"About Last Night..." Gia turns up the heat!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

By definition, Vermilion means a vivid red.  But in this case I would say it means H.O.T.  The restaurant is a place you could almost pass up walking down Hubbard, but once you step inside you are transported to a modern, beautiful eclectic blend of Indian and Latin cuisine...who would have thought riiiiight?

Vermilion is the color, trendy and hip is the scene.  Bursts of red blanket the walls with beautiful women on canvas dancing as your eyes float from picture to picture.

And the sexy, pumping beat of Cafe del Mar playing in the background.  Perfect.  Just perfect.

Take note, however, this place is not for the spice haters.  It will have you reaching for the water with each passing bite (which in my case, means restroom breaks every ten minutes, lovely).

It's difficult to articulate this experience because it was as unique as it was delicious (and for once, an almost perrrrfect date).  But I digress.

Let me give you a run down of tapas delights that crossed my lips that night.  Though I can't really tell where the starters began and the entree ended, it was all blended into sweet and hot flavors hitting different taste buds on each bite.  Menu items included wild boar jibarito, blue corn crusted scallops, coconut chili mussels, Juhi ki pani puri (which, personally, I just like saying over and over), and lobster Portuguese.  I can honestly say that the spice and flavor of these items were all unique yet similar in the fact that they were hot, sweet....or sweet then hot. Every bit made you stop and go hmmmmmm.  (see face below).

My personal favorite was the Juhi ki pani puri, and though YES I kept saying "Juhikipanipuri" almost in song, it was the most delightful little flour shells filled with spiced potato and chili mint.  You first pour a little juice into the cup and sip and crunch...how cool is that?  No wimps though...this is one bite food.  

After what seemed like four hours and ten courses I kept looking over at the large portrait of a beautiful woman dancing wearing a tiny little bikini with killer abs, that before this meal may have resembled my own.  I could see her staring at me saying "put down the fork...put doooowwwwn the fork".  Who knows? maybe it was the Chardonnay talking.

Go to this place as soon as you can - enjoy the experience - enjoy the flavors.

But ladies, sit with your back to these beautiful portraits, I mean, really, who needs the pressure?

In this photo:  Gia Claire, Professional Bloggess

Vermilion is located at 10 W. Hubbard, Chicago, IL 312.527.4060

Labels: dating and dining in chicago, indian cuisine, latin indian fusion

A Culinary Voyage at Indian Garden

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Mild, medium or hot? That was the question posed by our server about the spice level we wanted to try at The Indian Garden Restaurant last week. We chose medium, which turned out to be the correct choice. In-fact, Indian Garden is the right choice if you're looking for good Indian cuisine and an experience that will take you on a culinary voyage.

Indian Garden prides itself on the exotic tastes and textures of India. Upon entering the restaurant, I smelled the spices and aromas that are meant to help you explore India's rich culture. Since I'm not a novice to this type of ethnic food, I wanted to see how their traditional dishes compared to some of my other favorite Indian hot spots. I sampled some of my favorites which included "Samosas" and "Paneer", but also inhaled a few of their chicken and lamb dishes. The spices hit the mark and the flavors rivaled some of my favorite Chicago mainstays. Naan at any Indian restaurant is my gauge for whether or not the place will receive a return visit from me. Their traditional and "Garlic Naan" held it's own in that category and the server helped us select a great bottle of red wine that was a perfect complement to our meal.

What differentiates Indian Garden from most restaurants in the city is their service. The place was packed throughout the evening, but it appeared that every table was being treated special. Indian Garden attempts to foster a family environment with their service, which was evident by the treatment my guests and I received upon arrival. The wait staff was friendly and informative and made our dining experience enjoyable. But make sure to clarify the spice level that you want to try before ordering, or you may end up sweating your way through the meal.

The Indian Garden is located at 247 E. Ontario St. 2nd floor downtown Chicago. For more information visit www.indiangardenchicago.com. For other dining options watch Fete Select TV to get an inside look at the newest and best restaurants in Chicago.

Labels: chicago dining, chicago restaurants, dc crenshaw, downtown chicago, fete select tv, indian cuisine, indian garden, spicy food