Sexy Restaurant Alert: Be Sunda or Be Square

Although Sunda opened its doors earlier this summer, I didn't make it in to give it a test drive until August. I know, I am surprised by myself too... And after I dined there, I nearly punched myself in the face for not having done it sooner. It is definitely one of the sexiest restaurants I have ever been to. Needless to say the food was, well... orgasmic. Brought to you by the same team behind renowned Rockit Bar and Grill and the Underground, Sunda is a must-have dining experience. Not only is the beauty of Sunda's food equivalent to that of its interior, the service was outstanding--well-educated on the menu, warm, and attentive. One of the many examples of the Sunda crew's immaculate attention to detail is that the sushi case is transparent, not just translucent. The glass is crystal clear (no foggy dew blocking the view!) which allows for the colorful, fresh fish as well as the skillful art behind sushi creation to be appreciated to the maximum. It is little things like this that make a dining experience wonderful for me, and Sunda goes the extra mile. Details like the visibility of the sushi case may be small and unimportant to some, but to who it matters most (foodies!), it can make a big impression.

The only problem I had at Sunda was determining which of the mouth-watering dishes to order. I had an angel-devil dilemma on my shoulders--my buds were pulling me in all sorts of directions. On my right shoulder, my sweet buds were urging me to order sweet while on my left, my savory buds were putting up their dukes. I thought it would be best to let them both win... Take one for the team. What a sacrifice! There is no "i" in team, but there is in delicious, satisfying, and orgasmic! This is what I ordered:

-Crab Cake Crusted Ahi Tuna Sashimi-- japanese hot mustard, sweet soy glaze

-Oxtail Potstickers-- braised oxtail, caramelized onion jus, "white" wasabi cream

-No You Didn't... The Ultimate Handroll-- crab, shrimp tempura, salmon, spicy tuna, dynamite

-Charsiu BBQ Pork-- honey, miso, palm sugar glaze

I am being nothing short of perfectly honest when I say that they were all outstanding. I wish I could have tried everything, if only my stomach and budget would allow. So friends, if you are reading this, who wants to go with me this weekend?? I promise it's as good as it sounds.

Moral of the Story? Unlike your love life, Sunda always delivers.

New Restaurant Alert! Gemini Bistro-Lincoln Park

**UPDATE: Gemini Bistro was a success! Important Background Information: The menu is broken down into groups: small, medium, large, and XL. Customers mix and match the dishes they want while being mindful of the sizes so that they end up with a diverse meal that suits them.

I did indeed have the handmade oxtail ravioli, which was to die for. If you go, you must try this. Luckily for me, I got a taste of my neighbor's scallops too! The scallops were cooked absolutely perfectly--they were utterly amazing. I wish I was able to eat more of them because I just had a taste of my neighbor's, which consisted of two jumbo scallops, so I only had a small bite. I also tasted the steak frites and surprise surprise, the steak was juicy and flawlessly cooked. The fries were the perfect balance between fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside and very well-seasoned. It's a great place to go to share and taste a variety of fabulous food.

Moral of the Story? Overall, my buds can't wait to go back!

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I am going to dinner tonight at Gemini Bistro, which is opening today (09/09/09!) in Lincoln Park and I am salivating just thinking about it. The Chef, Jason Paskewitz has created dishes that just the sound of make me happy. You can go to geminibistrochicago.com to check out the menu. I am already having trouble deciding what to order. Between the handmade oxtail ravioli, duck confit nachos, and crispy braised pork belly with butter basted quail eggs, I am in quite the pickle! I may have to try all three... And the best part? The prices are beyond reasonable, especially for how special each dish sounds.

I'll let you know how it is!

Moral of the Story? I am sure I am going to be adding Gemini Bistro to my list of favorites.

The Staple Salad of Your Dreams

I was invited to have dinner at Sergio's house tonight and did not want to show up empty handed. Thus, I asked if I could prepare a salad and the host said of course. I must admit I had a bit of a hidden agenda---I just really felt like cookin'! And boy am I glad I did 'cause the salad was ahh-mazing. I think it is going to become my staple salad from now on. You know... like the salad you whip out on countless occasions? For instance, picture this: "Oh Suzy's coming to the party? I bet she's bringing the Suzy Signature Salad." With Suzy comes salad. Suzy --> salad. Just like that. Except I'm not Suzy.

So here it is, only I am not going to give precise measurements for all of the ingredients because salads are quite easy to predict how much of each ingredient you want or need. You can adjust as necessary for a single serving or a party.

Kara's Staple Signature Salad--The BBPC Salad:

Spring lettuce mix (you know how much you need; I don't!)

Bacon (I use about a slice per person)

Blue cheese crumbles

Shelled pistachios (so unique and delicious!)

Dried cranberries

Dressing--The Staple, Simple Vinaigrette:

Extra virgin olive oil (equal parts EVOO and red wine vinegar {below})

Red wine vinegar

Dijon mustard (if using about 3 tbs of both EVOO and RWV, about a teaspoon or tablespoon will do)

Salt and pep (gotta season it!)

Little bit o' honey (add it little by little, tasting it after each addition to find your desired sweetness)

Toast the pistachios in a pan over low heat for about 3-4 minutes, tossing frequently. Once toasted, set pistachios aside to cool. In the same pan, cook the bacon over medium/medium-high heat until desired doneness. I like mine right at the in between stage of chewy and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per side. Drain off excess fat on a paper towel and allow to cool slightly. While the pistachios/bacon are working, prepare the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in a bowl. If you prefer, take it easy on the honey at first so you can taste it and choose if you want to add more. I like mine with just a hint of sweetness. I accidentally added too much honey and it was too sweet, but not to worry...that's not a problem. I just added a little more EVOO, RWV, and a dash more mustard and ended up making just a slightly larger batch. No biggie--the extras are great to keep in the fridge for another time. Once the bacon has cooled, cut or break it up into salad-appropriate, bite sized pieces. Assemble the salad by placing the greens in the serving bowl, then top them with the bacon, blue cheese crumbles, pistachios, and dried cranberries (hence, the name BBPC). Store in the fridge until ready to serve and dress at the last minute. Note that if there will be a significant amount of time between prepping and feasting, add the pistachios at the last minute along with the dressing so that they retain their crunch!

Moral of the Story? This salad has it all: sweetness (cranberries), salty crunch (pistachios), heaven (bacon), and tang (blue cheese and the dressing). Imaginary Suzy's is imaginarily going down if she steals my signature staple salad!