmeal, omelets, baconand eggs) to the unexpected (Japanesebreakfast pancakes, rice with vegetablesand seaweed). At lunch, served weekdaysonly, there’s a cafe assortment of soups,salads, and sandwiches, plus tamales withfillings that change daily and creative com-binations such as a salad with carrots anddried apricots and the “Dodo monsieur,” ahouse version of the grilled classic. JimMitchell

Go Roma Italian Kitchen848 N. State | 312-252-9946

$ITALIAN, PIZZA | BREAKFAST: SATURDAY-SUNDAY;LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

For a quick lunch or dinner, you could do alot worse than Go Roma Italian Kitchen, a“chef-driven” chain offering pizza, pasta,sandwiches, and salads that recentlyopened its first city location. Pizza with a

Restaurants

We believe that a restaurant can be more or less than the sum of its parts, so apart from rating Food, Service, and Ambience, Reader Restaurant Raters are asked to give a score for the overall dining experience. These overall scores are averaged and rs are awarded as follows:

rrr top 10 percentrrr top 20 percentrrr top 30 percent

of all rated restaurants in our database

A restaurant can have high scores for Food, Service, and Ambiencewithout receiving an rrr rating; a restaurant may have unspectacularratings yet still possess an unquantifiable something that our Ratersfeel deserves recognition.

What do all those rs mean?

Del Toro1520 N. Damen | 773-252-1500

$$TAPAS/SPANISH | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS; SUNDAYBRUNCH | OPEN LATE: THURSDAY & FRIDAY TILLMIDNIGHT, SATURDAY TILL 1 | RESERVATIONSACCEPTED FOR LARGE GROUPS ONLY

The menu at Del Toro, a newish small-plate restaurant in the former Mod space,is ambitious if occasionally pretentious.

CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO 5

6 CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO

crispy, thin crust, the focus of the menu,comes by the half or full plank; you candesign your own or order classics like themargherita or plain pepperoni as well astrendier toppings like sun-dried tomatoand goat cheese. The garlic cream sauce incountry-style rigatoni could have been alittle thicker, but other ingredients—Italiansausage, red peppers, and mushrooms—came in just the right proportions. A touchof sharply flavored pesto added extradepth to tomato-basil soup. It’s the atten-tion to detail that makes Go Roma betterthan your average fast-food dining experi-ence: a dedication to fresh, healthy ingre-dients (the menu promises “no trans fats”);speedy, friendly service; and a stylish inte-

rior that owes more to the design firms ofMilan than the pizza parlors of Sicily.Heather Kenny

Hachi’s Kitchen2521 N. California | 773-276-8080

$$$$JAPANESE | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE:FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT, TUESDAY-THURSDAY TILL 11

Jim Bee of Sai Cafe brings sushi to LoganSquare with this spot just south of theboulevard. The menu’s extensive: soupsand salads, hot and cold appetizers (weenjoyed gyoza, panfried pork dumplingsserved with a slightly spicy dipping sauce),

rice and noodle dishes, plus sashimi andcooked options. The sushi’s superfresh,from basics like tuna to a “fashion” maki(tuna, shrimp, avocado, mayo, fish eggs,and cucumber) and more inventive optionssuch as the excellent Spicy White TunaCrunch. You can also order individualnigiri; I’m a sucker for unagi, and this was

some of the best I’ve ever had. The icecream sampler offered tasty little domes ofgreen tea, lychee, and red bean ice creammeant to be eaten with a toothpick spear.Hachi’s also has a nice selection of winesavailable by the bottle and the glass and avery satisfying house sake. KatherineYoung

Haro2436 S. Oakley | 773-847-2400

$$$TAPAS/SPANISH | DINNER: TUESDAY-SATURDAY |CLOSED SUNDAY, MONDAY

Haro is new and nervous, and it shows: thesmall tapas restaurant oddly situatedamong the red-sauce joints in Heart ofChicago was only half full the night wewent, but when we asked to be movedaway from the flamenco guitarist our wait-er hemmed and hawed for a minute beforesaying, basically, whatever. (We moved our-selves.) The menu has a few novel Basquetouches—baby eels, pintxos (Basque open-faced sandwiches), a few hard-to-find

Restaurants

Food (F), service (S), and ambience (A) are rated on a scale of 1-10, with 10 representingbest. The dinner-menu price of a typical entree is indicated by dollar signs on thefollowing scale: $=less than $10, $$=$10-$15, $$$=$15-$20, $$$$=$20-$30,$$$$$ =more than $30. Raters also grade the overall dining experience; these scoresare averaged and rs are awarded as follows: rrr=top 10 percent, rrr=top 20percent, rrr=top 30 percent of all rated restaurants in database.

Basque white wines—but is otherwise adozen or so cold and hot tapas, with a trioof entree-size plates for those unwilling toshare. House-marinated olives were welldone, but then we hit a bad stretch: whiteanchovies were rubbery and tasteless, andthe serrano-wrapped sea scallops with saf-fron aioli—a combination that looked delec-table in print—should have been servedunwrapped and segregated. A prime rib-eye skewer with a few dipping sauces(including a Cabrales demi-glace that divid-ed the table between “yummy” and “a littlefast foody”) was perfectly cooked but bor-ing—I can think of a few hundred tastierways to spend a ten spot. The fennel-orange stew accompanying the bloodsausage might have been more excitingraw, but the sausage, along with a fewmeatballs in a spicy Spanish tomatosauce—a simple but satisfying plate—werethe highlights of the meal. Nicholas Day

Joy Ribs6320 N. Lincoln | 773-509-0211

$$$KOREAN | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE:FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 4, OTHER NIGHTS TILL 2

Joy Ribs (formerly Jang Mo Nim) is a family-friendly far-north-side Korean restaurantthat offers a number of pleasant surprises.Oddly, the namesake ribs aren’t one of them;the sauce has a decent level of heat, but thepork ribs themselves are just so-so, done inthe accursed fall-off-the-bone Chicago styleand not particularly flavorful. Panchan camein a smallish selection of about eight to tenitems, including a couple of outstanding kim-chis. Marinated kalbi (beef short ribs grilledat the table) were delicious, especially whendoused with a chile-laden hot sauce. And dolsot bi bim bop was a rib-sticking mix of meat,vegetables, rice, and egg, though the ricehadn’t cooked into the crisp shell prized inthis dish. Hangjung sal, grilled cubes of fattypork neck, were more of a standout, as tastyas you’d expect of this decadent cut of meat.The dish that really warrants a trip, however,is the house specialty of pheasant servedwith a rich red broth and tender slices ofstewed daikon, carrots, and greens. At $21.95per person (minimum order of two) it’s notcheap, but it’s absolutely delectable andplentiful enough for four. The pheasant isn’tlisted on the menu and appears only on thehandwritten Korean signs above the booths—be sure to ask about it. Jim Mitchell

May Street Cafe1146 W. Cermak | 312-421-4442

$$MEXICAN/SOUTHWESTERN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | LUNCH, DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY |CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY &SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

On a dismal, industrial stretch of Cermak,the bright, tropical-toned facade of recent-ly reopened May Street Cafe jumps out likea red-hot tamale. There are other surprisesin chef Mario Santiago’s cuisine, and youcan imagine mine when we ordered tigershrimp and got . . . a tiger shrimp—that’sright, just one, but he was a large, meaty,flavorful fellow. Never having met an alli-gator we liked, we ordered it for an appe-tizer, and with a nutty, sage-based coating,it’s not bad, tasting something like—youguessed it—chicken. A corn and chayotechowder was quite good, creamy but notoverly rich and bearing chunks of seafoodand a few snappy roasted poblano strips.Michoacan-style mole was more hot thansweet, with pasilla and ancho chiles andjust a touch of chocolate, and the chilesrellenos also packed a lot of pepperypunch. The Caesar salad wasn’t one—justknife-cut romaine with croutons and what

could be bottled dressing, but the double-cream Brie and pear quesadillas wereinspired; served with sweet crema andchipotle ketchup and listed as an appetizer,they would also be a rich, sweet way to endthe meal. David Hammond

May Street Market1132 W. Grand | 312-421-5547

$$$AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | LUNCH,DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY |OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11

If nothing else this new contemporaryAmerican restaurant from Tru vet AlexCheswick aims to please. From the sunnyhostess to the chatty server to the chef him-self, who emerged late in the evening to per-sonally thank each of the remaining tablesfor coming, everybody at May Street Marketexudes goodwill: they even send you out thedoor with a complimentary little loaf ofchocolate bread. But the kitchen still seemsto be finding its legs. Chilled shots of acreamy potato veloute drizzled with chivejuice—a fancy-pants vichyssoise—were a finestarter, but the salads that followed were amixed bag. In the good one, diced root veg-gies were separated from a toss of mixedgreens by a lusty slice of prosciutto wrappedaround warm goat cheese, but the clump ofarugula and kohlrabi in my friend’s Maytagblue cheese salad was no match for themound of dairy. An entree that paired deli-cate panfried trout with rich braised shortrib was choice, but the venison medallions—visually nifty on a bed of vibrant greenspaetzle and coated with a thick pistachiocrust—came in a too-salty lingonberry sauce.It took a preposterous dessert to win meback: billed as a pomegranate tart, it wasessentially an oversize Oreo, chocolatecrumb crust and a thick layer of fondant,capped with a quivering crown of pome-granate foam. Served with banana icecream and a grilled banana slice and speck-led with pomegranate seeds, it’s ridiculousand ridiculously good. Martha Bayne

Mercury Cafe1505 W. Chicago | 312-455-9924

$AMERICAN, VEGETARIAN/HEALTHY | BREAKFAST,LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | CASH ONLY | BYO

West Town’s Mercury Cafe opened quietly—so quietly that the first few times I passedby, the place was deserted. But slowly itappears to be developing a clientele.Occupying a cavernous storefront oncehome to an Ark thrift store, Mercury offersa simple menu of sandwiches, yummy pas-tries from Alliance Bakery, vegan bakedgoods, and coffee. Soups and salads arepending, says the 24-year-old proprietor,Alexandria Kalika, who opened the cafeafter several years in the trenches atStarbucks and Caribou Coffee, giving the4,500-square-foot space a paint job andoutfitting it with tables, sofas, and free Wi-Fi. There’s still plenty of room for racks ofthrifted garments on consignment, shelvesof used books for sale, and tables full offlyers for local performers and businesses.Kalika’s working on booking an eclectic mixof live music, and there’s an open-mikenight each month. “I realize it’s usuallyconsidered business suicide to appeal to allsorts,” she says, “but with all this space it’spossible.” Martha Bayne

Il Mulino1150 N. Dearborn | 312-440-8888

$$$$$ITALIAN | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER:SEVEN DAYS | CLOSED SUNDAY

Every time a new clone of this Old New

York establishment opens somewhere—Vegas, Tokyo, Long Island—a Darwinianstruggle for reservations commencesamong a certain species of diner that lovesto be the first to throw down outrageousamounts of money to make the scene.Granted, for those who prevail there’s a lotof free stuff: thin fried zucchini, house-cured salume, mussels and bruschetta,several kinds of garlic bread, and a serverwhose sole purpose seems to be to haularound a giant wheel of ParmigianoReggiano. And yes, portions are huge.Steak cartoccio, from an epic list of spe-cials, was a formidable brick of cow smoth-ered in sauteed mushrooms and guardedby a circular battlement of fried potatoes. Iate it, but the question remained: whatpossible justification is there for this $60steak? I can only guess that the majority offood ordered at Il Mulino is taken homeand eaten over a week of lunches, or per-haps presented to the servants in lieu ofwages. Another problem is that many ofthe dishes are overrich and oversauced; myFlintstone-size osso buco was slatheredwith a thick port gravy more suitable forice cream. The same goes for the porciniravioli in champagne-black truffle sauce—highly adhesive, and with barely a hint offungal funk. For dessert we went for freshmixed berries with zabaglione, impressive-ly prepared by a waiter who whipped theeggs, marsala, and sugar over a burner atthe table, then poured it over two glassesfilled with about a third of a cup of berries.Nice—until the check came. Those berriescost $15 per glass; the zabaglione showwas an extra $22. Then again, the produc-tion values are part of what you’re payingfor all night, the whole shebang soundtracked by Andrea Bocelli, CarmelaSoprano’s favorite popera singer. It’s tightlychoreographed, but there’s nothing stuffyabout the chummy, Italo-accented, tuxedo-clad waiters, captains, and servers, whosefrantic bustle recalls the mating scenes inMarch of the Penguins. I don’t think I’veever met anyone who could become a reg-ular at Il Mulino, but I imagine if there aresuch creatures they’re the sort who insiston tooling around the golf course in a yel-low Hummer. There’s no question that thisis a fun place to throw away several hun-dred dollars—preferably not your own.Mike Sula

People Lounge1560 N. Milwaukee | 773-227-9339

$$TAPAS/SPANISH | DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPENLATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 1, OTHER NIGHTSTILL 11

This modest new late-night place serves abrief menu of tweaked Spanish classicsthat’ll take the edge off the most gnawinghunger—especially when washed downwith a glass of full-bodied red or white san-gria. Located in the long, narrow storefrontthat used to be Hito Food and Liquors, it’smore bar than restaurant, with an abbrevi-ated selection of wines by the glass and 25international beers, including a wide selec-tion of Belgian ales such as the pirate-themed Piraat (my favorite). The tortillaespanola here comes as a rich, heartywedge of egg-and-potato galette toppedwith a generous dollop of mild, artery-stopping aioli. Another standard, gambas ala plancha, was a skewer of juicy grilledshrimp over couscous flecked with raisins;a cold plate of citrus-and-vodka-curedsalmon was tangy with lemon and dousedwith black pepper. At $15 the paella is themost expensive thing on the menu, but it’smeant for two, a generous bowl of creamy,al dente saffron rice heaped with mussels,shrimp, and smoky Spanish chorizo.

CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO 7

Desserts include a delicate flan served witha wisp of berry sauce and an ample helpingof apple tart with creme fraiche. Peoplebills itself as a “world music lounge”—there’s live acid jazz on Thursdays (consid-er yourself warned), and on other nightsDJs spin everything from bossa nova toEuro dance music. Note: on weekendsreservations are accepted for parties of sixor more only. Martha Bayne

Quartino626 N. State | 312-698-5000

$$$ITALIAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPENLATE: TILL 1 EVERY NIGHT

Quartino, the latest venture from the own-ers of Gibsons Steakhouse and Hugo’s FrogBar, takes its cue from Italy’s enoteche,wine bars that serve small plates of every-thing from antipasti to beef tenderloin.Chef John Coletta (formerly of Carlucci)occasionally puts his own subtle spin onclassic recipes but stays true to the maintenets of Italian cuisine: the best ingredi-ents, simply prepared. Plates of thinlysliced sopressata, rich duck prosciutto, andsoft, pungent mortadella (the only saluminot cured in-house) come with garnishes ofgiardinera, jammy mostarda (fruit candiedwith a touch of mustard seed), and asweet-and-sour cucumber sauce. Friedpolenta sticks, served with a red peppersauce, are perfectly prepared: crisp on theoutside and soft and creamy inside.Homemade gnocchi didn’t quite achievepillowy transcendence, but a pepperyarugula pesto invited forgiveness. Angusbeef carpaccio, paired with celery andshaved Parmesan, was silky and subtle.The only complaint about a grilled Nutellapanino for dessert was that it didn’t arriveoozing hot; profiteroles with vanilla gelatoand chocolate sauce made for an elegant ifmessy ending. Wines—many offered in theU.S. here exclusively—are available by thequartino (quarter liter), half liter, andcarafe, and there are also plenty of optionsby the bottle. Heather Kenny

Saltaus1350 W. Randolph | 312-455-1919

MEDITERRANEAN, ASIAN,GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: MON-DAY-SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT

Saltaus got off to a rocky start last fall,when head chef (and the restaurant’s par-tial namesake) Michael Taus left just sixweeks after opening. Brad Phillips (NoMi,Blackbird, Tru) stepped in as his replace-ment, and the menu has been heavilyrevamped; Saltaus now has genuine prom-ise. Some of the Asian-Mediterraneanfusions taste as bizarre as they sound—for

example an appetizer of hummus toppedwith mushrooms in a gloppy teriyaki sauce.But others score: duck ravioli came swim-ming in a wonderfully delicate duck con-somme, plump diver scallops atop a pota-to-onion puree and accompanied by cala-mari rings, black olives, and red peppers.Some of the most successful entrees treadlightly: a fillet of striped bass was bolsteredby a nice lemongrass broth and wedges ofbraised artichokes and hearts of palm,while grilled beef tenderloin meshed per-fectly with carrots, a silky carrot puree,and sauteed brussels sprouts. The dessertswe tried fell short of the bar, but not bymuch; honey-sesame creme brulee was abit lacking in sesame flavor. Still, Saltaushas found a sense of direction, though thewould-be loungey atmosphere and elec-tronic music remain annoying. PeterMargasak

The Soiree4539 N. Lincoln | 773-293-3690

$$$AMERICAN, GLOBAL/FUSION/ECLECTIC | DINNER:TUESDAY-SATURDAY; SUNDAY BRUNCH | CLOSEDMONDAY | SMOKE FREE

The Soiree, in the old She She space, hasthe same soothing atmosphere as its pred-ecessor. Chef Daniel Vogel’s menu covers alot of ground: appetizers like crab cakes,mussels, diver scallops, and a roasted beetsalad are complemented by heartier disheslike beef tenderloin with truffles, roastedmahimahi, duck, and pan-seared yellowfintuna. At a recent meal the roasted beets,both red and gold, came on a pool ofcheese sauce with a nest of mixed greens—an unusual and nice marriage of flavors.The mussels were prime specimens: fat,flavorful, and redolent of their beer broth.Our entrees were even bigger hits. Steepedin veal stock and its own juices, the“humanely raised” osso buco was as goodas I’ve had; al dente squash ravioli weresweet and flavorful. For dessert we had adeconstructed bread pudding, cubes oflightly fried, appealingly chewy moistenedbread topped with caramel sauce. Servicewas quietly efficient, and the wine list istop-notch, with several by-the-glass offer-ings between $7 and $10. Chip Dudley

Sola3868 N. Lincoln | 773-327-3868

$$$AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | DINNER:MONDAY-SATURDAY; SATURDAY & SUNDAYBRUNCH

At Sola self-described former surfer girlCarol Wallack has dreamed up a menuboard with expert balance. A roasted-pep-per-and-fennel soup came with a sambuca-infused creme fraiche; a sea greens salad

RestaurantsI’ll meet you on the steps ofthe Art Institute. What time?

WHY DON’T WE MEET FOR BRUNCH AND GO FROM THERE?

Great—what did you have in mind?

NOTHING IN PARTICULAR...BUT I’M TAKING THE EL, SO IT

HAS TO BE CLOSE.

OK, who serves Sunday brunch within three or four blocks of the Art Institute?

The Reader Restaurant Finder thinks like you do. It allows you to search bycuisine, price, amenities, and distance from more than 200 clubs, theaters,and landmarks. And it’s based on reports from more than 2,000 ReaderRestaurant Raters—Reader readers like you who know good food and goodtimes.

w w w. c h i c a g o r e a d e r. c o m

8 CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO

was crisp with water chestnuts and playedthe bitterness of hijiki against the sweetspiciness of hoisin. There were some gim-micks: the “trio of tuna tartares,” thoughfresh, were indistinct in flavor; Parmesanfries with truffle oil sounded fabulous butturned out to be a fancified version of whatyou’d get at Gene and Jude’s. Far morememorable was the black cod, marinatedthree days in miso paste and rice vinegar,then seared and served with curried sun-chokes and bamboo rice; it paired verywell with a 2004 Mak sauvignon blanc bigwith grapefruit notes. We also triedColorado lamb chops with eggplant andleeks, for which our server suggested amedium-weight Cartlidge & Brown pinotnoir—an excellent match. Capping thingsoff were citrus pound cake with mangocurd and a molten chocolate cake withsesame brickle ice cream and wasabi-vanil-la bean syrup. Sola delivers its entire menucurbside—call ahead, pay with a card, andpull up in front. David Hammond

Spa Cafe112 W. Monroe | 312-551-0000

$AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL |BREAKFAST, LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY | CLOSEDSATURDAY, SUNDAY | RESERVATIONS NOTACCEPTED

This venture from chef Patrick Cassata(Eclectic) offers a healthy and wheneverpossible organic alternative for a Looplunch. Cassata himself graciously greetedthe long line forming at the register of theincandescent, track-lit room. He alsooffered to put together a nice tasting menufor us. We started with the Okinawan sweetpotato and chipotle soup, a smooth, some-what spicy purple treat; a delicate chicken“Chilango” soup; and a rather flat andwatery turkey chili with corn and blackbeans. We then devoured our Thai chickenand organic marinated tofu lettuce wraps;the tofu version tasted more like chickenthan the chicken. A buffalo-style chickenbreast was savory enough to offset our ini-tial distress about being served somethingbuffalo. The spice-rubbed skirt steak withtomatillos, black beans, and guac hit thespot, and I enjoyed our grilled steak andavocado “quesaninni” in spite of its name.We also tried the cucumber water (it didn’ttaste as green as it looked) and the lemonwater—I’ll stick with tap next time. JohnKouris

Spacca Napoli1769 W. Sunnyside | 773-878-2420

$$ITALIAN, PIZZA | LUNCH: MONDAY-WEDNESDAY,FRIDAY-SATURDAY; DINNER: SEVEN DAYS

On a plane in 2003 Jonathan Goldsmith fellinto conversation with the owner of a NewYork pizzeria, who saw a Sun-Times photoof Goldsmith cooking at the InspirationCafe and suggested that he open a restau-rant. Intrigued, Goldsmith, who’d lived inItaly for many years, started hanging out atpizzerias in Naples, eventually spending sixmonths in the city. Soon he was makingplans to convert a storefront he’d boughton the quiet corner of Sunnyside andRavenswood into something like you’d findin Spaccanapoli, the historic center ofNaples. The key was the oven: trueNeapolitan pizza is just flour, water, yeast,salt, and a few spare toppings baked in anoven so hot it could almost forge steel, upto 1,200 degrees. To build his, whichGoldsmith matter-of-factly says is “proba-bly the best oven in America,” he packed ashipping container in Naples with threetypes of sand, three types of brick, and a

slab of volcanic stone—13,000 poundstotal—then flew three third- and fourth-generation Neapolitan oven builders overto build it (it took them ten days). Theresult, which stands in the corner, tiled andshimmering with heat, is turning out thereal thing: pizza with a pliable, not crack-erlike, crust with blackened blisters, theirtops moist with fresh mozzarella and a fewclassic toppings (margherita, quattro for-magi) and their rims puffy. Hired byGoldsmith to superintend the pie produc-tion, Italian native Nella Grassano is alsoproducing splendid versions of antipastilike zucchine alla scapece. Nicholas Day

State Restaurant & Cafe935 W. Webster | 773-975-8030

AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY/REGIONAL | BREAK-FAST, LUNCH, DINNER: SEVEN DAYS | OPEN LATE:FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT

This sumptuous, cavernous room is ahead-scratcher. Is it a sports bar? (Theplace is currently BYO with no beerallowed, but dozens of TVs line the walls.)An Internet cafe? (There’s free Wi-Fi, andlaptops are available for rent.) A swankyLA-style dining room? We couldn’t decide,and neither, I think, can the management.Meanwhile, though service was attentiveand friendly, the contemporary Americanfood was nothing to write home about.Crab Rangoon, accompanied by a savorydipping sauce, were crisp but the fillingtasted dull. Both of our entrees, vealmedallions and a Delmonico steak, wereon the fatty and chewy end of the spec-trum. Standard sides—fresh green beansand garlic mashed potatoes—were moresuccessful, but dessert was hands downthe best thing about our meal. A bitter-sweet chocolate mousse with a surprising-ly thick texture, it came served in a martiniglass and ringed with whipped cream andfruit. On the other hand, dinner for tworan a shade over $80 with tip—this is com-fort food that’s not so comfy. RobChristopher

T-Spot Sushi3925 N. Lincoln | 773-549-4500

$$$JAPANESE | LUNCH, DINNER: MONDAY-SATURDAY |CLOSED SUNDAY | OPEN LATE: FRIDAY &SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

I guess I had different expectations giventhe cutesy, homespun name, becausewhen I walked into T-Spot Sushi I was sur-prised by the swanky Eurobeat vibe, every-thing black and fancy. The T stands for tea,and the restaurant features a long menu ofinfused preparations including a priceyrare white tea as well as green, oolong,black, and herbal, and custom blends likea minty Moroccan. Getting down to brasstacks, we tried the Chicago Fire maki,crunchy tempura encased in velvety avoca-do and dabbed with chile sauce; while Iloved the textures, the roll didn’t have theheat implied by its name, though a spicytuna roll lived up to its billing. A brawlalmost broke out over the last piece of ourpearl roll, crab and tuna adorned withtobiko (the eggs of flying fish) in three dif-ferent colors. A do-it-yourself tartareallows you to pick your choice of fish inone of three marinades. We chose a lime-ginger vinaigrette with white tuna, whichwas served bulked up with a five-fingeredpinch of jicama in a martini glass withfried wonton wrappers on the side—notmuch of a deal for $12. We also tried ahandful of standard sushi and maki andfound them to be, well, standard. If tea’snot your thing you can BYO with a $10corkage fee. Kathie Bergquist

Tagine4749 N. Rockwell | 773-989-4340

$$MOROCCAN | LUNCH, DINNER: SUNDAY, TUESDAY-SATURDAY | CLOSED MONDAY | OPEN LATE:FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL 11 | BYO

The arrival of this Moroccan storefront inRavenswood was heralded throughout theneighborhood for weeks. On opening day itwas swamped, and owner RichardMouhcine seemed out of his depth. Butsince then Mouhcine and chef EddieMaettaoui—who’ve both paid dues at NoMiand the Peninsula—have found their game.The poor lighting has been remedied, serv-ice has become more efficient, and judgingby the respectable number of people thatshow up on weeknights, customers haven’tbeen alienated too much. If the food stillseems slow coming out of the kitchenunderstand that Moroccan food is slowfood, especially when prepared in thenamesake tagine, a clay cooking vessel inwhich food vapors condense on the insidesof the pot and are reabsorbed into sauce.Certain things on the menu just aren’t thatintriguing: the tiny briwats, phyllo puffsfilled with chicken, vegetables, or seafood,and the crevette pil pila, marinated shrimpin tomato sauce, are too tiny to appreciate.On the other hand, harira soup was richand tomatoey, and the lentil soup was alsogood. Entrees, mostly tagines (stewsnamed after the cooking vessel) or cous-cous plates, are much more interesting.Owing to their lengthy cooking times themeats in the tagines are consistently ten-der, but they’re best ordered with sides ofthe very fine, fluffy couscous, especiallythe Rabat tagine, a circle of meatballs sur-rounding an egg poached in a rich tomatogravy. Sultan’s tagine and the Kasbahtagine are large braised lamb shanksserved with peas and artichokes or prunes,hard-boiled eggs, and almonds respective-ly. The couscous dishes themselves arehuge and comforting. If you run low onsauce ask your waiter to bring more. MikeSula

Tony Rocco’s River North416 W. Ontario | 312-787-1400

$$$ITALIAN | LUNCH: MONDAY-FRIDAY; DINNER:SEVEN DAYS; SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH |OPEN LATE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY TILL MIDNIGHT |RESERVATIONS NOT ACCEPTED

With just 15 tables, de rigueur exposedbrick walls, a compact but well-designedwine list, and a menu devoted to Italiancomfort food, Tony Rocco’s River Northpractically begs neighborhood diners tostop by for a plate of pasta and a glass ofsturdy red. We opened our meal withbruschetta, one with tomato, the otherwith oyster mushrooms, both silkily gor-geous. We followed this with scampiFerrari, five enormous shrimp sauteed inwhite wine and garlic and served atoproasted fennel and onion, a richly elegantcombination. Then came an astonishingslab of meat lasagna, roughly the size of aloaf of bread and piled with two hunks ofmozzarella as thick as a deck of cards. Thesauce was on the sweet side, but you can’tfault the generous intentions. Delmonicocacciatore, a perfectly cooked rib eyeserved with peppers, onions, and mush-rooms, was deeply satisfying. For dessert,we stayed the classic course and hadtiramisu, another massive portion.Waddling out into the chill March air, wenevertheless looked forward to returning.Tony Rocco’s may not have been open long,but it’s already found its stride. ChipDudley

CHICAGO READER | APRIL 7, 2006 | SECTION TWO 9