Nothing at Mastro’s is cheap, but according to Julia Kramer, “If you’ve got these kind of funds at your disposal…Mastro’s is the place to blow them.” She gives four stars to the new steakhouse. The gnocchi are “comically and wonderously buttery and cheesy,” and the $18 martini is “shaken with dry ice.” The steak came out “perfectly medium-rare,” with a “crust by which steakhouses live and die.” [TOC]
Phil Vettel drops in Davanti Enoteca and finds that it is “strongly reminiscent of the Purple Pig.” The “pastas are certifiable stars,” with the “egg, spinach and ricotta-filled raviolo” being “a delicious indulgence.” The risotto carbonara, on the other hand, “will gladden your heart, if it doesn’t stop it first.” The main courses are great, too. The chicken Sole Mio, “a grilled half-bird smeared with a chili-anchovy paste,” is “a definite keeper.” [Trib]
Mike Sula waded through Acre’s “confusion of variety,” with a mostly positive review of the new Andersonville joint. There is a “truly outstanding burger with house-made whole grain mustard,” and an “active yet noninvasive host that any restaurant would be lucky to have.” Some dishes miss the mark, like the gratin, which was “rich and so unattractive it was impossible to swallow more than two bites.” In the end, “sometimes it works, sometimes not, but what’s clear is that the chef is still playing around with things.” [Chicago Reader]
Though Del Seoul isn’t exactly original, Heather Shouse still finds the Korean/Mexican fusion to mostly work. The tacos are “tasty little things,” if a little expensive, while the bibimbap is “solid.” Best are the kimchi fries, which are a “tower of cheese fries topped with sour cream, scallions, thin bits of pork belly and a kimchi ‘salsa.’” The decadent dish is “the one thing on the menu truly charting new territory.” [TOC]
