Penumbra: Dance 10, Food 3

Did you know that the highest rated restaurant on Yelp in Logan Square is Penumbra? A solid 5 stars. We checked it out.

The space is terrific, romantic and versatile. A comfy, spacious bar area in front leads into a shimmery fabric draped dining room in the back, with some semi-private alcoves and lots of space. Cute lighty things and flowers on tables. Designers take note - no need to spend a fortune to create a warm, sexy look. Sort of Jerry Kleiner meets the Dollar Store.

Wine choices are solid and affordable, but not as deep and varied as a serious wine bar. The emphasis is on smaller name, lower-cost wines. Service was excellent. Our waiter ran us through the menu, made recommendations, and was there when we needed him. A+ job.

Where things broke down was ... the food. We started with a complimentary little cup of soup, a spicy mixed veg/zucchini, which was excellent. It proved to be the highlight of the meal. The crab cakes came with a terrific little salad, but the cakes themselves were mushy and not very crabby. Seemed like they were frozen and then thawed before a light searing.

Entrees were ambitious, and sounded great on the menu, but the execution was just so-so. NY Strip steak was a too-thin-cut piece that - while cooked to medium rare - was overseared (maybe too close to a flame) on the outside, so that the exterior had a bitter peppery crunch. I can buy a better strip steak at Mariano's and cook it better on the grill at home. Mashed potatoes were flavorful but gummy. Grilled veggies were not actually grilled, they were pan fried - big portion, and tasted ... fine. At 27 dollars, this all should have been better. Jalapeno shrimp suffered from a too-hard sear on the grill, so they were a little chewy despite a nice hot kick.

If I lived in the neighborhood, I suppose I would visit for wines and charcuterie. A nice place with a cozy feel and friendly service, but not really a destination for fine dining.

3309 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 772-2343

Ha ha ha! I compliment you on a masterful thread title, spinonejay. Now I'm going to have that song in my head all day.