Sweet & Savories:

I'm glad I read this thread again. I'm going to try this place on Wednesday. I've always wanted to try a Kobe Beef burger and I want to try the duck fat fries. Too bad the foie gras is going to be gone in a few weeks. From Sweet Willie's review, I'm betting I'll regret not discovering this place sooner.

Maza: ^
I was surprised to see that it's back in the program. In May, Idine listed it as leaving the website at the end of the month. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it ended up not leaving the program. After going to Maza for awhile now, I have to say that I have a love-hate relationship with it. I enjoy the food and the owner is friendly. He remembers my friend and I every time we go there. As other have said in other threads, most 20 miles places are junk, but this place is an exception. I planned on going (though not as often) after it left the program. I even did a big dine blowout on May 31st since I thought it was leaving the program. I finally tried the "Maza Signature Entree." It's a rack of lamb that's cut into 6 pieces and it's cooked in front of you. It's not a bad deal, considering some restaurants charge $30+ for 3 rackcuts of lamb. The lamb tasted good, but in the future, I'll just got the normal entrees. These are a good value at $10-20 (most of them hovering around the $10 side). I finally tried the desserts on the last trip. The Mamoul Bi Tamr was good. It tasted like a giant fig newton flavored with whatever alcohol they use to cook it table-side. I'll definately order that again. The baklava and Halawat al-jubn were tasty as well.

So all that's good, but as I believe I mention in this thread and I have another thread about my birthday experience, I HATE having to send in my receipts to get miles posted. The miles posted automatically the first time I dined here, but I've had to send in EVERY receipt since then. I assume it's because I use my Mileage Plus card, and b/c the owner knows I get miles (one disadvantage of the guy knowing me). I think I should talk to him about the miles so I don't have to get them posted manually.


Chicago Pizza Company, Rolling Meadows, IL:


Avoid this place. The interior is new and clean. There's a sign in the window that says it also has free wi-fi. Those are about the only positives. The Pizza bowls, which the restaurant descriptions says are what it's famous for are okay, but in my opinion, and they are overpriced. A full bowl is about slightly larger than your average kitchen bowl. The bowl is lined with some crust and it's filled like a pizza. To be fair, the bowls tasted fine, but for $18 a bowl, I'd rather get a stuffed or deep dish pizza from a participating Nancy's Pizza, or a non-mile Chicago style pizza place like Gino's East or Due.

For our appetizer, the waitress sold us on the Portofino bread. That was very good, but it is pricey for $6.25.

The waitress was attentive but our waitress messed up our order. She also messed up the other waitress's table next to us. We orded a meat pizza bowl, but we ended up with a spinach bowl that was supposed to go to the table next to us. My friend noticed it after I had eaten most of the bowl. We ended up not saying anything b/c I ate almost the whole bowl anyway, and it tasted fine. Also, we felt sorry for the restaurant b/c it looks like it may go out of business soon. We went at about 6:30PM and there were only 2 other tables being served. The place was dead. Also, the table next to us ended up getting our meat pizza delivered and they were angry. I guess the owner ended up giving them a comped pizza bowl, but I could tell they also weren't going to dine here again.