New episodes of Check, Please! are back. Just like the weather, this week we’re featuring a couple of restaurants that are truly out-of-the-ordinary and one that is sure to be the topper for a fun night out on Michigan Avenue.

If you’re in the Hyde Park neighborhood and have at least $10 in your pocket, guest reviewer Elliott tells us you have to try the unique gourmet sandwiches at Zaleski & Horvath Market Café. The name is a mouthful, but so is the place. Zaleski & Horvath looks like a deli, possibly a coffee shop, or even an organic grocery, but don’t let that fool you. It really is one of the tastiest sandwich shops in Chicago. The owners are serving up food with a conscience. As many ingredients as possible are purchased from local growers and meat purveyors. What’s more, these sandwiches are not just your run-of-the-mill turkey and swiss! There are sandwiches like the Jamon, Jamon which includes Serrano ham, manchego cheese, quince paste, dijon, mixed greens, and roasted tomato on French bread. Vegetarian options are plentiful and if you’re a picky eater there are create-your-own options as well. Visit their website and you will also find an incredible selection of daily soups. All of our guests loved their uniquely crafted sandwiches and eclectic environment. We’ve heard it said many, many times on Check, Please! but this one truly is a gem – delicious and the price is right!

Guest reviewer Ed took us to a truly unique culinary experience in Lincoln Square at Jibek Jolu Central Asian Restaurant. Listening to our reviewers discuss this restaurant was quite a history lesson. Jibek Jolu, which means Silk Road, is the only Kyrgyzstani restaurant in Chicago. Kyrgyzstani flavors are a mix of many cultures due to the nomadic nature of the people and the influences of neighboring countries. You’ll find Russian, Turkish, Afghani, Chinese, and even Korean styles of dishes at Jibek Jolu. The menu is dominated by meat, potatoes, dumplings, and noodles. Jibek Jolu is not a restaurant for vegetarians, but certainly for adventurous eaters willing to try a unique cultural cuisine. The noodles are hand-pulled on the premises and the house salad is served hot including fried beef, onions, garlic, and cucumbers in a soy sauce. You can be sure you are having an authentic Kyrgyzstani experience because Grandma is busy cooking in the kitchen at this family run business.

I think my favorite part of this week’s show was the discussion about the Michigan Avenue gastro pub, The Gage. Situated across the street from one of Chicago’s most visited tourist attractions, Millennium Park, The Gage offers the perfect fine dining experience for native Chicagoans or visiting tourists. On that point, Alpana and the guest reviewers practically broke out into an enthusiastic tourism commercial for Chicago! “Welcome to Chicago – we’re glad you’re here!” It was a silly moment, but fun to watch. With such a great location, The Gage is the perfect place to end your day of sightseeing in our beautiful city. The energy in this restaurant is electric and the food and spirits are top-notch. All of our guest reviewers were very pleased with their meals. That is until guest reviewer Ed’s dining neighbor poked her nose across the table, just inches from his sour cherry strudel, to admire his dessert. Alpana calls this “food-dropping.” While it is a compliment that others “ooh” and “ah” at your order, let’s all be good foodies and keep our noses out of others dishes, okay?

Happy Eating!

Carmen M. Schmidt
Associate Producer, Check, Please!
WTTW

Check, Please! is a pretty popular show on WTTW, so when people hear that I work on the show, I get a lot of questions. Viewers send e-mails with questions, comments, and even some suggestions. Since we’re on a break until January 2012, I thought it might be a great time to answer some of these frequently asked questions.

How do people get on the show?
This is the most frequently asked question I’ve heard or read. We have 36 guest reviewers on Check, Please! each season which are selected in early spring. If you are interested in becoming one of our “real-people” reviewers, just click on “Be On Show” and complete the application. We look for detailed and “flavored” responses and for restaurant picks that have not been featured on the show. To be sure your restaurant has not already been reviewed, you can search for your pick on this site. Prospective reviewers must be available to tape the discussion segments of the program at the WTTW studios in the middle of a week day, during the summer months. And, of course, they must be willing to visit two other restaurants recommended for the episode. Each season, applications are considered by our Executive Producer and one of the Associate Producers, and calls are made to potential reviewers as we organize the next season’s episodes. As you’ve seen on the show, we try to select a variety of people and restaurant types, and put them together for each episode.

Who selects the restaurants you review?
The restaurants are recommended by our selected “real-people” reviewers, not by the staff of Check, Please! We get lots of letters from individuals recommending restaurants or asking why we haven’t covered a restaurant. The answer is simple: if we haven’t received an application from an interested reviewer for that restaurant, or we haven’t selected the person recommending that restaurant for the show, then it won’t be reviewed on Check, Please!

How many restaurants have you covered and will you run out? By the end of this season, we will have reviewed 396 restaurants. You can watch reviews for almost all of them on this website. And no, we will not run out of restaurants to cover! We invite reviewers to tell us about restaurants throughout the Chicago area, which includes the suburbs and just over the border of Indiana. There is no shortage of restaurants to consider. Not to mention, new restaurants are opening all the time.

What happens when a reviewed restaurant closes?
The restaurant business can be difficult so restaurants closings are not unusual. Restaurateurs often close one eatery, only to re-open another with a completely different chef, menu, atmosphere, or address. As soon as we know of restaurant closings, we update the website and pull the episode in which it was featured from our broadcast replay lineup. Sometimes, our viewers are the ones you let us know about restaurant closures – thanks for your updates!

Does Check, Please! impact business for restaurants?
Most if not all of the restaurants featured are overwhelmed by the business that follows a review on Check, Please! “Hidden gems” are revealed to thousands of viewers who look forward to new culinary experiences. In fact, the bump in diners and business continues each time an episode featuring that restaurant airs! So if you like a restaurant you see on the show, get your reservations in early!

Do the restaurants know the reviewers are coming?
No. When our reviewers visit the restaurants, the restaurants do not know that they are visiting or reviewing it for Check, Please! We want our reviewers to have the same experience any person would have visiting the restaurant. After our reviewers dine at the restaurant to form their opinion and review, they come to our studios to tape the discussion part of the show with the other two reviewers. It’s only after we’ve heard the reviewers comments that we send a producer and camera crew out to the restaurants for a few hours to videotape exterior shots of the restaurant, the décor and atmosphere, activity in the kitchen, interviews with the chef and staff, and the dishes the reviewers mentioned in the studio discussion.

Well, that’s all for now! I hope you found an answer to one of your Check, Please! questions here. If not, write in and let us know what’s on your mind!

Happy holiday eating!

Carmen M. Schmidt
Associate Producer, Check, Please!
WTTW

We’re always trying to mix-it-up at Check, Please! and this week’s show is the very definition of eclectic! From an upscale meal at an unbelievable price to a restaurant that features brunch and porn there is definitely something for everyone in this week’s show! Really!

Are you ready for an upscale prix fixe, multi-course meal, perfectly prepared, uniquely flavored, and artfully presented for around $25? Yes, you read that correctly! In this week’s show guest reviewer Greg Gurley reveals the best kept dining secret in Bridgeport – Han 202. This is not your “around-the-corner” carry-out Chinese restaurant offering shrimp fried rice. No. Han 202 offers a multi-course meal of uniquely paired ingredients like perfectly seasoned beef over a salad of shredded green apple or monkfish in a delicate black bean sauce, followed by a decadent chocolate truffle dessert. Guests choose from a selection of dishes for each course. Good luck making a decision because according to our guest reviewers everything is wonderful. Chef Guan Chen wants his guests to truly enjoy the flavors he puts together through a fusion of the best ingredients and techniques from Asian and American cuisine. If you visit the website for Han 202, you will find the story behind the restaurant’s name. It is the inspiration for Chef Chen’s fusion creations. In a nutshell, it describes the Chinese Han Dynasty of 202 B.C. and how, after losing a battle due to an inadequate breed of horse, the Han people bred a hybrid horse that rivaled their opponent’s and won the next battle. The idea of taking two known items and blending them to create something new and bold is what fusion is all about. Our guest reviewers all agreed that Chef Chen, a humble master at his craft, reaches his goal of creating something memorable and delicious. And, since it is BYOB you really can’t beat the value for this quality, fine dining experience. The only drawback to this restaurant is that it is small and quite intimate. When people hear about this place, it’s sure to be full so make your reservations now!

If prix fixe is not your style and you’re looking for some great whiskey and burgers, then guest reviewer Erica Hennes has the place for you. If you see a skeleton riding a motorcycle at Ogden and Grand, then you’ve found the Twisted Spoke, a self-proclaimed “family biker bar.” Wait, did I really just write “family biker bar”? Our reviewers say this place is definitely not just for bikers…the crowd is a good mix of young and old, “yuppie” and ordinary guy. There’s a huge selection drinks, the widest selection of whiskeys around, and a great menu of Mexican and American bar foods. Now, while it may seem like a mild-mannered bar setting serving the ever-popular Bad Boy burger and fries on a Tuesday afternoon, the manners are thrown “through-the-window” at midnight on Saturdays. Be warned that at midnight a delightful brunch menu becomes available as you and your guests can enjoy a selection of pornographic videos. Really! This two-and-a-half hours of porn and brunch in the wee hours is what they call “Smut & Eggs.” Go ahead check out the website for more details.

Cue the light jazz music…we need to change the mood a little. Guest reviewer Elaine Michelini reveals her favorite special occasion recommendation in Evanston. Oceanique is a classy, upscale seafood restaurant, providing a serene, fine-dining experience. The food was fantastic, but reviewers Greg and Erica wanted more from the experience. The quiet atmosphere was a little unsettling for Erica, but all agreed that the seafood and desserts were exceptional. Maybe they could liven the place up with some creative movies in the late evening? (Just kidding.)

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so I hope you have wonderful dining plans whether they are at home, with friends, at grandma’s, or at your favorite special occasion restaurant. New episodes of Check, Please! will return again in January 2012!

Happy holiday eating!

Carmen M. Schmidt
Associate Producer, Check, Please!
WTTW

Hey look who’s on Check, Please! this week. It’s Steve Dahl, former radio personality and now podcaster! Much younger viewers may not be familiar with the witty Steve Dahl but he is one of the most well known ‘shock jocks’ in Chicago radio history. For many our WTTW staff, it was a real treat to see him walking through our halls for the taping of the show. Regardless of our careers in media, we still get excited when we have someone ‘famous’ in the house. I received several calls on the day of our studio recording with co-workers saying, ‘Is that who I think it is?’ I’m not a big fan of shock jocks myself so if he had surfaced in our studio halls years ago I might have steered clear. But to my delight he was very pleasant or as our executive producer put it, ‘someone you want to have a beer with.’

Guest reviewer Steve recommended his favorite Italian eatery, Davanti Enoteca. Not really knowing for sure because he has never been to Italy and isn’t Italian, he tells us it’s authentic…the real deal. Luckily, guest reviewer Rose, who has visited Italy, had to agree. She was very excited to tell us that the pizza was the closest to pizza to what she has experienced in Florence.

Authentic is a word you will hear a lot on our show when people are referring to ethnic cuisines. In my opinion, it might be a word that is used too often to describe a culinary experience. Not because it’s not true, but because it doesn’t always complete the idea. I know I’m being a bit nitpicky, but when I hear this repeatedly as we’re producing this show, I find myself wanting to know more. For example, saying that a dish is authentically Italian gives us the idea that the food is made with an old-world technique and skill, and that sounds great. Who wouldn’t like a dish that has the flavor of your grandmother’s best family recipe? But ‘authentically Italian’ is only part of the picture; it’s just not descriptive enough for me. Italy is a big country, with a variety of food styles and preparation. Classically Italian dishes are simple, using no more than eight or nine ingredients; regionalism makes the difference. While pasta is a staple of Italian cuisine, the treatment of pasta may vary in northern Italian and southern Italian dishes. By the same token, Middle Eastern cuisine varies greatly as well. Reviewer Ronia recommended Alhambra Palace and says their dishes are deliciously authentic Middle Eastern fare. There’s that word again. The owner of Alhambra Palace breaks this down further for us by explaining that the menu is primarily Moroccan. While Middle Eastern suggests a region of the world and conjures up commonly used ingredients like olives, olive oils, sesame seeds, and chickpeas, the techniques and application of these ingredients within a recipe can vary wildly. The description of the cuisine as authentically Moroccan makes you (or at least me) think of spicy dishes inspired by Moorish, Mediterranean, and Arab influences. These dishes are actually spicier than other Middle Eastern cuisine.

Reviewer Rose introduces us to a neighborhood barbeque favorite called Smoque. Rose was new to barbeque when she first was discovered Smoque. As she explains, she didn’t know that she would be a fan of this kind of food, but Smoque is now the benchmark by which she measures all other barbeque. Is it authentic southern barbeque? Our friend Steve sure thinks so! But I think you should decide for yourself. Barbeque is one of those things that can make enemies of friends – it’s a dicey debate I’d rather not get into. All I know is that all of our guests wholeheartedly agreed that Smoque is delicious barbeque. Ultimately, I guess that’s all that really matters!

Happy eating!

Carmen M. Schmidt
Associate Producer, Check, Please!
WTTW

This week on Check, Please! our guest reviewers take us out for huge portions and excellent service at Mastro’s Steakhouse, kosher-style Mexican fare at La Casa De Isaac, and authentic Greek cuisine and spit-roasted meats at Melanthios Greek Char House. Once again, Check, Please! delivers an eclectic mix of food styles, as well as guests this week!

I think guest reviewer Marti Berkowitz did it up right at Mastro’s. As it’s a steakhouse – and the meats are the stars of the show – Marti took on the true task of any good restaurant reviewer by trying almost every appetizer and side she could order to provide a thorough assessment of her experience. Kudos Marti! Way to take one for the team! Needless to say, she loved the experience. The portions are generous, and all of our guest reviewers agreed with reviewer Jeremy – the meal, service, and atmosphere at Mastro’s are top notch.

Guest reviewer Miguel de Baca had our reviewers venture out to Highland Park for what many people might consider a new twist on Mexican cuisine. While it only makes sense that in every culture there are varying traditions, it is not typical to think of Mexican food prepared in…kosher-style? Owner Isaac Nava is a Mexican Jew and uses recipes handed down in his family from generation to generation. Nava explains that the dishes are prepared in “kosher-style,” eliminating the use of shellfish and pork, and traditional Mexican dishes like quesadillas are given a kosher twist. For example, King David’s Quesadillas are made with lox, cream cheese and onions. Reviewer Marti found that this style of cooking might reduce the spicy-heat that is often found in Mexican cuisine, which makes for milder flavors. In accordance with Jewish law, Nava also closes his restaurant on Fridays at sundown until Saturday at sundown so, if you’re planning a visit, you may want to call to confirm the hours of operation.

This restaurant selection encouraged me to learn more about the meaning of “kosher.” I did a little research and found an online encyclopedia of Judaism called “Judaism 101,” which explains kosher in basic terms. It explains that Kashrut is the Jewish law related to foods that can or cannot be eaten. Kashrut is derived from the Torah, the first five books of the Bible that contain Jewish teachings. Kosher describes food that meets the standards of the Jewish law. People keeping kosher observe these laws year-round, not just on high-holidays like Passover. Kosher for Passover is different than kosher for year-round. Kosher food is not simply “blessed” by a rabbi but, rather, butchered or prepared in certain ways. For example, acceptable meat products are kept and prepared separately from dairy products. Kosher kitchens typically have separate dishes and cookware for these items. The laws state that certain animals — pigs, for example –are never to be eaten. The law includes any part of the animal, its eggs, and/or milk. According to this website, “kosher-style” doesn’t necessarily mean that the food is prepared kosher, but that traditional Jewish foods may be served.

Finally Marti introduced us to Melanthios Greek Char House and we found that our table was filled with Greek food aficionados! Miguel’s brother lives in Greece and having visited many times, he knows moussaka (layered eggplant, potato, and meat topped with béchamel sauce and baked)t and raved about the moussaka at Melanthios. Jeremy’s wife is Greek and brought her Greek family along to dinner, and they raved about their meal as well. It’s fantastic luck when we bring together three very different people, and a common thread links them together in some way. Of course there’s the love of food but in this show we discovered that each of our guests has a “Greek” connection!

Happy Eating!

Carmen M. Schmidt
Associate Producer, Check, Please!
WTTW