Pili.Pili

230 W. Kinzie St.
312-464-9988
http://www.pilipilirestaurant.com

Pili.Pili made it on the Chicago Winter Delights specials list this year, and I'm not one to pass up prix fixe menus at restaurants that have good reputations, so a group of my friends decided to try this place out. We went at 6 pm on a Wednesday evening and the place was pretty empty the entire time that we were there. I don't think there were more than eight tables being served at once. Our server, Brent, was very personable and did a great job at describing the menu and making recommendations. The manager also visited each table during the meal to make sure everything was okay. Overall the service was wonderful and prompt.

Now down to the nitty gritty. The prix fixe menu contained a fair amount of choices, including two choices for appetizer, at least three choices for entree, and two choices for dessert. None of the entrees really jumped out at me, so I consulted the main menu for more options. I decided on steamed mussels (perfect for two), salmon, and after many questions and much consideration, the chocolate bombe. We were first served a muse of rabbit sausage on mini toast with Dijon. This was my first taste of rabbit. It was very flavorful, a little gamey, and the Dijon added a nice bite. The steamed mussels were served with leeks and carrots in a ginger broth. The ginger broth was a nice background flavor for the mussels, and it was reminiscent of Vietnamese flavors. My only complaint is that we were not served extra bread to sop up the yummy broth. There seemed to be a large gap of time between the appetizer course and the main course, but with good company it was barely noticeable. The salmon arrived and I was impressed with the portion size. My salmon was served on a bed of mashed cauliflower and a celery root puree. Green snap peas were served as an accompaniment. The salmon was nice and moist, with a slight buttery taste. It went very well with the mashed cauliflower. The celery root puree was not impressive and the peas very plain. The chocolate bombe was made with white and bittersweet chocolate (not too much white), with a brownie-like bottom and guava sorbet on the side. The dessert was extremely rich, which takes a lot for me to say. The chocolate inside was very thick and creamy, almost like the consistency of homemade icing that has not cooled down. I could barely finish the dessert course, I felt like I was really overindulging. The guava sorbet added a nice, clean break in between bites of the chocolate bombe.

Overall, the food was good, but it did not make me say "wow!" The food was very flavorful for the most part, but as one of my fellow diners put it, they just didn't complement each other fully. Also, the presentation was on the somewhat bland side. There were few bright splashes of color to catch the eye.

The average dinner entrees range from $15 - $30. The serving sizes were good for the price, and the quality of the ingredients was good. My biggest complaint is the comfort level of the chairs. We were seated at a table in the main section of the dining room and the chairs were a bit uncomfortable. I never really sat back and relaxed in between courses or after the meal. They were also rather hard with little cushioning, and I found myself having to shift positions quite often. This was a nice place to try, especially with a small group of friends, but I must admit that I was a little disappointed after reading all the great reviews that were published in various media outlets, as well as personal dining reviews.