Tanta is One of the Year's Best; Juno's Sushi Shines

Tanta is "one of the most exciting and eye-opening new restaurants of the year," writes Mike Sula. The ceviches "alone put it in a class by itself ? seasoned and brightly colored with a variety of flavors" like the "most extravagantly" powerful combo of uni, crab, scallop and oysters. The chaufa aeropuerto is "Peru's answer to fried rice" with crispy bits of rice at the bottom of the bowl producing a "textural magic" only found in paella and bibimbap, while the "juicy and succulent" pollo a la brasa is a "complete family-style meal that in itself deserves an outing." Desserts are a "little less consistently admirable," but the pumpkin-sweet potato fritters are the "boutique doughnuts the city's been waiting for." [Reader]

Juno "belongs in the conversation" of best sushi restaurants in Chicago according to Phil Vettel. The smoked sashimi is a "very nice dish" that's a "real attention-getter" and kama, fish collar, is "so sweet" and "well worth the effort" of picking the meat from the bone. Chawan mushi, Japanese egg custard, is also a "treat," but Vettel recommends trying the omakase menu for the full experience. Courses include a sashimi platter that's "as pretty as a floral arrangement, offering a progression of mild to full-flavored fish," and a "thrilling" progression of nigiri pieces. It's a meal worthy of three stars. [Trib]

Amy Cavanaugh thinks Bentley Tavern fails to execute in nearly every aspect. Cod could "benefit from a healthy shake of salt;" the burger is "underseasoned" and served with "barely warm" fries; and the half chicken is "so salty that [Cavanaugh] is thirsty all night." Shell-on prawns are fine but topped with "unremarkable" cocktail sauce and a "few sad caviar roe, making eating it a challenge." Things even falter behind the bar, where the cocktails are "weak and unbalanced, with not enough sugar or too much." [TOC]