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  WINDY CITY TIMES

SAVOR Ceres' Table, ZED451
DISH WEEKLY DINING GUIDE
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2011-10-12

This article shared 356 times since Wed Oct 12, 2011
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Ceres' Table

That's Sicilian!

That's not meant to ride a spaghetti sauce's motto, but it's the feel the proprietors of Ceres' Table, 4882 N. Clark St., hope patrons get once they try some of the restaurant's incredible dishes.

The restaurant ( which opened Nov. 17, 2009 ) is Italian—down to its name, derived from the Roman goddess of the harvest. Chef Giuseppe Scurato said that he and his wife, Carolyn, named the eatery. "Apparently, Ceres was born in Sicily," he said. "Ceres is also the statute at the top of the [ Chicago ] Board of Trade, so we figured there is the connection of [ prosperity ] ."

Something that's not so Italian—and I don't mean this in a bad way—is the view, as Ceres' Table is across the street from the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. Scurato said that diners are not bothered by the scenery, adding that the area is definitely "up and coming," citing the renovations that have taken place.

Scurato—a genuinely friendly individual—said that the menu "is constantly changing," as the fall offerings are now available. Among said offerings are braised lamb shank and more red wines. "It is always my interpretation of a Sicilian dish," he said.

As for the food there, it is definitely worth a visit. Scurato uses sustainable and local products—and he utilizes them to flavorful effect. The parpadelle with lamb was amazing both times I went, as were items such as squash blossoms, bread pudding and peanut butter tart. However, there are now such tempting items as wild mushroom risotto, boar ragu lasagna, the aforementioned lamb shank, pumpkin ravioli and arancine ( fried risotto balls with braised goat, saffron and taleggio cheese ) . Moreover, you won't have to take out a loan to pay for dinner, with the most expensive item being $27.

Other aspects that are worth appreciating here are the understated decor and friendly staff. While the music isn't exactly Sicilian ( ranging from Sade to Everything but the Girl to Culture Club ) , I'm hoping there's space somewhere for a dance floor.

See www.CeresTable.com .

ZED451

I must admit: I've talked by ZED451, 739 N. Clark St., at least a hundred times wondering what being inside is like. Now that I've satisfied my curiosity, I'm imploring everyone to give it a try.

First of all, appearances can be deceiving. It looks smaller from the outside but the interior is huge ( with a 15,000-square-foot first level that has private event rooms ) , filled with warm woods and judiciously placed stones. ( I loved that I sat a few feet away from flames that didn't cause me to sweat while I ate. ) General Manager Jennifer Thompson said that a lot of care went into the details, even with the lights coming through the wooden slats in the ceiling, as the illumination is supposed to resemble natural sunlight.

The rooftop deck ( more than 2,000 square feet ) has received many raves—and justifiably so. On the day I went it was warm ( for October in Chicago ) and sunny, illuminating what was already an amazing view of surrounding buildings.

As for the food, Chef Patrick Quakenbush has prepared plenty of great options. Patrons can simply take items from the huge harvest tables, that are stocked with charcuteries, artisan cheeses and dishes such as grilled pineapple with peppercorn; smoked poblano deviled eggs; and tuna and shrimp poke ( my fave ) , which includes mango, cilantro, avocado and macadamia nuts in a soy ginger vinaigrette.

If you want the full effect, you can have the harvest items AND a nonstop selection of meat and seafood that people bring until you stay stop. Thompson stressed to Savor that ZED451 is NOT a Brazilian steakhouse, saying, "The difference with us is that we're not limited to Brazilian meats. The chefs come in and prepare everything, including the sauces. .. We have a whole variety of proteins, including duck, venison and lamb." Thompson added, "We are unbelievably vegetarian-friendly and gluten-friendly. Eighty-five to 90 percent of our harvest table is vegetarian- or gluten-friendly."

Among the more tantalizing selections are the char-grilled buttermilk sirloin ( unreal ) , Maryland crab cakes, Wagyu beef, Asian pork belly and the previously mentioned venison.

Mixed drinks—categorized under "Liquid Market"—range from the refreshing to the warm. My dining partner loved the spiced apple bourbon while I fell in love with the sangria.

If, by some miracle, you actually have room for dessert, there's no short of indulgence. There are sweets such as banana cream pie ( which our extremely knowledgeable server, Liz Gonzalez, paired with a milk stout ) and butterscotch bread pudding ( so good you'll commit a sin to get more ) . Other desserts include S'more pie, vanilla crème brûlée and chocolate layer cake.

Also, just in case you can barely move to get to your next destination, ZED451 has a shuttle to take you there. How great is that?

By the way, in case you were wondering, the name comes from "Zed," the end of the British alphabet ( the owner is British ) ; "451" refers to when combustion starts, symbolizing the beginning. You can figure out the meaning—I'm having another glass of sangria.

ZED451 is a singular experience.

See www.zed451.com .

Ceres Table photos for Windy City Times by Andrew Davis and from Ceres. ZED451 photos from ZED451.


This article shared 356 times since Wed Oct 12, 2011
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