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Chicago Brauhaus is an established, family-owned restaurant in Lincoln Square. Lincoln Square was for many years a heavily German neighborhood, and this restaurant fits right in. It is almost like what I’d imagine going to a fun restaurant in Germany would be like (admittedly, I’ve never been to Germany). Lots of beer, food, and a band and dancing every night. The band cracked me up: the night we were there, they played everything from Elvis to German omp-pah songs.

The food is fine…not great, but fine. I had the pork cutlet with fried German potatoes, and enjoyed it. The service was good, too. All in all, it felt a little bit like traveling to a different country, while only traveling a few minutes from my home. I suggest making a reservation: the night we went it was packed, but I’d called for a reservation. They had a table waiting for us, with our name on it!

All in all, a fun evening.

Another winning Italian restaurant in Chicago. Chicago is full of good Italian restaurants, and Gruppo di Amici stands up well. They have a nice outdoor patio, and the interior is inviting. The menu includes pastas, salads, wood-fired pizzas, and calzoni. My group tried a wide range of things: lasagna, mushroom and goat cheese pizza, salad, and eggplant parmigana. All were very good. We shared a bottle of Argentinian white wine, served over ice with a slice of lime: I’ve never had wine that way, and it was fantastic! Very refreshing on a hot summer day. The service was good and very friendly. I’ll definitely go back.

Disappointing. The food was fine, but the lengthy delay in getting our food means I won’t be back any time soon. We went at lunch time, and chose to order sandwiches instead of pizza because their pizza takes 30 minutes to bake. It took 45 minutes for the kitchen to prepare three sandwiches! The table next to us arrived after we ordered, ordered pizza, ate, and were getting ready to leave when we FINALLY got our food. The server did give us several updates, although mostly of the “the order still isn’t up” variety. When the food arrived, no apology from either the waitress or a manager. Unacceptable at lunch time, when it is obvious that people need to return to work. We should have just ordered pizza (which I do hear is very good).

This was a tough one. I’d give Green Zebra four and a half to five stars for the food alone. Unfortunately, service issues and the general “feel” of the restaurant make it more like a three and a half. I expect better from a place this expensive.

I went with three friends. I’m a dedicated meat eater, so I wasn’t sure how I’d like a place focused on vegetables. Well, I thought the food was fantastic! My friends and I shared everything, so I got to try a lot of things. My favorite was the sweet onion and garlic soup with chive cream….absolutely fantastic.

Unfortunately, our waiter was horrible. Although he was attentive when we arrived, as soon as we ordered (and it started to get busy) he pretty much disappeared. Not only did he forget to bring things (i.e that second beer), but it was pretty much literally impossible to even catch his eye: proving that he wasn’t paying any attention to us. He didn’t even come back to pick up the check: my friend finally took the check up to the bar. Really bad. The bus boy (who did a lot more than usual bus boy duties) was the only employee who did his job: I wish we could have given him the whole tip.

Additionally, the space is quite crowded, and the tables are much too close together. It’s physically difficult to get into your seat without sitting in the lap of the diner next to you, and the noise level is quite high.

So, a mixed bag: fantastic, even stunning, food, but a disappointment as an overall dining experience.

I would give Deleece Grill Pub three and a half stars if I could. I had dinner there last week, and very much enjoyed it. The space is simple, in a good way. We sat out back in the outdoor dining space, which I really enjoyed. I hate outdoor spaces that are along the street: this space is like eating on someone’s backyard patio. Very relaxing.

The service was very good. They have an interesting menu, including a cool beer menu arranged by state (or country) of origin. They also have a cheese menu…one of my favorite things!

I wanted to love the food---I didn’t. It was fine, no complaints, but I didn’t taste any “wow” factor. The mac and cheese was good, but I prefer mine a little creamier. My chicken dish was also good, but again, no “wow”. Hence, three stars instead of four.

However, I will return to try Deleece Grill Pub again. I liked the space, the location, and the staff, so I’ll give it another shot to see if I missed something with the food. I hear they have a great brunch, so perhaps that will be my next visit.

Nail.com is my new favorite nail salon! It had been months since my last pedicure, so I was on the lookout for a new place to try. So, I tried nail.com this morning. Wow wow wow! Although my expectations were high, based on the good things I’d heard, I was even more pleased than expected. Every little detail is right, from the cute decor to the friendly staff to the fantastic pedicure chairs. I had both a manicure and a pedicure, which were great. In addition to the great nail service, they provide fantastic “extras” like an extensive leg and foot massage with the pedicure, and arm/hand massage with the manicure. These are 'real” massages, not wimpy rubbing. Prices were reasonable, too.

Best of all, I felt very comfortable there. You know how some nail salons are downright unfriendly? Not nail.com! I loved it, and I will go back.

Harmony Grill is right in my neighborhood, but I hadn’t eaten there in at least five years. (No particular reason: it just didn’t happen.) So, when my friends and I were looking for a new place for brunch, we picked Harmony Grill. It was a good choice!

We arrived about 10 on a Sunday morning, and were seated right away. (It did get quite busy by 11:00 a.m., so go early-ish if you don’t like to wait. They don’t take reservations for weekend brunch.) Service was prompt and attentive, including the bus boy refilling water and coffee.

We all ordered some type of breakfast item, although Harmony Grill does have sandwiches and salads on the brunch menu. I had a “build your own” omelet, with goat cheese and green (spring) onions. It was delicious, and the hash browns were good, too. My friends were also pleased with their choices (various egg dishes).

Extra bonus points to the waitress, who didn’t rush us at all when we lingered, trying to catch up on the gossip and what is going on in everyone’s life. (We left a suitably appreciative tip.)

Harmony Grill is part of Schuba’s, which is an excellent small live music venue. It would be convenient to have dinner there before a show, although I haven’t tried their dinner menu.

All in all, a good experience. I’ll go back.

Westminster Abbey is among my favorite places in London. There is something about the antiquity of the building, combined with the history, that just speaks to me. Every British monarch since William the Conqueror have been crowned here: just that fact alone can give one goosebumps. And there is so much more: weddings, burials of all sorts of famous people (Elizabeth the First being my personal favorite), commemorations of historic events (including a small chapel at the “back” of the Lady Chapel, recognizing the contributions of the RAF in protecting Britain in WWII). I just love this place.

I recommend spendng the money to tour it (get the included audioguide, or have a tour by one of the vergers). I’ve done this many times, and don’t plan to stop! I also recommend attending a service (which is free). Getting there a bit early gives one a chance to sit, reflect, and look around. (At Christmas, I particularly recommend attending the candlelit Advent carol service: unbelievable!)

This is truly a “don’t miss”.

St. Margaret’s is a beautiful church literally next door to Westminster Abbey. It has a very peaceful quality: perhaps that’s because so few of the thousands of visitors to Westminster Abbey visit St. Margaret’s. I particularly like the stained glass in the church. There is a lovely window that dates from the early 16th Century, commemorating the marriage of Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon. There is also 20th Century stained glass, replacing glass destroyed in WWII bombings.

For those who are interested in such things, St. Margaret’s has been the location of weddings of famous people, including Samuel Pepys, Winston Churchill, and Viscount Linley.

I recently had Sunday brunch at Erwin for the first time, and it won’t be the last! I had been to Erwin once for dinner several years ago, but hadn’t tried brunch. The space is simple but nice. The food was very good: I ordered steak and eggs, on the recommendation of one of my dining companions, and I am glad I did! The steak was cooked exactly as I ordered it, and was marinated in something that gave it almost a sweet (but subtle) flavor. The portions are huge: my large plate was filled with four slices of steak, a pile of country potatoes, a mound of scrambled eggs, and two pieces of multi-grain toast. We also tried the mimosas…yum, very good.

My only minor “complaint” is that the tables are quite close together, so that it is difficult for servers and bussers to get through: sometimes making you feel as if you’re in the way even when you are sitting down. They take reservations (a real plus for brunch), and we were very promptly seated.

I will be back, quite soon!