Carnivale?

Can anyone give me any feedback on Carnivale. I'm looking for a place to host 8-10 for a business dinner. I want it to be a bit casual. But, a place that people can unwind because we're all old friends, too.

Most of all, I want interesting food and drink.

Hopefully, someone can share their experience with me.

Carnival
702 W Fulton St
Chicago, IL 60661
312-850-5005

It's a pretty decent choice for the situation you describe. Fun atmosphere, eye candy decor, and food that's really quite good, but approachable. I think it's a place that uniquely works for a spirited business group, families with teens, even an older crowd (though it can get a bit noisy, but not painfully so).

I suggest ordering a mess of appetizers for the table, along with appropriate liquids, to get the evening off to a fast start.

Note: the mojitos aren't especially good. Go in another direction.

I joined 15 colleagues at a dinner at Carnivale last December. We started with drinks in the bar, then moved to a long table just inside the main dining room for dinner. The overall experience was good -- great group, decent food, entertaining atmosphere. Don't take my inability to recollect the food as a condemnation. I just can't remember specifics. I think it could be a fun option for your dinner.

-The GP (Mary)

Will -- I actually did a party there about a month ago with about 20 people and it was truly fabulous. Not cheap...but fabulous. The service was really great -- i ended up having 2 people disclose to me at the last minute that they were vegans -- oy -- and Carnivale came through with an excellent vegan choice for them with zero warning and no extra charge for it all. Despite the comment about the mojito below, all 20 of us really enjoyed the cocktails -- i found the margarita to be quite tasty and potent.. Carnivale also has several spaces that work for any number of groups and the vibe in the place is really alive and fun -- very casual and party-like.

The food was yummy. We did a family style menu with two or three appetizers, three entrees -- one was their Arroz con Pollo, which mostly resembled a fried rice and was very tasty, a Salmon Veracruz which was also quite good and a beef dish that I enjoyed but I don't recall much about. One thing though -- get their plaintain sidedish -- this was very very tasty and different from what your average joe is used to -- not necessarily an LTH'er...but your average Joe and very good guac with housemade chips before during the cocktail hour. Music in the space was fun and lively yet you could definitely hear your dining companions and have a great conversation.

I will say that I'm STILL getting feedback from team about how clever I was to have the party there -- one of our national leaders even sent me a note to thank me for a wonderful night.

I can wholeheartedly recommend that you try them out. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me and I'll be happy to assist.

Good luck with your event!

Shannon

I would also recommend Carnivale for what you want. I have been there twice, and both times I have been more impressed with the food than I really expected to be. The service was great the second time, but only ok the first. Definately a laid-back and festive vibe. I think it could be what you are looking for.

I've only eaten there once, and I remember being impressed with the food despite the place. Is that a recommendation? It depends on the crowd you're going with. I may be too un-slick to feel comfy in the sequined tube top/metro crowd, so I probably will never go back... It's definitely more a see and be scene than a place for interesting food and drink, in my book. I also remember the distinct flavor of vodka in my mojito. I was there right around the time they opened, so I chalked it up to a novice bartender and a forgiving clientele.

I can assure you that no one on our fat, male crowd will be wearing a tube top. If they are, I will be leaving dinner early.

See, now if there was a fat, male sequined tube top crowd frequenting Carnivale, combined with the food, I'd give it higher marks.

My husband and I have been there twice for dinner and it has been outstanding both times. I wish I had a reason to have a party there. They have quite a few semi-private areas which look very nice--especially the one on the balcony overlooking the main dining room. I highly recommend the empanada, the ropa vieja (Cuban Braised Beef with plantains) and the shrimp ceviche as appetizers. My son has been there with his girlfriend and thinks the gucamole is also very good but we haven't tried it. The rum-glazed pork shoulder is amazing. My husband loves the Arroz Con Mariscos (seafood soup) and my son loved the skirt steak with chimichurri sauce while his girlfriend loved her chicken brast dish. I think the room is gorgious and it has a fun atmosphere that any age group will enjoy.

I hate to be the lone dissenting voice, but I didn't think much of Carnivale. The space is airy, bright, loud ... overall very accomodating of big groups. However, the food left almost no impression. I went with a large group and we ordered a ton of food. Yet my only recollections from that night are of dull empanadas, unremarkable ceviches, and a feeling of general dissatisfaction (sorry Bigmamma; although I do vaguely recall a pretty good pork dish ... perhaps it was the pork shoulder).

If you're looking for trendy latino(ish) cuisine, have you considered Nacional 27? The atmosphere is a bit more subdued, but you'll be able to hear each other talk, and the food and drink are quite good.

Sorry, DY, I guess we can't go out to eat together. We also ate at Nacional 27 after our first dinner at Carnivale and we didn't enjoy anything that we ordered. They forgot to put the sides on my plate that came with my pork dish and brought them out later. All I remember is our thinking that it didn't come close to the food at Carnivale in either taste or originality.

We went last night (Friday) it was packed! Quite a few big groups, but it wasn't deafeningly loud. There were a bunch of bachelorette groups, and a wedding reception (with someone painting something?) on the balcony. Food was good, though not transcendant. We had the guacamole for the table, and 2 skirt steaks, 1 ribeye, 1 chicken. Two bottles of wine. No dessert. They have very little outside seating. Nice decor, fun people watching. Valet is only $5, though we lucked out into a street spot nearby (hard to do!). Service was good, friendly, though we did have to ask a few times for more bread (and they were pretty busy). I'd go back if asked, but might not choose the spot myself.

I'm very pleased to report that Carnivale was a big hit with our group last night.

The room is really conducive to a group of folks who have been working hard all day cutting loose and having a little fun.

The cocktails were probably the only real letdown of the night. The mojito was pretty watery as others have noted and missed by lacking the sugariness that makes a mojito click.

Our table opted for a couple of large servings of appetizers including the excellent guacamole. We also had a really nice plate of spanish meats and cheeses, olives, date cake, blue cheese and quince paste. I could have made dinner of that plat alone.

For dinner, I had a wonderful braised short rib that had been marinated in cinnamon, chocolate, and nutmeg. The flavors of the marinade really enhanced the slow cooked tender beef. The acconmpanying mashed potatoes and corn were nothing special.

I a number of folks at our table opted for a paella like dish of rice and seafood based in a buttery lime base. All pronounced it a great dish.

I snuck a taste of one diner's lamb sausage and another's roasted halibut with a citrus butter sauce. Both were good.

We skipped dessert in favor of a couple of after dinner drinks in the bar.

Overall, I'd give the food a solid B. The ambience an A and the cocktails a C.

Went to Carnivale last night as part of a relatively large corporate event. I'm not really one for "trendy" restaurants and this place did little to change my perception of this type of restaurant. It's telling that the bar scene takes up such a large portion of the restaurant that it becomes much more about the scene than the food. It's perhaps inappropriate to pass judgment on a restaurant when the majority of my commentary doesn't even pertain to the food, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. Don't get me wrong, I had a good time because of the company and copious amounts of prepaid drinks, but it's not somewhere I would seek out myself.

Regarding the food, the guacamole was good, cocktails alright, food very banquet hall-like. The ceviche wasn't really ceviche, Caesar salad awful, beef tenderloin fine but totally generic. Some sort of perfunctory dessert cake thing was also not very good.

I'm sure the a la carte menu isn't bad. I just don't have too much faith in "Authentic Nuevo Latino Cuisine"

Went to Carnivale this past weekend to celebrate coming back to school and 3 b-days. The raspberry mojito, mango frozen margarita, and passion fruit daiquiri are recommended!

Went to Carnivale for the first time on Friday night. Was so overwhelmed and completely impressed with the HUGE dining room! It was so festive and COMPLETELY made me feel like I was in Latin America. I will definitely be going here during the cold winter months, b/c this place is hot, hot, hot!

The Carnivale Margarita was yummy, and reminded me why I generally stick to wine and beer and stay away from any hard liquor.

We had the archtic ceviche (it had jona apples in it...ever since I went apple picking a few weeks ago, I've been wanting apples in everything) and the guacamole/chips - both very tasty. For an entree, I had the short ribs...I let the waiter decide for me given the choice of the short ribs or the pork loin. After the table next to me ordered the short ribs and the smell was wafting toward my table, I was VERY happy with the waiter's choice for me! My mom had the barramundi and it was tasty (although she thought it was spicy...I disagreed). The dessert menu wasn't too enticing, so we passed.

I will be going back (and I really don't say that often, although I said it regarding the two new places I tried this weekend) and will try to get the co-workers to have the next Happy Hour there! So much fun!

Hello everyone! I used to lurk here...but I wanted to ask a question, so here is my first post.

Does Carnivale have anything healthy on the menu? Was anything grilled? It's hard to tell from the descriptions in their online menu. I want to eat there friday night -- but unfortunately i can only eat whole grains, grilled lean protien and vegetables.

thanks for your help!

I have not been there in about 6 months, but I believe the arrachera (skirt steak) is grilled and quite tasty (and certainly lean). I always get the fried yuca as a side item/vegetable, but I am sure the restaurant can work with you to find something that would fit your diet.

soltro79 wrote:Hello everyone! I used to lurk here...but I wanted to ask a question, so here is my first post.

Does Carnivale have anything healthy on the menu? Was anything grilled? It's hard to tell from the descriptions in their online menu. I want to eat there friday night -- but unfortunately i can only eat whole grains, grilled lean protien and vegetables.

thanks for your help!

Every time I've been there at least one grilled fish option was available as a special.

I'd won $100 in gift certificates from XRT for Carnivale, and we decided to take the Things with us since it's been a while since the four of us had a fancy meal. Turns out the $100 would have been just fine for the two of us, but with the boys it was more than double... but quite enjoyable.

For drinks, MrsF had the red wine flight, which included a Pinot Noir and two whose appelations I can not remember, but one was nicely acidic, and the other had a heavy tannin which I didn't like much (although for me, still better than a Merlot). I had an Agave cocktail, which had tequila, agave nectar and lime. Tasty, but could have used more lime (the boys had cherry cokes, neither over 21 remember).

For starters we ordered the Kleiner-Style Guacamole (Thing2 has suddenly developed a hankering for guac), the Empanada, and the Arepa.

The guacamole had a nice spiciness, and was otherwise perfect: smooth ripe avocados, right level of saltiness and lime. Fresh chips helped out too.

The Empanada was also outstanding, with a crisp shell, and tasty meat and olive filling. The spicy cabbage along with it adds to the set of completely-different spicy cabbage dishes I know about (along with kimchi and LSC's wonderful slaw-from-hell), and complemented the richness of the empanada.

The Arepa, with mushrooms and goat cheese, was probably the least of the three. No flavors popped on this, and it was rather mushy overall.

For mains:
I had the Mama Mendez' Arroz con Mariscos. Almost, but not quite a paella, all the seafood was perfectly cooked, and an excellent chorizo. Rice was a good texture, and the lobster broth made it nicely rich. Can't fault it at all, but not earth-shattering.

MrsF had the Costilla de Res, braised short ribs with mashed potatoes, corn and peanut salsa. Butter-soft meat, nice beefy flavor. The peanut salsa made the whole thing kind of satay-like. Very good.

Thing2 had the Churrasco, which claims to be tenderloin, but it was a piece of meat more in the shape of a skirt steak (definitely not a skirt, though -- not that kind of grain to the meat). I didn't taste it, he loved it, except for the beet salsa. His plate had half the food on it of his brother's though...

Thing1 had the Carne-Aguayon: A very thick piece of NY Strip, with a 'red chimichurri' (meant to ask what that means), and garlic-mancheco potatoes, which came in a log-cabin stack of quartered potatoes with a mound of cheese on the top. Yup, he managed to order cheese fries. The steak was amazing. Between the chimichurri, the crust on the steak and the butter below, it was one of the tastiest pieces of steak I've ever had. The fries were extremely decadent.

Feeling rather full, the four of us split one molten chocolate cake which came with a very strongly-flavored orange ice cream, and an orange-cinnamon caramel sauce. Nice finish.

Without tip, $194. That's a bit much for a family of four if you ask me, although the boys did order two of the priciest entrees. Yes, we're paying for downtown, for ambience (liked the room a lot, although it did get a bit loud). Yes I know it's not Cheesecake Factory, but value for value I thought it could have been $20-40 less.

Also benefiting from an XRT gift certificate Ms TCF and I returned to Carnivale.

We started out with flights of wine and tequila. The selection was large and seemed well priced though I could only recognize three or four tequilas for comparison.

As a rule I order fish tacos when available. These were good but a little disappointing since I had high expectations based on Carnival's theme of a Latin restaurant with such strong seafood intonations. They were over battered, over salted and over sauced.


The squash flower which is again a must order when available item for me was a pretty big disappointment. I have had this dish fresh from the garden in a few countries and what Carnivale served seemed to me to be a franchise version of the dish. In other words an overbearing breading with extra cheese and plenty of deep rich sauce. Tasted good but I will head to the local lonestar for an equivalent fried app next time.


The Ceviche was very solid. However, I encountered another huge disappointment with this app because the kitchen took the liberty of repeating one type of ceviche since they were out of the more popular kona kampichi. I was a actually so taken aback by this act that I wasn't sure if my reaction was even appropriate and I did not make a complaint other than to ask the waiter why they switched one of the ceviche for another. The waiter was unaware of what happened and just casually suggested that the kitchen must have been out of the kampichi since it was more popular so they made a substitution.
No apologies or questions as to if this was my preference. I am not a fan of most tomato based ceviche in general so I was bummed with two orders of camarones and no orders of "the more popular" kona kampichi. This $24 was a low point when it could have been a highlight. The accompanying crackers were pretty notable though and the tuna was stellar.


We both had steak.

Bistek Palomilla - ribeye, grilled onions, fried yuca and garlic mojo. Good piece of meat cooked perfectly and the fried yucca was seriously awesome. I will henceforth refer to the yucca as yucca crack and forever regret having loved the potato so dearly all of these years.


The wifes
Carne-Aguayon Creekstone Farms all natural New York strip, garlic manchego fries, red chimichurri
This was a very good steak and a huge dish with the "cheese fries" JoelF describes. The problem with this dish is the oil plainly visible in the photo. It was a puddle of oil and really made the dish inedible for my wife. A day or so later when I reheated it sans oil it was terrific



All in all service was was the biggest problem. From the bread service to a very poor tequila recommendation to the liberties with my ceviche I have to put the experience in the negative camp.
And maybe my food expectations were unduly high due to the organic nature of the menu. I was expecting more subtlety with the dishes allowing all of the natural flavor to shine through rather than thick breadings and disturbingly liberal use of salt and oil.
Yet, the bar and the food highlights certainly make this a restaurant worth a visit for business or lunch or just to sit in the front and order grilled items with two sides of yucca.

We visited Carnivale for the first time, two weeks ago while staying downtown and it was fun!



Yep, it's loud, vibrant, and crowded! There is sensory overload, with the music, the sights, the decor.



We must have passed this place two dozen times from below, on the Kennedy, so it was cool to see the Kennedy Expressway from the opposite view. It was a perfect night.



We were lead to a side room, off the main dining room, which may have been a blessing, as it was a little quiter (still loud) than the main dining room.



We started off with drinks, and I had a caipirinha, which I thought was one of the best in the city. My wife had a specialty martini, which had pomengranate and passion fruit, which she thought was very good.

We started out with an appetizer of a Ceviche Tasting of Three, for $15. We chose the Atun Tiradito which consisted of tuna, jicama, serrano chile, avocado. The tuna was extremely fresh, and this was one of our favorites. We also chose the Arctic Char, which is Arctic Char ceviche, red curry, basil, fried shallots. Another fresh choice! Our last selection was the Pescado, which consisted of Kona Kampachi ceviche, rocoto chile, sesame seed, lime, jicama salad. The chile and sesame seed gave this a flavorful twist.



We also tried the Ropa Vieja, which is sweet plantains, braised beef,
spicy mayo, queso fresco. This was over-comino'd (cumin)! Comino is a strong spice that has to be used in moderation, or the dish ends up tasting like something from Taco Bell, so, not photo worthy.

For our entrees, my wife ordered a fish special not on the menu, consisting of Artic Char on top of grilled shrimp. The fish was great, but the shrimp was overcooked and not fresh, unforunately, but a nice presentation none the less.



I ordered the Churrasco, which is Nicaraguan style wood-grilled beef tenderloin, malanga goat cheese puree, arugula chimichurri, spicy beet salsa. The steak was perfection! One of the best steaks I have had in a long time, so flavorful, and tender, cooked medium as ordered!



No room for dessert. I would still recommend a visit, as the drinks are great, the ceviches were excellent, and the Churrasco was amazingly flavorful!

I took the family and my son's friend to Carnivale last week for an early dinner, which greatly exceeded my expectations . . .


Carnivale is located at 702 W Fulton Market

I knew from having met him at a Green City Market event back in January -- and having tasted his food on a couple of occasions -- that chef Mark Mendez was a serious-minded fellow who really puts his heart, soul and considerable skill into his cooking. But I was worried that the heavily-applied Kleiner Glitz, ambitious pan-Latin menu and hyper-focus on atmosphere at Carnivale might smother even the best culinary talent. Happily, that wasn't the case. And while the intensely colorful and beautifully-lit space certainly was a major part of our experience, it was the excellent food -- and the impressive variety of farms from which ingredients are sourced -- that defined our visit.

We got off to a bit of a rocky start but it turned out to be a mere blip. It centered around the fact that when we arrived at 4:45, we were not seated immediately, even though the restaurant was virtually empty. Instead, we were given one of those super annoying flasher-pager devices and told that we could sit in the vast bar, which we did. But once we'd bellied up, we were subsequently told that they weren't serving yet. I'm in the middle of reading Setting The Table by Danny Meyer and immediately thought about how a similar situation might have been handled at one of his restaurants. Somehow, I didn't think that anyone under his employ wouldn't have just served a customer in a situation similar to ours. I certainly wasn't angry and I tried to be understanding of the possibility that perhaps, they just didn't open until 5 pm but at the same time I could feel our experience sliding into that annoying, corporate policy-driven impersonal mode, which made me feel like we might be wasting our time. Are my biases showing?


View of the patio, Fulton Market and the Kennedy Expressway from inside the bar
This is a visually-cool vantage point. Not only do several of the bar tables look out onto this view, but there is also a patio that is directly adjacent to Fulton Market. That said, it's a fairly loud spot and I'm not sure I'd want to be sitting any closer to the street than these folks were.

Happily, after a very short time -- and well before 5 pm -- the bartender re-engaged me and asked if the kids wanted soft drinks. After they were served, I ordered a Bakers on the rocks. The bourbon selection was better than I expected but the overall spirit selection was excellent. Of course, bourbon is not the focus at Carnivale. However, there were what seemed like countless tequilas, mezcals, rums and cachacas lining the shelves that reached all the way up to the high ceiling behind the bar (tasting flights of some these spirits are offered). We never did get to see exactly how those bottles on the very top shelves were accessed because at exactly 5 pm, our pager began to flash and speak to us (paraphrasing: your table is ready now, please proceed to the host stand). We were escorted into the magnificent main dining room . . . and then escorted right out of it, into one of several smaller (less dramatic but still colorful) side rooms. I stopped and asked the host who was seating us if we could sit in the main room. He disappeared oh-so-briefly, returned and led us to a 4-top in the main dining room.


Main Dining Room
The space, which also extends into several smaller rooms and multiple floors, was extremely cool.



Beautiful table for 14 at the back of the dining room
I cannot recall ever seeing a table this large in a restaurant dining room. I absolutely loved the design of it, so I took a picture.

Once seated, my wife decided to try a Cava Rita, which was delicious . . .


Cava Rita - Maestro Dobel Tequila, organic agave nectar, fresh lime and lemon juices, topped with Cava


Carnivale is so huge (total capacity, including private dining, is 620) they've had to come up with some solutions to keep things operating properly. For example, wireless headsets are worn by several FOH'ers to maintain efficient communications across the vast space. Another solution (for expediting the delivery of food) is this satellite cold-kitchen, which is tucked into the back corner of the main dining room . . .


Satellite Guacamole Station in the main dining room
Here, guacamole and other cold dishes (at least some of the many ceviches that appear on the menu) are prepared. The cooks making the guacamole told me that they typically go through 9 or 10 boxes of avocados on a Saturday night. Seeing the guacamole being made on the spot, we decided to give it a try . . .



Guacamole "Kleiner Style"
I really enjoyed this minimally-prepared version, which boasted big chunks of perfectly ripe avocado, a successfully minor amount of red onion and a well-applied amount of lime juice for acidity.



Tortilla Chips
The house-made chips were excellent.



Copper River Salmon Tartare
I was somewhat surprised when I was told that Copper River salmon was being offered as a special (in a couple of different forms; an entree was also offered). We opted for this ultra-fresh, luscious tartare, which was topped with ramps from Green City Market, which were pickled in house. It was, in a word, excellent.



Ropa Vieja - sweet plantains, braised beef, spicy mayo and queso fresco
If you're looking for bare bones, hard-core authentic cuisine, Carnivale may not be for you. But what they excel at is showcasing traditional components with updated, contemporary twists. This stylized version of the Cuban classic was quite delicious. The meat component was tender and bursting with flavor. The chef's choice to serve it over planks of plantain was interesting and appealing.



Empanada - spicy red cabbage and lime crema
Nicely executed and pretty straightforward. We opted for the beef-filled but chicken is also available. What I especially loved about it was the spicy pickled cabbage beneath the empanada.



Empanada
The meaty interior, which also included golden raisins.



Ceviche of Kona Kompachi - lime, cilantro, mint, basil and scotch bonnet chile puree
This fish was immaculate and the hot-but-restrained scotch bonnet puree served with it was amazing. You could taste the fruit and feel the heat but it didn't kill the palate. Very nice balance. Again, pickles accompany the dish -- this time in the form of radishes. Chef Mendez told me that sometimes he goes a little crazy at the Green City Market and the result is that some of what he buys gets pickled -- a very nice touch.

Entrees were up next and they were also very good, across the board . . .


Arrachera - grilled skirt steak, rice and beans, sweet red onion and chimichurri sauce
I loved this steak. It was juicy, with a light char on the outside. The chimichurri was tasty, too (it pained me to see my son's friend scrape it all off but at least I intervened on his order, changing it from well-done to medium well).



Pernil - rum-glazed pork shoulder, fried plantains, Puerto Rican rice and beans
Solid rendition, with tender, fatty pork. The addition of both olives and capers was a nice touch and cut against the richness of the pork very well. And I loved those gandules!



Mama Mendez' Arroz con Mariscos - sofrito rice, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels, peas, chicken and lobster broth.
This dish was a real show-stopper. I loved the perfectly cooked, aromatic rice, the super-fresh mariscos -- and the inclusion of pimenton-intense Spanish chorizo and fresh spring peas was wonderful. I'm glad this wasn't called a paella because it wasn't a paella but it was outstanding in every respect. Of course, you don't name just any marginal dish after your mom!



Atun - seared rare ahi tuna, local pea shoots, snow peas, sesame seeds, crispy plantain and coconut-habanero vinaigrette
I was feeling so full (and guilty about all the other items we'd eaten), that I ordered my entree for health more than pleasure and ended up with this completely respectable dish. Compared to some of the other items on the table, it was a bit less sexy but the ingredients were stellar and cooked expertly. I really loved the lightly dressed salad of snow peas and pea shoots.



Asparagus - manchego cheese, bacon-chorizo vinaigrette
From Green City Market (Klug Farm, iirc). Among the best asparagus I've had this season.



Mac & The Four Cheeses - herbed bread crumbs
This was a very creamy and satisfyingly pungent version (ironic because the kids wanted it but it was a bit too grown up for them). I didn't eat much of it but the taste I had was excellent.

Way too full for dessert but the kids thought they weren't . . .


Churros - chocolate and dulce de leche dipping sauces
The kids were disheartened because they believed that these churros weren't as good as the ones served at Baja Fresh. I thought they were excellent -- tender-crisp and redolent of heady cinnamon -- but since I've never had the Baja Fresh version, I can't say for sure if they were right or not.



Dessert drama unfolding . . .
Actually, I couldn't tell if this was awe, the onset of a food coma or misguided disappointment over the tableside addition of hot fudge.



Pineapple Split - pineapple, coconut and chocolate ice creams with hot fudge, buñuelos and maraschino cherries
For me, the absolute highlight of this dish was the ice creams, which I'm fairly certain were made in house. The coconut and pineapple conveyed with clear intensity their namesake ingredients and the chocolate had an almost champurrado-like quality. Delicious.

I wasn't prepared for the fact that the food at Carnivale was going to be so good. No disrespect to chef Mendez intended but I wasn't sure he could overcome the nature of the beast (Mr. Kleiner is generally the star of his restauants). But I was pleasantly surprised, so much so that I look forward to returning in the near future. There were many interesting items on the menu that we didn't get to try and the lunch menu looks great, too. I admit that I'm guilty of judging a book by its cover but also so pleased that my preconceived notions were wrong. Still, there were some corporate trappings that I could have done without (service was efficient but a bit too rehearsed and not what I would describe as warm or personal) but the notable talent of the kitchen and the super-premium ingredients overshadowed those minor issues at every turn.

=R=

Jonathan and I have considered Carnival numerous times over the years but for various reasons just never wound up there. Tonight I mentioned to him that Ronnie had posted a positive review and his response was "cool, now maybe we can use that gift certificate I got from work at Christmas." Sadly, I had to inform him that indeed, Carnival was NOT a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant.

Seriously though, the photo of the salmon tartare alone may get us there soon - thanks for the post Ron! -Lynn

Great job Ronnie. I really like Carnivale, and I think you summed it up well (maybe I'm also saying that 'cause love their ice cream too). Carnivale is one of those places that is just SO much better than it has to be, in the sense that the room is beautiful, and it attracts a beautiful crowd. I whooly applaud their committment to green practices and high quality ingredients. This is a a top Chicago restaurant.

Great post. I've heard about Carnivale: "better than you'd expect." However, this looks much better, and frankly, much better than several other places in the same niche that seem to be held in higher esteem.

The plates appear to be much more focused on Cuban and Puerto Rican standards (and really don't depart from the standards too seriously -- pernil/lechon with alcaparrado (the mix of olives and capers); the arroz con mariscos with chorizo; the congri under the skirt steak, platanos with ropa vieja, are all things you'd see in a Cuban cafeteria or home. Does that focus pervade the menu, as opposed to more Mexican and other Latino syuff?

I was at a wedding at Carnivale this past Sunday. The food was way better than I thought it would be (we had several of the dishes that Ronnie had, including the ropa vieja and the arrachera). I would definitely go back for dinner on a "normal" night.

JeffB wrote:The plates appear to be much more focused on Cuban and Puerto Rican standards (and really don't depart from the standards too seriously -- pernil/lechon with alcaparrado (the mix of olives and capers); the arroz con mariscos with chorizo; the congri under the skirt steak, platanos with ropa vieja, are all things you'd see in a Cuban cafeteria or home. Does that focus pervade the menu, as opposed to more Mexican and other Latino syuff?

Yes. I'd say so, for the most part. But from what I understand, dishes like ceviche, fideos and churrasco (described on the menu as "Nicaraguan style") seem to take their influences from other regions. There's also a chicken dish on the menu that's described as "Guatemalan sytle." I also got the feeling that the Costilla de Res featured on the menu might have been Mexican-influenced -- at least the accompanying corn and peanut salsa seemed Mexican to me.

=R=

I had never been to Carnivale before Saturday, most likely since I had never heard anything all that good about it. That is, before ronnie_suburban's post last week.

The Camarones al Ajillo and the Empananda were perfect examples of the each respective genre; camarones took me back to tapas bars in Andalucía, and the empanada was better than any I had on a trip to Argentina, the pickled cabbage adding necessary acid to balance the flavors of the appetizer. As an entree, my wife ordered the Costilla de Res, with peanut and corn salsa. She liked the salsa, however thought this preparation a bit fatty, as she prefers a different version of braised short ribs such as those at West Town Tavern where the meat is cut differently.

The best dish of the evening was an entree special - Braised (fresh) Pata Negra Pork Collar with pickled asparagus and poppy seed cornbread. As described by our server, as well as in the following appetizer description from rimag.com, the collar is braised in duck fat. The large rectangular chuck of braised pork was extremely rich, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, and a nice crust. Definitely not the other white meat, this was pork collar decadence to an extreme. The pickled asparagus was a welcome respite from the juicy porky pata negra; the bbq sauce-ish after thought schmear around the plate, not so much. The poppy seed cornbread made for a nice dessert.

From rimag.com (Restaurants and Institutions Magazine)
"2. Fresh Iberico pork, now available.
It wasn’t until last year that USDA allowed Spain's prized Jamon Iberico into the country. Now chefs in Chicago are experimenting with a few fresh cuts from the acorn-fed pata negra pigs. At Latin-focused Carnivale, Chef Mark Mendez is braising the pork collar in duck fat for a rich confit. Because it's a pricy product (the collar wholesales for about $12 per pound, the loin even more) he is planning on running the meat as part of an appetizer special."

Echoing previous sentiments, Carnivale is more than it needs to be; at 7 pm on Saturday, the bar area was already raucous. Many tables already seemed more focused on mojitos than anything, making for some good people watching, in a beautiful setting. All in all, a very nice evening.

Carnivale is a great place. I was warned that it was all style and no substance. . . but that proved false because all 5 times i've been there my friends and I have been absolute gluttons.

The standouts for me are the fish taco appetizer, the guacamole, the ceviches, and the gloriously overpowering garlic ribeye steak.