Nagrant Thinks STK is OK; TOC Says GreenRiver is One of Best Bars; More

Michael Nagrant thinks STK is just OK. The New York-based steakhouse chain offers a 20 oz. bone-in ribeye that’s "nowhere near as funky and satisfying" as the one he had at Boeufhaus but a seared foie gras appetizer is served with a "viscously sweet" orange marmalade that evokes the "smell of burning leaves and hot pie" in a good way. For sides, parmesan truffle fries "need[s] a bit more finishing salt" while bruleed sweet corn pudding is pleasing and akin to "eating fresh sugary farm corn straight off the stalk." A churro milkshake is unremarkable and accompanied by churro bites that are "doughy and undercooked." [RedEye]

GreenRiver is "one of Chicago’s best bars—with a gorgeous view to boot," writes Amy Cavanaugh. The cocktails "have a lot going on" and the eight highballs are the "sleeper hits of the menu." Drinks include the Gray Wolf—a "beautiful blend" of Yamazaki 12-year and Benedictine—and the Diamond Jim, a sparkling pink cocktail that "tastes nothing like you’d expect." Food "on the whole is excellent" with options like "perfectly tender" octopus with romesco sauce, crispy chickpeas and orange, as well as foie gras atop bread pudding. A carrot cake to cap things off is served with smoked carrot cake ice cream and has a crunchy layer that "keeps the dish light." [TOC]

De Quay offers well-executed, Euro-inspired dishes according to Phil Vettel. The Indonesian "dish to try" is the nasi goreng—fried rice cooked in a spicy paste and mixed with market vegetables—while the "star" Dutch item is the grilled pork chop and smoked rockworst that’s "pink and moist and as meltingly tender as a top-level tenderloin." Other highlights include an "impressive portion" of steamed mussels in a sweet coconut-curry sauce and a duck composition that "works especially well, every flavor complementing the others." Desserts like housemade stroopwafels, spekkoek, and peanut butter pave are "all good and worth a visit by themselves." [Tribune]