• Do we have a new genre-defying blockbuster on our hands? Michael Nagrant makes the case for Han 202, a Bridgeport restaurant that reads “as if a hurricane picked up elements of Alinea, Opera and a grungy regional Chinatown spot and smashed them all into this old school brick and vinyl awning Chicago storefront on West 31st Street.” The menu is, actually and literally, eclectic, with unexpected flavor combos like king crab miso soup, or a dessert of commingled vanilla and tomato sorbets. It’s barely open a month, so expect great things. [NewCity]
• Pat Bruno waxes poetic about the carnivorous delights on offer from Goose Island Brew Pub, from the multi-meated “ham” burger to the piggy wallop of pulled-pork sliders. Even the tilapia po’boy clocked in a success, despite not containing any parts of the pig. After paragraph upon paragraph of effusive praise, the review concludes with a wan sentence berating the desserts for not being more “pub-grubby,” since apparently Bruno likes his sweet stuff manly. [Sun-Times]
• Taxim has been blazing through the column inches with its refreshing take on Turko-Greek cuisine, and Mike Sula dives into the culinary inspiration behind owner David Schneider’s vision. The idea is that the food is fresh, preparations are simple, and flavor comes before anything else — the boundaries of the kitchen go way beyond the staid Greektown staples. [Reader]
• Thomas Witom does all but damn Elmhurt’s Wine and Vine to immediate closure in his review, which carefully avoids any explicit pans of the place, but nevertheless broadcasts its low opinion loud and clear. Descriptions like “anemic,” “bereft of character,” “off-putting.” The place has some redeeming factors — nice wine list, a solid pork chop — but the prognosis is bleak. [Sun-Times]
[Photo: Michael Nagrant/NewCity]
