The restaurant business makes for some of our favorites shows (Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares & Top Chef), but it’s a business that we both know is extremely difficult with insane hours and the arduous task of pleasing the masses. And as food costs soars and diners cut back frequency, we’re sure restaurants face even more challenges to stay in the black. Thankfully, neither one of us dreams to open a restaurant or bar, and we’re completely content to patron others’ dreams come true. Here are five restaurants we’ve been to lately that might be of interest.
Bistro Wasabi in Hoffman Estates (1578 West Algonquin Road, 847.202.1577) is evidently the second location with the first being in Lake in Hills (4590 W Algonquin Rd, 847.515.2700). And despite, its strip-mall location, this Hoffman Estates restaurant evokes a swanky, trendy vibe. But on this third visit, we realized we actually prefer Sushi Ahi, also located in a strip mall at the corner of Quentin and Euclid. With an order of edamame and two rounds of drinks, our tab hovered around $75, and our reaction to the Tuna Tataki, Rainbow and Godzilla was simply a shrug. No of these rolls were terrible, but we didn’t love any either. The Godzilla was probably our favorite.
At 823 E Algonquin Rd. in Schaumburg, Savory Restaurant & Pancake Cafe (http://www.savourycafe.com/) interestingly enough, is also the second outpost (the other is in Bartlett), and on a Saturday morning, its menu delivered straight-forward, expected breakfast fair. The service was polite and prompt, and my milk arrived ice cold and the bacon very crispy. The décor is fresh and fun but still clean and not overpowering at the same time. It’s breakfast favorites as they should be, and the chocolate chip pancakes are spot on.
With red glitter walls, Sushi Ahi (http://www.sushi-ai.com/) is an unexpected strip-mall treat. Transport it to trendy Wicker Park or Bucktown, and it would fit right in. But, Sushi Ahi doesn’t try to be city cool in the suburbs; it’s approachable and comfortable. We’ve tried a plethora of its rolls and none have disappointed yet. The experience in the dining room is great, but takeout is always ready promptly. And for the “I only eat California rolls” sushi lover in your extended family, this is the place. Ours claims Sushi Ahi’s the best.
We love Giannis Café (http://gianniscafe.com/default.aspx) in downtown Palatine. In fact, it ranks pretty close to the top of Nick’s favorites in Palatine. He loves the Tortellini con Prosciutto that features homemade cheese tortellini, prosciutto, mushrooms and peas in a cream sauce, which comes with soup or salad. No one leaves here hungry, but if you simply want less pasta in the Create-Your-Own option, you can order a smaller that doesn’t come with soup or salad. And this proved plenty for two meals. The service is always really good, and while dinner for two with a few drinks hovers around $50 for us, it’s easily two or three meals for that price.
If we rated Giannis Café a 4.5 out of 5 Rs (for Richardson of course), then Bob Chinn’s gets all 5 Rs. The first sip of a Bob Chinn’s Mai Tai is always a little jarring, but it’s the perfect summer drink, provided you have a designated driver! My favorite is the Select King Crab dinner with veggies, followed by a bite of the chocolate peanut butter pie. If you have a group of four, everyone gets two bites, and it’s the perfect end to a lovely meal. Plus, no matter when we come, we always see at least one or two former Chicago Bears’ players.
About Us: We’re a married couple living in Schaumburg. Nick runs his own law office, www.nickrichardsonlaw.com, and I work in communications promoting eggs. Want to email us? Send us your thoughts and comments to: Therichardsonstake—at—gmail.com.
