paytonc

Lucia's -- agreed that it's good but not great. The deli counter is convenient, but I've never used iDine (oops, Rewards Net) there.

Pizza Metro (two locations in Wicker Park) is the only one I visit with any regularity. Great Roman-style pizza, fairly good pasta, a selection of pastries, open late.

Sweet Willie

It has always been my belief that if a restaurant had decent offerings that they would NOT have to resort to being part of a frequent mileage program to attract new customers.
There are always exceptions but these restaurants are just that, exceptions to the mediocrity that is most restaurants that are a part of IDine/Rewards Network.

But as most people on this board I'm a sucker for FF miles and love food, so between those two habits, I needed to give some of the restaurants a shot.

Bailey’s Restaurant & Bar
Cuisine Served: American
10 N Cumberland Ave
Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: (847) 698-1230

At Bailey’s they serve an onion loaf, good but let’s face it, Hackney’s rules when it comes to the onion loaf. I had the Turkey burger which was quite decent. Like I needed more fried food after splitting an onion loaf with my fellow diner but fried thick cut potatoes (chip like but thicker and not that crispy) were good. My dining partner had the meat loaf that was ok. I’ll probably return to Bailey’s as the sandwiches looked good from what I saw on other tables and the fact that my turkey burger was quite good.

Café la Cave
( O'Hare Area )
Cuisine Served: Steak ,Seafood
2777 Manheim Rd
Des Plaines , IL 60018
Phone: (847) 827-7818

Despite the fact that the hostess answered the phone as Café Ler Cave with a hard “A” when we inquired if immediate seating was available, we still ventured forth to dine here.
First off, very unique dining atmosphere as the room is made to look like a cave (what else right?). Second PRICEY. This is some very old school presentation w/full heavy plates, silverware, tuxedoed wait staff mostly men. There is some old school cooking as well, tableside preparations of veal and some desserts. Café la Cave is also part of the Entertainment book and one still earns FF miles even when redeeming the coupon from the Entertainment book. To note Entertainment book is another advertising vehicle like IDine / Rewards Network, if your restaurant is good, you don’t need to advertise here. We started off with the shrimp cocktail and oysters on the ˝ shell. Both very good, oysters were fresh and served with both cocktail and iced vinegar for one to choose from. Mrs Sweet Willie had the brown sugar brined pork chop and I the medallions of lobster, shrimp and scallops in a lobster sauce. Pork chop was excellent, my dish was good as well, seafood cooked perfectly except the scallops which were overdone. If this place was more reasonably priced we might get here on a regular basis. Very good wine list.

Des Plaines Pancake House
Cuisine Served: American
1769 Miner St
Des Plaines , IL 60016
Phone: (847) 299-6601
Normal breakfast cuisine, nothing out of the ordinary. Chorizo skillet served with corn tortillas was a decent breakfast.

Grazie Ristorante
Cuisine Served: Italian
1050 E Oakton
Des Plaines , IL 60018
Phone: (847) 299-0011

Have been twice and was hit and miss. First time was a hit w/a grilled veal chop being spectacular. Second time was very poor and mediocre, no good specials and the regular menu failing to excite.

Maria’s Mexican Restaurant
Cuisine Served: Mexican
1535 Ellinwood Ave
Des Plaines , IL 60016
Phone: (847) 297-4048

Serves one of the best carne asadas in all of Chicagoland. Chicken with mole is a deep rich satisfying dish. Big thumbs up to Maria’s.
Thread on the three Maria’s restaurants: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308457

Romano’s
Cuisine Served: Italian ,Steak
1396 Oakton
Des Plaines , IL 60018
Phone: (847) 827-5571

Here is a thread on Romano’s, seems to have gone downhill.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462530

The Egg Factory
Cuisine Served: American
100 E Kensington Rd
Mount Prospect , IL 60056
Phone: (847) 253-3333

Anyplace that serves home made corned beef hash gets a good grade in my book and it is a good dish here. Think slightly upscale, more Walker Bros. breakfast offerings

Tiffany’s
Cuisine Served: American
2179 E Touhy Avenue
Des Plaines , IL 60018
Phone: (847) 298-7733

Run of the mill Greek owned restaurant w/a huge menu. Food is good, priced right, nothing extraordinary/

Boston Blackie’s
Cuisine Served: American
222 E Algonquin
Arlington Heights , IL 60005
Phone: (847) 952-4700

A chain owned by the same folks who own Carson’s Ribs. So-so food. Cowboy burger (w/guacamole and pepper jack cheese) is a good burger. Slightly pricey for quality served.

Greek Village Tavern
Cuisine Served: Greek
795 E Golf Rd
Schaumburg , IL 60173
Phone: (847) 885-4950

Grilled pork kebabs and shrimp w/Feta tomatoes are two regular good items I get at Greek Village Tavern. The grilled fish can be very good, but beware more complex preparations/seasonings. Simple is better here.

India House
Cuisine Served: Indian
1521 W Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg , IL 60194
Phone: (847) 895-5501

Buffet is a quite good, slightly heavy on vegetarian offerings but the side of Chicken tandori that comes with the meal makes up for this. Around 8-10 different main course items offered for lunch. I’ve found this is a great way to initiate newbies to Indian cuisine as they can try a variety of items.

Lalo’s
Cuisine Served: Mexican
425 South Roselle Rd
Schaumburg , IL 60193
Phone: (847) 891-0911

Tableside guacamole presentation. ^ Good Mexican meals, my favorite chain being Maria’s but Lalo’s is decent. I can’t recall if Lalo’s has fish tacos which I’m a huge fan of.

Max & Erma’s
Cuisine Served: American
2475 West Higgins Rd
Hoffman Estates , IL 60195
Phone: (847) 885-8811

Skip the Max & Erma restaurants, not good.

Nancy’s Pizza & Pasta
Cuisine Served: Pizza ,Italian
1045 S Roselle Rd
Schaumburg , IL 60193
Phone: (847) 584-2255

Take out only. Pan pizza is superior to stuffed and Nancy’s serves a very poor stuffed pizza, enough said, stick with Malnati’s or Due’s for your deep dish pizza fix.

Sir Nick’s
Cuisine Served: Pizza ,Italian
642 Meacham Rd
Elkgrove Village , IL 60007
Phone: (847) 923-9999

Very mediocre pizza. Meatballs on the meatball grinder (sub) tasted frozen. Not good.



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Sweet Willie

Just dined at Nonna Sylvias Trattoria.

We split the baked clams - not good, WAY too much breading, tasted premade/frozen

Nonna's Salad - consists of a balsamic based dressing over spinach w/sliced Italian sausage and gorganzola cheese crumbles. VERY GOOD ^

Pizza - cheese & sausage thin crust. Not too shabby, could use more sa-uce for sure but nice and thin, good tasting sausage, decent quality cheese. ^

Nonna Sylvia's Trattoria
Cuisine Served: Italian
1408 Canfield
Park Ridge , IL 60068
Phone: (847) 292-9970

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rhwbullhead

Thanks for the reviews, Sweet Willie. All the places you visited are near me so I find your reviews especially useful.
Here are my comments on two places:

Boston Blackie's: I ate there last week. I had the "Tough Guy" burger. It was good, but I agree that the items are pricey for what you get. Also, the burgers don't come with fries; you have to order them seperately. I'll add that my friend didn't like the atmosphere.

Sir Nick's: I love that place for its Monday pizza promotion. You get 50% off pizzas (Pick-up only).

Sweet Willie

Even if it is a good deal, why bother if the quality is not good?
I find this "good deal" mentality disturbing, just like those CRAP CRAP CRAP $4.99 pizzas from Dominick's. People line up to buy junk/crap because it is a good value??!!??

If spending a few bucks more at one's local pizzeria for a decent pizza is stretching one's budget, perhaps one shouldn't be spending the $$ in the first place.

I'm all for a good value when dining but if the food is mediocre it is no longer a value. I think people get caught up in the "look at how much I'm getting for $X !!" syndromn. It always bugs me when you ask someone how their dinner was and the response is "Great, the portions are huge!"
Just had dinner last night again at Nonna Sylvia's as I had forgot my CC there.

Calamari appetizer was very tender, flavorful, nice big flecks of sea salt to enhance flavor.

Fish dish was fresh and sauce was not overbearing.

They do have some outdoor tables.

Also forgot to mention, they own a gelato (Italian "ice cream"), Italian sweets/coffee shop a couple doors south of the restaurant. Nice place to pick up some delicious gelato as you walk to your car. I sampled a few, the marscapone/caramel w/pistachio nuts was my fave.

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Sweet Willie

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go before end of May 2006 as this is the last date that Maza will participate in the program.

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paytonc

For those curious about Rewards Network's business model, Crain's has an article today, based on today's shareholder meeting:

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/n...05-23&id=20722

More importantly, look for fewer but maybe better restaurants: "We're becoming far more selective now. We're doing lots of due diligence in considering new restaurants," Mr. Blake said at the annual meeting of shareholders Tuesday morning. "Our focus on quality and more favorable pricing going forward could result in a further decrease in total restaurant partnerships."

Sweet Willie

deleted, no longer valid

ElmhurstNick

Most incentive programs exist to provide financing or other services to restaurants. Borrow $10,000 (or buy $10k in services), pay it back a little at a time as patrons steered by the site visit the establishment.

I'm really surprised that Cave La Cave is part of Rewards Network and Entertainment. The decor/service is a bit over the top, but it's been a solid place going on two decades now. My parents were there a couple of months ago with some out-of-town relatives who were staying in Rosemont, and were very pleased with their meal.

Sweet Willie

I was very pleased to see that Red Light as well as Marche and Opera are part of IDine/Rewards Network.

Mrs Sweet Willie and I had the following at Red Light last night.

Mrs Sweet Willie a dirty martini and I a glass of wonderful Pinot Gris from Oregon

Started out with the mango lobster rolls and the fois gras/pork dumplings

Mango Lobster Rolls were so – so, skip these if you go.

Foie gras/pork dumplings were luxurious. The wonderful flavor of foie gras followed by pork and Asian spices. VERY good.

For Main Courses:

Mrs Sweet Willie had duck with a cranberry orange sauce. Skin was crisp, duck was good but I didn’t feel this dish was as special as it should have been.

Red Light has very frequently had a steak preparation as a special, not just a grilled steak but usually with some intense flavors. Last time it was an Indonesian flavored steak and was excellent. So even though I was eyeing a seafood selection, the steak special called out to me again. This time it was a rib eye, marinated and cooked to a rare, taken off the grill, sliced and then stirfried with garlic, scallions, mushrooms. TERRIFIC !!!!!!

We both shared a side of asparagus and ....ake mushrooms stirfried with oyster sauce. I’m not much for veggies but we both LOVED this dish.

No dessert although chef Jackie Shen is known for her chocolate bag dessert which was on the dessert menu.

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rhwbullhead

I was going to post something about this too. I was looking at Chicago restaurants and noticed that on Monday, so naturally, I drove over there and ate. Of course, I bet I have to mail in my receipts manually. I'm definately going at least two more times before the 31st.

Sweet Willie: Do you have any problems with the Maza miles posting automatically? I think the owner always flags my miles for not posting b/c I use my Mileage Plus card, and b/c he remembers me.

Did you ever try that $48 "Maza Signature Entree?" It says it's a stuffed crown rack of lamb. I've wanted to try it every since I started going there. I guess it's time to try it since I still get 20 miles/$ (after manual posting )

P.S. I'm guilty as charged I ocassially line up for the $5 Dominick's pizza and yes I actually like it. Too bad the wait at the Elmhrust one is 1.5 hours if you call after 3PM.

Edit: fixed the a typo "weight" to "wait." I guess I was thinking about how many calories I take down by eating one of those pizzas.

Sweet Willie

I've never been to Maza, just providing that value added service I'm known for.

Pizzas: If it makes sense to you then that is what's important, I just don't understand the "value" for paying for what I perceive as low/poor quality.
"it's your thing, do what you wanna do" (singing)

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Sweet Willie

got in my last 250 bonus mile dining last night at Maria's Mexican in Des Plaines. I believe it is the only Maria's out of three that participates w/Dining Rewards.

The “Mexican style” shrimp cocktail is wonderful as an appetizer, chock full of freshly chopped onions, avocado, tomato and of course tender flavorful shrimp in a rich tomato “broth”

The Chilies Rellenos are excellent, cheese is good but their special beef mixture is delicious ^ ^

I still believe that Maria’s serves one of the best carne asadas in Chicago, which is what Mrs. Sweet Willie had.

Maria's also now serves flights of tequila.

Thread on Maria's: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308457

Sweet Willie

Before the foie gras ban takes effect in mid July, Sweet & Savories (1534 W Fullerton 773.281.6778) is serving a wonderul thick, juicy, Kobe beef burger with the earth creamy taste of the truffle mayo and rich foie gras. ^ ^ mmmmmmmmmmmm ^ ^

We went to Sweet & Savories due to this burger being listed in Time Out's "100 Best Things We Ate This Year" article.

ALL FOR ONLY $10 !!!! (on Wednesdays, otherwise $17) They serve wicked good duck fat fries w/smoked sea salt on them which makes a perfect side with your burger.

Just had dinner tonight with my parents as it was my Mom's b-day. The kobe/truffle/foie gras burger was a hit as were many other dishes such as:

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras w/Pineapple brulee
Seafood "stew" in tomato saffron - scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, salmon
Grilled Tenderloin over cornbread pudding w/truffle reduction
Watermelon Tomato salad
Ginger carrot soup

A very good well executed restaurant. Tasting menu is only $60 per person. For those who detest small portions at upscale restaurant, fear not, Sweet & Savories has big servings, I urge you to go.

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chichow

Third week in the row for me for burger night!

can't do it anymore though...so rich

Hey. how much did dinner at Red Light run you?