SELECTIONS from EAT! | APRIL 2008 | BACK TO CURRENT
Hip to Be (in the) Square
New Lincoln Square eatery Tallulah proves to be a worthy She She replacement
by Audarshia Townsendh
When She She first arrived in Lincoln Square in the late '90s, it brought a new energy to the area it had never seen before. Its ease with casual fine dining launched somewhat of a revolution -- especially with its infamous crispy porcupine shrimp appetizer -- with diners.
So now comes Tallulah in its old space, a new American eatery bringing about that same infectious energy and innovative bites from the old She She days. And we're already excited about one of their appetizers -- the spicy Maine lobster deviled eggs ($7) -- that is certain to become a signature starter. You only get the one egg split in half, so it's well advised to order two of these appetizers because you will not want to share yours. The Friday night we visited, almost every other table had ordered the deviled eggs, so we were surprised that they had not run out of it by the end of the night.
Another impressive starter on Executive Chef Troy Graves's (Meritage Café) well-executed menu was the butternut squash and Gorgonzola ravioli ($8). You get three pieces that are perfectly drizzled in cranberry-orange bisque, and all of these flavors appear to burst in your mouth simultaneously. They even got it right with a simple baby spinach salad that wasn't overly done with fresh crunchy pears, spiced walnuts and golden beets in a dried cherry vinaigrette. The order was enough for two.
The entrees, however, were hit or miss. We ordered the organic salmon that was accompanied by black truffle gnocchi in a Parmesan broth ($22) and the braised short ribs with bacon-brie mashed potatoes and roasted root veggies ($25). Whereas the short ribs were perfectly seasoned and those mashed potatoes were simply scrumptious as a side, the salmon needed a bit more flavor. And while the gnocchi and Parmesan broth complemented each other well, we found the gnocchi a tad mushy.
The pistachio cheesecake ($7) made up for that, as it was the standout on the dessert menu. A not-too-tart cherry compote was perfect for dipping the buttery rich dessert, but the portion could've been just a little smaller considering just how rich it was. But who ever complains about large slices of cheesecake?
In all, Tallulah is a pretty hip replacement for She She, with prompt servers who know the menu in and out, a diverse crowd of diners ranging from North Shore foodies to the area's young professionals, and a chef who's not afraid to jump out of the box. The dining room is diminutive and bustling with conversation, so it's not exactly the spot to go if you're trying to have a romantic rendezvous. And by night's end, they crank up the clubby music -- way up -- as though they're trying to get the party started.
Head here on Tuesday for BYOW (bring your own wine) night, or for Sunday brunch that includes bananas foster pancakes and the Tallulah Benedict with Maine lobster, prosciutto, poached eggs and pesto Hollandaise.
Tallulah is located at 4539 N. Lincoln (773-942-7585); tallulahchicago.com
Small Bites
Mercat a la Planxa
(638 S. Michigan, 312-765-0524; mercatchicago.com)
by Anthonia Akitunde
As it gets closer to spring, we're daydreaming of warmer weather. Lucky for us, the newly opened Mercat a la Planxa transports diners to sunny Spain with its Catalan-inspired menu. Walking up the stairs -- past the intimate bar and waiting area -- you'll find an expansive dining room in front of an open kitchen. Diners are given a feast for the eyes, from mirrored walls to fans etched in white and red to windows looking out onto Grant Park and Michigan. The food doesn't disappoint, either. The menu offers tapas standbys (tapas siempres -- olives, shrimp, etc.) as well as a dizzying array of small plates, entrees and options a la planxa, which literally translates to "on the grill." Tapas newbies can order La Mesa de José ($55 per person at the table) and let famed Executive Chef Jose Garces (Philadelphia's Amada and Tinto) create their dining menu -- or they can take the bull by the horns. Cheese dishes are paired with sweet toppings and crisp apples; treat yourself to the light castellot (cow's milk with lavender jam). Diver scallops are grilled to perfection and dressed in an appetizing mix of garlic, olive oil and parsley. Aromatic and heady, setas al horno -- mushrooms with confit potatoes -- were a delight, sending a plume a flavor from the mouth to your nose. Some misses were had (the soggy spinach salad and arroz con cangrejo, with flavors that didn't quite mix well together), but those were quickly redeemed with dessert: an orange-flavored crème brule and sheep's cheese sorbet paired with grapes.
This is a sampling from the section in the current magazine - to read it all, download a PDF or pick up a hard copy of UR Chicago
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