Hopleaf- 5148 N. Clark Street (Andersonville)

Very few places pull off the dive bar aesthetic without actually being a dive bar. Satisfying the spirit of Nelson Algren's Chicago, the Beat Generation, and the age of entitlement expectations in one fell swoop is an accomplishment. From older seasoned veterans that look like they came straight out of Man with the Golden Arm, to frat boys and hipsters that are equal parts Wrigleyville and Andersonville, to the tools who overestimate their Belgian beer capacity, Hopleaf exists as both Mecca and Medina for these worshipers of the pint glass, or the Kwak "Yard" of beer.

The only major issue that I have with this place is the fact that it is too good, i.e. it is always packed. 3pm on a Thursday, packed. 7 pm on a Sunday, packed. Always to the rafters, always a loud and bustling place. Now, for a rookie, this is a problem. Introduce yourself to the bartender, tip well, be low maintenance, and you'll find that the bartenders will warm up to you. Being a regular doesn't hurt either. Hopleaf isn't just a beer bar, it's the beer bar, one in which you should always be getting beer.

There is a ridiculous number of ever changing taps, with a primary focus on Belgians, and secondary on American Microbrews. You will be hard-pressed to find a Bud Light in stock, and while I wish the bar had a patronizing special, much like the Map Room's 5 dollar Miller High Life "special" on Saturdays, I'll have to settle for the complete and utter lack of domestic macro brews. The Belgians are a consortium of independent Belgian breweries that Michael Roeper, the proprietor, selects himself. He has been all around Europe, sampling beers, and is more that willing to add new and different beers to the menu. The focus on American Microbrews, while not as exceptional as their Belgian selections, remains one of the best representations of American Craft brewing in Chicago. With over 30 taps and 150 bottles in stock at a time, Hopleaf is the best beer bar in Chicago, period.

While the breadth of the beer list is truly unfathomable, the food menu has a little dose of discretion. The menu is seasonal, so it changes every couple of months. The menu's focus on simple, fresh, often organic ingredients means that a bad dish rarely comes out of the kitchen. The focus: contemporary versions of classic Belgian cuisine. The mussels are surely the star of this establishment. Served piping hot in either a Wine or Belgian White Ale broth, the bucket of mussels comes with a serving of their phenomenal pommes frites, served with garlic aioli that is to die for. The selection of sandwiches is very interesting: a Peking

duck Reuben currently graces the menu as well as the Cashew Butter and Fig Jam Sandwich, both conceptually confusing and unbelievable. The entrees maintain a refined simplicity; A Gunthrop Farms pork chop, served with onion gratin and a latke, the Montreal Style Organic Brisket Platter, and the traditional steak-frites give a much needed face-lift to the all-to-often stagnant, thoughtless bar food alternatives. The deserts are worth asking your bartender or server for, but you will probably be too drunk at that point to remember. The prices, especially for the sandwiches and mussels, are unbelievably reasonable. Tabs at Hopleaf are surprisingly light, for what you get, and this place is one of the best deals in the city. Like I said before, there is not a hole in this reasonable menu- so order away.

Considering that this place is constantly at capacity, the service is great. Servers do so with a smile, creating a very nice experience even though you may have to wait for a seat in the restaurant area. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so expect to drink as you wait. Furthermore, the kitchen just bangs out the food, so even when it’s at capacity you will be able to get your food within twenty minutes. The bartenders are hard to get a hold of if you aren’t willing to tip them, but that’s your prerogative. Assertiveness is the key, and don’t be a jerk.

The ambiance of this place is homey, dark, and very sophisticated. Jazz and blues music plays, but is not the centerpiece of the bar. Conversation is possible as, when at capacity, it is just loud enough so that there is no uncomfortable silence, yet you can hear your tablemates. The seats are comfortable, but if you show up during prime drinking time, you will be unable to find a seat at first. Be patient, order a drink, and wait for somebody to leave. Michael, during his travels to Europe, has a veritable museum like collection of beer memorabilia which is displayed throughout the establishment.

One of the best culinary deals that I have ever experienced in Chicago is the reservation-only beer meals that they have in the upstairs bar. The beer meals consist of a 7 course meal, which includes a beer pairing for each course. Michael also brings in a representative from the brewery/distributor in question to give a small description/story of the beer before each course. The courses are small tastes, but by the end of this meal, it becomes clear that this package is basically an all you can eat and all you can drink beer bath. You get your fill of beer for each course, and some of the beers can touch the 13% ABV mark. All for grand larceny price of 65-75 bucks a person. Check the website for updates on these meals.

Veerasway-844 W. Randolph St.-West Loop

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Devon Street. Maybe Mt. Everest’s lunch buffet in Evanston is too good. Whatever the case, Randolph Street’s new upscale Indian restaurant, Veerasway, didn’t do it for me. And I’m not. I understand that this restaurant’s not trying to be completely authentic; they even have a section of the menu entitled ‘Indo-American’. The food’s just not that good. Okay, okay. Disclaimer: We only had appetizers and drinks at the bar. But I felt and will continue to feel that it’s enough to determine if you’re going back to a restaurant.

Although usually out of my price range, I’ve been a big fan of the Randolph Street restaurant row for some time now. These restaurants are fresh, hip and mix food with atmosphere really well. This restaurant is no exception when it comes to atmosphere, at least. I love the exposed brick walls, the brown tones and the calming light. The bar is tiny, but the restaurant is open and spacious. Our bartender was friendly and fairly helpful, although not too interested in cleaning up all the empty glasses covering the bar.

Let’s start with drinks, shall we? I had a glass of delicious Sauvignon Blanc, which I thought would perfectly accompany spicy foods. It did. But let’s move on. The BF had one of their ‘signature’ cocktails- the Bengali Tiger. I would almost come back for this drink alone, but the $11.75 price tag is a bit much. The key to this drink is the ghost peppers. These ghost peppers, or naga jolokia peppers, added a nice and spicy finish to a drink. Anyone who likes spicy foods, but means that in the “I like Chi Chi’s MEDIUM Salsa” way, should tread cautiously when tasting this drink.

The nice thing about sitting at the bar is that you have a nice view of the kitchen and the meats cooling, hanging from the ceiling. We ordered two appetizers: the Monsoon Mirchi and the Hot Bollywood Lollipops. Mirchi are peppers..stuffed with cheese and fried in chickpea batter. Good concept, no flavor. The bartender told, or rather, warned, us that the peppers may be really mild a.k.a. flavorless. They were. Sometimes they’re spicy, but it really varies. The Lollipops, or chicken drummies, were delish, though. A few sauces to dip them in, but only three for $8! It’s a good thing they serve pappadums with three sauces as a snack or we would have left very hungry.

Calumet Fisheries-3259 E. 95th St.-South Chicago

I first encountered restaurant reviews in my dad’s subscription to The New Yorker. I skipped through each month’s magazine right to “Tables for Two” before going back through the comics. I often didn’t recognize some of the foods described in the reviews, and that’s what appealed to me the most. Well, that, and eating. I love food. The idea that there were more foods and food combinations to try than I could ever imagine drew me to food. It’s art, it’s pleasure, it’s science, it’s…necessary to live.

I lived in Evanston, IL (the “dining capital of the North Shore”) until recently, and now I live right in downtown Chicago. My recent move has afforded me the proximity to a lot of Loop and South Side restaurants I’ve been dying to try. The first: Calumet Fisheries.

It’s tiny. There’s nowhere to sit- you have to eat in your car or stand outside. You walk out reeking of fish. I’m not sure the kid that works there can remember anything for more than 2 seconds. The drive down there was a bit sketchy. They don’t accept credit cards.

It’s delicious and I’m going back next weekend.

The smoked shrimp, recommended by the guy at the counter, won the prize. They’re slightly smoky but not overwhelming, as I imagined they might be. They’re huge and salty. You have to peel the shells off but I imagine leaving them in their shells is the best bet for smoking. A close second, much to my surprise, were the fried shrimp. I even took a fork to the crunchies that fell off the shrimp when I was out of shrimp. They fry them up right before they pack them in take-out containers, so they’re nice and fresh and HOT. I burned my mouth. We also ordered fried scallops. They, too, were tasty. I washed it all down with a nice bottle of Ice Mountain. You’ll also have a wide range of Crush sodas to choose from, too. No diet soda here. I’d actually recommend getting a soda just to get the fishy taste out of your mouth when you’re done.

Down sides? Down sides, anyone? Eating outdoors or in the car is a bit messy, but it’s a shop, not a restaurant. No wet naps, just dry ones. Slow-ish service. None of these down sides are enough not to come back, though. And I don’t usually care about anything but food. Prices- A pound of smoked shrimp is $20.99. We got a half-pound for two, along with a half order or each of the fried creatures. It’s definitely priced fairly..they smoke it themselves!

http://www.calumetfisheries.com/ for pics of Anthony Bourdain’s visit for his show, “No Reservations”, as well as pricing and location.