Passion Fruit Power Hour
Drink of the week: Wicked Wahine
Where you can find it: sola
The damage: $10.
Why here? With an ever-growing list of must-try eateries, I keep telling myself that if I’m going to go out to eat, it has to be at a restaurant I’ve never tried. But all too often, laziness prevails. I’ve been yammering on about wanting to try sola since it opened in 2006, but have never bothered to make the trek. After moving to North Center, the neighborhood Carol Wallack’s eatery calls home, I no longer had an excuse to not make a reservation, so I landed a table for two to celebrate my buddy Jamie’s birthday.
How it went down: Though I would definitely consider sola a special-occasion spot, with entrees hovering around the $30 mark, there’s something so accessible about it. The service is formal but friendly, and its cheery, tangerine-hued interior feels warm while being stylish. Jamie and I settled into a two-top with a green-, orange- and yellow-striped booth on one side. The birthday girl opted for a Malbec but I went straight for the cocktail menu, having heard that sola’s bar churned out some innovative libations. A single ingredient in the Wicked Wahine (translation: Wicked Woman) had me sold: passion fruit juice.
When I studied abroad in Venezuela during college, my house mother would serve fresh passion fruit juice everyday at lunch. Its sharp citrus flavor and frothiness would leave me salivating, and I only hoped that the Wicked Wahine’s other elements wouldn’t overpower that sweet nectar. And they didn’t. A mix of candied ginger vodka, star anise and pineapple and passion fruit juices with a dash of black pepper on top, the Wicked is indeed heavy on the fruity flavor, with a bite of pepper at the end of each sip. The ginger from the vodka is subtle and adds a nice hint of earthiness to the drink, and the whole bits of fresh pepper add an interesting texture without being obnoxious.
Would I want to become a regular? Knowing we were going out for the long haul and not wanting to lug around leftovers, Jamie and I declined on getting a first course, nibbling instead on a pretzel roll pre-entree. In hindsight, I regret not ordering the raved about potstickers or seasonal soup because the whole meal felt rushed. Our entrees?poached fish with squash and a slightly sweet sauce for me, panko-crusted tuna for Jamie?while good, didn’t blow us away and before we knew it, we had spent $100 and were walking out the door in just over 60 minutes. That’s a pricey hour, and one I waited for for a long time. I would like to give sola a second shot, especially for brunch, but of course I’ll have to wait until I cross a few other new (to me) eateries off my list.
Dana Kavan scours the city for drink deals so good you’ll offer to buy a round and creative libations that outshine your average on-the-rocks concoctions. Want to give Dana tips on where to rack up a bar tab? Share your finds before her next night out.
Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!
‘Heroes’ viewing party
Watch the third season of the NBC series on TV and indulge in themed food and drink specials.
Prix-Fixe Pleasure
Drink of the week: A bottle of La Ginestra Chianti Where you can find it: Buona Terra.
The damage: $20 for a bottle. Go on a Thursday night when you can score this affordable wine with an even sweeter dinner deal: three-course prix-fixe for $21.95.
Why here? Prix-fixe menus always sound like a bargain until you read the fine print. Many of these packaged dining deals limit which items you can order, inevitably pulling the filet or other high-priced entrees from the options, or pass off a scoop of ice cream, an iceberg salad or another mediocre plate as one of the courses. Another common cop-out? Hosting a prix-fixe on Tuesday, the loser of all dining days. But Buona Terra’s prime Thursday night prix-fixe doesn’t skimp. It lets diners have the full run of its menu, including specials and the $20-plus steak, and when it’s dessert time, all the Italian goods?tiramisu, gelato, cannoli?are up for grabs. It even earns bonus points for taking reservations. It’s one of those rare true finds (along with these) that you won’t believe until you go. I was skeptical too, but now I can’t get enough.
How it went down: Not to belabor the point, but I have one final gripe with most prix-fixes: When the cheapest bottle of vino costs $40, even with the fixed menu, a drinking couple is still going to drop nearly 100 bucks on their meal. This hardly constitutes a steal. Once again, Buona Terra sets itself apart with a well-edited wine list that offers plenty of affordable reds and whites by the glass or bottle.
Even though there are several varieties available for less than $30, my pals and I never even bother to look beyond the cheapest bottle?La Ginestra Chianti for 20 bones. It’s the kind of wine you find in carafes, sitting on top of tables in Tuscany. It tastes bold and rich, with a peppery finish and a tart cherry flavor throughout. Even with all the layers of goodness going on, it remains highly drinkable and pairs well with Buona Terra’s rich pasta plates, like the butternut squash ravioli in a brown butter sauce with an intense hit of sage.
Would I want to become a regular? Because Buona Terra lets you order anything on the menu, it’d be easy to return every Thursday for months and try something new; and yet, I find it’s often my old favorites that keep me going back, like the truffle oil-topped beef carpaccio. I imagine the two-room restaurant, with almond-color and brick walls, vivid paintings and white cloth-covered tables, feels more serene on nights other than Thursday, but with all the perks of Buona Terra’s prix-fixe, it’s worth fighting the friendly, neighborhood crowds. Just order a bottle of Chianti and drink up while you wait.
Dana Kavan scours the city for drink deals so good you’ll offer to buy a round and creative libations that outshine your average on-the-rocks concoctions. Want to give Dana tips on where to rack up a bar tab? Share your finds before her next night out.
Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!
Sweet jewels at Eastgate Cafe
Eastgate Cafe is a cozy coffee shop, all warm brick and wood. So it’s a charming surprise to find the fanciest, more European little pastries here. Our favorite: the Sacher, raspberry-soaked chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, raspberry puree and a few beautiful pieces of candy. Pastry like a Dior ballgown, elegant, festive and scrumptious ($5.85). Eastgate Cafe, 102 Harrison St., Oak Park; 708-660-9091.
Skip the rubber masks this election season and get conceptual with these tips for pulling off all four major candidates from writers, gossips, and haberdashers. 
