Pearl’s Southern Comfort, Chicago

I‘ve been to Pearl’s Southern Comfort in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood three times now – the food is delicious, there are good beer and cocktail options, the service is friendly and attentive, and I like the ambiance. Pearl’s also has a rooftop deck that opened this past summer that serves up drinks and bar bites. Pearl’s is busy, but I’ve never had to wait for a table. Plus. the bar has a couple of good screens for watching the Cubs game.

We love the boudin balls,  delicate fried dough balls filled with sausage and a bit of rice.

The catfish bites are lightly battered pieces of flaky fish.

The gumbo is so flavorful, packed with dark meat chicken, sausage, and okra. (This photo was taken after we had already devoured half the bowl!)

Hubby ordered the shrimp po’boy. The fries were extra crispy.

I had the blackened catfish which was nicely done. It was served with collard greens, and the only disappointment of the night – the mac n’ cheese. Which, unfortunately, was a huge disappointment. I ordered the catfish partially because it came with a side of mac. However, this was probably the worst restaurant mac n’ cheese I’ve ever tasted. It kind of made me wonder whether the restaurant had run out of real cheese, and came up with this Kraft dinner / cheese whiz concoction instead. It tasted so bad, I couldn’t eat more than one spoonful of the mess.

Luckily, the fantastic banana bread pudding redeemed the night. This gigantic dessert was epic. Don’t attempt to finish this on your own, this is a dessert meant for sharing. It’s soft, sweet bread layered with banana and served on a plate drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. There were hints of rum in there as well.

 

The Final Word: Overall, Pearl’s severs up excellent Southern food, and it’s a great place for a date or dinner with friends. The only thing I’d wish they’d change is the mac n’ cheese. 

Info: Pearl’s Southern Comfort, 5352 N. Broadway Street, Chicago, IL 60640 USA

Best Brunch Pick: Nick’s On Broadway, Providence

After reading some rave reviews, my guy and I decided to try Nick’s for brunch. We arrived at 12:30 pm on a Sunday, and waited about 40 minutes – just what the hostess had estimated. Nick’s accepts names until 3 pm. Unless you arrive after 2:30, expect to wait. In any case, the wait is well worth it!

The restaurant is divided into two. One side has the  impressively-stocked bar, with bar seating and high-tops each seating two people. It seems the thing to do while you’re waiting for a table is to order a Bloody Mary or the mimosa special.  The special that day was a Prosecco with apple puree. It looked yummy, though I didn’t try it. The other side of Nick’s has bar seating facing an open kitchen, and tables for larger parties.

Everything we had was amazing!  Nick’s uses locally-sourced meats, seafood, and vegetables so there is a whole list of specials, depending on what ingredients are plentiful.

The hash special was a beef and onion hash with mushroom gravy and poached eggs. My boyfriend ordered it on top of a Benedict, with house-made biscuits and Hollandaise sauce, served with home fries which included some sweet potatoes.

Other specials of the day (it was tough to remember  them all the details as our server recited them) included a very yummy-sounding burger, a cassoulet with lamb, pork sausage, and white beans, served with grilled bread, and a fish dish.

 

I had the creamy corn-butternut squash polenta topped with spinach, two poached eggs, pumpkin-seed pesto, and Parmesan cheese.

 

The full order of vanilla-battered French toast was two thick slices, he ordered it with warm berry compote (strawberry rhubarb today i think) and Vermont maple syrup. The house-made bread was very soft on the inside.

 

I had the maple-walnut bread pudding – a dense square topped with house-made cranberry ice cream, over a smear of gooey caramel.

Our waitress was super nice and attentive. Our coffee mugs and water glasses never went empty. Interestingly, coffee is not on the drink menu, though there is a plethora of teas. I would definitely return to Nick’s. Actually, I can’t wait to go back!

Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Value: 5/5

Info: Nick’s On Broadway, 500 Broadway, Providence RI 02909

A Creative, Farm-fresh Meal: Henrietta’s Table

Arriving at Henrietta’s Table, on the second floor of the Charles Hotel (Cambridge, MA), you are greeted by a small gift shop area reminiscent of Midwestern farmhouse restaurants. Items in the shop include a variety of stuffed pigs, and other pig-themed toys and accessories. The dining area itself is a large, spacious room, bordered on one side by a long open kitchen. It’s as if you’ve walked into an upscale, larger version of what might be your grandmother’s farm kitchen. In fact, the two tables nearest the kitchen are wooden farm tables with a terrific view into the kitchen. Sundays through Thursdays, Henrietta’s Table offers a “Yard Sale” deal: two courses for $28 or 3 courses for $35.

The low-down on food

Our meal kicked off with a complimentary basket of breads: cranberry-nut, some sort of white bread, and slices of brown bread with a hint of malt flavour. Unfortunately, the bread was not warm, so we dipped it in our soup. The hearty corn and fish chowder, with bacon and chunks of potato, was served in a homey cast iron bowl.

The smoked and grilled duck breast was nicely cooked. The seared bass was served with a delicate polenta cake and radish salad, with a sweetness and texture that complemented the fish. Side dishes arrived in generous portions – they are definitely meant for sharing. Sweet roasted beets, perfectly crispy roasted potatoes, and savory wilted greens were all satisfying.

For dessert, the chocolate banana bread pudding smelled intensely of chocolate, served with caramelized bananas, caramel, and vanilla bean ice cream. I’m sure at least one other diner at a nearby table agreed that this was absolutely delicious – she followed her first bread pudding dessert with a  bread pudding sundae – pudding layered with ice cream in a tall glass, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce!

Final Word
Henrietta’s Table serves creative dishes with a focus on locally sourced ingredients, in a comfortable and spacious dining room. You’ll get the best value with the “Yard Sale” special.