PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

Chef-owner Suzy Crofton has devoted herself to this contemporary American restaurant, a 70-seat River North storefront with a loyal following and plenty of critical acclaim to its credit. Crofton's food is simply sophisticated and decidedly American, and the relatively spare dining room fits in with her no-attitude, Midwestern aesthetic. The menu is based on seasonally available ingredients: You might start with a chilled cucumber-and-Vidalia-onion soup in the summer, or a roasted squash soup in colder weather. Entree selections always include a vegan choice and run the gamut from a simple ginger-miso broth with soba noodles and seasonal vegetables to more complex creations such as grilled venison medallions topped with peppered mascarpone and served with sweet-potato gnocchi and cherries. Crofton's signature dish is the barbecued pork tenderloin garnished with apple chutney (you can even buy a jar of the chutney to go). Close with a Granny Smith apple tart or bittersweet chocolate cake with espresso ice cream and black-peppercorn caramel sauce. Other chefs may wow the food critics with their spectacular presentations, but Crofton has built her reputation with accessible dishes that attract a low-key crowd of satisfied regulars. A four-course prix-fixe meal is available Monday through Saturday from 5 to 6:30pm for $45 ($65 with wine).

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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