Heather Shouse dines with the “nouveau riche” at Roka Akor, finding the prices high — $144 gets you an “eight-ounce purebred Wagyu steak” — and the sushi “hardly distinguishable from any other upper-tier raw joint in town.” But she gives it three stars out of five mainly for the robata grill, which manages to produce some real highlights, including the grilled chicken wings and the “beautifully charred tomatoes and smoky eggplant.” Though she advises avoiding the aforementioned Wagyu steak, the daily chef’s selection is comparatively cheaper and “among the best steaks I’ve had.” [TOC]
Mike Sula admits that the the owners of Root’s Handmade Pizza have “done right by the Quad Cities,” declaring that he even “really likes” the taco pizza — though the sausage is “even better.” Part of the reason everything works is the sweet crust, which features “a puffy lip and crispy epidermis that clads an airy layer of bread.” That said, he thinks the “deep, seemingly endless” bowls of salad may be the “most appealing options on this menu.” Even though some items cross the line into “absurdity and overkill,” an “attention to detail elevates a bunch of otherwise pedestrian stuff that can be found on pretty much any block of the city.” [Chicago Reader]
Shouse also takes a look at Bombay Spice, which she gives three stars out of five. The restaurants produces “lighter takes on Indian classics,” which means that some dishes are “tame.” Most of the food “lacks punch and complexity,” but the restaurant manages to please thanks to “an earnest effort with execution.” [TOC]
Julia Kramer had neither a “bad meal nor a good one” at Quay, giving the Streeterville restaurant two out of five stars. The “contemporary American” menu fells like it was “written by a focus group,” which would be fine if everything was executed perfectly. Unfortunately, the halibut came out “dry and overcooked,” and the Caesar Salad was “100 percent average.” [TOC]
