Lickity Split storefront. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

On nearly every summer evening—not just the 90 degree ones—the line at Lickity Split Frozen Custard & Sweets stretches to the door. And as I told Ken Anderson, who with Luke Klein owns Lickity Split, I nearly always meet someone I know there.

That’s just what they like to hear.

After opening two years ago (June 16, 2011), the corner “ice cream” shop has established itself as a neighborhood favorite. Anderson was a Loyola University student back in the 1980s, so he wanted to market to that crowd as well as neighborhood families. At the corner of Broadway and Glenlake, Lickity Split is its “own little destination,” Anderson said. He and Klein wanted to be off the beaten path, away from Andersonville so they weren’t operating on top of another shop. Being at the corner of “a quaint residential neighborhood and heavy business” was just the location to make it work.

And a long line in the summer is exactly what an ice cream parlor needs to make it work, Anderson said. It may be 90 degrees on a day in July, but January isn’t far behind.

Prices range from one (generous) scoop of frozen custard in a cup or cone for $2.40 to between $3.95 and $5.35 for popular concretes (frozen custard blended with a topping). Lickity Split serves vanilla, chocolate and a flavor of the week (which my kids often choose). In addition to frozen custard, the shop’s friendly and efficient staff sells retro candy, baked goods, gourmet chocolates and Metropolis coffee. Enjoy it all in a space that’s both cozy and roomy. If you visit Lickity Split (and you should), allow enough time for the line, and plenty of time to linger over this neighborhood sweetness around indoor tables, perched on a stool at a counter looking out onto Broadway or Glenlake, or even outside on one of the benches. Perhaps you, too, will meet someone you know there. It’s like Cheers—without the beer.

Sweets on display. Credit: Christopher Balza

There needs to be a small of a disclaimer to this review. Not only do I love cake in any form, but I also am passionate about the entrepreneurial spirit. Royal not only decided to take a risk in their new food truck venture (a concept that has been much debated, yet loved by the general public in Chicago) but they decided to start an additional bricks and mortar store.

Seeing as the store just opened a few days prior to my review, I was not expecting too terribly much in way of atmosphere given the small nature of the business. When I entered, a gentleman who was very eager to answer my questions and show me around the beautifully displayed cupcakes and bakes warmly greeted me. Immediately I could tell his true and genuine interest in helping me select just the right item for my taste, given the vast selection before me.

The bake case contained not only cupcakes but also assorted wedges of cake, cheesecakes, and small “sample sized” cake squares. I would recommend getting two to four cake squares to create the perfect sampler. In addition to sweets, Royal offered assorted breads, coffee cakes, butter cookies and meat pastries (all pictured). You can certainly gather the undertone of the owner’s heritage given the additional items they offer. In talking with the employee, Royal is also planning to offer a selection of coffee beverages as well as soft serve.

Now, on to the tasting! I had two very willing volunteers to help me so I could provide different perspectives on the “Chocolate Nutella” and “Red Velvet” cupcakes we sampled. Though Mark and I were not overly impressed with our tastings of both, my friend Matt thoroughly enjoyed his Red Velvet cupcake. Mark and I both agree the flavor was decent, semi moist but the frosting to cake ratio was a bit too much in way of frosting.  By no means do I condone this as a negative review, more so a need to go back and sample more flavors and products!

Next time you are walking down Granville either on your way to the beach or the train, I would recommend stopping in and seeing for yourself what Royal has to offer. I am truly looking forward to watching their evolution from “new to the neighborhood” to “seasoned neighborhood establishment”. I warmly welcome them to the neighborhood, wish them the best of luck, and am looking forward to my next visit!

Chris’ take:

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

A great addition to the neighborhood that needs a little work, but has potential.

Carne Mas Alla del Sol. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

I struggled coming up with a title for this restaurant review.  Forgive me, even after a little Google searching I don’t know what the name of the restaurant means, and my creative juices were not flowing enough to come up with anything catchy, so I’ll just keep it simple and to the point:  YUM!  That about sums up my first, and surely not last, experience at Edgewater’s newest Mexican restaurant that recently opened at 5848 N Broadway, Mas alla Del Sol.

First and foremost, new owners Adan and Mirella Moreno did a fantastic job rehabbing the façade of the building which was once almost an eyesore made of a cheap looking fieldstone (though the neon “open” sign takes a little away from the beauty, in my opinion) along with the interior.  I am not sure what the space looked like before inside during its prior life as Green Village or Paradise, but Mas Alla del Sol delivers a cozy and almost romantic environment with the dimly lit atmosphere, dark beams in the ceiling and expansive beautiful wood bar.  My photo likely does not do the bar justice.

Despite my praise for the look of the physical space, the highlight at Mas alla del Sol really was the service and the food.  Our server was extremely helpful in helping us not only navigate the food menu, but the expansive beverage menu as well.  The beverage menu consists of an ample beer, sangria and wine selection, but the highlights to me were the cocktails.  The bartender will whip up everything from a standard margarita or mojito to creative concoctions such as a Granada y Naranja margarita with pomegranate juice and habanero-orange marmalade (which was delicious) or the Guajillo Michelada – made of Modelo Especial, lime juice, guajillo and ancho chile puree, and Valentina hot sauce.

For the main course, three entrees were ordered  – the Carne Mas Alla del Sol, Carne Asada, and Cheese Enchiladas de Suiza.  All three dishes were devoured quickly while little talking took place except to praise the dish in front of us and ask for a taste of the others.  The Carne Asade and Cheese Enchiladas were tasty versions of the standard Mexican dishes served with beans and rice while the Carne Mas Alla del Sol was a unique spin on the steak dish consisting of a chile morita-tomato sauce, frijoles borrachos, slices of pan seared panela cheese, fried cebollitas, avocado relish.  I’m rarely a desert person, but for this occasion we had a tough time choosing between two – the pineapple upside down cake and the fried ice cream.  Considering the cake was already served with ice cream, we asked our server if they could place fried ice cream on top of the cake and combine the two, somewhat jokingly.  Our server asked our chef, and sure enough this tasty, crunchy, sweet deliciousness was brought out to us (photo below).  It was to die for!

All in all Mas alla del Sol is not only highly recommend for its food, drink and atmosphere, but we must say it is a welcome addition to the neighborhood on what is become a very progressive strip on north Broadway and fills a void of a few quality Mexican options in the neighborhood.  Be sure to check out Mas alla del Sol soon!

L’etage cocktail. Credit: L’etage / Facebook

It has been an ongoing quest of mine to find some of the best neighborhood lounges, away from the loud noises and music of your typical clubs and bars. Keeping that thought in mind, a friend of mine had referred me to L’etage located at 5420 N. Clark Street in Andersonville. He had patronized L’etage during Midsommarfest and recalled it would be a place that I would enjoy – and he was correct!

Immediately upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted and asked to have a seat in one of the many seating configurations in their lounge. We chose a comfortable table near the window that had a comfortable bench seat and two stools. Once we were comfortable our bartender arrived at our table with menus and proceeded to ask us if we had any questions or special requests. Their menu consists of white and red wines ($7.00 – $15.00/glass), specialty cocktails ($10.00 each), reserve bottles ($87.00 – $172.00/bottle), spirits ($7.00 – $10.00/glass), and a small assortment of food (served until 10:00 PM).

I had the fresh mojito cocktail, which was incredibly refreshing; my friend had the French 54, which he said was quite delicious; and my other friend had the Cucumber Ricky. Being as our drinks were quite amazing, we had to order a second round!

Now, let’s talk atmosphere. The lounge is warm, inviting, and quaintly illuminated by candle light. For the winter months there is a comfortable fireplace to cozy up to located next to the window, that I’m sure will provide plenty of warmth as you look outside at the snow. Additionally, as mentioned above, there are several seating configurations which allows for a small one-on-one date or a larger group of friends to sit comfortably. Once you arrive atop the stairs the bar is directly in front of you with, what appeared to be, patio seating directly behind the bar. The main seating area is located to the left of the stairs. And for those of you who are picky about restrooms, like I am, rest assured that L’etage has a very clean and comfortable restroom.

Overall, I was very impressed with this establishment and am looking forward to going back. Though I am still loyal to many of my favorite Andersonville bars, this is a great change in scenery for those looking to try something new.

With all the activity outside, I was expecting Acre to be just as buzzing as the rest of the neighborhood, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.  When I stepped inside the restaurant, a vacant host stand greeted us and I could see one other table seated in the front near the windows, and an empty bar.  After realizing the hostess stand was hostess-less, I looked around the corner to realize there was a seecond table occupied by guests in the joint and after catching the attention of a server he directed us to take a seat anywhere we’d like.  Quickly after being seated we were attended to and brought water, menus, and asked if we’d like a drink.  The server pointed out that they offered “bottomless” mimosas for $18 – all you can drink. This concept that has caught on around the city, and is priced slightly higher at Acre than most places (this turned out to be a theme of the meal), but I decided to try it. In addition Acre offers an amazing beer list, along with beer flights, earning them points in my book but probably better taken advantage of during dinner. Drinks were delivered quickly and the initial awkwardness of walking in to an empty place was chalked up to the fact that maybe we were a little on the early side and Acre would get busier as the day went on.

The menu is unique for a brunch menu, in a good way – you won’t find simple staples such as eggs and toast here, but rather creative dishes such as pulled-pork and chorizo corn cakes and a brunch burger complete with bacon and fried egg. In addition to brunch entrees, the menu has salads, sandwiches and like neighboring Ombra, small plates and cheese plates.  It is obvious that some menu items and ingredients are shared between the two locations, which is smart on their part.  For starters we decided to try the deviled eggs while pondering what to order, which based on the menu sounded unique as they feature cured artic char, lemon aioli and pickled peppers.  In hindsight, I have to say I think I make better deviled eggs myself.  These were tasty, but not all that unique and at $7 for two eggs (four halves) I was expecting a little party in my mouth.

We eventually placed our orders (after a second mimosa) and looked forward to the unique dishes we selected.  I opted for the chicken & waffles, choosing something a little different as I’ve never tried the southern concoction before, while my dining companion went with the smoked trout sandwich.  The chicken of said chicken & waffles was just plain bad, though the waffles were good.  The chicken’s breading was light and flakey, which I like, but it was almost cold which gave the entire piece of meat a sense that it was under cooked.  It came with a side of hot sauce, which was intriging as a self-proclaimed hot sauce conneseur. It was a tabasco sauce that was overly vinegar-y, and I usually can put hot sauce on anything but personally I didn’t find it to fit the dish.  The waffles were your standard belgian waffle, but again, nothing that jumped off my plate.  I barely finished one piece of the chicken and ate about one and half of the four waffles, leaving me wish I had ordered the breakfast burger which was my second choice.  The funny thing is, when asked which was best out of the two options, the server said chicken and waffles hands down.  Hopefully I just received a bad dish, otherwise I’m a little apprehensive to see what the burger is like.  The smoked trout sandwich, on the other hand, was good.   It came on a toasted sour dough bread along with avocado, onion and a lime-cilantro aioli with fries as a side dish.  The fries were seasoned and tasty and cooked to perfection – I must admit to stealing a few after being disappointed by my dish.

By the end of the meal the place had gotten a little busier, but by no means was it packed.  When the final bill came at $70 for two people it was a little higher than I would expect to pay, considering the quality oft the meal, however it was by no means outrageous considering we also had an appetizer and beverages.  Overall Acre was good, the service was top notch, and the environment is cozy, but in a neighborhood with some great brunch options (Bongo Room, M Henry, Svea, Big Jones, and others) maybe my expectations are just really high.

If you’ve dined at Acre for brunch, or dinner, let us know what YOU thought below in the comments.

We were seated at the food prep counter. Credit: Jeremy Bressma

As a fan of Charlie’s Ale House I was a little sad to see them go.  They weren’t a fancy fine dining establishment by any means but Charlies was a solid neighborhood place with decent food and good service.  You could pop in and have a beer at the bar and gab with the bartender, catch a game with friends while sitting by the open front windows, enjoy a simple casual dinner with your significant other or come with a group for brunch.  No matter what Charlies always delivered a good experience but as you know they closed their doors in 2011.  Entered Acre, which I must disclose, I have never tried.  Reviews from friends and online were hit or miss, and soon Acre retreated to only half of the former Charlie’s space and enter Bar Ombra.  Bar what?  Bar Ombra – a unique ciccheti style restaurant serving up Italian small plates in a funky yet cozy atmosphere.

Unlike Acre’s initial bumpy launch Bar Ombra received great reviews from friends and online websites so I decided to add it out to the list of must try’s and eventually did so a few weeks ago and I am glad I did.  We were seated at the food service bar, which initially looked like it might be a little strange but I highly recommend it.  Probably not ideal for a large group, but for a party of two it was ideal and added to the experience.  The other tables are very large, so smaller groups may be asked to share their table with another party which could be interesting as well.

Bar Ombra’s menu is pretty large, but by no means overwhelming.  As one who always has a tough time deciding between multiple dishes and often leaves a restaurant saying “I wish I tried this instead,” I’m a huge fan of Spanish tapas and small plates in general as you get to nibble on various dishes.  This was a first for Italian small plates for me, however, and our server was extremely helpful in not only asking questions but making suggestions on creating a strategy of how to order.  We went with a few chicchetti, a salad, some cheeses and a bread.  The food preppers also will answer any questions if they catch a confused look on your face while you look through the glass examining an unfamiliar dish.

All of the dishes we ordered were amzing:  a fennel, apple and ricotta cheese salad, a cold whitefish dish with celery root and horseradish aioli, goat cheese truffles, meatballs, a bruchetta and three cheeses.  The dishes are perfectly sized portions to share for two – enough to satisfy but not over filling, and come out of the kitchen as they are prepared.  My recommendation is to order in waves, as to not over eat or under eat and to space the dishes out a bit.  Never once did we feel rushed, despite the place getting fairly busy on a Saturday evening.  We ended the night with a limoncello – a chilled syrupy lemon liquor that dates back over 100 years old from Italy.

Kudos to the ownership of making the transition from Charlies to Acre to now Bar Ombra/Acre as it now seems that they have a pair of winners after a bit of a rough start.  Acre’s smaller scale and bar-like atmosphere may just have me trying them next.

Gyro and fries. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

Yanni’s Dogs (5318 N Broadway) opened recently with a ”soft opening” on Friday, December 7th in the space most recently occupied by The Burger Stop.  Located on Broadway just north of Berwyn in the small shopping center on the west side of the street, Yanni’s appears on the surface to be your Chicago standard hot dog joint offering up Chicago dogs, gyros, burgers, Italian beef and more.  What you’ll find, however, is that Yanni’s is a great little addition to the neighborhood with a friendly staff offering up some tasty grub.

The new ownership did an excellent job giving the space a facelift, as the interior is much brighter, crisper and cleaner than the previous restaurants and even boasts two flat screen TVs which had college football games playing during my stop in this weekend.  Despite having only been open a week, Yanni’s had numerous customers stop in during the short time I was there (after I took the picture where the place looks empty), and the staff quickly and effeciently attended to each customer, took their orders and cooked their food.  While waiting for my to-go order I had the opportunity to speak briefly with owner Johnny, who told me the restaurant is named after himself – Yanni is Greek for Johnny.  In addition, Johnny shared with me the fact that his talented chef would be frequently adding daily specials to to the menu – on Saturday the chef had prepared a pulled chicken sandwich on a pretzel bun made with homemade barbeque sauce.

While the daily special sounded amazing, I went with a menu staple – the gyro and fries (all sandwiches come with fries included).  The sandwich was tasty and cooked to perfection, the sauce tasted homeade, and the pita was even slightly toasted.  If there was one thing that wasn’t perfect that would have been the fries – I felt that they were a little undercooked, though that is likely a personal preference as I’m a huge fan of crunchy well done french fries.  By no means were they not-edible and I think that was evident as none would remain on my plate after my meal.  All in all I left Yanni’s with a great first impression, and surely I will be back.  You can follow Yanni’s on Facebook, and soon they will update/complete their website which is live but still under construction.  Eventually, Johnny said customers will even have the option of ordering online.

Dine in: Panino di Pollo e Peperonata. Credit: Christopher Balza

Hello, Johnny Brown Bag – you have earned a place in my heart! Though I don’t have an ounce of Italian blood in me, my stomach sure boats otherwise. Shortly after Johnny Brown Bag made his debut in Andersonville, a friend and I decided we would go see what it was all about. Upon arriving we were warmly greeted by the staff and asked if we were dining in or taking out. Of course, we decided to stay!

The atmosphere is warm and inviting with the undertone of fresh, new construction. Their kitchen is in plain view of anyone sitting at the bar seating area, which provides an excellent backdrop should you be curious to see how your food is prepared.

The concept is really intriguing and provides well for the neighborhood. Should you want to dine in, take out, or order via their website or Grub Hub, JBB has seems to cater to every mode of food delivery. In addition to dining in, I ordered via Grub Hub and had just as good of experience as one would have in the restaurant.

Now, the food! For my dine-in experience I had the “Panino di Pollo e Peperonata” ($9.00) which included delicious pan sautéed fries along with a San Pellegrino Limonata ($3.00). It arrived in a reasonable amount of time and boasted a fresh and flavorful experience which left my plate “licked clean” at the end of my meal.

When ordering via Grub Hub I decided to build my own pasta creation of penne pasta and Bolognese sauce ($9.00) along with a side of Ciabatta Veneziana flatbread ($8.00). Being as I live in Edgewater, my food arrived piping hot in a respectable amount of time. Just a heads up, for those who might be ordering in for date night, the flatbread is very garlicy (which I equate to very delicious).

Overall, I would give JBB a very warm welcome to the neighborhood and my food critic nod of approval. Be sure if you are dining in to ask about their coffee creations to top off your night!

Delivery: penne pasta and Bolognese sauce with a side of Ciabatta Veneziana flatbread. Credit: Christopher Balza

Andie's Restaurant. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

Often times our restaurant reviews are about the newest restaurant to pop onto the Edgewater/Andersonville restaurant scene and we sometimes forget to write about the long time favorites that we visit frequently and know the menu like the back of our hand. Not today, however, as we visit Andie’s Restaurant (5253 N Clark) which has been serving up wonderful Mediterranean food in Andersonville for years.

Despite having dined at Andie’s numerous times, it was a first for me to sit on the sidewalk patio. While only home to a handful of tables, their outdoor area is a gem with tented tables, a good amount of greenery and great people watching. The service at Andie’s has always been top notch, whether you’re looking for help with an exotic dish that you can’t pronounce or seeking a wine pairing recommendation the staff knows the menu inside and out.

We started with some adult beverages, a beer for my dining companion and some sangria for myself on a warm summer evening. Andie’s also boasts a pretty impressive wine list of multiple varieties that won’t break the bank, including wine flights should you wish to sample multiple Vinod. On the food side we started with the watermelon salad, a sushi-like concoction of layered watermelon, basil and feta cheese. It was light and refreshing and all three ingredients came together nicely and equally important it came out well ahead of our entrees. In addition they bring that tasty warm bread that you just can’t resist munching on before your main dish comes. For the main course we didn’t veer far from our “go-to” dishes of a gyros plate with dill rice, and the vegetarian combo consisting of hummus, baba ganoush and falafel. Enter that tasty warm bread once again for some scrumptious dipping, though after the earlier munching our bowl was promptly refilled by the staff. The one downside of the meal was the falafel – for a mediterranean place it lacks the crispy-ness of another local favorite of mine, Taste of Lebanon, and tasted a bit dry. Nothing a little tahini couldn’t fix.

All in all Andies is a great neighborhood spot. You can go there for that special occasion and feel like a mediterranean king or queen, or go when you’re just seeking a great casual meal and have an equally good time. The interior is warm and cozy, and the bar staff is friendly and will take care of you should there be a wait. And the owner, Andie Tarmas, is sure to go the extra mile to ensure that you enjoyed your visit, and that you’ll be back. Which we will.

Bongo Room at 5022 N Clark. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

I’ve said it before – I don’t quite understand the Chicago cult-like brunch culture, that has no qualms of waiting like zombies 20, 30, 40+ minutes patiently for brunch.  After all, its just eggs and toast, right?  When I’m hungry and craving my coffee fix, the last thing I want to do is stand around, staring at others enjoying their food and caffinated beverages as my tummy growls at me in dispair.  That being said, I decided to give Bongo Room, Andersonville’s newest brunch spot which is notorious for long waits at it’s two other locations a shot.  We decided to try to get there a bit earlier than the masses, but alas, even at 10am on a Sunday the wait was over 20 minutes.

On one of our recent scortching hot summer days I had the opportunity to dine in at Jin Thai, and because of the heat I couldn’t enjoy the sidewalk cafe.  Despite being such a small space, the little air conditioner did seem to struggle to keep up making the temperature a bit on the uncomfortable side indoors – but that is where the negativity ends in this review.  The decor is simplistic with an Asian influence, and the staff is friendly and attentive.  My dining companion and I began with crab ragoon and edemame appetizers to go along with our bottle of wine (gotta love BYOB!) while we perused the vast menu of rice, noodle, curry and other Thai dishes.  We ended up selecting THE Thai staple, Pad Thai, along with a basil fried rice dish with shrimp.  Both were excellent, reasonably priced and came out from the kitchen quick, but not so quick that we didn’t have time to finish the appetizers – a personal pet peeve of mine.

Jin Thai has also become a popular delivery option in my household, and they have never disappointed with the quality of the food and speed of the delivery service.  Recently, while having a few guests over prior to attending a concert in Uptown, we decided to order Jin Thai for our guests.  Rather than go through the excercise of having each guest select a dish and have a massive order the owner of Jin Thai put together large trays of Pad Thai, Fried Rice and appetizers that pleased our guests and was simple to serve and clean up.  The owner even personally thanked me for such a large order, and threw in a few items for free that I did not order!  Such small touches go a long way in my book.

Adriatic Cafe patio. Credit: Jeremy Bressman

While you are probably aware that the Adriatic Sea resides on the northern edge of the Mediterannean Sea between Apennine Peninsula and the Balkan peninsula, you may not know that one of the neighborhood’s best patios resides at Clark and Bryn Mawr.  The home of said patio is Adriatic Cafe, a restaurant at 5553 N Clark which opened in June 2010 serving Serbian and American cuisine.

Icosium Kafe Turkish Coffee

Featuring crepes to please any taste bud, sweet or savory, breakfast or dinner, a visit to Icosium Kafe (5200 N Clark) is certain to fulfill your adventerous appetite.  With a unique decor that somewhat resembles a hookah lounge, Icosium is littered with all sorts of lamps, trinkets and accents from the Mediterranian.  The service is attentive and willing to help first time visitors navigate the menu.

The new facade at Premise. Credit: Lyle Bright

After a few weeks of transforming the former In Fine Spirits lounge into a new concept, Premise (5420 N Clark) is slated to open tonight at 5PM. We had the opportunity to garner a sneak peak last night of what’s to come, and we certainly walked away impressed.

Owners Johnnie Grozenski, Paul Hassenwinkel, and Shane & Jill Kissack have relaunched with an all-star cast featuring chef Brian Runge (Graham Elliot), head bartender Luke LeFiles (Hot Chocolate) and wine director Mark Wrobel.

The decor downstairs is hip, chic and inventive – all at once. Bright white chairs adorn a dimly lit dining area which has been rearranged to accommodate more patrons at closely placed tables giving it more of an intimate feel. The entire south wall is a massive chalkboard which has been drawn upon, while the floors feature what look to be the original ornate tiles of IFS. Upstairs has been completely transformed from what was a minimalist party/event room into “The Salon” – a cozy sexy lounge plush with a fireplace and plenty of comfy seating for you and your guest. In addition, the upstairs features a “Kings Room” with a large private table for ten where you can be treated like a king with a multi-course tasting meal, complete with your own private server, balcony, and restroom.

During our visit, the majority of the staff from the owners, host/hostess to the food servers and bussers were pleasant and attentive. The one minor negative, however, would be the somewhat unattentive bar staff downstairs – it took about 5-10 minutes to receive a simple ”what will you have” from a bartender, with no pleasantries or explanation of what was being offered, which would have been helpful considering the (expected) limited offerings of a Preview Night. We opted for a glass of a vodka punch, as that’s what our neighbors were having, and it was delicious. Upstairs, however, was the exact opposite – I don’t believe I had even completed the last step on my trek upstairs when a friendly server was pouncing upon me (in a good way) offering us libations and explaining exactly what she had to offer. We opted for a few glasses of wines while the owner gave us a grand tour of the offerings of the upstairs space.

The food is surely to impress even the harshest of foodie critics, with a revamped menu by Runge featuring the likes of fava agnolotti and tempura sweetbreads appetizers and spot prawns with tapioca pearls & coconut powder, pan-roasted striped bass, and Greek-style lamb with fried chick peas on the entree side. My personal favorite sampling was the compressed melon, warm buttermilk, baby cucumber, arugula, candied peanuts and chive olive oil. Put all those flavors together and you have a party in your mouth.

Be sure to check out Premise for yourself, they open today at 5PM. Reservations can be made via OpenTable and you can “like” them on Facebook to keep up with everything that’s happening at what is sure to be Andersonville’s newest hot spot.

Some people have the mindset that Chicagoans are crazy for waiting 20, 30, even 60 minutes for brunch.  After all, it’s just eggs and pancakes, right?  Wrong.  While, sure, m.henrietta offers up traditional bacon, eggs and pancakes, their brunch menu offers much, much more.  Personally, I experienced a mouth-watering delight in their huevos barrachos – a yummy concoction of scrambled tofu, soy-chorizo, chihuahua cheese (no puppies were hurt in this dish), red adobo sauce, and sour cream sitting on two homemade masa tortillas.  The dish was served with Mexicali rice and grilled sweet plantains.  I’m no vegetarian, but this dish was so good I’m considering converting.  My dining partner opted for the lemon crab & shrimp cake benedict, a seafood twist on the traditional benedict topped with sauteed garlic spinach and creme fraiche.  He was equally as impressed.

The atmosphere at m.henrietta is what would be expected – a busy, cramped waiting area in the front, and a bustling, social atmosphere in the dining area.  The service was superb, with both the servers and bussers being super attentive to your needs without you feeling rushed despite the long line at the door.  Also, m.henrietta serves up something that M Henry does not – dinner.  We’ve yet to check it out, but if its anywhere near as good as brunch, it’s definitely worth a look!