Spring World Restaurant

This restaurant serves Szechuan and Yunnan cuisine. I frequent this place with J or my family. In fact, this is the only restaurant in Chinatown that my youngest brother willingly eats at. However, if you cannot stand spicy or greasy food, I would suggest you to stay away.

2109 S China Pl
Chicago 60616
(312)326-9966
Information from Centerstage

Monday to Thursdays 11AM - 10PM
Saturday and Sunday 10AM - 10PM

My family mostly orders from the dinner menu. You should be aware that this restaurant does have a lunch menu on weekdays that is more affordable (ranges from $3 to $5 per set meals).

This is what I order when I'm with J:


Beef Fried Rice $5.95 - I usually tend to stay away from fried rice, but this isn't bad and J NEEDS this


Scallion Cake $3.95 - I usually stays away from this too, but J NEEDS this as well


Spicy Preserved Pork $8.95 - this place makes its own preserved pork and it's some pretty good stuff


Boiled Beef in Spicy Szechuan Sauce $8.95


Pork with Garlic Sauce and Napa with Dried Shrimp - this is a lunch set (our rice and soup came separately)

Other memorable items:

Across the Bridge Rice Noodles $ 6.95
Sea Bass Steak $14.95
Preserved Pepper Style Fish $12.95
Lam Stew & Fish w/ Sour Pickle Casserole $11.95
Chicken w/ Hot Pepper $ 8.95
Szechuan String Bean $ 6.95

There is plenty of other dishes that we haven't tried. In my opinion, this is one of the best authentic Chinese restaurants in Chicago.

Couscous

1445 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL
(312) 226-2408
website
reviews

Monday to Sunday 11:30am - 9:30pm

The reviews on Centerstage were all positive and we were feeling adventurous this day. And, I forgot to bring the camera because I was starving and my brain ceases to function when I'm hungry.

When we first walked in, the waitress (the only one around) shot us the dirtiest look. There was only two other couples in the restaurant. A little unnerved, we sat down by the window and proceeded to order. First of all, the review said none of the entrees exceeded $10 which was absolutely wrong, because the special of the day was tender lamb shanks and costs close to $20. This was the first time I've been to a Middle Eastern styled restaurant so I was a bit overwhelmed and asked the waitress for advice. Other than the lamb shanks, she had no other suggestions and I was not in the mood for lamb. We ordered two appetizers in addition to our entrees. I can't remember what we ordered specifically because everything was bland. Even our hunger can't make the food taste good.

Was it because it was the restaurant's downtime (Saturday night around 6)? Did we order the wrong things (falafel and breek with beef)? Was it us? I have no idea, but it will be a while before I trust Centerstage for eatery advice again.

Lastly, the glimpse of the kitchen we caught from the cashier's desk looked like sanitation might be an issue.

UNSAVORY EXPERIENCE! Not coming back, ever.

Rizzata's redux

See our original post here.

Last time we were rushed. This time, we were still rushed.


Deep dish pizza with pepperoni, italian beef and canadian bacon.


What makes Rizzata's pizza great is the cheese... see how cheesey it is? And it's also the tomato sauce, which always taste wonderfully fresh.


Calzone with italian beef and pepperoni. Again, their low-fat mozzarella cheese is sooo good.

We did try several other items, such as the BBQ beef sandwich and the sausage lasagna. However, the sandwich was just average and J did not like the lasagna.

So our advice is to stick with Rizzata's CALZONES. Best, calzones, EVER.

Pegasus redux

See our original post here.

We didn't get quality photos of the entree during our last visit. So here's to making it up...





The food was great, as always. The only complaint that we would sometimes have is about the service. Sometimes, the service is great. Sometimes, you have to ask for the bread. We'll be back.... eventually, maybe.

Next up, the Parthenon.

Pegasus

This marks our 2nd post! I should have introduced both myself and J in the previous post, our FIRST post EVER, but it was late and I was hungry. For me, hungry = unfocused and cranky as J can attest to.

We actually hit up this joint last month... the PEGASUS. We both ordered our usual for lunch - the Athenian which is $17.95 for each person. It's more than enough food for the both of us, and we love the variety.

Saganaki- Kefalograviera cheese flambe
Always a sinful pleasure.

A closer look at the cheese flambe

Greek salad and Tarmosalata, a smooth whipped fish roe spread. J is usually very picky about vegetables, but he came very close to finishing his salad because of the dressing. Both of us were not fond of the tarmosalata.

The main course, composed of Spanakopita (spinach cheese pie), Pastitsio (baked macoaroni, ground meat with Bechamel sauce), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves with egg and lemon sauce), Mousakas (eggplant, zucchini and ground meat with Bechamel sauce), potato and rice pilaf. We love the entire plate, the combination of foods.


A different angle and closer look so you can see the potato.

Desert - Baklavas (layers of fillo dough with walnuts, cinnamon and honey), Galaktoboureko (lemon custard in fillo dough with light honey syrup) and coffee

Desert, close-up

J and I are very devoted to Greek food. That being said, I feel like these photos don't do the food justice. We do plan on heading back for lunch. When we do, more improved photos to come.

Rizzata's

It's Chicago. It's deep dish pizza. It's Rizzata's.

We order from Rizzata's frequently. More appetizing and detailed photos to come later. We were too hungry this time to take more than two photos before we dug in...






The pizza shown above is stuffed. You may ask, what is the difference between stuffed and pan? Stuffed is when the cheese is underneath the sauce and pan is when the cheese is on top. Rizzata's pizza is appetizing, but not as amazing as their calzones. Mmmm... calzones...

Like I said, more later when we're not hungry.

J: "I heart pizza."