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Fresh On The Scene, Part I

Another month, another restaurant.

Friday May 13, 2005.     By Centerstage Staff

Food Feed

It's the inevitable tragedy of to-do lists: As soon as you cross one task off, there are four more chores to add. Well whip out that dining-do list, because we've got a new smattering of spots for you, delivered in a two-part round-up of recent openings. These are places you'll want to make a dedicated visit to as well. Read on to get the skinny on much talked about seafood spots, new faces in old places and where to wine and dine.

Blue Water Grill
File under: Sensational seafood
B.R. Guest Restaurants, a fixed character in the New York City dining scene, have stabbed fork in the former Spago location. Putting a twist on traditional Asian chow, Executive Chef Dirk Flanigan and Sushi Chef Hiroshi Takaishi jam-pack the menu with contemporary American fare flavored with Asian inspiration. Special rolls include Mexican maki, Maine lobster with Asian basil, BBQ freshwater eel with cucumber, spicy tuna with a Thai chile dipping sauce and Three Eel Dragon roll. But fish isn't all that's being caught in this sea. Land lubbers can dine on dishes like crispy skin free-range chicken served with French beans, buttery potato puree and garlic-red wine jus.

The live-music heavy second floor houses a private bar, dining room and lounge, making Blue Water Grill a mood-setter for a long night out on the town. Looking for a late night sushi menu? Blue Water Grill serves until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Cleary's on Clark
File under: Irish goes organic
This Wrigleyville establishment was known as The Outpost in a past life, but has reinvented itself as an Irish pub under the ownership of County Limerick ex-pat John Cleary. Gone is the old-world decor, having been replaced rich wood, and lots of it. The tables, chairs and flooring are all crafted from solid lumber, and the elegant but sturdy mahogany bar stretches in perfect fashion for propping up a row of patrons whose posture has slumped into disarray after savoring one of more than 40 kinds of scotch and Irish whiskey.

In addition a bar selection that trumps the typical pre- or post- Cubs game drink, Cleary's also features a seasonal menu with a natural foundation, specializing in dishes containing organic ingredients. Start your meal with chunk-laden potato soup or steamed mussels, and work your way toward specialties such as organic Irish salmon (served with brown bread and red onions) or Harp beer-battered fish and. There's also a list of sandwiches (the best being the BLT) for those wanting a smaller meal, all of which should be ingested slowly to save room for the herbed fries that accompany them.

D.O.C. Wine Bar
File under: Shiraz and small plates
Finally, a Chicago bar where you can actually engage in coherent conversation as opposed to trying to read lips. D.O.C. is the acronym for "denominazione di origine controllata," which, in Italy, defines the specifications for how a particular wine is produced. Conveniently, this is also the acronym for Dunlays on Clark, the coinciding restaurant next door (Logan Square's Dunlays on the Square completes the trio).

D.O.C.'s wine list is extensive, covering 28 pages of all varieties of wines from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, New Zealand, Argentina and, of course, the United States. Wines can be purchased by the bottle, glass, flight or taste, and prices vary as one would expect. Not into vino? D.O.C. also offers a selection of spirits, port, cocktails, champagnes and dessert wines and specializes in small plate appetizers such as pan-seared Prince Edward Island mussels, grilled lamb lollipops, original pizzas and an assortment of seafood, vegetable and cheese cold plates. D.O.C. is available for private parties (for which the staff will prepare custom menus and beverage options), tastings and wine classes.

Sal & Carvao
File under: More meat, please
Sal & Carvao, the second Brazilian Churrascaria-style steakhouse to hit River North, is virtually indistinguishable from its just-a-stone's-throw-away competitor, Fogo de Chao. The decor differs but the concept is the same: all the meat you can eat, sliced tableside by guys in adorable gaucho pants. At $48.50 a head, the gimmick plays best to free-spending tourists and businessmen, but unlike many tourist hot-spots, the food here is good, and if you play your cards right, you might get your money's worth.

Diners are given a small cardboard disc: One side is red and one side is green. When you're ready to begin, turn the green side up, and the gaucho parade begins as the servers approach you in a steady stream, one by one, to offer you their selections. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the frenetic pace and variety of food, which includes up to 14 types of meat. When you've had enough, turn the disc over to red. Turn it back to green to get the meat parade to jumpstart. Fried plantains, mashed potatoes and cheese-bread rolls accompany the meal, and there are dessert options if you haven't had your fill.

Oysy
File under: Maki and more
There are a lot of great things that need to be said about this ultra-modern Japanese bistro, and the fact that its name means delicious when translated into English is just one of them. Other rave-worthy facets include genuinely friendly hosts and sushi chefs; sleek, IKEA-esque decor; hip, ambient music; and prices low enough (usually five to ten dollars per entree) to allow for sampling of a sizable chunk of the menu.

Sushi is, of course, the main attraction at Oysy, but don't let the enormous list of special maki prevent you from tasting the grilled, cooked and tempura entrees that are also available. The grilled steak with garlic miso marinade is tender and full of flavor, and the sauteed scallop with ginger garlic sauce is worth a double order. If you must feast on sushi, top picks include the Firecracker maki (shrimp, eel, cucumber, avocado, cream cheese, spicy tobiko and jalapeno rolled and deep-fried) and a slightly dressed-up Philadelphia (smoked salmon, cream cheese, masago, asparagus, green onion, avocado and cucumber).

Meiji
File under: Randolph's latest
Aiming to maintain the clientele that some of the space's predecessors (D. Kelly and Grace) could not seems a realistic target thanks to exceptionally priced options. Plunk down $8 for the Zensai dish manju-imo and enjoy an unagi- and avocado-stuffed potato cake served with Japanese mountain vegetables lightly fried in a tempura broth.

Meiji's signature maki rolls are steeper in price but also well worth it considering the 15 years of sushi know-how that go into each of Chef Ishi's creations. And forget your typical mochi: I nearly waddled out the restaurant's baroque wooden door after sampling four of these treats, each one besting the one before it. (Try the Green Tea Melle Feuille (pronounced my-fy), honey butter pastry squares with sesame seeds and a green tea pastry cream, served with raspberry coulis.) Despite the fact that Meiji gets its name from a turbulent era in late nineteenth century Japan, the ambiance of the restaurant conveys serenity and elegance. There is a soft glow to the room (another upstairs space will soon be converted into a sake/dessert lounge) and an unusual amount of open space compared to other funky spots in the district.