Palmito

3605 N. Ashland Ave.
773.248.3087
Costa Rican

This place was excellent! We tried so many different things and they were all wonderfully prepared. I will start with the appetizers:
-tilapia ceviche: it was flavorful and fresh. The only thing I would like more if it had more ingredients. It was basically tilapia, tomato and cilantro, I think.
-fried cheese: SO good! I am a sucker for any kind of cheese, though
-the chorizo empanada: nice smoky flavor. I am not huge on chorizo but this one wasn't too overpowering.

Now for the entrees. I got the pork chop rubbed in cumin with a pineapple glaze over a bed of mashed potatoes. It was a HUGE pork chop that was really thick and juicy. The pineapple was a tad sweet for my taste, but combined with the pork chop and potatoes, it worked well. I also tried the grilled salmon, which was SO good. It was grilled to perfection and served over a bed of couscous. And finally, I did get a taste of the chicken with mango sauce. This was my least favorite, maybe b/c I am not a big fan of chicken breast dishes. The flavor was a bit light for my taste but it was still good.

Now to the desserts! I am not a big sweets fan, but I was impressed. We tried this chocolate drenched cake, which was extraordinary! It may have had some coconut or some liquor in it. Not sure, but all I know is it was my favorite. And it was funny b/c we kept on commenting how much it looked like meatloaf! We also had the rice pudding, which was good but not really my cup of tea. And then this banana dish with ice cream and caramel. Yum!

I definitely overindulged myself. But it was worth it. The place is tiny so make sure to get reservations. It is also BYOB so make sure to get some wine or beer. I would definitely recommend checking this place out!

Bob San

1805 W. Division
Wicker Park
773.235.8888
Japanese

Good sushi at reasonable prices. I wouldn't say the sushi is the best that I have had, but for the price it is a good place to try. The atmosphere is more casual than trendy and it is relaxed. I would recommend the House Crunch roll and the spider roll.

Bacchanalia Ristorante

2413 S. Oakley
773.254.6555
Heart of Chicago
Italian

This cozy and quaint Italian restaurant is very "old school" Italian like its neighboring restaurants in the Heart of Chicago. I went there for lunch and the portions are huge and the prices very reasonable. You get a small bowl of soup with your meal and bread and foccacia. The food was fresh and flavorful. I opted to try the gorgonzola gnocchi. This gnocchi was stuffed with the cheese and covered with a homemade marinara sauce. The flavor of the cheese was a little strong for my taste with the power of the marinara as well. However, it was still good to try it. I would definitely go back there and try a different pasta dish or the eggplant parmesan.