Food4Talk

Atwood Café
www.atwoodcafe.com
1 W. Washington Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602
312.368.1900

Note: This picture is from the Atwood Café  website (www.atwoodcafe.com)

The Background: DG, MM, and I dined at Atwood Café on Sunday, September 20, 2009. A week prior, DG, a Facebook friend and co-chair of Friends of Muntu volunteer group, sent out a FB email asking people if they wanted to go see Stoop Stories at the Goodman Theatre.  So, four of us planned to attend and eat at Atwood Café.  Although, CND  had planned to meet us for dinner, she could not meet us at Atwood  due to traffic and wether issues. However, we hooked up with her at the Goodman.

The Food:Initially we were going to pop in the Atwood Café for a light fare but I was really hungry and ordered from the Chef’s Menu, that is, a three course prix fixe menu.  For my first course, I ordered the mixed baby lettuces with tangerine-basil vinaigrette and teardrop tomatoes. I found the salad refreshing and  for some reason, the tomatoes triggered bittersweet thoughts about the ending of summer.  The tomatoes also added the right amount of color to the greens.  My main dish was grilled organic chicken breast with bacon-scallion mashed potatoes, french green beans, port wine reduction.   I ate half because I wanted to save room for dessert which was a dark chocolate soufflé cake with rum zabaione, chocolate sauce.  Heavenly.

The Wine: I ordered one glass of a 2007 Adlesheim Pinot Gris from the Wilamette Valley, Oregon (http://www.adelsheim.com/).  I feel the need to add that I am not a wine expert.  I order what I like.  If I do not gag when I take the first sip,  then I think it is pretty good. My standards are a bit higher than that but I order what stikes my fancy at the time of dining.  I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about pairings.  And, and, more often than not, I will ask the waiter to make a suggestion (Note to self, It might be a good time to do another wine tasting class with Bin36.).

The Ambience: I love the decor. On the  www.atwood.com website, they descibe the dining room as vibrant and I agree.  I am usually winding down on Sunday evenings, so the food, the company, and the ambience gave me a boost for the show.

The Service: The service from the waiter was below average but not terrible.  There are waiters and waitresses that look at a table and decide how much of a tip they might get.  If they think the tip is not going to be “large” then they will not spend a lot of time with the diners, especially inexperienced wait staff.  That is what I felt about the waiter we had.  Once he saw that only one 3-course meal was going to be ordered (the other ladies ordered a drink and one course), then he did not feel obligated to spend a lot of time with us.   He showed up, took the orders, and came by at his leisure.  Even when we told him we had to be at the theater, he did not seem too concerned. The bus staff made him look better than he was.  In this instance, it was the waiter.  I have been to the Atwood Café on a number of occasions and never had an issue with service.

A few more details: I have been to the Atwood Café  for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is one of my favorite “contemporary comfort food” restaurants.  It reminds me of home.  It was a perfect night to dine there as the weather was rainy and  almost fall-like night.  On such nights, I want to be in familiar surroundings where I know the food is consistently good. That’s the way I feel about Atwood Cafe.  The evening could have easily come undone because the first 20 minutes of the meal DG was on a business call and could not get off.  I did not know MM but we clicked and were able to find things to discuss while DG completed the call.

The  Atwood Café is in  the heart of the loop.  It is situated on the  southwest corner of State and Washington Streets and diagonally across from Macy (formerly Marshall Fields).  It is within walking distance of the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Theater, Millinium Park, the Art Institute, the Architecture Foundation,  Symphony Center, and the Chicago Cultural Center.

Finally, The Atwood Café is apart of the Burhnam Hotel, an architectual landmark.   Atwood Café is named for Charles B. Atwood who was an artictect in Daniel Burnham’s firm.  As many of you know, Daniel Burnham was a city planner and architect and much of what you see in Chicago is his vision, especially the lakefront and the Emerald Necklace which connect the city’s major parks (or did).  There are many books about Burham but the most fascinating one is not about his at all.  The book “Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson gives a good account about who he is and his role in shaping the architecture of Chicago.

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This recipe comes from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/kale_potato_hash.html

My variation from it is indicated by italicized text  surrounded by single brackets. For example, [Variation].

Serve as a side with a steak or pork chops or set a poached egg on top for a hearty breakfast or brunch. [I have served with poached and eggs over medium. Both are equally good.  I have not served it with pork chops or steak but I get no complaints with ham or bacon.]

Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

8 cups torn kale leaves (about 1/2 large bunch; see Tip) [You can substitute with spinach]
2 tablespoons horseradish [I have cooked without horseradish but it is really good with it.]
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt [I don't add salt]
2 cups cooked shredded potatoes (see Ingredient note) [I use frozen shredded potatoes]
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Place kale in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and finely chop. [I do not microwave kale but saute it.]
2. Meanwhile, mix horseradish, shallot, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped kale and potatoes; stir to combine.  [I cook the potatoes first and separately.]
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the kale mixture, spread into an even layer and cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and returning the mixture to an even layer, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. [I have put it in the oven and let it bake unti potatoes brown, then crack two eggs over until the eggs are medium texture.  ]

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 240 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 244 mg sodium.

TIP: Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves.When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it–allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Ingredient Note: Fresh, partially cooked, shredded potatoes for hash browns can be found in the refrigerated produce section and sometimes in the dairy section of most supermarkets. Alternatively, boil potatoes until they can just be pierced with a fork but are not completely tender. Let cool slightly, then shred.

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Park Grill

http://www.parkgrillchicago.com/

11 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60602-4812
312.521.7275

In my opinion, The Park Grill makes an excellent burger. Generally, I try not to order hamburgers at “fancy” restaurants because there are too many other choices. However, on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, I felt my inner carnivore surface and craved a hamburger. In addition, I had heard they make great burgers. CYT and I ordered salads and split the burger on the specials menu. Neither CYT nor I was disappointed.

We also ordered a lovely quartino, that is, a half carafe, of Viognier. For all the wine purists who say beef and white wine don’t go together, well, I say it ain’t so. The wine, salad and half burger went well together. I did not have the heavy feeling of eating too much. The meal was very satisfying and I felt the wine complementary.

There was one tiny glitch. It is almost not worth mentioning but I have to because Food4Talk is about the whole dining experience. Overall, the service was good. However, when we ordered the quartino, CYT tasted it and thought it was okay. As the waitress was filling CYT’s glass, the waitress noticed a crack in the carafe. She immediately replaced it. When CYT tasted the wine again, she said to the waitress, “You opened a new bottle, didn’t you?” The waitress said yes. CYT remarked that there was a marked difference and the wine from the newly open bottled tasted extremely good. Since I didn’t have a taste of the first quartino, I cannot comment on the difference but the wine I tasted was light and fresh.

Okay, there was one other thing. There seemed to be a huge gap between the time we finished our salad and the arrival of our burger. This was a bit disappointing since the woman two tables over arrived later than we did and was served her meal of a salad and scallops before us. Overall, it is not a huge thing but when you are hungry….  The good news is that when the burger arrived it was nice and hot.

This was my third visit and I will certainly visit again. The food was very satisfying and the issues were small. Some might say it is a bit touristy but when hunger strikes and you are near Washington St. and Michigan Ave it doesn’t really matter, does it? 

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Last Wednesday (July 29, 2009), I attended a meeting on the rooftop of theWIT.  It was a beautiful Chicago day and I enjoyed a nice glass of wine as I waited for my meeting.  When the meeting assembled, we decided to go to the second floor because it was too noisy and crowded on the rooftop.  After the meeting was over a friend of mine met me at theWIT.  We decided to go up to the Rooftop for dinner.  However, this time, we were stopped by a “keeper of the gate.”  We were asked if we were staying at the hotel, if we had reservation, or  if we were meeting someone.  Finally, I said I was up there earlier and that I didn’t seem to have a problem.  Is there a problem?  The woman moved aside and let us go in.  Unfortunately it was so crowded that we decided we should go to the second floor and have dinner.  By the time we got down there my friend and I decided that we would eat somewhere else.  I am not sure why my friend came to the same conclusion about staying there but I did not get a good vibe.   

Food4Talk is about the whole dining experience and theWIT never made it to first base.

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Tasting Notes
True to ripe with lemon drop and grapefruit proceeding tropical fatness. Offers a range of sensations from steely crisp, to rich & complex. All these flavors are framed with a herbaceous twist and a dry finish.

Fermentation
Fermentation 90% Stainless, 10% American Oak

 Aging
Aging – Barrel aged 3 months in 100% American Oak
Aging potential of wine 3 years

Awards
Gold Medal – Orange County Fair 2007, Gold Medal – California State Fair 2007, Double Gold – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Comp 2008, Gold – Grand Harvest Awards 2008, Gold – Long Beach Grand Cru, Silver – New International Wine Comp 2008, Silver – Dallas Morning News 2008, Gold/Reserve Class Champion – 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition

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Wine ordered at Tapas Valencia

From www.wine.com

winemaker’s notes:

Pale straw color with some brilliant highlights. Very fresh bouquet that brings to mind mineral notes, apples and pears with a slightly exotic touch. This intensity on the nose comes through again in the mouth with full fruit flavors and outstanding freshness that lingers on the palate.

An ideal wine for a light aperitif and a perfect accompaniment to salads, poached or grilled seafood, prawn cocktail, poached, fried or grilled fish. Also complements sushi and sashimi dishes.

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Easy Like Sunday Morning — Kale & Potato Hash

Last modified on 2009-08-23 16:13:57 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

This recipe comes from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/kale_potato_hash.html

My variation from it is indicated by italicized text  surrounded by single brackets. For example, [Variation].

Serve as a side with a steak or pork chops or set a poached egg on top for a hearty breakfast or brunch. [I have served with poached and eggs over medium. Both are equally good.  I have not served it with pork chops or steak but I get no complaints with ham or bacon.]

Makes 4 servings, 1/2 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

8 cups torn kale leaves (about 1/2 large bunch; see Tip) [You can substitute with spinach]
2 tablespoons horseradish [I have cooked without horseradish but it is really good with it.]
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt [I don't add salt]
2 cups cooked shredded potatoes (see Ingredient note) [I use frozen shredded potatoes]
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Place kale in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and finely chop. [I do not microwave kale but saute it.]
2. Meanwhile, mix horseradish, shallot, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped kale and potatoes; stir to combine.  [I cook the potatoes first and separately.]
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the kale mixture, spread into an even layer and cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and returning the mixture to an even layer, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. [I have put it in the oven and let it bake unti potatoes brown, then crack two eggs over until the eggs are medium texture.  ]

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 240 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 244 mg sodium.

TIP: Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves.When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it–allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Ingredient Note: Fresh, partially cooked, shredded potatoes for hash browns can be found in the refrigerated produce section and sometimes in the dairy section of most supermarkets. Alternatively, boil potatoes until they can just be pierced with a fork but are not completely tender. Let cool slightly, then shred.

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Grilled Pineapple Recipe — hmm hmm good.

Last modified on 2009-08-16 20:10:27 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

A guy I was dating made this recipe for me.  Alas, I fell in love with the grilled pineapple.  I have not thought about this dish for awhile. Yesterday, I mentioned this recipe to a friend and she said send it to me.  Of course, I have never made it but  I found an excellent recipe at http://video.about.com/bbq/Grilled-Pineapple.htm, which I would like to share with you.  Try it.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.  I have had them served as a dessert and as a topping on a hamburger.

Transcript: Grilled Pineapple

Hi, I’m Derrick Riches for About.com Food, and today I’m going to show you how to grill pineapple

Grilled Pineapple Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 pineapple
• 1 cup of rum
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 2 cups of water

Cut the Pineapple

Cut the pineapple by first cutting off the bottom, cut down the sides removing the outer skin of the pineapple. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

Mix the Rum Marinade

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of rum. If you prefer not to use rum, use 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar dissolved in water.

Marinate the Pineapple

Add the pineapple slices. Marinate pineapple slices in mixture for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Grill the Pineapple

Grill pineapple slices over a high heat for approximately one minute per side. Serve pineapple slices with a scoop of ice cream or cut into slices and enjoy.

And that’s how you grill pineapple. Thanks for watching, to learn more visit us on the Web at food.about.com 

Grilled Pineapple Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 pineapple
• 1 cup of rum
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 2 cups of water

Cut the Pineapple

Cut the pineapple by first cutting off the bottom, cut down the sides removing the outer skin of the pineapple. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

Mix the Rum Marinade

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of rum. If you prefer not to use rum, use 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar dissolved in water.

Marinate the Pineapple

Add the pineapple slices. Marinate pineapple slices in mixture for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Grill the Pineapple

Grill pineapple slices over a high heat for approximately one minute per side. Serve pineapple slices with a scoop of ice cream or cut into slices and enjoy.

And that’s how you grill pineapple. Thanks for watching, to learn more visit us on the Web at food.about.com

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The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant

(312) 786-1401

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1530 S State St (at 15th St)
Chicago, IL 60605
312.842.4444

Best Valet Parking

 www.tapasvalencia.com/

I have been to Tapas Valencia several times.  I think it is a great find.  I love the food, the wine, the service, and the price of valet parking ($5).  Now I have another reason to like this place: $2.00 appetizers between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.  I think it is Friday only.

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On Friday, January 30, 2009, Reva, Charlie and I went to Opera Restaurant to Celebrate the Year of the Ox.   Reva had the soup of the day, which was Oxtail soup.  For her entree, she had a noodle dish but I cannot remember the name at the moment.  Charlie and I shared the Beijing Five Spiced Short Ribs and we both ordered the salmon.

Although, it was a very good dining experience,  I am not sure I would have called it a Chinese restaurant but a Chinese-inspired restaurant.  There also was something missing that I cannot put my finger on.  It’s like a dance movement or a piece of music that is technically very good and the artist does everything right but it doesn’t move or inspire me.  That’s what I felt about Opera.   Seeing the decor, which is exquiste, was worth the trip.

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