Nothing glamorous about being on a boat

Ever since The Lonely Island came out with the I'm On A Boat music video, I jumped at any chance I could to be on a boat, so I could make my own rendition of the video.

Given that Chicago has a beautiful little lake right at its front door, my wish was easily fulfilled. Our friends Valerie and Jay had bought a boat last year and was (as any boat owner should) going out on the lake just about every weekend.

I have to preface this story with the fact that I was feeling a bit ill this weekend to begin with (sore throat, sinus pressure, headache, etc). To add on top of that, we were running late to meet with Valerie and Jay, so we decided it would be a great idea to scarf down our Subway sandwiches in the 20-min car ride there.

Upon arrival, I popped some Dramamine and prayed for the best. Well, I guess praying doesn't work for a non-believer and the demons in my stomach started churning. I was mostly ok when we were riding around, but as soon as we stopped, it was the worst version of an amusement park ride ever.

And thus began the vomiting. I didn't know the right boat etiquette, but I figured that since there was a bathroom, I would use it (instead of going overboard). Well, the whole experience was quite embarrassing as I also didn't know how to operate the weird little boat toilet flusher. My husband was of no use, so finally Jay had to flush it for me. So not sexy (though I was debuting a new sexy little swimsuit)

Lucky for me, my hosts were quite accommodating and offered to drop us off early. Thank goodness! I was more than happy to have my feet on solid ground.

So lessons learned? 1) do not eat right before boating; 2) take Dramamine well in advance of getting on the boat; and 3) do not go boating when sick

I haven't given up on the boat...maybe another time. This is only strike one.

Quartino

I don't know why I keep going back to Quartino with such high expectations. I have certainly had better wine, better food, and better service without having to deal with crazy crowds and long waits.

I'll start with the good; don't worry, it won't take long. The appetizers are the best part of the whole experience - their salumeria has a yummy choice of cheeses and meats. They also have an awesome cheese fondue (which I never think of getting) and a tasty heirloom tomato salad (which unfortunately looks unappetizing and sad).

Now onto the bad (really more sad than bad). The entrees always sound pretty amazing by their descriptions on the menu, but always arrives looking pretty lame on the plate. Seriously, they really need to work on presentation! How about using plates that don't look like they came out of a frat house kitchen. Looks aside, they don't taste all that hot either. My husband's risotto was undercooked, our friend's gnocchi was a weird mix of chewy and crispy, and my pork ravioli was a skimpy 5 pieces of ravioli swimming in a sauce that was overpowered by bacon.

The service experience was comical at best. Our server couldn't hear or understand half of the things we were saying; though, I should give her the benefit of the doubt since the place was louder than a bar in Wrigleyville after a Cubs game. She also had no clue what was on the menu...and made gawking facial expressions when we wanted to order more food (since the plates are so small). I have to admit that it made me feel like we were pigs. At least she had a good sense of humor and recognized that she sucked at her job.

I just don't get why the place is so popular. It was so crowded that the table next to us had 7 girls crammed around a tiny table the same size as ours (and the 4 of us were struggling to fit all our plates on it). Hopefully those girls plan on just getting drinks.

So my recommendation would be to go to Quartino and only order from their salumeria and the appetizers. If you have a small party, opt for sitting in the lounge/bar instead of the dining room since it is smaller and will not be as loud. I know a lot of people rave about how reasonably priced it is, and I do have to agree with that...so maybe you get what you pay for.

At Home with Home Bistro

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went back to one of our all time favorite restaurants, Home Bistro http://www.homebistrochicago.com/. I was immediately reminded why we loved that place - cozy, delicious, great service, and to top it all off, it's byob!

Chef Joncarl Lachman has put together a menu that is interesting, but still feels comfortable and homey. It's one of those places where you can spend 20 minutes staring at the menu because everything just looks so amazing.

We finally decided on:
appetizer: shrimp cake
husbando: Compart Family Farms Loin of Pork served with braised collards, smoked sausage, scalloped potatoes, sautéed apples
me: Smoked Duck Sausage with Brandy served with warm white bean and artichoke salad, candied bacon, dijon mustard
dessert: their famous bread pudding
wine: we brought a 2003 Arger Martucci Odyssey (small 325 case production from Napa that is scrumptious. The complex layers of chocolate, cherry, and pepper come together so smoothly and richly that you find yourself smiling with each sip.)

So how did the meal come together? The appetizer was a delicious alternative to crab cakes. It's not as mayo-y as I find come crab cakes can be. It could use a little more citrus, in the form of some kind of fruit, but nonetheless tasty.

The pork loin was pretty tasty, but was slightly (and only a tiny bit) tough and on the bland side. The sides, however, were well seasoned and cooked. Their textures and flavors worked really well together and could possibly have been the best part of that dish. The duck sausage was pretty amazing. I cut mine up and blended it with the bean salad and it was delicious with every bite. My only criticism is that they could have given more mustard. What can I say about the bread pudding dessert? Best bread pudding ever.

As usual, the servers were very personable, prompt, and made good recommendations. Really, that should be the standard for all restaurants.

Another satisfying meal at HB. We'll be back...especially after I saw their take on a Philly Cheese Steak at the table next to ours.

First Post Ever!

Welcome to my blog! My hope is that you will find honest (though subjective) opinions here; and hope that you will share your two cents as well.