Rustik - Logan Square

Mrs. JiLS and I just got back from a very enjoyable Sunday dinner at Rustik, a new restaurant (open just two weeks) here in Logan Square. It would be hard to believe this well-oiled machine was only open such a short time, if I did not know better. I watched them build the space over the past several months, and the payoff is here. The service was fantastic, the food very good, the room attractive, the whole package very appealing. And busy, on a Sunday night, as well; I think this may be the restaurant Logan Square needs, what Dunlay's hoped to be but could not accomplish.

The food is slightly upscale comfort food with a European slant. We started with a very nice meat and cheese plate, with a subtly flavored country pate, cornichons, a bit of sausage and ham, and three cheeses, all flavored (the best being a cranberry-infused concoction that was like an appetizer version of cheesecake).

My main was a vegetable "pot pie," actually a savory vegetarian stew with a biscuit plopped in the middle. First, I'll note that this biscuit was very good, certainly better than the Chicago accepted standard for biscuits. The stew included parsnips, sweet potatoes and peas and although a bit under-salted (obviously something I was able to remedy easily), a fine dish that I would highly recommend.

Mrs. JiLS had a seafood pasta, with very garlicky (not overly so) shrimp and scallops and sliced grape tomatoes. Very good flavor and presentation, with seafood that was OK, if not amazing, but good enough for a dish like this (especially with the strong flavoring of the sauce; did I mention GARLIC?). Maybe not a top recommendation, but a good choice if you are here and want a pasta.

Dessert was the real highlight, a German butter cake, served with ice cream. This was extremely satisfying pastry, flaky and buttery on top, filled with glorious sweet goo, warm and warming. We remarked while eating the cake that it tasted more like a family recipe than a "chef's dessert," and darned if we weren't right. We learned it's the chef's grandma's recipe. I was born into the wrong family. The ice cream was quite nice, but it was chocolate, which even though very good was not the right flavor match for the cake. I'd say maybe a caramel or even just plain vanilla would be a better choice. But that's nit-picking, because the dessert was amazing. Very good coffee, too.

Portions are large, not gigantic. Service was friendly, professional and swift, even with the very large crowd that grew during our visit. Clearly, Rustik is filling a niche. Just a little bit upscale, just a little bit hip (the techno soundtrack maybe has to go), beautiful decor of stone and glass. They've sacrificed a section in the middle of the restaurant, behind the bar, to create a glass-enclosed mini-garden, which will be fun to watch develop through the seasons; they had Christmas trees in there tonight. Fairly interesting wine list that, while relatively short, is diverse and well-thought out, with representative wines from Europe, Australia and New World. And, as noted above, very professional FOH that feels like they've been there for years. I'm happy to have Rustik here and will be going back.

Rustik
2515 N. California
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 235-0002

I’ve been reading the forum for a long time and have enjoyed several meals based on what I’ve read (Katy’s, LSC, Kuma’s, Burt’s and Spoon Thai just to name a few). I wasn’t sure I had much to add to those threads that hadn’t been said already, but thought I’d post about this newer restaurant.

My husband and I braved the cold weather and headed out to Rustik on Saturday night. We arrived at 6:30 and were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait. We found two seats at the bar and ordered a couple cocktails from their interesting drink list. I had a hot cider with pomegranate vodka, which was perfect for the cold night and my husband had a martini, which he said was good (but a bit pricey at $10 from the special menu). After 5 minutes, the host told us a table was ready, but gave us the option to wait for the next one, as the table was right in front of the window and was a little drafty. We appreciated him being so upfront and decided to wait for the next table. We were seated just 10 minutes later in the back of the restaurant.

We started with the mac & cheese and calamari from the “small bites” section of the menu. The mac & cheese was made with smoked gouda and was very creamy and rich. The calamari was dusted in chinese 5-spice powder, which gave it a really great flavor, but was a bit chewy and on the tough side. We then split the caprese salad. While not like one you might have in the summer made with local heirloom tomatoes, it was very good and had sun dried tomatoes that gave it great texture.

My main course was the fish n’ chips, served with wasabi tartar sauce. The fish (cod) was fried perfectly in a tempura batter, not the more common beer batter, and the wasabi sauce was excellent—lots of flavor but not too spicy. My husband had the Rustik burger, stuffed with bacon, gouda and chorizo. He liked the flavor combination and thought that they did a great job of not overfilling it so the stuffing didn’t overwhelm the burger. The taste I tried was good, but it’s very rich and filling. Overall, it’s an interesting menu item but definitely not a “destination burger.” One inconsistent note in our meal was the “Rustik frittes” [sic]. The frites are of the shoestring variety. Mine were crispy, just the way I like them, without being overcooked. Unfortunately, my husband’s were off – on both ends of the spectrum: some were very, very overdone, while others were limp and clearly underdone. Some more attention in the kitchen would have been welcome before sending these out.

After all that food, we were way too full to try dessert (totally uncharacteristic of us). But the butter cake and chocolate dessert the tables next to us had looked great and I noticed that they cleaned their plates!

The service was very friendly and well-timed, impressive for being open such a short time. We thought the meal was a good value; our total check was $94 before tip (including two cocktails, a glass of wine and two beers). The restaurant was warm and inviting and we had a nice evening there. It’s a good addition to the neighborhood, and while nothing was so remarkable that we will be running back, we’d be happy to return and try more items from the menu.

Just a data point, but after our relatively successful inaugural dinner at Rustik, Mrs. JiLS and I went back last Sunday, and had an even more pleasant experience -- including vanilla ice cream on the German butter cake. Didn't ask if they read LTH In any event, I'm pleased to have this option in the neighborhood. Would I send people driving all over Chicagoland to try Rustik? No. Unless you are a huge fan of German butter cake.

I had a nice dinner at Rustik with three friends last week. I really like the design of the dining room: kind of hard to describe, but warm, inviting, and upscale. The service was a high point: the staff was very friendly and attentive, even through occasional missteps (a daring water refill left the table a bit damp).

All of the food was pretty good, although not particularly memorable. I enjoyed the fish and chips mentioned above. The German butter cake was really tasty. The ice cream sandwiches, though, were made with really hard chocolate-chip cookies and were very hard to eat.

I did feel that the prices here were a little high. Nothing crazy, maybe just a dollar here and there, but it added up...and beer was really expensive ($7 Rogue Dead Guy?!). Maybe Avec has ruined me for reasonably priced weekday dining.

I ate at Rustik, recently, too. The restaurant has a nice feel, as everyone else has mentioned. We tried the sliders (very good, cooked to perfection, served on Parker House rolls), the ABLT salad (too much frisee and no lardons, as described in the menu...only bacon), the fish and chips (nicely fried, but not really noteworthy) and the stuffed meatloaf (by far, the winner of the evening, although the side of braised brussels sprouts with bacon was limp and funky). We tried the German butter cake, and it's as good as reported.

Overall, a really nice, little restaurant. Attentive, not obtrusive staff and a good menu.

I have some mixed emotions about Rustik at the moment.

I went last night with 4 other people around 7 p.m.

We were seated quickly and perused the menu for appetizers. We decided on the calamari and the chips and dips. Both were very good. The calamari had a slight glean from the oil but didn't taste over done and the 5-spice was a nice touch. The dips were all good; the hummus stood out. I really enjoyed the plantain chips that accompanied them.

Dinner took a little long for my liking. I ordered the hanger steak with chimichurra sauce and frites. I was very disappointed. The steak was overcooked (I asked for medium, got medium well to well done) and the chimichurra sauce was flavorless. I realize in hindsight, I should have asked for new steak, but I was starving, and decided to just stick with it. The frites were done well, but not exactly notable. I think the execution is just a little off, not really hitting on the Argentinian preparation correctly, nor touching on French steak frites. I appreciate the effort of trying something with a twist, but this just didn't work for me.

Two of the girls I was with ordered the pork chop, and both were dismayed over how salty they were. All of us agreed they should send them back. The waitress was extremely apologetic and the house manager (?) explained the chops are brined beforehand and that it was very possible they would turn out the same way if done again. He spoke with the chef who agreed and offered something else on the menu. Both of them decided on the crabcakes, which they enjoyed.

One of the guys ordered the burger, which he said was very good, and the other ordered the stuffed meatloaf, which he too enjoyed.

The absolute highlight of the meal was dessert. I had the pistachio ice cream cookie and could not have been happier. Others ordered the chocolate chip ice cream cookie, the cappucino brownie and the German butter cake. Everyone was extremely delighted with their choices. The portions were more than generous. And I should mention that our coffees came in large mugs...not your usual dainty tea cup, which was a nice surprise.

Also, the chef sent us a round of sparkling wine (the equivalent of $40) and removed one of the pork chop dinners.

Complaints from folks on Yelp seem to be driven by going on busier nights like Friday or Saturday, mostly service related issues. We had the exact opposite experience. Everyone was warm, friendly and accomodating.

So again, I have really mixed feelings about the evening. My entree was so disappointing, yet the appetizers and dessert were well worth a return trip.

I would like to go again and try something else for my meal.

Boy, did this place get slammed from stem to stern in the last "Time Out" issue. Not that I take their critics' word as gospel, but a review this bad from anyone would have caused me to write it off.. if I didn't read this thread.
Now, however, I will cowardly encourage an already interested friend to scope it out before I attempt a visit.

stewed coot wrote:Boy, did this place get slammed from stem to stern in the last "Time Out" issue. Not that I take their critics' word as gospel, but a review this bad from anyone would have caused me to write it off.. if I didn't read this thread.
Now, however, I will cowardly encourage an already interested friend to scope it out before I attempt a visit.

What I find even more interesting concerning the Time Out reviews is that Takashi received glowing feedback in the same issue as the review (slam) or Rustik. On the other hand, the consensus of that particular establishment at LTH, while certainly not bad, does not appear to be nearly as stellar. That said, given Rustik's proximity to my abode (walking distance when the weather is nicer), I think I'm going to have to offer myself up as a guinea pig and hope that my experience can serve as some form of a tie-breaker for the better.

I guess my thing is that I trust bad reviews way more than good reviews.
My experience has been that too often restaurants are praised way beyond their reality. Bad reviews, on the other hand indicate major problems, unless the reviewer is so inexperienced that they don't understand anything about the given concept/cuisine. This is not something I have really run into.
Back on the specific topic-a friend just visited Rustik, (with no knowledge of the Time Out review.) and found it quite lackluster-I'm wondering if there has been a very recent change in cooking staff or something to warrant these bad experiences.

I was also underwhelmed by a recent trip to Rustik. It just had the feeling of a place that was trying too hard. The decor and food were, for me, much more panache than substance, and the chefs committed the cardinal sin of not letting the food speak for itself: everything was stuffed, smothered, or crusted beyond necessity.

There are so many Logan Square restaurants that seem to know themselves better. They proceed with confidence, rather than forcing a glittery 'wow.' I just had the feeling that Rustik was trying to convince me of something I never quite bought. Too bad, because it's nice to have options in the area. But dollar for dollar, I've found so many better places to eat within a 1-mile radius that I doubt I'll be back.

I will say Rustik seems to be doing good business despite an occasional bad review. I'd be curious how many are repeat customers, though.

ChristyP wrote:I will say Rustik seems to be doing good business despite an occasional bad review. I'd be curious how many are repeat customers, though.

I have been there three times; however, my visits were all early to mid-January. Seems like the bad reviews are in the past couple of weeks. I've had good to very good meals every time, nothing awful, and a few things that were underwhelming but inoffensive (e.g., the lasagna), so my early experience does not seem to line up with others'.

Also, while I definitely am in the same camp as ChristyP on the "letting the food speak for itself" issue, I will have to say that the stuffed burger was really very tasty, even though based on the menu description I expected an overwrought disaster (chorizo sausage and bacon stuffed in ground beef? Unheard of. But it's good! Or at least I thought so, against my expectations).

I'm chiming in for one more data point of a mixed review. I ate at Rustik last weekend with 3 others. Actually, we all left raving about the place...it was only until the next morning when I thought back that I realized it wasn't all fantastic.
The bad:
- It was a Friday night. We showed up at 7 and it was packed. The bar area was crowded too and we ended up crammed in waiting for about 45 minutes.
- We sat next to the door. I know someone has to do it, but it was freezing and we ended up wearing our coats through out dinner.
- Some of the food was only ok: my ablt salad/flatbread was good but a whole lot of frisee, the fries were limp, the cheese sticks with the soup were kind of blah...and cold

And yet, we all walked away very happy.
The good:
- My martini had two olives stuffed with blue cheese and prosciutto (or some sort of cured pork product), I immediately thought how can I do this at home, and it set a good tone even though we waited for a while.
- Some of the food was outstanding: the tomato soup, my boursin stuffed meatloaf, and the stuffed burger were all very good comfort food for a cold winter's night.
- But really what put me in such a favorable mood toward Rustik, was its decor. I'm just a sucker for a cozy space. The stone, the atrium with snow covered trees with white lights, the light fixtures, the bar, it all was like I walked into some upscale mountain lodge and instantly felt very happy.

We all walked out of Rustik saying that we would definitely go back. Although after thinking more about it, I'd do it on a weekday and be selective in what I order.

Cookie and I had the pleasure of joining the always engaging InLoganSquares for dinner at Rustik this past weekend.

I liked the place well enough as a neighborhood comfort food bistro, although I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a destination. As Jim said in his original post, it fills a niche and I think it does that rather well.

If I had the chance there are a few tweaks that I'd make to help the menu catch up with the atmosphere. They're clearly going for "upscale comfort food", but the menu selections skew a little too far towards pub food (pizzas, fish & chips, burger, meatloaf, sliders, chicken skewers). A little more creativity in the menu choices would really lift the place up significantly for me.

To echo Jim, the clear highlight of a meal at Rustik the German Butter Cake: I haven't had a more pleasing dessert in a restaurant in a very, very long time.

Best,
Michael

I had dinner at Rustik last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. I'd been rather excited to go out to eat, and try a new restaurant, all week. I have to say, I was quite disappointed.
Our cocktails weren't all that special and my Manhattan was rather watery. My partner's Old Fashioned tasted just like my Manhattan.

Once we sat down and looked at the menu, I was struck by how ordinary it all seemed. I mean, isn't the "upscale comfort food" thing done already? We ordered calamari that was average, but it was served in a Chinese take-out box, which was immediately emptied and thrown away. Rather wasteful and strange, given that no other dish on the menu seemed to have a similar gimmicky presentation. The meat and cheese platter was ok, but the cheeses were cold. The pate, however, was really quite good. The ablt salad and ceasar salads were both fine.
As far as entrees, none of them really wowed me. I had the meatloaf, which was tasty, but it was served with roasted carrots and garlic mashed potatoes, two things I can and have made at home that were just as good. Two people had fish and chips and though I thought the flavor was really nice, the fish seemed tough. Most people at the table had frites with their meals and they were soft, or even soggy.

For dessert, we had the German butter cake, which I agree was very good, but one diner got a corner piece he said was dry and tasteless. I think it really matters how you divide it. We also had a brownie that didn't have a lot of flavor, and both desserts were served with ice cream that was surprisingly tasteless.

The service was fine, though we were a large table in no hurry, which I think suited our server as she seemed at times overwhelmed.

So, overall, I just felt really underwhelmed by everything. Lackluster drinks, an uninspiring menu, food that didn't really wow me, or anyone at the table. I did think the space was nice and thought that maybe getting a bottle of wine and couple small plates might be enjoyable, but I don't think I'll go back.

We ate at Rustik last night and I have to say, were not really impressed. I had been warned by friends, but I have to try something for myself, I am not easily persuaded by others. It was a rainy night but hubby and I ventured out anyway...we arrived to a pretty packed Friday night crowd. The place is gorgeous inside, wish the food lived up to the atmosphere!

We were promptly seated without a reservation, and our server immediately informed us of the specials and took our drink order. They were out of the beet salad special which we wanted, but we got to gaze over at it at the table next to us, as they seemingly got the last one. Someone gave us some flatbread to munch on while we perused the menu, and my immediate reaction to the bread was, it's burnt and I wouldn't have served it. Nonetheless, we decided to order the ABLT salad to share, and it arrived soon after. The salad was exactly as described on the menu, and was INCREDIBLY salty. Almost to the point of being inedible. I just wanted a little more to be done with it. Nothing special going on here.
For entrees, my husband ordered the hangar steak and I had the pasta primavera special which was far from it. Not only was the pasta overcooked, the veggies were as well. If you've ever had the pasta fresca at Grand Lux Cafe, now THAT is a light pasta dish done right with only the freshest ingredients. That is about the only dish I eat at GLC when dining with work companions and I was just hoping that Rustik's would live up to my expectations. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. My husband's steak seemed fine, but he said it was okay. I didn't see anything wrong with it, but since he likes his steak closer to bloody than I prefer, I didn't go near it.
Overall, nothing that great going on at Rustik, and as my hubby said, nothing good either.
Wish I had better things to say about this place being that it is so close to home.

I just had dinner at RUSTIK, 2515 N. California. It was very, very good. In fact, my friend had the pork chops and said he thought they were the best he's ever had at a restaurant. The pork chops came with grilled asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes: both complimented the chops and were excellent.

We started out with the caprese salad. The presentation was great, the tomatoes and cheese fresh and the sun-dried tomatoes were a special touch that added another great flavor. I had the salmon nicoise salad and it was very good: the baby spinach was fresh and the salmon was nicely flavored. They serve a herbed flat bread with olive oil that was very tasty.

The ambiance is very contemporary/understated and the floor plan allows for quiet dining or you can sit near the bar. There is an outdoor patio (in the front) which will be nice if the weather ever warms up.

The rest of the menu looks good and there are several more creative items (ex: the Rustik burger: ground sirloin stuffed with chorizo and smoked gouda). And, they serve "catch of the day" tacos, which I will definitely go back for.

Thanks Alice. I almost went there last night but I'd heard mixed things, so it was Kuma's corner for a burger instead. After your review I'll definitely check it out.

I will be interested in reading your review in light of the mixed reviews they have received.
Alice

Rustik was a disappointment. The pot pie was actually a soup with a couple pieces of bread on top. Not good stuff. Nothing was really that great and the salad seemed to have some frozen products.

Kuma's corner is apples and oranges as far as food selection but I've never had a bad experience there. Good decision.

I know I should give it another shot, and that one dish isn't enough to judge, but the taste of that one serving of pot pie was enough to sour the relationship.

Rustik has been closed for awhile for unknown reasons - vacation? remodeling?

They have a sign up now that says they'll be reopening on 8/18 as Rustico Cafe.

Attrill wrote:They have a sign up now that says they'll be reopening on 8/18 as Rustico Cafe.

That's ridiculous. What is this bizarre Chicago trend of downscale rebranding using Italicization?

Thyme --> Timo
Rustik --> Rustico

Actually, this makes sort of a fun game. I'll start, just in case anyone needs help during this economic downturn:

Smoque --> Fumo
Frontera Grill --> Frontiero

Manny's --> Pastramio

Sabatino's --> Sabatini

Katsu --> Kazzi

TAC Quick --> TAC Pronto!

Sticky Rice --> Risotto Adhesivo

I know that if/when Five Guys changes over to Cinque Tipi, I'll be there more often.

The Kahan Empire:

Avec = Con (potential competitor for Felony Frank's perhaps?)
Blackbird = Merlo (potential confusion alert!)
The Publican = Il Custode delle Taverna (potentially even more confusing name?)

You may be pleased to know that the Rustico in Rustico Cafe is not Italian but Spanish. One of the partners in Mixteco will be involved in the transition from Rustik to Rustico and I for one am looking forward to the reopening. One of the principals is a friend of mine.

Cinco Chicos (per Google translations) is even better. Thank you.