Linni Eats Chicago: Ann Sather's

If you don't like the sound of free cinnamon rolls the size of baseball gloves--well, you might be crazy. But you also might want to head over to Chicago's legendary breakfast mecca, Ann Sather's, so they can change your mind. The hearty serving of two cinnamon rolls with every entree is a pleasant alternative to your run-of-the-mill restaurant bread bowl.

This authentic Swedish dining room got its start on Belmont and has since spread to 5 locations throughout Chicago. The restaurant's namesake moved here from Scandinavia and opened the Belmont spot in 1945. Her original cinnamon roll recipe is still served today, and can be purchased to go if you don't have time to eat in.


On this particular rainy Sunday, I found myself at the Andersonville location, a two-story space designed with Swedish floral wallpaper and traditional, comforting decor. It has a great ambience, very old-fashioned, yet frequented by anyone from church-goers to the heavily-pierced couple with matching eggs benedicts next to our table.

We were seated on the second floor, and were eating in the drought between lunch and breakfast crowds. Our expedited service may or may not have been a result of this, but we were definitely never left hungry. The waitstaff were extremely friendly, but not annoyingly chatty. Our cinnamon rolls were on the table in no time in all their glorioius gooeyness. Bear in mind that you get two cinnamon rolls in one order, so definitely plan on splitting with others at your table. I would also recommend taking some home to heat up in the microwave later. Our waiter actually gave us a few leftovers to take home, free of charge, due to the switch to lunch patrons.


Our entrees were out in no time--I ordered Debbie's Delight, a serving of oatmeal on a plate, topped with rice porridge, dried cranberries and apricots, raisins, and granola. This medley may sound a little over-the-top, but I was supremely satisfied. A fellow diner of mine tried the potato pancakes served with applesauce and sour cream. The pancakes were not as potato-y as we expected, but we decided to trust the Swedes working in the kitchen over our own American assumptions. I also got to sample two omelettes, both of which were a little disproportionate--the salmon, cream cheese, and asparagus dish looked as though a filet of smoked salmon and a slab of cream cheese had been placed in the center of it and not mixed at all, and the goat cheese omelette had a definite surplus of cheese. These egg dishes were made with quality ingredients and both tasted amazing once you do the mixing yourself, but you shouldn't have to.

You won't spend too much here, average entrees run from $8-15. There is an entire case of pastries, breads, and of course, cinnamon rolls on the ground floor of the Andersonville location, as well as the Belmont location. These both feature large, full-scale dining rooms. The newer additions have a more cafe-feel and are usually in smaller spaces with possibly more limited menus.

Andersonville
5207 N. Clark
773-271-6677
7-2:30 Mon-Fri
7-4 Sat & Sun
Closed Tuesday
For a complete list of locations, phone numbers, and hours, visit their website at www.annsather.com

Linni Eats Oak Park: Cafe Le Coq

Tucked away between a small town bakery and mainstream stir fry joint, Cafe Le Coq doesn't immediately stand out from the plethora of dining options available to folks in the Western suburb of Oak Park. On a rather homey stretch of Lake street, some people find this turn-of-the-century French bistro kind of intimidating.

I was pleasantly surprised at the charming and unpretentious vibe. The collection of chicken figurines and paintings are highlighted by a dimly-lit honeyed glow and, despite the obvious presence of candles, chandeliers, and manners, it requires no effort to feel at ease here. Many are under the misconception that Cafe le Coq requires elegant attire and a Parisienne accent, but this is not so.

We ordered from an authentic waiter who was speaking French to the table behind us, and shortly after were greeted with tiny ceramic tureens of roasted garlic and tomato soup. This delectable complimentary touch is something all restaurants should do--one of my companions ordered this very soup as a result of the sampler!

This was not, however, the favorite at our table. The soup du jour was carrot curry, served in similar adorable ceramic bowls, and was the perfect combination of sweet and spicey. I believe there was cinnamon or clove in it in addition to the curry, and it was topped with a crunchy baquette slice covered with melted cheese, or au gratin, as the French would say. Both this and the tomato soup were fantastic paired with the pumpkin seed bread from the bread bowl.


Next course was the cheese plate, which features a melange of cheeses selected by the chef, alongside an apple slaw with sliced almonds. One fromage favorite was the Comte, which was the perfect firmness and balance of sweet and nutty flavor. Despite also having a great brie, the star of the platter was the Roquefort bleu cheese. It practically combusted in my mouth with this sweet crumble that wasn't too dry or too bitter, as a bleu often can be. The density of flavor can't be explained by just "sweet," as there was a diversity of tastes going on in my mouth at once. You will just have to go and taste for yourself!

I ordered the crab cakes off of the appetizer menu, not even aware that they were crab cakes. My 5 years of secondary school French did me no good when I read the title of this hors d'oeuvre, whose translation listed only crab meat, red peppers, and a cream sauce. That was enough to entice me, and I am glad it did as I am always open to a crab cake! If you are going to order your entree from the appetizer menu, however, be warned--they are not the most sizeable portions. My order involved two crab cakes, one inch tall and one inch in diameter, and someone dining with me ordered a goat cheese and onion tart that looked like a dessert tart.


Both appetizers were quality dishes, and perfect compliments to our soup orders. The crab cake itself was a wonderfully flakey medallion that held together really well, and its whole-grain mustard sauce sparked around on my tongue without overwhelming the flavor of the crab. I only wish they hadn't put so much sauce, a problem easily solved by the addition of some more cakes.

Others dining with me enjoyed the bouillabaise and the mussels, which reportedly could have had a stronger sauce. As this was my first experience with clams or mussels, I can't comment on the sauce quality, but despite my initial reaction to the texture, it tasted great, albeit a little salty.


As it should be for all French restaurants, the dessert menu was a thing of beauty. One of my companions ordered the chocolate mousse with strawberries, which was served in a crepe, wrapped into an upright cone. Another had the Tart a la Creme Brulee, which bore strong resemblance to the goat cheese tart at dinner, but possessed a much different taste. It wasn't bad, but I found it lacked the signature vanilla bean flavor that its name suggests. I was, of course, drawn in by the Creme Brulee Trio, as I am always anxious to try new flavors of my favorite dessert. The samplings were classic vanilla, chocolate, and caramel. I was still most taken with classic vanilla--although the caramel was an interesting juxtaposition of flavor with texture, the chocolate just felt like chocolate pudding to me.

Though the menu can be hard to read, this bistro definitely won me over with the quality of its food, pleasant staff, and overall charm. I will definitely be coming back to try some more interesting seafood--perhaps I can comment on the mussels' sauce next time!

Seating is available outside in the summer months, and you may want to make reservations on busy nights.
Cafe Le Coq
734 Lake St.
Oak Park, IL
708-848-2233
Open for dinner Tue-Thu 5-9:30
Fri-Sat 5-10:30
Sunday brunch 11-2:30
Sunday dinner 4-9
Closed Monday
Average Entree $15-25

Linni Eats Chicago: The Walnut Room

My first thought upon entering Marshall Field's famed Walnut Room was that they have more tables than they will ever be able to use. The restaurant's 17000 square feet of space seemed superfluous, if not even a little presumptuous. We didn't even mention our reservation as we were lead to a table at the base of a gigantic ballerina, with a skirt made of fine china and a curtain of ballet shoes encasing her. This towering figurine is replaced by an even more colossal Christmas tree during the winter months, a time when not only are all of the tables booked, but there is an hour-long waiting list at all hours of the day!


It felt a bit unorthodox to be making my first visit to this famed establishment on a clammy Wednesday evening in May, when the Circassian wood archways and Austrian chandeliers shone only for a scarce and scattered crowd of theatre patrons. Alas, we too had tickets to a show at the Goodman and thought we would give this 7th floor specialty, hidden within the beloved State Street Marshall Field's, an opportunity to wow us.

Theatre-goers get special privileges here--we were promised a 45 minute dining experience, which included free dessert--you just have to flash your ticket stub. But I am getting ahead of myself here, dessert comes later! I settled in with the Crab Bisque to start, which came to the table in about 5 minutes and was divine. The hint of sherry made it an incredibly silky affair, while the actual pieces of crabmeat gave it more substance than the flimsy seafood bisques I have had in the past. Definitely a great way to start the meal.

The entree was a more difficult choice. The Walnut Room is famous for their Chicken Pot Pie, the dish that actually got the restaurant started in the 1890s, when a Marshall Field's employee cooked pot pies for her lunch and decided to start selling them to hungry shoppers. I was also tempted by the Butternut Squash Ravioli, which was served in a light sage cream sauce with dried cranberries, baby spinach, leeks, and roasted peppers, and topped with parmesan cheese and walnut pesto. (I couldn't believe this was the only mention of walnuts I saw on the menu!) I decided, however, to continue with the seafood theme and order the Seared Scallop Salad, which included leeks, pineapple, red peppers, Savoy cabbage, and baby greens, all topped with shoestring potatoes and a pineapple vinaigrette.

Before I go on, you should know something about me--I could compete in speed-eating contests if I thought it wouldn't ruin my metabolism. In fact, I could probably make a living at said contests. I know that as a "foodie," it is my job to savor, to thoroughly enjoy and hang on every bite, picking out undertones, moving pieces around in my mouth, letting my taste buds soak in the sauces for a moment...that just isn't me. I do that occasionally, especially if there is a good creme brulee involved, but if a dish stands apart from all others, the way I hope most dishes to be, I have difficulty stopping myself. I know, I know, I'm getting help.


That said, this scallop endeavor was...mediocre. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't gagging, but let's just say it was the kind of entree where I didn't mind putting my fork down for awhile to tell my fellow diners a story. The shoestring taters and scallops had this burnt flavor, which couldn't have been on purpose. The leeks were raw and placed on the sides of the plate, as was the pineapple. Unlike the pineapple, however, no one wants to make an extra effort to eat leeks, there is no motivation there, especially when it is raw. At least the pineapple was grilled, I gobbled that up right away.


I didn't feel bad leaving room for dessert, and I had glimpsed a creme brulee at a table nearby. But this classy eatery's location inside Marshall Field's gives their dessert chefs access to Frango chocolates, and their most popular item is the Frango Mint Chocolate Chip Pie. I wanted to, I was tempted, I really was, but I have a relationship with creme brulee. We love eachother. It relies on me to order it wherever possible, and I rely on it to make that beautiful sound when I hit it with my spoon. Besides, chocolate makes me breakout.

So I ordered my one and only, and as is almost always the case, I was satisfied. The wonderful crack was music to my ears, the crust was not too thick or too thin, and the custard itself was sublime. My only complaint would be that the top was broiled a bit unevenly, with some spots a bit more burnt than others. This place needs to calm down, take a deep breath, and stop burning everything!


My fellow patrons both ordered the famous Chicken Pot Pie, which came with a nice spinach and mandarin salad with sesame dressing. Be warned, however, this is not the down-home country pot pie you get at Boston Market (don't lie, you know you love it)--the "pie" is more like a chicken soup with two oversized triangles of puff-pastry on top. According to them, however, it was still delicious. They also ordered peach cobbler and key lime pie, of which no complaints were made. The crust on the key lime pie actually made me want to snatch the fork out of my grandma's hand and nab me some of that thick, crumbly, golden goodness, but my loyalties were with the creme brulee.

The experience was nice and elegant overall. The waitstaff seemed experienced and polite, not the snooty 20-somethings you sometimes get stuck with at American Contemporary dining locales. It is a calming oasis in the middle of a hectic shopping environment, although I am sure that tranquility wears off in the holiday season. Despite my complaints, I definitely look forward to coming back for that ravioli...and maybe also some Frango pie, but I can't make any promises.

The Walnut Room
111 N. State St., 7th Floor
Chicago, IL
312-781-3125
Open 7 days a week, 11am-4pm
Holiday hours (post-Thanksgiving to early January)
Mon-Wed. 8am-one hour before store closing
Sunday 9am-6pm
Average Entree $8-15
Accessible by CTA Red, Green, Purple, Brown, & Orange line trains at Washington stop