Otom or Bust - Bust for sure!

Friday April 23rd, Matt and I celebrated our two years together (crazy how time flies)! Matt is such an amazing boyfriend that he took Friday off of work to be with me.... Matt really wanted to head to Evanston to check out the town, so off we went. We checked out the Lululemon, a great wine shop, and had some lunch at Dixie Kitchen. Overall, we had a very enjoyable day. In celebration of our anniversary we made dinner reservations Otom 951 Fulton Market at(parent restaurant Moto - this place has to be great, right)?!?!

The decor at Otom didn't disappoint: exposed brick, light hard wood floor, orange accent colors and a striped accent wall crated, an amazing setting for our date! The decor was simple and the lines were cleanp; Matt and I were really liking the vibe. Now for the food....we totally couldn't decide on a starter so we asked for the waiter's assistance - he recommended the pork belly croquette (quail egg, gribiche, papaya). I'm not sure Matt or I knew exactly what we were eating but this pork belly croquette was extremely flavorful and delicious. This of course got us a bit excited for the main event, however our meal took a turn for the worse.... I ordered the pork chop (smoked, bone in; corn panna cotta, crispy kale, sauce piquillo); the pork chop was cooked to perfection but had little to no taste. Oh, and the corn panna cotta was tasteless and totally not worth adding to the plate. Matt had the duck breast (black vinegar gastrique, bulgar, yu choy, lemongrass, ginger) - no joke the duck wasn't edible. I don't think it was cooked and it was mainly fat; not acceptable! If I didn't have a cloth napkin I would have spit this duck right out; and for those who know me well you know I'm not a picky eater nor is there much I don't like. Luckily we ordered the “mac & cheese” (trofie, sweet pea, bechamel, goat cheese, pea tendrils). Otom's twist on mac and cheese was a pleasant surprise, we totally loved the addition of the peas. But let's be honest Matt and I didn't hit up Otom for some mac & cheese!

If you are looking for a Chicago hot spot to check out skip Otom, it isn't worth the trip! Trust us on this.....if you are in the area though do go to Fulton Lounge for a pizza or a good drink (pomegranate martini anyone?).

Matt, I love you! Thank you for a spending the day with me I'm looking forward our many more together.

2 yrs down and many more to come,

Jenn and Matt

PS: They do have PBR - thank God for that!

Perfection @ Gemini Bistro

4.14.2010 Gemini Bistro

It is hard to stay in when it is 80 degrees out - I would much rather walk to a local hot spot for a drink and some tasty eats. After work last Wednesday April 14th, Matt and I walked to Gemini Bistro in Lincoln Park. Clearly we weren't the only ones with the idea because the wait was an hour, however we snagged a seat at the bar and indulged in a fabulous meal. We totally lucked out with an amazing and very knowledgeable server/bartender (he suggested the most amazing app ever).

While looking over the menu I enjoyed a class of Malbec and Matt had a Dogfish Head - we started with the Thai Mussels (red curry, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, Thai basil). These mussels were out of this world and bursting with the most amazing flavors; we even dipped our bread in the leftover juice. The mussels were a little spicy which made the dish even more enjoyable for Matt and I (we like it hot). We then ordered the Gemini Burger (hello it comes on a pretzel roll, we couldn't resist). The mussels and burger provided plenty of food for the two of us and honestly the service and food were spot on. I'm so glad this Lincoln Park hot spot is going to have some patio seating this summer along with brunch! I know we'll be back.

This Friday Matt and I are celebrating our 2 year anniversary (so exciting) and are planning on going to a nice dinner! We haven't officially decided where we are heading but I'm sure it will be good.

Cheers,
Matt & Jenn

A Taste of Chicago's History @ Manny's Deli

Saturday was an amazing day in Chicago, it isn't very often we have 70 degree weather in April! Matt and I started our day with a nice, long walk through the Lincoln Park Zoo and on the lakefront; before we knew it we were on Oak Street window shopping (or at least I was). We had a packed agenda, so after a pit stop at Starbucks for an iced coffee and some substance for Matt (apparently the walk was a little too much for him) we hit the showers and headed off to Manny's Coffee Shop & Deli. Manny's offers amazing corn beef along with a taste of Chicago history!
I'm not sure what I was expecting when walking into Manny's - all I knew was Dad had been there back in the day, oh and to expect big sandwiches. I already knew I wanted to try a Reuben, so I went for it and enjoyed every last bite! It was amazingly big and tasty; let's be honest who doesn't love a place that serves potato pancakes as their side?!?!? Matt just had a plain corn beef sandwich and found himself a little jealous of my pick, however we were both in agreement that the corn beef was outstanding.
There are lots of options to choose from at Manny's; the cafeteria setup (with old men in hair nets ready to serve you) surprised me for some reason. I totally enjoyed the staff's humor while we waiting for our eats. The dining area is set up like a cafeteria as well but the walls are filled with old newspaper articles and other Manny's history. I do have to mention that Manny's does not have cafeteria prices, but the food and the experience is worth the price tag!

Before & After of My Sandwhich

Our beautiful Saturday afternoon didn't end with Manny's - we headed to Munster , Indiana to take a brewery tour of Three Floyd's LLC. Matt loves their beer and really wanted to check out the tour, so we got in the car and headed to Indiana. Needless to say Matt and I had a wonderful day together...

Shalom,
Matt and Jenn
PS: Yes, I did eat the entire sandwich!

Freshest Sushi @ Sushi Wabi

Good Friday means no meat for me, but it worked out perfectly since I totally was craving sushi. Matt and I have heard a lot of positive chatter about Sushi Wabi, which is located at 843 W Randolph Street. Sushi Wabi is fairly small but we were able to sit at the sushi bar without a wait! Let’s be honest, it is kinda fun to watch the chefs create maki rolls.

Matt and I love sushi and enjoy checking out local options – we have been wanting to check out Sushi Wabi for some time now, so we were excited. What’s great about this place is that their menu offers a nice variety of fish and maki rolls (our favorite). Matt and I started our meal off right with one Sapporo and one Kirin Light (two Japanese beers), plus edamame. Then we went with the small maki mono – which includes a combination of three rolls, chef’s pick! We’ve never gone this route before but we totally enjoyed all three rolls and the surprise. We couldn’t resist adding one more roll to our meal so we ordered the hot daisy (albacore . masago . mayo . sesame oil . green onion . chili powder). Sushi Wabi has amazingly fresh fish and that is what makes this tiny sushi restaurant such a power house. If you are looking to check out high quality and super scrumptious sushi, definitely check out this hot spot – live in the downtown, west loop? Sushi Wabi offers delivery, a taste of heaven without having to leave your home.

Since Matt and I are such huge fans of sushi I had to provide you with a few more options that we love:

Blue Ocean
Sushi Par II (um all you can eat sushi, hello)
Sushi Sumba

Next stop, not sure! So, stayed tuned…

Matt & Jenn

I should have known....a cat logo!

Cafe Matou 3.27.10

Matt and I had planned on having a “Matt & Jenn” night on Saturday – change has been all around us lately and we felt going on a date (that included a card of course) would be perfect for a night together!

We headed to Bucktown to Café Matou. Right off the bat Matt and I felt a little out of place. We were seated so close to the other tables it was hard not to listen and pay attention to what was going on with other diners. As a result of the close quarters, we realized we were not getting the service offered to the other tables. Café Matou is reasonable priced and the food was pretty yummy but I would say skip this place! The seating and service killed it for us. Yes, we look young. Yes, our typical place is less stuffy but we still deserve top notch service.

I know all you really want is the down low on the food - Café Matou is unique because they change their menu daily (or so that is what they told the other patrons dining with them). Matt had the trout which was pared with delicious mushrooms and rice and I went with the steak that was cooked to perfection and came with a roasted red onion with goat cheese. We were totally satisfied with out entrees though it was the service and atmosphere that wasn’t up to our standards. Café Matou does offer great desserts – the white mousse was amazing and so was their coffee.

It was great to have a date night together and that is what is most important! However, I’m ready for a redo date at a different location...good thing we have another 40 ahead of us in 2010!

Happy Eats,

Jenn and Matt