Paramount Room

"No crap on tap" is a bold claim, but this out of the way River West gastro-pub more than backs it up.

If you like you’re ale upscale, check out this River North bar & Grill which was designed by Oprah’s favorite interior decorator. How upscale? Does the $19 Kobe beef burger give you an idea? Find out where and check out the review @ the Chicago Bar Project.

Iggy's 3 - The Third Time is not a Charm

When a bar’s business model works, its concept can be successfully copied and transplanted to other neighborhoods or cities. Locally, see Bar Louie and John Barleycorn. On the other hand, when a bar makes three separate attempts to make a go of it in the city, as is the case with Iggy’s 3, it may be a case of trying to force a square mug into a round hole. For a dozen years, the original Iggy’s was a fixture on Milwaukee Avenue, before closing its doors. The second incarnation lasted for 3 years in the Bucktown neighborhood, and, sadly, after an evening at their latest River North venture, one can only wonder about the half-life of the current location.

Iggy’s is clearly an establishment with an identity crisis. It is not truly a restaurant, and it’s not, by a long shot, a full-fledged bar or cocktail lounge. Black and red dominate the motif, with the requisite sock puppet photos from its past locations lining the walls. A small, crescent-shaped bar, with seating for perhaps 8, dominates the front room with several small tables flanking the bar, in a space that can at most seat 50. Iggy’s does provide a hip environment, but the overall vibe is one of style over substance.

As a bar, Iggy’s comes up short. With little space to mingle and fewer spaces to sit, Iggy’s does not lend itself to a comfortable setting for a round of drinks, particularly if the place is crowded. $11 martinis may be the going rate in the city these days, but Iggy’s does nothing to separate its offerings from the crowd. A small, though high-quality, selection of bottled beers are offered to those looking for something lighter, but Iggy’s offers no beers on draught.

As a restaurant, Iggy’s menu seems to be out of line with the atmosphere it is presenting. Appetizers run as high as $15 and entrees to $29, though meals are served by t-shirt clad wait staff who seem more properly attired to slinging buffalo wings. The ambitious menu, combined with the informal service, sends a confusing message to customers. In terms of taste and presentation, a sampled goat cheese appetizer was presented blandly and tasted about the same. Not one sandwich appears on the menu, which may be perfectly suitable for a fine-dining establishment, but it would be a stretch to put Iggy’s in that category.

Overall, Iggy’s is a cool looking spot that needs to decide what it wants to be when it grows up.

Rating: 1 mug

Editor’s note: A negative review is not something that I relish in giving, unlike a slathering Simon Cowell. But until Iggy’s rights the ship, if you’re looking for a drink in that part of River North I might recommend Clark St. Ale House. For a bite, the authentic and reasonably priced Café Iberico is a solid bet. (And by the way, the original Bar Louie is just a few blocks west of Iggy’s on Chicago Avenue.)

Philly Knows Lunch

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, I had the good fortune to stop for lunch at a grand bazaar of culinary delights, known as the Reading Terminal Market. In operation since 1893, the market provides a year-round array of fresh and prepared foods, housed in a revitalized train terminal, which was originally built with the grandeur of a bygone era.

Beneath the high-domed ceiling, row after row of independent merchants compete for the right to fill your stomach. And during lunch hour, you’ll be competing too, with throngs of locals and scores of business travelers, who come from the adjoining convention center. The atmosphere is one of mild chaos, which seems quite apropos for this setting.

Sections of the market, catering to locals, are devoted to stands featuring fresh produce, meat and fish. (Much of the fish on the day I visited was very recent pulled from the ocean by the nearby Atlantic fleet.) Interspersed among the raw goods vendors, are dozens of prepared food stands, which go well beyond the almost cliché Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. From falafels at Kamal’s Middle Eastern Specialties to mouth-watering roast beef and homemade Italian sausage sandwiches at DiNic’s, from ikura at Tokyo Sushi Bar to hand-carved turkey from The Original Turkey, there is something to please every taste.

A corner of the busy market is devoted to stands run by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Open on a more limited basis than the rest of the market, the stands run by the various Quaker sects, offer a range or organic meats, cheeses, produce and baked goods. And though their dress reflects their religion’s traditional codes and values, interaction between the Pennsylvania Dutch and their customers does much to dispel stereotypes. For instance, my purchase from the Lancaster Co. Dairy was concluded with a simple “thank you”, rather than a ‘Tis a pleasure doing business with you, English’. Their fresh-squeezed apple cider was nectar of the gods.

By meal’s end, you may feel like you could not take another bite, but leaving the market without dessert would be a mistake. I might suggest exiting the market on the Filbert Street side and stopping at Termini Brothers Bakery for a to-go box. Cannolis are filled on-site; the creamy sweet filling is not piped into the flaky crust until you place your order. The connolis are rich, yet delicate and are worth making room in your hotel room’s honor bar fridge, if you have no room in your stomach.

It’s hard to leave the Reading Terminal Market unsatisfied, but be forewarned. Upon exiting you may be left with a decision: a cup of coffee or a nap.

Sarge's: A New York deli

A visit to an authentic delicatessen is a requirement for any well-rounded trip to New York City. Tourists in the mid-town/Times Square area may be satisfied with the shtick and excess of places like the Carnegie or Stage delis, but for my money Sarge’s, located in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood, is the undisputed champ.

Open 24/7, and with a full liquor license (a rarity in NY delis), Sarge’s offers a timeless deli experience. The establishment is a literal depiction of “Old School”, having operated in the same location since 1964. A tiered-display of pastries and decadent cakes greets customers. An adjacent meat counter offers take-out options for all of Sarge’s meats and side dishes. The opposite wall, behind the cashier, is a collection of autographed celebrity headshots that span the life of the restaurant and act as a walk down memory lane.

Though the kitchen itself is not considered kosher, as a full diner menu is offered, Sarge’s serves all of the favorites in the delicatessen/”Jewish Soul Food” lexicon. Traditional delicacies such as a nova lox platter and smoked whitefish appear on the breakfast menu. Knishes and kugel are available as side dishes, and there is ruggelach for dessert.

Start your lunch, dinner or late-night snack with a steaming bowl savory chicken broth, accompanied by a choice of rice, noodles or matzo-balls. Sandwich options are many and include everything from corned beef and salami, to chopped liver and tongue. Ingredients can be mixed, matched or combined, depending on personal tastes. Of note, Sarge’s is one of the last delis in New York to make their own pastrami on premises, and it shows. Their pastrami sandwich is a signature dish that stands out in a city full of competitors. An order of a single golden brown potato latke perfectly accompanies any sandwich and is easily big enough for two. Wash down the meal with a homemade Green River or chocolate egg cream, and momentary Zen can be achieved.

Sarge’s is a quintessential New York deli. Stick with the comfort food and you won’t go wrong. When a diner next to us ordered the “salmon filet”, we were certain that he was not from New York and fairly positive that he was not even from earth. This is one meal where you can be forgiven for telling your diet to go to hell.

Launch Pad Tip: You’ve landed late at Laguardia and you’re starving, but don’t want to settle for the $11 Toblerone in the hotel room honor bar. Have your taxi driver take the Queens-Midtown tunnel into Manhattan. You will emerge at 3rd Avenue and 37th Streets, less than a block from Sarge’s. Even with luggage, it’s just another short cab ride to your hotel.