ceres' TABLE opens on North Broadway [new location]

Chef Giuseppe Scurato and his wife, Carolyn, are doing a soft opening of their new venture, “ceres’ TABLE”, this week. Carolyn is my sister’s niece, so we were glad to be part of the Family-And-Friends break-in period.

It was a delightful evening. The room is very pleasant and warm. The service was spot-on, including the very nice touch of addressing 9-year-old Stella (our squid-loving granddaughter) by her name to make her feel part of the adult crowd. The food was terrific.

The menu suggests that they “…use local and sustainable ingredients whenever possible” and the plan is to modify the offerings to fit the seasons and whatever is locally available. Currently, the printed menu offers ~nine appetizers and salads and an equal number of entrees. Two special vegetable preparations and five desserts rounded out the surprisingly wide array of tastes.

We started with grilled Baby Octopus in a puttanesca sauce that was enhanced with preserved lemon; Crab Louis with a nicely varied salad; a pork-and-pistachios Country Pate with the usual accompaniments; two different salads that were very fresh and topped with tasty dressings; and Gnocchi with arugula pesto and very tasty rabbit confit. The six of us were on a tasting mission and we spent the first half-hour passing plates and going “ooh-ah, ooh-ah”.

We couldn’t convince everyone to order a different entrée, so we ended up trying three: Lamb Shank with horseradish mashed potatoes and cipollini onions; Flat Iron Steak with lemon-roasted potatoes; and Bouillabaisse that included trout as a nice local touch. The meats were tender and tasty. The steak was cooked perfectly to order and the bouillabaisse had a rich sauce that begged for more bread to wipe the plate clean. If we had enjoyed the food any more than we did, they would not have had to wash the plates. The Chocolate Cake and the Orange Crème Brulee that we had for dessert put us into the Gluttonous Gourmand category, but we had to try them and we were glad that we did. The tab for the six of us was $200 and we considered it well spent. Our tummies were smiling.

Their liquor license is expected to arrive shortly and they welcome diners to BYOB until then. The web site targets December 15 for full operation.


ceres’ TABLE
3124 N. Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 922-4020
http://www.cerestable.com

former address:
4882 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60660
773-878-4882

Very excited to hear that this place has opened up. I ride past it most days on my way to work and have been curious as I've seen the construction. It's just around the corner from my apartment on Winnemac, so it's a very convenient option when walking to Andersonville suddenly seems a rather chilly endeavor.

-Dan

So excited about this place opening up...nice to have a new place in the hood and within walking distance.

We went last Friday- This is Giuseppe finally able to do it his way. Dinner was awesome, check it out. Congrats Pepe!!

Went there on Saturday - about a half full dining room around 7:30 and stayed consistent over the next 1 1/2 hrs.

What we had...

Brussel Sprouts - Balsamic vinegar and bacon - simple and delicious if you like the earthy little buggers. Was not on menu but on special.

Braised Short Rib appetizer - Least favorite of the night although recommended by the server (but then again he recommended about half of the menu). A bit rubbery although it is great that the recent dental work I had was of top notch quality as I had to chew like mad throughout 50% of my bites.

Wild Boar Ragu - I think that was the exact name. Great sauce, pasta was al dente and perfect but the portion was small for a $16 entree. IMO they could do a smaller sample (basically what they brought or a tad less) and charged $11-12 and then another portion size as an entree for $18-20. Again, tasted great, just too small for an entree.

Lamb Shank - This was the exact opposite of the pasta. Believe it was $24 and it was fitting of the portion size. Tender and delicious - mashed potatoes were smooth and fluffy. I would order again if you love the lamb.

Dessert - Orange Creme Brulee - Citrus and a very light creme was a perfect way to end the night. All desserts were $5 so it was worth it to give it a shot at the end of the night. Decent size for 2 people or perfect for a glutton (me).

Since I live one block away, I will definitely be back as they have some interesting items on the menu including tripe. It is BYOB until mid December so by the time this is posted, they may be serving alcohol.

We had dinner there last Friday. I had called earlier in the week to make a reservation at the last minute. The plan was to just walk in, but I am glad I called. The place was packed and when we arrived there were only two tables left.

Started out with the pate for dinner. The only complaint I had about it was that it could use some more bread as the serving of pate is generous. There was a nice fruit spread to compliment the pate and course mustard and the bread was a lovely grilled sourdough. Next time I will try the grilled octopus...someone ordered it and it looked promising.

For dinner, I had the lamb shank...unless he does something else that is out of this world, this dish will be my main one when I go there. The lamb was cooked to perfection and was so tender that the bone just slid out clean. There really was no need to use a knife (saw a lot of the lamb coming out of the kitchen, so I was not alone in ordering it ). Hubby and GF had the steak and both commented on how flavorful and tender it was.

For dessert I had the banana bread pudding...for me it was a perfect end to the meal as it was not that sweet. My GF had the molten chocolate cake (I believe). I thought the presentation was wonderful (there was this abstract sugar sculpture on top. I had a bite of it but wasn't overly impressed, but for $5 you really can't complain.

The staff was very professional and attentive. The waitress that served us kept referring to myself and GF as "ma'dams" which we thought was cute. Giuseppe stopped by our table twice to enquire how our meal was going and to tell of us his plans for the restaurant. The liquor license will be in tomorrow but he said you could still bring in wine, but the corkage fee will be around $20 a bottle (won't be doing that). And there will be sparkling wines on the wine list (Yay!). He said he wanted to keep the prices for wine between $25 and $90 a bottle.

We live about a block away and this is a very nice addition to the hood and we definitely will be back again.

If my meal tonight at the newly opened Ceres' Table is any indication of the food this place will be turning out, this place will soon become a sure destination in Andersonville. I could go on and on but to put it simply, I just loved my first visit to this one-month-old restaurant.

Started off with a nice, hot and crispy Labriola loaf. No complaints here.

Appetizers:

Baby octopus in puttanesca sauce with preserved lemon, frisee and saffron - $9 - Not sure if I noticed the saffron, but the flavors here really jumped. Wonderful fresh, tart flavors and great texture. This was a great dish.

Gnocchi with rabbit confit, arugula pesto, pine nuts and pecorino - $9 - Another major hit. Silky smooth gnocchi and a wonderful combination of flavors. Tough to choose my favorite appetizer between the octopus and gnocchi.

Cauliflower soup with apple, basil salsa verde and braised short ribs - $7 - It sounded a bit more interesting than it tasted. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was very tasty. I just don't know if I got all of the flavors listed. Interestingly, it was not very creamy but ultimately I thought it was pretty tasty.

Romaine salad with caesar dressing, charred cherry tomatoes, garlic croutons and shaved parmesan = $8 - Tasty, but this would not be part of my order with so many other interesting dishes on the menu.

Mains:
House-made strozzapreti pasta with boar, mushrooms, spinach and parmesan - $16 - This was my favorite of the entrees. Perfect, al dente pasta and wonderful flavors.

Off-menu special of Crispy Branzino with mushrooms, truffle oil and miniature chicken ravioli - $20 - If the strozzapreti was my favorite entree, I'd say this was 1A. The fish was crispy yet light and the mushroom/ravioli accompaniments worked so well with the fish.

Bacon-wrapped pork loin served with wilted red cabbage, caramelized apples, chestnuts and juniper berries - $18 - This dish screamed "comfort food for a cold winter night." If you like smoky flavors, this dish will be right up your alley as the bacon was quite flavorful and very smoky. I couldn't believe how perfectly the pork loin was cooked medium rare.

Venison ragu with cranberry soft polenta, mushrooms and crispy shallots - $18 - This dish was really just ok in my opinion. The flavors were pretty good, but I thought that the venison was not fatty and flavorful enough for what I think should have been a heartier dish.

Desserts - worth noting that all desserts are $5.

Chocolate souffle tart with tangerine compote and candied pecans - Wow! Crispy chocolate crust, cut into it and watch the rich chocolate filling ooze onto the plate. And the tangerine compote had a liquidy element that when mixed with the chocolate made this one of the better desserts I've had in a long time.

Cinnamon rice pudding with crispy caramelized rice - Also excellent, particularly the way the wonderfully creamy rice pudding mixed with the crackly brittle-like crispy rice.

Pistachio creme brulee with spiced biscotto - Very creamy, although the pistachio flavor was a bit subtle. Still, very good.

Overall, I thought the meal was excellent. Three courses (and bread) left me stuffed and I thought that the prices were very respectful given the portion sizes and quality. Service might not have been the most informed, but it was friendly and very attentive. Giuseppe and his wife were in the house and making sure the dining experience was positive.

If making reservations, be aware that there were a couple of high-top tables, although they are near the bar and I don't know if they would use these for dinner if you've made a reservation. Also note that there's not much drowning out noise here and it was pretty loud. On the plus side, we dined at 8pm on a Friday night and the place was packed.

Did I tell you how excited I am to have Ceres' Table in the neighborhood? I'd be shocked if this place does not become a star in the area. This meal was just too damn good and the prices (including a very reasonably priced wine list) are very friendly. I can't wait to return.

qofu2 wrote:The liquor license will be in tomorrow but he said you could still bring in wine, but the corkage fee will be around $20 a bottle (won't be doing that). And there will be sparkling wines on the wine list (Yay!). He said he wanted to keep the prices for wine between $25 and $90 a bottle.

The vast majority of the wines offered (a list of well over 50) are under $40/bottle and there are several under $30/bottle and they offer about 10 wines by the glass (generally, $6.50 - 7.50).

As for their corkage, according to the menu it's $20, but if you buy one bottle at the restaurant, they'll waive the corkage for up to two bottles.

I was at Ceres Tables with two friends on Saturday night for dinner. I live in Ravenswood, so it's a good neighborhood restaurant option for me.

I wasn't so hot on my starter, a potato soup with leeks and bacon. I thought the puree was lovely, thick, and warming for a winter night, but the bacon really gave it an assertive salty flavor. I liked my entree though- a special of monkfish with saffron risotto and carrots in a red-wine reduction. It's a dish that's been done before, but the monkfish was perfectly cooked, tender and moist; the risotto, delicately seasoned by the saffron, and the red wine reduction simple, sweet, complementary.

As mentioned previously, the desserts were terrific. The pistachio creme brulee was beautifully nutty in flavor and the chocolate souffle was just lovely in all its lightheaded goodness.

One thing that I was taken a little aback by was that even though I made a reservation several days before, they were initially trying to seat us at the high-top tables. I declined because I have a sprained ankle and cannot be hopping up and down high-top table seating, but I thought that was strange they weren't seating us initially in a regular table or a booth (when there were empty ones).

I wanted to put in a plug for Ceres Table, where I had a truly exquisite dinner last night. In full disclosure, I should mention I was there with a friend who knows the owner, so we were sent out a lovely appetizer special and some after-dinner spirits. But my friend and I both agreed that even without those perks, this was one of those meals we'll both remember for a very long time -- just gorgeous, delicious food from the bread course through dessert.

We shared everything so we could maximize our navigation of the menu, which is refreshingly simple. We started with a mixed lettuce salad that was fresh, nicely composed (great attention to detail with paper-thin radishes), and perfectly dressed, then a house-made gnocchi appetizer with Gunthorp farm rabbit, arugula pesto, toasted pine nuts, and a hint of pecorino. Wow! This dish just sang. We finished the impossibly light pillows of gnocchi, then basically took our bread and spoons to the sauce. Pitch perfect.

Then we split our gift from the kitchen: lobster-stuffed ravioli with grilled calamari, cippolini onions, and sweet baby carrots in another lovely sauce (can't recall the verbal description). The ravioli were ever more slightly al dente than I like, especially on a cold night when I'm craving comfort food, but this was an unexpected pleasure during a meal that would have left us happy even after just the first course.

Then the entrees arrived. Bouillabaisse with a complex shellfish stock, two generous pieces of trout (skin on), and a lively assortment of shellfish. Plus a crunchy crouton with a saffron rouille that was the ideal way to soak up the stock. Our lamb shank was the perfect foil to the lightness of the soup. Hearty, tender, and perfectly appointed with a layer of mashed potatoes, sliced orange, cipollini onion, and radish.

Desserts weren't overly sweet -- a deliberate choice on the chef's part, as he prefers them that way. I concur! The banana bread pudding was terrific (they start with homemade brioche), but the pistachio creme brulee was the real triumph, at least for me. It's tough to make an old dessert feel new again, but this one succeeded: the right combination of purism and innovation, with a homemade biscotti (hints of almond and anise) topping it off.

Combine all of this with a terrifically affordable wine list, and you've got the best midweek $25 prix fixe in the city, by my estimation. If I lived in Uptown, I'd be there every week. Highly recommended. I wish I could go back tonight!

We had dinner at Ceres' table this weekend. There were a couple of glitches but overall it was a nice meal and I'm sure we'll be back.
The space: it's a cute little storefront on Clark just south of a pretty commercial area. But two gripes: they've got to get a little portico/vestibule thing for the door. We had a reservation but we ended up with the table closest to the door and it was very chilly. Also, it's one of the louder restaurants I've been to in a while.
Service: We really liked our server. She was attentive, gave great suggestions when asked and wasn't intrusive.
Beverages: They have a full bar. I liked that the wine list was very reasonable although I would have appreciated some better selections by the glass.
The food: Their bread is sourdough from Labriola which I really like. The grilled baby octopus appetizer was good but the rabbit gnocchi was a complete miss (and i actually really like rabbit so I was looking forward to this one). The rabbit was dry and stringy, the gnocchi were flavorless and the dish was way oversalted. Last week I had some of the best gnocchi of my life at Nightwood and these suffered badly in comparison. We sent the plate back mostly uneaten.
Big rally with the entrees though. We really enjoyed the lamb shank--great flavor, tender meat, the horseradish mashed potatoes were a nice accompaniment. We had a side of the blue cheese potatoes au gratin (by request--they usually accompany the pork chop) which was delicious. I'll definitely be adding blue cheese to my next batch at home. The wild boar strozzaprieti was devine. Our waitress cautioned that it was a smaller entree (as noted above). Given that we were sharing, I had plenty and the dish was quite rich. Perfect bite to the pasta, delicious sauce. I would have a hard time not ordering this dish at future visits.
Desserts: Warm chocolate souffle (actually more like a molten chocolate tart I believe, but hey, I'm not a pastry chef) and chocolate banana bread pudding were very tasty on their own. However, dragging bites of the banana pudding through the creamy chocolate of the souffle resulted in an outstanding mouthful. If the pastry chef is reading this, might I recommend a fusion dessert?
Summary: very reasonable, cute neighborhood place. The most expensive entree is $24, desserts are $5 and wines were about $7 by the glass. I would definitely return.

Looking at this thread, I'm surprised that no one has posted about Ceres Table in several months. Based on my one dinner there, this is a restaurant worthy of attention.

The food was across-the-board tasty, the service was helpful and friendly, and the wine recommendation was spot on.

Rich and I forgot to take notes or a menu, so my descriptions may not be perfect (and the online menu is only similar to the one we chose from). Our starters were great. The Dietzler steak tartare was the best tartare I've have in recent memory. I like a salty, punchy tartare, and this one delivered, with ample chopped cornichons and capers. At the same time, the wonderful beef was the star of the show. We also tried the arancini, delivered hot and crisp, and with more components than I can recall. My parents, with whom we were dining, enjoyed their artichoke salad.

Entrees were equally satisfying. I had the fried sardines, something you rarely see as a main course. And, while I enjoyed them, I think I would've rather had them as an appetizer, given how strong the flavors were. This was a good dish, I just don't think I needed so much of it. The sardines were large and were deboned before being lightly breaded and fried. Rich had the Dietzler flat iron steak, cooked perfectly medium rare. Parents had the quail and the halibut. Both were satisfying and I would've been pleased had I ordered either.

With entrees starting around $16, Ceres Table doesn't have to be a special occasion restaurant. I appreciate their focus on local ingredients and commitment to changing the menu with the seasons. I look forward to my next visit.

One note for anyone who goes soon: There is road construction on Clark, so allow extra time for parking (they didn't have valet on a weeknight).

Ronna

Found ourselves with no plans for dinner last night so I did a quick availibility search for 8pm on Open Table. Ceres Table is a place we've been meaning to check out for months so grabbed a reservation. Based on our experience, I'm with Ronna in wondering why there hasn't been much LTH conversation/attention regarding this place.

A quick glance at the menu and I knew I was going to happy there. Artichokes and anchovies in more than one dish each. I started with the raw artichoke and mushroom salad and found it crisp and refreshing. Jonathan went with the Goat Cheese Ravioli starter portion and refused to share even a bite, so I guess it was good.

Entrees - I was tempted by both the Sardines and the Cod that came with White Anchovies and Panzanella Salad, but ultimately went with the Corzetti (hand-stamped pasta with fennel, anchovies, currants, and pine nuts.) Jonathan had the Halibut entree which was seasoned and cooked to perfection ( he did let me try a bite of that.)

Wine list had decent reasonably priced options. Service was professional and efficient. Our server also had a sense of humor which is always a plus in my book.

My only "complaint" is the noise level. I am not typically bothered by noisy restaurants. It's Saturday night - I expect full crowds and all the noise that comes with a busy place. However, Jonahtan and I were sitting right next to each other and had to shout the entire time. Some acoustic ceiling tiles might be in order.

LynnB wrote:My only "complaint" is the noise level. I am not typically bothered by noisy restaurants. It's Saturday night - I expect full crowds and all the noise that comes with a busy place. However, Jonahtan and I were sitting right next to each other and had to shout the entire time. Some acoustic ceiling tiles might be in order.

Your wish is granted - Ceres' Table added soundproofing tiles on the ceiling in the last couple of weeks and wow, what a difference. It is no longer a place to avoid because of the noise (still somewhat loud, but not bothersome IMO). And my meal Friday was outstanding as ever. The highlight was the scallop appetizer, served with a lemon and garlic orzo risotto, crawfish and La Quercia guanciale - absolutely stunning!

Hi everyone,

Has anyone been here lately? My husband and I have a reservation on Saturday with some friends and I would love to get some suggestions on what to order. It will be our first visit.

Thanks very much.

It has been a couple of months since I've been there and the menu changes regularly. I always like the arancini (fried risotto balls). I've enjoyed most of what I've had at ceres' table. Save room for the desserts - their pastry chef is talented.

Thanks!

My wife and I tried Ceres Table for the first time last night. We had a fun time and the prices were appropriate for a neighborhood joint, but unfortunately we were not happy with our two pasta dishes. But let's start at the top:

We each started with a house Negroni. These were excellent. A traditional Negroni is equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Ceres Table's version substitutes Lillet (blanc, I assume) and orange bitters for the vermouth. I thought it worked very well. My wife's drink could have been a little colder.

Next we had the crudo di gamberi and arancini. The crudo di gamberi is raw shrimp with cucumber, radish, blood oranges, and a nice vinaigrette. This dish was excellent. We were excited to try the arancini (which are fried rice balls stuffed with braised oxtail) because had a similar dish a Due Lire last week. Due Lire served one large rice ball. We liked it, but thought it was served too cool and was overpriced at $9. Ceres Table's dish includes three rice balls that are somewhat smaller than Due Lire's. These were great, but also served a bit too cool. (I also just let my coffee get too cool as I typed this!)

We had two pasta dishes next: a spaghettini with cuttle fish and ink, and a fettuccine with a rabbit bolognese. These dishes both missed the mark. Both pastas were overcooked; mushy basically. The cuttle fish was completely overcooked and very chewy. The bolognese sauce was pretty unremarkable - we thought it tasted like canned tomato sauce - and there wasn't enough rabbit to redeem it. So, two bad pasta dishes.

Along the way we also had two glasses of wine, neither of which I remember right now, but they were very good. One was a 2006 Chianti Classico. The other may have been from Valpolicella.

We finished with a peanut butter and chocolate tart.

This is a pleasant space on the north end of Uptown, comfortable and with a good vibe. My friend and I had to wait 30 minutes for a table on a Wednesday night with no reservation, which surprised me, but we didn't mind waiting at the bar.

We both had pasta. Based on a comment upthread about mushy pasta, we ordered our dishes al dente, and the pasta was cooked perfectly.
My friend's corzetti was excellent, especially the asparagus and the parmesan sauce.
My cavatelli, while well prepared, was not a well thought out dish. I was excited to see dungeness crab as an ingredient, but it was completely overwhelmed by the saltiness of the tuna roe and the speck. Red pepper flakes added to the problem. The dish would have worked better if the crab were replaced with a vegetable, such as the excellent asparagus in the corzetti, and a couple of bucks knocked off the price. The problem was conceptualization, not execution.
The sourdough bread and butter were fresh and of good quality.
The service was perfunctory. I waited half an hour during the meal to see if my empty water glass would be refilled, but I finally had to ask.
If I had ordered differently, I probably would return much sooner than I will.

Three of us visited Ceres' Table on a recent Thursday evening for a 7 p.m. reservation. As it happened, there was a benefit that night so the place filled very quickly, something we hadn't expected or anticipated, though of course the house knew. In the event, the full house may have had some impact; in retrospect, I'd like to think so because it was a very uneven dinner: there were some great things and one real stinker. We ordered three apps, three entrees, and three desserts and shared everything.

Having not written this up in the immediate aftermath, I'll give a condensed version and invite my compatriots from that evening to add their two (or more) cents.


Lamb and pistachio terrine

As wonderful as this dish was, to quote one of my companions, the terrine itself was too "tight.” A slightly “looser” compression or a slightly coarser grind would have been welcome in this dish. Other than that criticism, though, this was a winner—nice flavor and nicely chosen accompaniments, from the arugula to the giardiniera, though my preference would have been for a more assertive mustard.


Beet and Yukon Gold gnocchi

Hands' down the worst dish of the evening. By the time the dish arrived, I think we had forgotten (I know I certainly had) that it was a beet and Yukon Gold combination. I recall all three of us were puzzled by the look: it seemed we were given a plate of tiny red potatoes. These were everything gnocchi should never be—mostly tasteless, gummy things. We didn’t even finish the dish. All mixed up in the presentation were (according to the menu, anyway) ricotta, a dill pesto, chicken confit and pine nuts. Way, way too much going on. It made for a muddled dish in which nothing stood out more than the gumminess of the gnocchi. And I remember being surprised when I consulted the menu in the course of writing this up to discover that there were beets. I detected no beet flavor whatsoever. Which, frankly, was probably a good thing.


Day boat scallops

As bad as the gnocchi were, this may have been the best dish of the night. Large, juicy, scallops, perfectly roasted. Since there were three of us, it would have been nice to receive three scallops instead of two, but it was still a stellar dish. I liked the accompaniments this time, although the dish showed the same tendency as the gnocchi to include too much: cauliflower puree, fava beans, spring onions, new carrots, and "cioppino sauce." Let the highlighted ingredient shine. Don't clutter the presentation needlessly or pointlessly. The scallops could have done just as well with half the items listed.


Falsomagro

Falsomagro, the menu instructs us, is “bacon-wrapped Sicilian meatloaf.” I'm not certain what made it Sicilian but, delicious as it was, it was not meatloaf. Grind and compression issues again. Someone else at the table nailed it: “this is sausage.” It was delicious sausage but it wasn’t meatloaf. And delicious as it was to have it wrapped in bacon, there's a feeling of gilding the lily. I understand that the fat in the bacon helped keep the "meatloaf" moist, but if it had been more meatloaf-like and less sausage-like, it would have made a bit more sense.


Corzetti

This was beautifully made, perfectly cooked pasta with a spring array of veggies from fresh (if scarce) favas, pea sprouts, baby artichokes, and a “parmesan broth.” A hit. I was disappointed that it seemed like someone in the kitchen was counting the fava beans out according to a predetermined quota, but each item was well-chosen this time and contributed to a complete course that worked absolutely wonderfully.


Polletto al mattone

Cornish hen, said the menu. Many menus call it "baby chicken" (based on the Italian name) which seems more appropriate in view of the size of the clucker we got, a rather impressive specimen that was very nicely cooked. Juicy, flavorful but I didn't find anything noteworthy about it. I wasn't quite sure why this happened to be on the menu at this restaurant and there was certainly nothing wrong with it. The "pea-tendril risotto" on which it sat presumably made it Italian, in which case I would contend that the risotto should have been more compelling (and/or complementary) than it was. A nice dish but nothing I'd be interested in repeating.

Indeed, the problem with the hen was the problem, in large part, with the menu itself. For a menu with only eight entrees, some just don’t belong. They’re so safe they’re not even tempting: Why is there a pork chop with bacon, blue cheese, and apple brandy sauce? I love good pork chops, but with so few entrees, this is a missed opportunity to feature something different, something offbeat, to show off. So too with the halibut (on spinach with smoked ham and walnuts). A couple other pastas and liver completed the offerings. Disappointing.


Tiramisu

The dessert menu had the same problem: five offerings, including the strangest tiramisu I’ve ever seen: the custard was very good, indeed, the whole dish was fine. Just, um, odd-looking.

Apple crostata: lovely pastry, pleasant apples…. Perfectly enjoyable without leaving any other impression a little over a week later. I even managed to forget to take a picture; mi dispiace.


Peanut butter fudge tart

Peanut butter fudge tart: pretty to look at, what’s not to like? And, best of all, the peanut butter had enough salt and the right amount of sugar (not too sweet) to make a swell dessert. But to repeat: why is it here? Frankly, the disconnect between the pastry chef and the restaurant is a problem I've noticed for a long time. All too often the items that pastry chefs are offering seem designed to show off their talents (understandable) but show too little effort to complement the menu. No, an Italian restaurant need not serve only Italianate desserts—but, by the same token, wouldn't it be nice to see more than tiramisu to complement the direction the chef chooses for the dinner menu? Crostata, yes, I suppose. But peanut butter fudge tart? Banana bread pudding? Chocolate chip cookie? Creme brulee? I like all these desserts, but I can find them pretty much anywhere.

A brief word on service: again, I should note that the full house may have had some impact. That fact notwithstanding, we had a waitress, not a server. She would have been fine at Ed Debevic's; with this menu, she was simply out of her depth. She displayed no evident knowledge of the food at all and her skills in general were, um, less than might be hoped. For all intents and purposes, she was a messenger. Whether she is unique in that regard or representative, I have no way of knowing.

My reviews usually end with my sense of whether (and how soon) I think I'd return. Here, frankly, I'm torn. The great dishes (the scallops and the corzetti) were superb and I'd return for them in a heartbeat. The bad dish (the gnocchi) was a travesty and I'd never return to a place where this was representative. I think, in the end, what inclines me to think that if I return, it will likely be a while, is the smallish menu with some odd choices. Why should I take my chances here when the quality is so uneven and the limited choices have so many things I can find elsewhere. I had hoped for a more distinctive menu and was disappointed to find some wonderful choices and some relentlessly ordinary ones. All in all, a disappointing evening saved only by wonderful companions and conversation.

I had a pleasant meal at Ceres' Table last week. Though no singular dish wowed me, I still came away satisfied.

First impressions: quite intimate. Tables are not grouped together as much as I'm used to, and commotion was low.


We had a 4 course dinner with parings




First Course:
Tuscan White Bean Soup fregola sarda, roasted garlic, rosemary, tomato, grilled parmesan crostini

C'mon...it's Minestrone. Whole garlic clove was a nice addition, though.

Day Boat Scallops lobster and crab agnolotti, grilled young onions, carrots, cioppino sauce



Scallops themselves were very nice, but the rest of the dish had cooled.

Pork Loin pan roasted bacon wrapped berkshire pork loin, red cabbage, quince, chestnuts, port sauce


Peanut Butter Tart oreo crumb crust, peanut brittle

Delicious - rich but salty, so palatable.

Gypsy Boy is a much better food critic than I. While I suffer from foodie ADD, he is able to recognize a meal as a whole. I understand; the meal may not seem cohesive, yet I enjoyed myself through each course. That being said, this meal was a bit pricey and I only see myself coming back for a somewhat nicer occasion.

incite wrote:Gypsy Boy is a much better food critic than I. While I suffer from foodie ADD, he is able to recognize a meal as a whole. I understand; the meal may not seem cohesive, yet I enjoyed myself through each course. That being said, this meal was a bit pricey and I only see myself coming back for a somewhat nicer occasion.

Hardly. I notice now (for the first time) that my companions that evening never had a chance to add their two cents, most anyone who takes the time to set down their thoughts contributes to this site. I learned some pointers from reading your critique--so now I know more about the food and more about things to pay attention to when I'm out. Both are valuable in my book. Thanks for the review and especially for the great pics!

Gypsy Boy wrote:

incite wrote:Gypsy Boy is a much better food critic than I. While I suffer from foodie ADD, he is able to recognize a meal as a whole. I understand; the meal may not seem cohesive, yet I enjoyed myself through each course. That being said, this meal was a bit pricey and I only see myself coming back for a somewhat nicer occasion.

Hardly. I notice now (for the first time) that my companions that evening never had a chance to add their two cents, most anyone who takes the time to set down their thoughts contributes to this site. I learned some pointers from reading your critique--so now I know more about the food and more about things to pay attention to when I'm out. Both are valuable in my book. Thanks for the review and especially for the great pics!

Nice shots, as always, incite.

I didn't really love our meal -- the one about which Gypsy Boy posted upthread -- at Ceres' Table. It's been months and the details are now fuzzy but the main issue was that there was event taking place that night that seemed to really drain the resources of the restaurant. Not being part of the event put us out of orbit with the flow of things and service, while entirely pleasant, suffered for it. Foodwise, some dishes were tasty, others . . . not so much. Nothing really stood out as something I'd absolutely order again. My overall impressions were that it wasn't a particularly special meal, and the fact that I did not write about it afterwards reflected my feelings. Since I'd been very curious, I was happy to have checked it off my 'to do' list but couldn't envision returning anytime soon. I thought about how close Anteprima, Big Jones and Great Lake all are to Ceres' Table and wished we'd gone to one of them instead.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Since I'd been very curious, I was happy to have checked it off my 'to do' list but couldn't envision returning anytime soon. I thought about how close Anteprima, Big Jones and Great Lake all are to Ceres' Table and wished we'd gone to one of them instead.

=R=

Since we've been agreeing of late about forgettable meals, I'm following your lead and will probably not get to Ceres Table in 2011. I was very, very interested before. But if I got up there and had an unremarkable meal and could have dined at Great Lake, I always want to dine at Great Lake-- & I don't even love pizza like that-- I would be frakking upset.

Incite's pictures are breathtaking and I'd love the recipe for that minestrone which was almost enough for me to guarantee a visit this year. I think I love soup and just don't spend enough time with it.

pairs4life wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Since I'd been very curious, I was happy to have checked it off my 'to do' list but couldn't envision returning anytime soon. I thought about how close Anteprima, Big Jones and Great Lake all are to Ceres' Table and wished we'd gone to one of them instead.

=R=

Since we've been agreeing of late about forgettable meals, I'm following your lead and will probably not get to Ceres Table in 2011. I was very, very interested before. But if I got up there and had an unremarkable meal and could have dined at Great Lake, I always want to dine at Great Lake-- & I don't even love pizza like that-- I would be frakking upset.

Incite's pictures are breathtaking and I'd love the recipe for that minestrone which was almost enough for me to guarantee a visit this year. I think I love soup and just don't spend enough time with it.

Well, take my opinion for what it's worth...just one idiot who likes to keep his mouth full of food.

=R=

Very impressive meal at Ceres' Table tonight. Party of 3, we had:

Apps:
- Scallops with crab and lobster agnolotti - best scallops I've had in a restaurant in years
- Arancine with braised goat - excellent
- Sardines with roasted lemon

Entrees
- Short Ribs with maltagliata with mushrooms and truffle oil - crazy good
- Lasagna with boar ragu - surprisingly sweet, but in a good way
- Monkfish - very tasty

Desserts
- 2 orders of cannoli
- Profiterole with vanilla gelato and chocolate sauce - this was fantastic

1/2 price bottles of wine meant a bottle of Barolo and a very nice Amarone. 1/2 price bottles of wine on Tuesdays makes for a no brainer. This is a worthy destination for lovers of Italian.

pairs4life wrote:I'd love the recipe for that minestrone which was almost enough for me to guarantee a visit this year. I think I love soup and just don't spend enough time with it.

Besides the service, this soup was the one downfall on our recent visit. It was an massively underseasoned broth with a few white beans thrown in. It was basically a 10 dollar kick in the junk.

I love a good bowl of soup, and know that perfect seasoning isn't easy, but there is certainly an acceptable range that isn't that hard to accomplish. I've had soup several times in the last few weeks (last night at Slurping Turtle: one perfectly seasoned bowl of noodles, one with no discernible salt content whatsoever), and I have to believe that many of these kitchens aren't tasting these before they send them out.

Our server was very curt, and occasionally missing. Everything else was excellent, especially the short rib pasta with truffle oil. However, the service was a turnoff, and I won't be rushing back.

Wife and I went for dinner last night, and since nothing posted recently I thought I'd add something.

We had been to Ceres Table a while (> year I think) ago and had been very happy with our meal, so were looking forward to eating there again.

We started with arancine with artichoke for her and mussels and sausage for me. Both of these dishes were good, so off to a decent start.

The arancine were flavorful, balanced, and moist. This was probably the most successful dish of the evening. The mussels were also good, but the ancho chile in the broth dominated all of the other flavors in the dish. I like ancho, so that worked for me and I liked the dish. If you're looking for nuance and balance between the elements, you won't find it here, though.

Then came the entrees.

The wife ordered branzino. The fish was cooked al cartoccio with orange, fennel, and olives. This dish was a disaster. The flavors were just awful. Bitter and off. It was hard to tell looking across the table in low light, but there may have been some undercooking of the fish involved, too. It was the first dish in I don't how long that we actually sent back.

As a replacement, she ordered the ricotta gnocchi. This dish was much, much better than the fish, but still only made it to "good." The gnocchi were a bit more dense that I woud have expected from an Italian chef, but other than that it was a perfectly serviceable dish.

I ordered a duck breast over oxtail ravioli with beets, leeks, and red wine-blueberry sauce. The duck breast was nicely cooked and the pasta was done perfectly. The ravioli filling was less appealing. It was more like a liquid-y paste, with nothing identifiable as meat. The leeks and blueberry didn't add anything to the dish, IMO. Overall, it was decent, but coud have been much better.

Other than the fish disaster, it was a decent meal, but nothing special and a bit of a disappointment for the price. It probably isn't a place I'll be returning to anytime soon.

My wife and I decided to finally try Ceres' Table, which had been on our list of places to try (albeit the lower half of the list), after we pounced on a $30 for $60 Groupon a little while back. We went last Wednesday night and had a really excellent meal:

Cheese and Charcuterie plate - Lonzo cotta (quite good), lamb terrine (mediocre), some sort of pork braised in duck fat (fantastic), blue cheese with honey (delicious), taleggio (standardly good), peccorino sardo (good, not great), robiola (meh), whole grain brown mustard (delish), homemade giardiniera (meh to the extreme), cornichons (you know what you're getting), homemade dilly beans (delicious and available for purchase by the jar since they're made by, I believe, the chef's wife).

Smoked Trout salad - Truly delicious and, in my experience, quite unique. I love smoked fish while my wife does not. The waitress recommend this dish strongly and noted that also does not normally like smoked trout. We went with her recommendation and were really happy we did. This salad had (from memory) smoked trout, baby greens, green beans, medium sized orange caviar, shaved red onions, and a citrus vinaigrette. Doesn't sound like anything special but the combination was exemplary.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi, shaved brussels sprouts - Unfortunately, I really can't remember the specifics on this dish other than that I liked it (didn't love it) and my wife really liked it.

Cavatelli with Boar Sugo - Just a fantastically tasty dish. Nothing original or truly special, but probably the most satisfying part of the meal.

Sicilian Meatloaf (pork and veal), fried onions, red bliss mash, red wine gastrique - The Meatloaf was ridiculously unctuous. Just bursting with savory flavor. This made the dish a real success despite the fact that the fried onions were meh and that the red wine reduction had little flavor and did not present enough acidity to cut through the rest of the dish. Just shows how good the meatloaf itself was.

Service was friendly and attentive, no sign of the issues others have had. The waitress was nice enough to bring us each a complementary glass of Prosecco after overhearing that it was my wife's birthday (not something we like to go out of our way to share with a restaurant normally).

All in all, with a Groupon we felt like the price ($120ish with tip and a drink each plus enough of the boar pasta to take home some for a late-night snack) was a total steal. We also agreed that even without the Groupon we'd love to come back and order a little bit less (since we were stuffed when we left).

Italian restaurant Ceres' Table closed Nov. 30, pending a move to a new location, the Uptown restaurant announced today. The news came just days after the restaurant celebrated its fourth year in business.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... rs-for-now