newspaper article in todays (8/1/03 )Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...gepromo451-fea

Restaurants listed in the Tribune Article:

� Full Moon Cafe, North Chicago. A colorful, 24-hour mix of drunken sailors, truckers, North Shore teens, bikers and innocent travelers on U.S. Highway 41.
� Freddy's Pizzeria, Cicero. Interesting grocery story, great pizza, yummy homemade gelato.
� The Country House, Willowbrook. Not only serves a great burger, but it's reputed to be haunted.
� Oceanique, Evanston. Outstanding French seafood.
� Jack Gibbons Garden, Oak Forest. Wonderful old-fashioned steakhouse with a neighborhood feel.
� Bistro Banlieue, Lombard. Best bistro in the suburbs.
� 302 West, Geneva. An old bank building converted into a stylish, romantic restaurant. Contemporary American menu has great fish, greater desserts and a quirky but first-class wine list.
� La Bella Winnetka, Winnetka. Fun, informal restaurant with elaborate tented seating in summer; the wisecracking owner is a hoot.
� Le Vichyssois, Lakemoor. A long drive for most of us, but the fine French food is worth the haul.
� Costa's, Oakbrook Terrace. Greektown food and atmosphere in the suburbs.
� Lao Szechwan, Westmont. Best suburban Chinese, hands down.
� Pancake Cafe, Naperville and Lemont: Lots of pancake houses in the suburbs, but these are the best.
� Dr. Zushi, Northbrook. A wacky mix of Japanese, French and Italian influences, but the food's great.
� Tin Fish,Tinley Park. Informal and fun south-suburban seafooder near the Tweeter Center.
� Carlos', Highland Park. Best fine-dining French on the North Shore.
� Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket, Willowbrook. Great fried chicken with nostalgia on the side; the restaurant's smack dab on Route 66, and they're not shy about telling you.
� Les Deux Gros, Glen Ellyn. The spirit of the late Le Francais resides here.
� Va Pensiero, Evanston. Best Italian in the suburbs (nearby Campagnola is a close second).
� Edelweiss, Norridge. Like Oktoberfest all year with 13 kinds of German beer on tap and German bands as the regular entertainment. Dancing is optional.
� Algonquin Sub Shop, Algonquin. Puts Quiznos, Subway, Potbelly and Jimmy Johns to shame with its unique decor and huge array of menu choices, all of them delicious.
� Cida, LaGrange. Unheralded little Thai place with great catfish curry.
� Mt. Everest, Evanston. Best Nepalese food east of the Mississippi.
� Gina's Italian Ice, Berwyn. Great ice; amazing wall of customer photos.
� Chowpatti, Arlington Heights. Vegetarian, with a 20-page menu!
� Hamburger Heaven, Elmhurst. Stubborn, very popular, tasty little hamburger stand with a memorable color scheme: brown and white.
� Ciara's Place, Aurora. Down-home cooking � the catfish and chicken are great � served in a quiet storefront location.

Have been to some of these and have written a FT Dining post (just do a search): Full Moon, Oceanique, Le Vichyssois, Carlos', Va Pensiero, Chowpatti, Hamburger Heaven. My favorite on the list is Hamburger Heaven and Chowpatti, both are just delicious.


[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 08-07-2003).]

Tried Va Pensiero and Oceanique for the first time in the last 2 months. Both times, the meals were excellent and service outstanding.

I may try Algonquin Sub Shop for lunch tomorrow.

I know another FTer (I'll let him identify himself if he wishes) is a fan of Lao Szechwan in Westmont.

Another recommendation for Oceanique... went there last week and really enjoyed the experience. The fish was cooked just right, the presentation was really nice, and the accompaniments were creative. They also divided up appetizers and dessert that we were sharing, which I thought was really a nice touch.

Oh and a fantastic cod ceviche for the amuse-bouche, as well as a nice berry sorbet between courses to cleanse the palate!

I can see why its Zagats rating is so high, but the good news is that it's not a pretentious place, it's all about the food and presentation.