Bistro Zinc

One of our teams in the office decided to give our visitor Kathe a dinner while she's here in Chicago.  They let me decide on where to eat, so I thought of a place we haven't had a team dinner yet.  While surfing the net, I saw that Bistro Zinc got rave reviews so I booked a reservation.

First and foremost, service wise, the staff deserves a big thank you from us.  Something came up that made us really really really late for our reservation... and yet they still found a way to accommodate us. 

When we got there, one of my friends first reaction was that the place was so French.  It has this feel that is perfect for group dinner.  We started off with appetizers: escargot and foie gras. Loved them both!  I loved the chutney that went with the foie gras, as it really complimented the flavor and richness of the liver.  

For the main course, Kathe and I decided to share our entrees so we could get to try both.  We got the La Crepe au Poulet (Chicken Crepe) and the Grilled Salmon.  We enjoyed both :)  They were so good!  Our other colleagues seemed to enjoy their entrees, too.

And as I mentioned awhile ago, the place is conducive for a fun group dinner.  It has been so busy for the past few weeks at work, but we all had a chance to bond that night at Bistro Zinc.

I'm giving this place 5 out of 5 stars. 

Website: http://bistrotzinc.com/

Address:  1131 N State Chicago

Phone No.: 312-337-1131

Toni Patisserie

So this is what I had a while ago for morning snack: a fruit tart and a pair of mocha macarons from Toni Patisserie.

The individual tart has strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, kiwi and mangoes.  It is good.  It would have been better had they used Philippine mangoes, which I think is the sweetest mango out there.

For the macarons, I wish they had more flavors. Their mocha is so far my favorite.  They said that a lot of people like the almond, but I'm not really a fan of that flavor. 

Ambiance wise, this is a cute place! The displays are mostly on the dainty side.  I recommend this for afternoon dessert.

Giving this place 4 out of 5 stars.

Website: http://www.tonipatisserie.com/

Address: 65 E Washington St. Chicago, IL 60602

Telephone No: (312) 726-2020

Isla Pilipina

This place is usually packed so try to call for reservation a few minutes before arriving.  Don't expect a big fancy restaurant. The first time I've been here, it reminded me of what we call in Manila a carinderia... but mind you, this place is a diamond in the rough.

It's really a bit frustrating that there are only a few Filipino restaurants in Chicago compared to the other Asian counterparts.  I beg to object that Filipino cuisines are not at par with them... and once you visit Isla, you would wish for more Filipino restaurants. 

For appetizers, the Lumpiang Shanghai and Pork Bbq are my favorites.  Filipino Bbq is not your usual barbecue... to begin with, anything barbecued in the Philippines comes skewered.  Lumpiang Shanghai is our take on eggrolls. 

For main course, one of our staple orders is Kare-Kare.  It's beef / ox tripe cooked in peanut sauce.  It's traditionally served with shrimp paste (bagoong) but it's good as it is.

You should also try the Nilaga and Sinigang: perfect for those chilly days. 

For those who are adventurous, you can try Dinuguan.  Its sauce has an interesting ingredient.

Dessert, they have halo-halo, ube ice cream (purple yam) and flan!

I hope that in time, they'll have another branch.  And I hope the next place is bigger and less crowded... that will entice more patrons.  I've seen non-Filipino patrons here at Isla, and it's so touching to see them enjoying Filipino cuisine. 

Food wise, I'll give this place 5 out of 5 stars.  Ambiance wise... come on! The food is so worth it ;)

Website: http://www.islapilipina.com
Tel No: 1-773-271-2988

Crispy Pata (pork knuckle)

Dinuguan (with the special sauce!)

Kare-kare (Peanut butter is the main ingredient of the sauce) -- perfect with shrimp paste

Ginataang Gulay and Hipon (Shrimp and Veggies in Coconut Milk) -- this dish surprised me!  It's very good.  The shrimp was cooked to perfection.

Blue Star Wine Bar

We went here to celebrate a dear friend's birthday last May. Located at a hidden area in Wicker Park, this place won't be noticed easily.
We started off with Bacon wrapped Dates as appetizer. We all loved it! The dates were cooked just right and the bacon and the pear slaw that went with the dish suits so well.
Me and my three other friends all loved our dishes.   We also shared a mushroom flatbread... so crunchy and good :)
And because it's my friend's birthday, he was surprised with a dessert: layers of chocolate crepe with berry sauce.  I loved it as if it was my birthday.
Ambiance wise, this place has it! Good for dates, double dates, girls night out and meet the parent nights.
This definitely deserves 5 out of 5 stars :)

Des Amuse-Gueules D'Henri (Appetizers of Henri)

For some reason, I have this craving for anything Francois for the past few weeks.  So a few days back, I went to Henri for a light dinner... I chose to have just appetizers instead of going for a main course.

If you choose this place, prepare your wallets... it's fine dining, so the dishes are a bit pricier than normal.

The appetizers looked all so fancy, especially on how they're plated.  Servings are a bit small, so if you want to feast, don't be shy on doubling and tripling your orders --- or better yet, order 2 or 3 appetizers, just like what I did.

My favorite among the appetizers I sampled was the Escargot Bourgogne.  The herbs that went with the dish are refreshing... and their own garlic hollandaise gave the perfect flavor.

The next one I tried is the Foie Gras.  This is probably the most expensive appetizer -- even pricier than some of the main courses.  The foie gras itself is good... but I wasn't a big fan of the burnt peach panna cotta that went with it -- the flavor and the texture of the panna cotta didn't really compliment the foie gras.

Another appetizer I tried is the Diver Scallops.  It tastes just OK -- the scallops were pan seared and served with threads of almond crackers.  I find the dish a bit dry, though.

And finally, dessert.  I'm a big fan of their Creme Brulee!  The berries that went with the dessert complimented the Tahitian Vanilla flavor of the cream.  Make room for this.

Ambiance wise, it's not really one of the best, but it is good.  Fancy chairs and chandeliers... and dimmed lights (dim lights always oomph restaurant ambiance) and actually I got the best table when I dined there...  I prefer the tables by the window.  Oh by the way, during the latter part of the evening, it becomes a bit noisy here.

Service wise, I can't complain about anything.   The waiters are very attentive and knowledgeable of their menu.  When they serve the dishes, they would almost enumerate to you all ingredients in what you ordered. They actually even have a check-in for your bulky stuffs like your laptop and shopping bags.

I'm giving this place 4 stars.

Website:  http://www.henrichicago.com/
Address: 18 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60603
Tel. No: 312.578.0763

RPM Italian

RPM Italian is always packed that you need luck to be on your side to make a reservation.  Located in the heart of River North, this is one of the places often preferred by locals.

I went there with my friend, Kathe, during her visit here in Chicago.  I wanted her to experience Chicago dining so I did everything I could to squeeze a reservation for us.  Thankfully, we had that stroke of good luck. 

One thing I like about this place is that they have Moscato in their wine list.  I'm a sucker for Moscato so for a resto to have Moscato in their wine list is a plus factor for me.  

We had Mozzarella Capresse and the Spicy King Crab.  The Spicy King Crab is their pasta dish with squid ink infused in the noodles.  The dish is typically spicy, but we requested for the spicy factor to be modulated. The Mozzarella Capresse is just OK  But the Spicy King Crab rocks!!!!  We also got a tortellini dish... but it was undercooked and salty.

I had high expectations for this place given that it's one of the most booked places in Chicago... but this place didn't really wow me.

Ambiance wise, this place is OK... menu wise, the dishes could be better.

Personal Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Website: http://rpmitalian.com/

Address: 52 W Illinois Chicago, IL

Telephone Number: 312-222-1888

Mindy's Hot Chocolate

Dined here on May 25... we went here after the birthday dinner (advance celebration) of a friend at Blue Star Bistro and Wine Bar (will review on that separately).  And all I can say is… I can’t wait to come back here to try more dessert.  Their desserts are that freakin good!

The moment you come inside the place, you’ll be welcomed with the aroma of coffee beans (they also sell coffee and the bean bags are right by the entrance).   Dimmed lights and tea candles are the primary light sources, so it’s a cute place for after dinner dates ;) <3 nbsp="">

And check out the plating... they plated so good that  they look like hundred dollar desserts!

From the dessert menu, my personal favorite is the Milk Chocolate.  It has tons of yummy choco stuffs like milk chocolate & coffee panna cotta, milk chocolate wort sorbet, almond nougatine, honeyed hazelnut candy, shaved halvah… mmm yum yum!

Personal Rating:  I’m giving this place five out of five stars!

Website:  http://www.www.hotchocolatechicago.com/

Address: 1747 N Damen Ave. Chicago, IL 60647

Phone Number: 773-489-1747

Charlie Brown Cafe - Hong Kong

On our first night in Hong Kong, we had our dinner at Charlie Brown Cafe.  It's a Peanuts themed cafe located at Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong.  The place is decorated with lots of Peanuts characters like Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and the rest of his friends.

Me, Era and Ms. Oma chillin' with Sally, Charlie, Lucy and Linus

Me with Era (who took the pictures I posted for this review) 

Me and Ms. Oma

Charlie Brown Cafe is best known for their desserts.  Their products range from tiramisu, mousses and cheesecakes.  Being a fan of mango-based desserts and yogurts, I got their Mango Yogurt Cheesecake.  I know I had to avoid sweets that night but I'm not regretting that I gave in to the temptation.  It was a delightful treat. 

Meet chocolate Snoopy!  I didn't have the heart to eat him. ;-p

Charlie Chocolate Cheesecake

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Aside from the sweet delights, they also serve pastas and sandwiches.  What I had for that night is fresh mushroom linguine with black truffle sauce.  Also, to soothe my sore throat, I had minestrone soup.  

The linguine was rich in flavor. It was very creamy and the mushrooms are really fresh.  The minestrone soup was very heartwarming.  The next time I go there, I wouldn't think twice having that soup again, even if I don't have a sore throat. :)

Fresh Mushroom Linguine with Black Truffle Sauce

My throat was a bit sore on our first day in Hong Kong.  So to soothe it, I had minestrone soup.  Mmmm mmmm so warm and comforting :) 

With its pleasant ambiance and good food, I'm not surprised that Hong Kong promotes the place not only to her locals but to tourists as well.  The next time I go to Hong Kong , I'll make sure this is part of the itinerary again, especially if my kids are with me. :)

Located at  G/F-1/F, 58-60 Cameron Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Toi Hokkaido Rice Pizza

Sukiyaki Beef Rice Pizza

Yep, you read that right... Rice Pizza. :)  The mere name of the restaurant caught our attention so we decided to have rice pizza for our late lunch.  I haven't tried it before, and neither did my friends Era and Ms. Oma.  Rice and pizza combined sound like tons of calories and carbo, but we realized that it was worth a try... after all, we were about to have a trek to the Ten Thousand Buddhas afterwards. 

Extremely famished, we ordered for a Squash soup and a regular Sukiyaki Beef Rice Pizza.  And believe me, not only were our stomachs satisfied, but our taste buds were equally delighted as well :)  The Squash soup was very creamy.  There were also what seemed to be some squash chips that went with it, if only all squash are cooked that way, there would be no problem feeding kids. The Sukiyaki Beef Rice Pizza was a delight as well.  It was not only topped with sukiyaki beef, but also some cheese and some smoked onion skins. It was very rich in flavor. And the cheese, oh the cheese! I could still remember how orgasmic it felt the moment I bit on a slice of rice pizza. 

And needless to say, after our meal in Toi, we could barely walk... yes, we were that full :) 

Toi Hokkaido Rice Pizza

Shop 704, 7/F, New Town Plaza Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, HongKong

Sober Club Will Rock Your World!

Sober Club is a mobile bar that specializes on shooters. All drinks like margaritas, kamikaze, mojitos are served in miniature shotglasses.  The drinks were that good that I think everyone went home either tipsy, a bit drunk or soooo drunk.  And yes, even those who don't usually drink... drank! They drank a lot!

The colorful shooters are temptations waiting to be drunk

It happened during the birthday party of one of my dearest friends.  The party was held at Valle Verde Country Club (great venue for functions, btw).  The moment I entered the hall, on the left side I saw the light! Kidding hahaha!  I saw the line of shotglasses all filled with colorful mixes.

Boracay Rum shooters! My favorite for the night... I totally forgot they had alcohol

If Rainbow Brite had a favorite drink, I wouldn't be surprised if it would be this. 

Fruit delights:  Apple, grapes and strawberry flavoured shots
(not good with names, so I forgot how they're exactly called)

What even made it more fun is that they actually have shot games.  There's this one game that you have to drink a tower of 7 shots straight. There's also this other game where you have to sip the mangoritas using a straw and then you have to turn around after finishing a shot.  And of course, who would forget that Flamers where you'll be asked to gargle the alcohol and then it will be lit up (see the picture below)

Damn tower of shooters hahaha!

Sip a shot, then turn around, then sip the next shot then turn around again

Flamers! Yep that the alcohol being lit up straight in the mouth
 (didn't try this)

Well anyway, I realized that I need to rest a little after my nth shotglass.  

Carla's brother with the Sober Club mixers!

with the Birthday Girl that night: my dear friend Carla!

Well, to sum it all up... yes, we enjoyed the Sober Club shots big time.  You want your party to be a blast?  Then better make sure the Sober Club is there.

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/SoberClub