Doughnut Vault is Worth the Wait for Kramer; iNG Fails Ruby; GT Fish & Oyster Impresses Bruno

Julia Kramer finds it slightly humiliating to wait in line at Doughnut Vault, but worth it in the end. She thinks the "rounds of fried dough that emerge from this shoebox" are just as good as any doughnut in the city, but "the problem is they're better." The Dance editor of Time Out Chicago in line with Kramer called the chestnut-glazed donut, "stupidly good, the über-Krispy Kreme." Kramer is still not convinced until she "let my hands and face fall prey to the sticky, airy perfection that is a Doughnut Vault glazed doughnut." Although the donuts may be a little too large, a bit too expensive, and "demeaning" to wait in line for, "this is the doughnut we’ve been waiting for." [TOC]

Jeff Ruby thinks iNG is unsuccessful at bringing science-based cooking to the masses. iNG "strives to avoid exclusivity," but "the dishes purportedly built to amaze diners seem geared toward something else: namely, stroking the egos of their creators." He finds the tako taco to be "excellent" as well as the "ultrafresh Hawaiian poke tuna, a tartare with avocado cream and a sesame won ton crisp painted with soy “cotton candy.” Unfortunately the humor in the food seems "more jokey than groundbreaking." To Ruby, some of the dishes are just plain "heartbreaking." His guests were shocked at seeing "precious wagyu used as a prop" but also at "the indignity of a Scotch aging for 12 years only to find itself in an aerosol bottle." The simpler dishes seem to be the winners, but the "noodles need tweaking." The desserts are quite clever, but "clever doesn't make it taste good." Overall, "iNG’s trickery is less interesting than what it represents: minds supple enough to rethink the way restaurants run." For Ruby, "those minds haven’t figured out a better model." [Chicago]

Pat Bruno is impressed by Giuseppe Tentori's "plunge" into seafood. He thinks that Tentori's food, "at its best is some of the best around, simply because he keeps it simple by focusing on flavor and substance rather than trickery and tomfoolery." He finds he brandade croquettes to be "light, flavorful and delectable." Bruno didn't love the clam chowder, as it was "way too salty" and the "house-made oyster crackers were a bone-dry bore." He does greatly enjoy the halibut, calling it "impeccably fresh, indulgently delicious." Desserts strayed from the "clean and simple" of the rest of the food, "yet scored high." [Sun Times]