One. Six One

I don’t think I’ve ever been actively angry at a restaurant before but I am pretty ticked at these people.
I bought a Groupon a few months back and finally got around to making a reservation for a Saturday night. I made it online, received confirmation and then received a reminder email, which asked me to please call if my plans changed.
We made the hour and 15 minute trek down to the restaurant… Only to find that it was closed for a private party. What the hell? Why are you taking reservations if you’re closed for a private party?
Thankfully we found a decent place nearby but I would not have spent almost 3 hours on trains and buses if I’d known they were closed for a private party. Thankfully Groupon is awesome and refunded my money, because I will not be giving these people another shot.

Contiued from Robin’s review
As we attempted to eat our meals and comprehend how the execution of what seemed like a good concept could go so wrong, we were approach by the manager who up until that moment seemed oblivious to us and, yes, the one other table. Perhaps he was resting before the ‘big rush’ at 9:30 (watch check… its 9:15). He asked about our meal, and our response was simple and to the point ‘good concept, but terrible execution.’ Upon our run down of disappointments, he offered to replace our raw potatoes (gee thanks). He walked away seemingly indifferent to our experience but not before mentioning that they were still working out the bugs (maybe that’s why the lights were so bright!) and that they were looking forward to opening their deck this summer (how about a little focus on the task at hand pal?). By the way, the sweatshirt and jeans were perfect ensemble for his level of professionalism.
As we continued on our green porridge/​veggie soup and salmon ala bland, our refreshed bowl potatoes arrived… and are you ready… RAW AGAIN! Still starving, I ordered ketchup and used a piece of potato to feed myself marking the first time I have ever order a condiment at a ‘fine dining’ establishment. After clearing away our half eaten plates (to which we gladly bid adieu) the waitress offered to buy us desert. We cautiously accepted thinking amongst ourselves it couldn’t get any worse… but surprise… we received another shocking and horrible surprise. Question, how does one mess up bread pudding? Answer, ask their chef. The bread pudding resembled a dish sponge with cottage cheese stuck to the bottom and a grey mold base. The mouse had the texture of cold butter with sand mixed in… but with a slight hint of chocolate. Served in a coffee cup… why?
So, starving and dissatisfied we asked for the check which was the only thing served correctly and in a timely manner. While they comp’d our deserts and took off a portion of our bill, we would have rather paid full price, and had a satisfying meal and experience. We left at 10, still 1 of only 2 tables with ‘the crowd’ still yet to appear (the suspense was killing us). While we hope they will work things out, we will never tempt fate here again and have determined this was the worst dining experience any of us have ever had. If you do feel obliged to try, remember to eat before and bring your own potatoes…

My boyfriend and I just had dinner here tonight and we both enjoyed it very much. There were not many people dining although the attached bar seemed plenty busy. We had the Crab Cake appetizer which was great! For dinner I had vegetable lasagne and he had the steak. My lasagne was tasty, fresh and very well seasoned, even a little spicy, which I enjoyed. He said his steak was very tender and cooked perfectly. It was served with roasted potatoes and grilled veggies. For dessert we shared the bread pudding… YUM! I don’t recall our server’s name but she was very friendly and energetic. The place is cozy and comfortable. The tables are spaced out nicely and you can choose your own seat. They have a projector and screen that was showing what reminded me of a desktop screensaver. I think it would be great if they showed old black and white movies instead. The prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. We will be back.
I do think they should offer at least 2 sets of silverware so you don’t have to leave your used utensils sitting on the table between courses, and a bread basket would have been a great accompaniment.

I had a LivingSocial coupon for this place and decided to try it since it sounded cool. I originally had a reservation and unfortunately they had some kitchen remodeling that wasn’t finished when it was supposed to be so they had to close the restaurant on a Saturday. The man who called offered to comp us for some desserts next time we come in, which I didn’t take them up on. So we finally went yesterday. I was not a fan of the space. It was very cold and no window treatments. There were two lines of tables set up that went the entire length of the restaurant, so I thought it was communal dining, but it was actually because they had a party with about 50 people in it who needed all those tables. So I wasn’t impressed with the décor so I assumed I wouldn’t like the food either, but I was wrong.
I have to say the wine list is not great. I am a fan of the moderately priced wines (there wasn’t one for more than $ 100 on the list), but there was not too large a list. They did have a large beer list, however. I guess I assumed because the restaurant is connected to a bar that they’d have more variety than they did. But the pinot (Wild Horse) that we got was good. $ 47 there and it retails for about $ 18 so more than a 100% markup. Honestly, the food here was worth 5 stars but there were too many non-​food issues that made it a 4 star review for me. I do have to say, even with the huge party, the service was very good. The manager came over to ensure we weren’t waiting for anything and to check on us. The food came out quickly so I think perhaps some other reviews of poor service may have prompted them to take notice.
I wondered why they had no bread or something at the table, but that’s not a huge deal. We started with the duck rolls, which were very good. Most bites you could really taste the duck, although on a few it got lost and could’ve been anything in the roll. The roll itself was crisp to perfection and tasty. The plum sauce it came with paired very well with the duck (I typically make my duck breast with a raspberry reduction so I know the fruit sauces are a nice compliment). My husband got the flat steak, which was good. I have to say my friend’s dad is Argentinian so I have a high bar with my chimichurri, so for me that was just okay. The potatoes and veggies were really good as well. The real star with my lamb that I got. This was the second best lamb I’ve ever had in my life, the best being at an annual picnic I used to go to where they were roasted on spits in front of us. The lamb was effing awesome. Go get the lamb, like right now.

My friend and I came on a Sat night and found the place deserted, except for two other people. As we walked in, the hostess/​waitress goes, «do you have a reservation?» I tried to conceal my amusement as I looked around the empty restaurant and replied no. In complete seriousness, she goes, «we-​ell, i guess that’s okay.» Again, I tried to suppress laughter, but my amusement at her ridiculousness eventually turned to irritation and frustration.
As we sat down, we asked if it was feasible to do dinner in 1.5 hrs since we were trying to make a movie. She actually told us since we were the only people, we could be done in «30−40 minutes». Even with only four customers, this didn’t seem realistic, but we did our part and ordered right away to get things going.
The menu is all over the place. Each dish seems to be from a different country or region. Is it ever good for a restaurant to attempt trying that many different things instead of just having the chef focus on what s/​he is good at? No. This was no exception.
The waitress brought out our appetizer — the duck fall roll — which was not particularly good or bad, but it temporarily satiated us. This was a good thing, because we did not really get to touch much of our meals. About ten minutes before we needed to leave, our dinners had not arrived. When our waitress finally came back to the table so that we could let her know we really needed to leave soon, she replied with ‘well your food is on the way’ with a very ‘I Dont See What The Big Deal Is’ tone. Eight minutes later, and the food still hadn’t arrived. I was about to go find her to let her know we needed to leave, when she arrived with the food. I asked if she could also bring us our check and to-​go boxes, since we needed to leave.
In the time it took for her to get back to the table, we started on our meals. My dish, the clay over lamb consisted of flavorless, old-​tasting lamb surrounded by artichoke and peppers from a jar, NO figs (as listed in the description), and potatoes with eyes. I pointed out the potato eyes to the waitress, and she just looked at me like ‘what’s the big deal?’ I mentioned that generally you eyes on a potato mean that it’s old. She still didn’t get it, so I asked to speak to a manager.
The owner was friendly; however when I explained to him my concern about the potato eyes, he insisted they were in fact fresh. I didn’t argue, but I definitely googled this when I went home. Potatoes don’t start sprouting eyes unless they have been sitting around. And why wouldn’t you scrub them off? Ew freaking gross.
I also mentioned our frustration about the delay after being upfront that we were trying to make it to a movie and that we were already late, and had tickets. He offered to bring us out desserts, but unfortunately we were already missing the movie at this point.
A zabiha restaurant that is not desi or mediterranean is a great idea. Unfortunately this place has poor quality food and serious service issues.

Awful, I haven’t eaten anything this bad in Chicago. Granted I’ve eaten at some of the top restaurants here in Chicago but I do enjoy smaller no-​name restaurants. However, this place was disappointing.
Let’s start with the décor, they have taken the minimalistic approach very seriously, the place is bare. Then a bunch of random decorations ranging from guitars to shells to Japanese room divider.
After getting over the décor, I thought they could redeem themselves with good food, but that didn’t happen. We ordered the bruschetta, worst I’ve had, there was so much onion I couldn’t taste anything but raw onion plus there was no olive oil or any dressing on it and the bread they used was too thick.
Then 25 mins, after we finished the app, the food finally arrived. Again, disappointed. I ordered the Moroccan Lamb, cooked «medium rare» more like medium well, then there wasn’t any Moroccan spice as promised, actually no spice at all. The sides didn’t help the situation either, potatoes were undercooked and tasted only of thyme (when promised cumin flavor). And the artichoke hearts and grilled bell peppers were straight out of the can.
My friend ordered the Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri, not so tasty either, instead of olive oil for the chimichurri sauce they used butter, and a lot of it, which made the steak taste greasy.
I had a living social certificate for $ 40, we spent $ 38, so the sever asks if we would like to order something for dessert or just add on the $ 2. Guess what I chose…“Just add on the 2 bucks”. I had to get out of there.
I highly do not recommend this place, I don’t know why this place is getting good reviews. Use your money wisely and eat elsewhere.

Awesome, a great example of why Chicago is a great city to eat out in.
Food was great — I ordered the airline chicken and my friend got the spinach salad. The chicken was seasoned just right and was still juicy. It came out with some great beans and a side of pasta that was quite good. The spinach salad was fabulous — light and fresh with walnuts and feta cheese. Finished up dessert with a Chocolate Lava cake and bread pudding that was out of this world.
Out server was quick and attentive, and didn’t hesitate to make some great recommendations when I was being indecisive.
Overall, an easy 5 star place — I suspect I shall be back often.

I was terribly disappointed by this place. Terribly.
First thing to put me off:
As soon as my friend and I sat down, we were told none of the soups on the menu were available. We were then told the two soups they did have which sounded like what I could get at Panera Bread. I’m not saying that to be witty or snarky, it’s just an honest descriptor.
Second thing:
The in-​house menu was missing items that I saw on their online menu. Specifically, the appetizer AND entrée I wanted to order. I was really displeased at this point and wanted to leave, but I had already bought my Groupon and made the journey out there. So, I decided to make do and not make a fuss.
Third thing:
I ordered the Salmon en Croute. I have somewhat mastered making things en croute at home. I know as an eater and cook how this should come out. While it looked nice on the plate, I was beyond offended that the salmon was not done throughout most of it. Salmon. Mine needs to be raw or done. Not idling in-​between. The spinach inside the pastry shell with the salmon was overcooked. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the bottom of the puff pastry was burnt. How is the bottom burnt, but the fish not done??? :-/​Unacceptable.
Fourth thing:
The waitress came by right after we got our entrees to ask how it was. We didn’t see her again for while. Shortly after she came the ‘one’ time, my friend noticed something was missing from her plate. It was one of the main things that made her choose Clay Oven Lamb; the buttered figs. We were able to inquire on her missing item when were basically done, cause that’s when the waitress reappeared. She goes to ask the chef. She then relayed back to us that figs were out of season so that’s why they are missing, the menu just doesn’t reflect that. WTF?
How hard is it to print new menus that DO reflect what you are actually serving? How hard is it to update your menu online to reflect what you are actually serving? How hard is it to cook fish until it’s done, but not burn the bottom of the pastry? How hard is it to come back again and make sure we don’t need refills on water or want to order something else? When there is barely anyone else in the restaurant?
We both came in there with high hopes. I couldn’t even feel relieved I had a Groupon on this one. I only give it a 2^nd star because it has a doorway to the neighboring The Bar 10 Doors which kept me from having to walk back out into the cold to get there. Yep. Overall, I was not amused.

. Almost did not dine at this restaurant, even though had a Groupon, because of reviews; would have missed one of the best buys in Chicago.
Great food and even better service so am happy did not listen to bad Unilocal reviews.
Tikki was the name of our server, I believe, red haired and cute.
The service was great, the lack of the fifth star is because of wine list, but was assured it will change.
The crab cakes were excellent, but the bread was superb, had to take some home, which our server was happy to oblige.
Thank you Groupon because would not have tried without the offer.

Ok… where do I start…
We made a reservation more than a month in advance for a party of 15 people. One would assume that they would at least have enough time to prep for the day (such as having enough staff to work for that night).
I am going to rate this restaurant based on the standard three categories: Food Quality, Service and the Interior Décor.
(1) Food quality — overall the food is decent, nothing exceptional. One could go to any fusion restaurants in town and expected the same quality of food. Basically, to me, the food is pretty much like a neighborhood Cheese Cake Factory (with scarce selection of food). So… just imagine a Cheese Cake Factory that is opened only for the neighborhood. Before you read any further, let me tell you that the food quality is the only thing that is preventing me from giving this restaurant a ONE star. Not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing… I guess its like a guys losing hair and had to be bald but ended up actually looking decent being bald…
(2) Service — hmm… the waitress is awfully nice… but I am not that nice to keep my mouth shut. The service was… TERRIBLE…wait…maybe the term «Horrendous» would be more appropriate. We waited for at least 20 – 30 mins for EACH of our drink to arrive. The food was pretty much cold when it was served When we are the largest table for the night, I would expected at least above average services (which we did not receive). The waitress was very nice that night, given that some of my friends were a bit rude by making some not-​so-​nice comments. But still… the horrendous services overshadow the kindness of the server. And they charged us an 18% service fee. I would consider myself generous for giving them a 15% service fee.
(2) Interior décor — Imagine a loft designed by a straight couple who shops at TJ Maxx and knows nothing but K-​Mart. The place is really awkwardly designed. The tables were uneven. The chairs were uneven. The glasses had stains on them. The Da Vinci art work projected on the wall and the snow flakes projected on the wall were just one word…“huh!?”. It had NOTHING to do with the overall theme of the restaurant. On one end we have the fire place with comfy coaches while on the other end we have art works by Da Vinci projected on the wall… seriously…who designed this?! Oh and did I say that this is a loft… so a cozy fire place from the 18^th century design totally does not go with the loft contemporary design… seriously…pay some money and have someone design it for you. OH… and please remove the Da Vinci artwork projection on the wall… that was just out of place.
This restaurant has some potential. A potential as much as Paris Hilton can become a good singer. If I were I would avoid this restaurant if possible, in case you did not get what I am trying to say.

What a meal — one that none of the seven us will soon forget. Unfortunately it will be remembered as one of our worst dining experienced. The best part of our evening was that the manager listened to our concerns and did not charge us of any of our entrees. He does get my respect and I appreciate his effort to make the best of a very bad situation.
What happened? Our service was terrible, but I think our server was not a regular (I certainly hope not). We didn’t have enough menus and not all of our water glasses were filled. It took forever just to order our first bottle of sparkling wine, which did not arrive for 20 minutes or so. Our second bottle was red wine, and we had to stop him from pouring the red wine into our champagne glasses (without of course letting us check the label or sample the bottle). The food service was also unbelievably slow, but I don’t blame our server for that. To add perspective, we were seven of eleven total diners that evening, so it wasn’t as if there was a lot of distractions.
In addition to the service we had some major food issues. On the positive side, our starters weren’t that bad. We all enjoyed our chicken satay (a nice and spicy peanut sauce, and the mushroom pizette was decent though cold. Their version of a caprese salad was ok but weird. There was plenty of mixed green lettuce (strange for caprese), only two slices of tomato and little mozzarella balls. Pesto was also added for creativity. Not a disaster, just strange.
Another highlight was Ashley’s lobster bisque (possibly the best dish of the night), though she ordered it as an appetizer and arrived with the main course. This did not matter in the end because our entrees all arrived cold. Collectively we sampled the lamb, chicken, steak and noodles with tofu. Erica’s steak was almost inedible given the amount of salt and butter used. I don’t know about Carson’s lamb, but Jon did not touch his chicken or vegetables. Sara and I had the noodles with tofu, and we had our own thoughts. Actually, I finished my dish and thought it was not very good but worth consuming. What we did not expect was how much hot spice was used. There was no warning preparing us for the excessive sweat inducing heat. I happen to love spicy food, but even I know that kind of spice needs a warning label and is borderline consumable for the general public.
Yes, the two hour ordeal was as bad as it sounds. Like I said, the manager comped the entrees, which was the appropriate action in my opinion (we enjoyed the alcohol and the starters were only ok but edible). This is an example of an interesting concept (plates from around the world), with a nice interior (cozy lounge and all) but poor execution. I wish them the best, and if someone wants to take me for a redo I’m available.

My oh MY… where to begin…
Ended up here because we were waiting for 2.5 hrs to get in at Davanti… we actually were going to eat here, but after about five minutes of sitting down, we decided that we would not be eating here.
The place was not busy at all on a Sat night… first sign that its probably not that good. I mean, its a fairly new restaurant and no crowd… weird
We ordered a bottle of wine… the waiter seemed distressed (weird because again… not busy at all). It took like 20 mins for the bottle to come out… very poor service. Also, two of the wine glasses were dirty… GROSS. I do not like seeing lipstick on a glass that I am going to drink out of… YUCK!
We ordered the Mar y Tierra… it sounded good. When it came out it looked like dog food on these spoons… not good presentation at all. Also, it was pretty small for $ 12 in University Village. I have had really good tartar and ceviche… this was definitely not good. It was ok at best. The cool thing was that you could eat the spoon… however, like I said, it wasnt that appetizing.
We decided after the wine thing that we were just ordering an app and getting the check. It took the waiter like 20 mins to get our tab. I am a total snob when it comes to refilling waters… they were terrible about it. Had to ask twice… again…restaurant not busy.
I wouldnt waste your time going here… the entrées that came out looked really good… however, I doubt I will go back to check it out.

I attended my last Unilocal event at One Six One. So went there to explore the menu. We started by ordering Crab cakes, trust me they were just awesome. After that we the split pea soup and eggplant dish. The eggplant had vegetables which very not properly cooked and the dish was very salty.
For dessert we had Pot of Crème. It was great.
The menu is reasonably priced.

I had a group for this place and had to check it out. It is in a hip area for students, and I loved the outdoor space. The indoor space seemed plain, but spacious. We ordered
loaded fries — good & cheesy
brisket — ok, not tender
braised short rib — ok, can be more tender
pot of crème — now THIS is it! can’t stop eating this!
overall i thought the entrees were decently priced being that it is near UIC & good for students or any budget eaters. However, I believe it could be better, the service was nice but SLOW, and it was not busy.

We literally live one street over from this place, so we decided to try it — -and I had a
$ 25 voucher to use. We sat outside… it took about 10 minutes after we got seated to actually get some water. We also ordered wine, which the waitress accidentally spilled on me… I felt super bad for her, as obviously this was just an accident… she almost looked as if she were about to cry and repeatedly was apologizing. The manager came out to advise us that our entire meal would be comp’d. The vegetarian options were slim so I decided to ask the waitress if they could make something for me. I told her whatever they make — just make sure there were no mushrooms. She brought me out mushroom gnocchi. At that point we just wanted to leave
So after dining here the first time and having that poor experience, my bf and I decided to give this place one more try — and also because we still had the
voucher that we hadn’t used the first time.
For appetizers, he ordered the tacos (which were super average — -just a corn tortilla with a couple of beef chunks, corn and lettuce, shredded cheese thrown on it) and I ordered the caesar salad which was bagged lettuce with oil/​vinegar and grated parm cheese. My bf ordered the bbq brisket, which consisted of 3 long slices of brisket, each of which had about ¹⁄₃ of fat on them. I ordered the spicey soba noodles which were so over spiced — almost as if they just took noodles and stirred in rooster sauce. I love spicey food-​but all I tasted was rooster sauce. We were the only guests there and for whatever reason, it took about 30 min for our appetizers and about 40 min for our main courses to come out.
We won’t be going back here.

Have I mentioned that I love this place? Well, I love this place.
I have been coming here since it opened, the food menu has been changing some since but it keeps getting better over time. I was pretty anxious for the bar to open up even though I don’t really drink much. I figured it’d be my Cheers if I ever did do the bar thing.
Took me a while to write a review for this place. I am not sure how fair it is writing a review for a business when I am really good friends with the owners but the rating I gave it is pretty sincere. I see that there are a bunch of 2 star reviews, and on further inspection, the people are friends with an ex employee who is probably really disgruntled. Disgruntled enough to tell his friends to try to talk this place down. Oh well. Facebook’s mutual friends search ftw!
So, if there is anyone who is questioning the food, the drinks or the ambiance, send me a message, I will eat with you and on top of the great food, you will also enjoy my company!
(single)

Alright people, this place is awesome! The outside patio is perfect for a summer night. They start you off with warm bread served with this delicious truffle butter with just the right amount of salt.
We had the Ceviche for our appetizer, which isn’t exactly what I normally think of ceviche. It didn’t have any tomatoes in it (which I don’t like anyways). It was just chopped up scallops and some mahi and a really great flavor (no chips either). But it was very good, just not what I expected.
We then shared the beet and apple salad and the presentation of this was so cool. It was like cubes of beets and balls of apple with beet purée on the side. Very very good, but I love anything with beets.
Onto our main dishes. I had the braised short ribs with cauliflower purée, and let me tell you that this was amazing! Every bite melted in my mouth. My husband ate the other half I couldn’t finish and I know he had order envy, though he would never admit to that. He ordered the crab cake with crawfish, and the bite I had was pretty good. It just couldn’t compete with mine.
Finally for dessert, we had the Pot de Crème, which was the perfect ending to our meal. It was like a rich, thick chocolate mousse with some sort of toffee sauce and crème fraiche on top. So good!
A couple other things to note. Our server was so wonderful – super nice without being over the top. The owner also came out at the end of our meal to ask how everything was, which I thought was a very nice touch. And finally, they are on
, so take advantage of that discount if you go!

I’ve been around the world and i i i i can’t eat no mooore. Seriously. I might have gone around this entire menu and I have greatly enjoyed everything I have tried. As someone who’s interested in exploration of neighborhoods, cities and the world at large, the concept of a menu based around global tastes really appeals to me.
To begin with, the space is really inviting. The seating is comfortable, the tables are well-​spaced and the glassware/​plating is very cool. I like that I feel at home when dining here. The dining room also has a couch/​fireplace/​extra area. I am guessing when the weather turns, that aspect of the room might fit a little better. As it is, it’s a little distracting. As a female friend told me, that portion of the room needs a female touch. Guys. Female. Stat. Cool. Since One. Six One is run by some very cool kats, that shouldn’t be a problem.
But, enough with the HGTV spiel. Food. This is what you’re interested in, right? Good. You’re in the right place. I have gone around the entire menu. I’ll guide you from start to finish.
App: Drums. These stylized chicken drums are incredibly flavorful and extremely addictive. Served as three lollipops, the drums are easy to eat, nicely meaty and come with hoity-​toity buffalo and bleu cheese sauces. I am loathe to share these. Also VERY good: samosas.
Soup: Gumbo. The former New Orleanian in me orders this every time, despite the hot weather. I don’t know it for fact, but I wonder if the dish comes with some sort of sherry. The reason I ask is that it has a sightly turtle soup flavor (and I LOVE turtle soup… although thinking about it in the abstract makes me feel badly). Thick and hearty, this gumbo is packed with duck, okra and rice. The Michael-Jackson-Janet-Jackson-‘Scream’ bowl is a nice touch. Also VERY good: cauliflower soup. Cauliflower? I _​know_​!
Salad: Beets and Apple. I hate beets. They gross me out. No matter how they are prepared, these are not the sweet, tart cranberry-​sauce looking things they should be. They are dirty, dusty, muddled veggies that taste like earth. Surprisingly, this salad, with its small cubed beets and beet purée, really works. I think it’s the addition of the tart Granny Smith pickled apple spheres and acid from the lime. Congrats on the expert combinations, Chef Alexander. Also VERY good: Pea salad. And, I hate peas almost as much as I hate beets.
Drink: Liquor license in hand, get a Green Line draft from next door Bar Ten Doors (it took me far too long to get that).
Entrée: Tandoori lamb. Tell me if any of this doesn’t sound delicious: lamb, eggplant purée, pickled onions, mango, vindaloo, cumin fingerling potatoes. No? I didn’t think so. Eat this and do not share. Also VERY good: Crab and Crawfish.
Service: Lauren W is totes awesome. Ask to sit in her section.
Dessert: coffee served in a cool cup with cream and brown sugar. This is the warm up. For real, for real. Get the pot de crème. Since I can’t do it justice in words, I won’t. Just know that it’s the perfect substitute for all the Jenna Jamesoning and Long Dong Silvering you may not be experiencing in real life. I order two of these desserts. Whoa. Just thinking about the pot de crème makes me want a cigarette. It’s that good… and I am a very sad man. Also VERY good: the churros and hot chocolate.
As Taylor Street experiences a rebirth, One. Six One can stand proud in knowing that it was ahead of the curve. Come here before it’s so packed that you can’t. It will be.

One.Six. One is the golden ratio. That perfect balance that artists and mathematicians use to predict symmetry. At One. Six One, the restaurant– this balance is seen in a mixing of flavors and tastes from around the world.
As of this writing, they do not have their liquor license yet but, according to the owner, should have it by the end of July. So call first and see if you should BYOB.
Located on Taylor Street (just west of Racine), this is the newest addition to the Little Italy neighborhood. It’s located in a new building, that is a little commercial looking on the outside and lacking any ornamentation. That simplicity continues inside the restaurant where the decoration is minimal save for the large comfy couches that are arranged around a fireplace as the focal point of the room. A disconnect for me was that they were also showing some «Spartacus» type movie in the main dining room which I didn’t understand at all. Oh well.
We chose to sit outside on the side patio. A large space that one day will be looking over a park. And since it is situated on the east side of the building– all that hot afternoon sun is blocked by the building which is a nice plus. The furniture out there is a bit bulky but certainly functional. I think when this place takes off– they will probably have to replace the furniture with smaller tables so that they can get more people on the patio. But for now– enjoy– as the tables are large, and the space between them also roomy so you don’t feel like you are sitting on each other.
The food was quite good. It is all sharable so we started with the Hummus, Ceviche and Drums. The Drums were amazing-​truffled chicken mousse served with buffalo sauce and a blue cheese fondue.
Next up– cauliflower soup, and arugula salad– both good although they need to invest in some soup spoons as table spoons were all they had to eat the soup with.
Finally the entrees. I had the beef dish which was a braised short rib and a filet au poivre. My friend had the chicken which had sort of a Greek flavor to it with dill, lemon and yogurt. Both were great, and while this sounds like alot of food– keep in mind that potion sizes are small so that you can taste a wide range of the menu.
Earlier in the evening– I had met a bartender down the street who told me I had to save room for the bread pudding for dessert. She was right! It was amazing– and looked beautiful in a bowl drizzled with caramel!
If there was a new restaurant glitch, it was in the area of service. Service was a bit off. The server waiting on us was brand new to serving and really needed to work on taking care of the customer. She told us they were out of several things– yet later when we talked to the chef– he said he could have made us anything that we asked for. So know before you go — if there is something that you want (like a fish dish) push the server to go and talk to the chef. Pacing was also off as dishes came up a bit helter skelter and since some of the food was not sharable (soup for example) at times one of us was eating while the other sat there.
Want to know one of my favorite parts of the evening? A server in another area (Lily) is studying to be an opera singer. Twice throughout our evening, she stood and sang portions of an operatic aria, table side, out on the patio for all of us to enjoy. Bravo!
It’s great to see a new addition come to Little Italy. So many places have moved out in recent years that something coming into the area is big news. And if the owner is right– their restaurant is only the first of several to open up this year.
While they are still working out a few of the «new restaurant «issues, the majority of the experience is spot on. Check it out. You’ll be surprised at how a night in Little Italy, can have you tasting food from around the world, without ever leaving your seat!

I’d actually say this spot is somewhere between three and four stars, but slightly closer to four.
This spot and its next door neighbor «The Bar Ten Doors» (lol, get it?) are owned by the same three guys, young, nice guys who have waved in passers-​by for a chat all through the construction process of this new and promising restaurant. The name of the Café half, which is an allusion to a mathmetical concept, was just geeky enough to get me excited. Inside, the place feels cool, relaxing and modern. The music is a bit new-​agey but not quite Enya. The service was prompt and friendly, and before we left we’d shaken each of the three owners’ hands.
The food is that new deconstructed kind of food, and features flavors from around the globe. Even without a very expansive menu, it should suit a variety of tastes. I got the U.S. gumbo soup and the French beet and apple salad, while my sister went Italian with fried risotto, arugula salad and white bean soup. The flavors were all pretty fresh and pleasing overall. My gumbo was a bit potent — not a smoky, lingering spice but a bit overpowering. But following it up with the beet and apple salad was an excellent choice, as that was very refreshing and crisp. As can be expected at one of these deconstructionist spots, not everything looks as you’d expect it to look, but in my opinion that makes it a bit exciting. The servings are a bit smaller — actually the perfect size for someone of my petite stature and for anyone interested in sticking to actual recommended serving sizes — and the prices are bit on the higher end, but with fresh, thoughtfully arranged food one expects it.
The crème de la crème for us though, was the desert — a thick cup of chocolatey mousse (pot de crème, as it were). Thick, rich, smooth, very delicious. It was good for two, would probably be a bit much for one to go at alone.
Overall, I think this is a promising spot. I hope its location out of the lesser half (that being the North side) of the city does not cause people to shy away. You should definitely try it out.