A friend and I stopped by Vera for drinks and a small bite at 5:45pm last week. This was my first visit and I was quite impressed. We shared grilled spring onions with romanesco sauce, the clam dish that dansch described above, and the chicken liver pate. I really enjoyed all of them, especially the pate. (Our clams were cooked nicely.)

Mrs. EdB60035 and I grabbed an early drink at Aviary last night and set out in search of an impromptu Randolph Street dinner after that. On the way to Sawtooth, which was our intended destination (one with very few LTH comments but good OpenTable reviews), we saw the sign for Vera, remembered that it was a Ronnie Suburban favorite, and decided to try it. No wait at 7 PM on a Friday, even a few al fresco tables were available.

The staff was incredibly friendly and enthusiastic about the restaurant. The maitre'd brought over some Rose wine for us to try with the night's special crudite plate...and when we mentioned how Mrs. EdB got into Rose thanks to John at Inovasi, our hostess gushed about how he had been in to have dinner there last weekend.

The crudite was a very big surprise. Neither of us like beets - it is actually one of the things we bonded over on our very first date. Yet these beets...blanched, perhaps?, with just a touch of kosher salt and pepper, were delicious, even without either the oil-and-vinegar sauce or the bernaise-like creamy sauce. As were the colorful carrots, radishes, and snap peas. If anyone can find out from chef how the crudite was prepared, I would be very appreciative

We also had the radish salad which might have been too much radish, but really enjoyed it with the manchego-like cheese.

The escabeche last night was really great; two perfectly-cooked briny scallops with a pesto-like romesco sauce. The strawberry gazpacho with marcona almonds was tasty, with a nice hint of tomato, but not my favorite though Mrs. EdB enjoyed it. We also had the Iberico Secreto...slices of ham served medium rare with pea shoots and peas. I really liked this dish, though Mrs. EdB wasn't quite as much of a fan.

No room for cheese or dessert; the chicken arrived at the next table and looked good and was devoured quickly. We really enjoyed dinner and it was very reasonable price-wise; the atmosphere was definitely the best part though oddly because of the noise level I felt anxious about leaving as soon as we were done eating. Definitely will try it again.

edb60035 wrote:If anyone can find out from chef how the crudite was prepared, I would be very appreciative

Ed and MrsEd, I am friends with the owners and asked Mark to share his method...here's his reply:

"Mark, almost all the veggies were blanched but only very briefly to take off that harsh raw flavor, but still crunchy maybe a couple of minutes or so. The secret is to put a lot of salt in the water and don't put so much the water that it doesn't boil. The beets were cooked in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil with salt and pepper. The sauce was a saffron orange aioli and an herb vinaigrette. The real secret in fact is the vegetables themselves. Everything but the green beans came from Green Acres Farm, green beans were from Mick Klug which were my favorite. If you buy really nice fresh veggies the rest is easy."

Happy blanching!

Thanks, Mark!

My wife and I went in for an early dinner before a concert Friday night, and they have redone the menu a bit. The format has been scrambled, and new sections introduced, like Pinchos. We sat at the bar and shared a bottle of wine and some smaller plates.

We started with the leek and chicken thigh pinchos (each $7 for a pair of skewers), and since my wife and I gobbled them up pretty quick I wasn't able to snap a picture...sometimes she glares at me while I take food photos, go figure.


Gazpacho: chilled puree of strawberries, tomatoes and other goodies, topped with marcona almonds, a little herb "salsa" and some finely diced onion. AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS, especially for a 96F evening.


Clams and Chorizo, with green onions - still one of our favorite dishes here (broth is worth sopping up)


Pisto Manchego w/fried egg - a flavorful veggie meld, similar to ratatouille, over toast and topped with a runny-yolked egg. TRY THIS ONE!


Lamb and Beef Albondigas with herbed crema - savory, spicy, moist and delicious and the crema cooled the heat perfectly. This could be an entree for myself, and $12 is a solid price.


All of these dishes went wonderfully with this Txakoli Rosé from Ameztoi (not a wine I represent, but a friend does)

Just to touch on this wine (I wish I represented a Txakoli winery), if you haven't tried Txakoli from the northern coast of Spain, seek it out. Very refreshing (especially in summer) due to the cool climate up north, which lends the wine high acidity and minerality, as well as a bit of spritz, all with very mild alcohol level...perfect for pinchos and other small plate. It's what they drink in San Sebastian, Bilbao and Santander. Usually pretty reasonable in price too, around $35-45 a bottle on a wine list.

Oh, and the B-52's and Squeeze was an excellent show

My wife and I had excellent meal at Vera on Saturday night. The simple, flavorful small plates are exactly the kind of cooking we love. This is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Some of the standouts from my last two meals were the octopus pinxto, the pisto manchego (see above), the lamb and beef albondigas (also see above), a tuna conserva (think homemade canned tuna that's actually really good), tomato bread, anchovies, and of course cheese, sherry, and great wines by the glass.

Also, we were there from about 7pm to 9pm and it appeared that the restaurant was never quite full. So, if you've been staying away because they don't take reservations and you've worried about long waits, just go.

Vera seems to need some support. We were there this past Saturday from around 6:30 to 7:30 and it was maybe a bit more than half full. This is one of the better restaurants where you don't need a reservation (assuming you refuse to wait, as I do) on a Saturday night.

Our food was very good. Very has never blown me away, but I've always enjoyed what Ive eaten there. Two highlights were a crostada with uni and pickled chiles and a beef tongue skewer with salsa verde.

Jonah

Jonah, our independent Chicago restaurants can always use more support, that's for sure.

As for my experiences with Vera, they do fill up around 8pm on most nights, so going earlier is the best way to ensure you get a table (or bar seat) promptly.

wino66 wrote:Jonah, our independent Chicago restaurants can always use more support, that's for sure.

As for my experiences with Vera, they do fill up around 8pm on most nights, so going earlier is the best way to ensure you get a table (or bar seat) promptly.

Yes, I work next door and it's often crowded enough that I can't get a seat at the bar, which is sad because I often have an extreme need for the delicious tangy fatty papas bravas and the divine deviled eggs topped with whatever the special for the night is like silky uni or a gollop of savory lobster.

This cracks me up. Apparently my wife and now have to go to dinner so unhiply early that we can't even be counted on to observe how a restaurant is doing.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:This cracks me up. Apparently my wife and now have to go to dinner so unhiply early that we can't even be counted on to observe how a restaurant is doing.

Jonah

Vera can attract a pretty late crowd. We went after a Bulls game last weekend and even at 9:30 or so there was a 20-25 minute wait.

I must also mention their fantastic new website design
http://www.verachicago.com/

Done with the Twitter Bootstrap framework, I must commend how fast it loads and the responsiveness (so it looks pretty decent on a phone). The menu is a page, not a PDF. If only it also had the hours/address in the footer or header. It's the opposite of the heavy bloated BellyQ website we discussed here.

Mr. X and I went to Vera before a Bulls game last month. It's a great option for United Center area dining. Exact details on the food are fuzzy for me -- I know that we were quite pleased with our meal. I knew Vera is wine-focused, but I did not realized to the extent of having only one or two spirits on hand, along with a well-curated but small selection of beers. Completely unrelated to the food, Vera was the spot where I inadvertently gave the bartender a 40% tip due to my own stupid math skills.

Melissa, the hours and address are on the "contact" page, so not that hidden. It would be nice if this was on the front page, but it is grouped with their directions/map, email, phone, and newsletter signup form.

The GP wrote:... along with a well-curated but small selection of beers.

Don't forget the Trabanco cider. Probably the best thing to drink there.

The GP wrote: Completely unrelated to the food, Vera was the spot where I inadvertently gave the bartender a 40% tip due to my own stupid math skills.

2 thoughts:

1) Obviously the wine is potent enough

and

2) Best to get back there quick and capitalize on your VIP status with that bartender!!!

I was lucky enough to visit Vera last night - my very first visit - with a couple of LTHers and I was just blown away by both the food and the service (okay, wine/sherry too).

We started with the foie gras custard, served in a jar and topped with sherry jelly and bits of apple. This was a fantastic foie gras presentation, with the sweet but sharp sherry jelly and tart apples beautifully cutting into the richness of the dense but smooth custard. Somewhere, there's a goose very happy and proud of a job well done. Although this item was an evening special, I would hope Vera puts it on their regular menu - it was one of the very best foie gras dishes I've ever had (second only to the foie gras creme brulee prepared at the former NoMi by Chef Christophe David).


Foie gras custard with sherry jelly and apples



Equally outstanding was the Uni toast with pickled chiles. I love uni, and this was really excellent uni. Add in the pickled chiles and the buttery crisp toast and you have nothing short of perfection.


Uni toast with pickled chiles



I apologize for the next picture, but I'll say that these crispy Brussels sprouts will convert the B-sprout'aphobe. I believe they were fried, featured a nicely crisp exterior, with an anchovy vinaigrette (maybe some nuts too?). But they were outstanding and perfectly seasoned, with the anchovy vinaigrette lending a savory, sea salt-like flavor to the dish. These are nothing like the Brussels sprouts your mom boiled for you as a child.


Crispy Brussels sprouts with anchovy vinaigrette



Beef tongue pincho with salsa verde was also outstanding. The tongue was supremely tender, more so than I ever believed possible. And the salsa verde had such bright, slightly acidic flavors, and garlic, and herbs, all of which added an even greater dimension to an otherwise terrific dish.


Beef tongue pincho with salsa verde



Perhaps my favorite dish of the night, however, was the clams, chorizo and squid ink fideos. Perfectly cooked clams, a delicious house-made Spanish chorizo (one of the best I've tasted) and perfectly cooked noodles. This was seemingly such a simple dish, but the combination of the clams and their juices and the wonderfully rich chorizo with just the right amount of smokiness from paprika created a bowl of pure comfort - easily one of the best things I've eaten this year. And the colors were just beautiful.


Clams, chorizo and squid ink fideos



The pork Milanesa, with fried egg, arugula and charred lemon, reminded me much of a visit to Laschet's, except dare I say that Vera could teach Laschet's a thing or two. The pork was tender, with a light but crisp crust. The white on the egg barely set, and the yolk bled beautifully onto the pork. Add in a little lemon juice and some fresh, peppery arugula and you have another Vera stunner.


Pork Milanesa with fried egg, arugula and charred lemon



One dish that was excellent, but not perfect for me, was the La Quercia ham with carrots, radishes, apples, charred greens and vinaigrette. My lone complaint is that there might have been just a touch too much acid for the dish, although my fellow diners disagreed. In any event, the carrots were spectacular and so was the paper-thin and perfectly sliced ham. And I'd gladly order again, so we're talking a very minor complaint here.


La Quercia ham with carrots, radishes, apples, charred greens and vinaigrette



I've always loved the whole branzino preparation at Piccolo Sogno, and whole branzino presentations elsewhere have generally left me wanting for Piccolo Sogno's preparation. Well, Vera decided not to take a back seat. The fish was garnished with Marcona almonds, raisins, charred lemon, chard (I think), olives maybe too? (not sure). The flavors were all terrific and the fish perfectly cooked. Personally, I would have preferred it filleted table-side (a la Piccolo Sogno) given the somewhat dim lighting and needle-like bones, but again I'm being really picky. This was a fantastic preparation.


Whole branzino



Vera offered three desserts, and we had every one, all of which were great. Do you remember that old candy bar, Chunky? With chocolate, nuts and raisins? Well, Vera took the dish to a much higher level, with a dark and incredibly delicious dark chocolate (raisins and nuts too) and finished with flakes of sea salt. Remember that migas bark at Mado? Well, this was even better. Does that tell you something? It should. Don't be deceived by the menu's casual reference to it as a "chocolate bar."


Chocolate bar



Churros and chocolate were not exactly as I remember them in Madrid, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The churros were amazingly light and barely crisp, sweetened with cinnamon sugar. And they were served with a dense, dark, liquidy chocolate. The chocolate was perhaps not as thick as you would find in Madrid, but it might have been even more delicious. We believe it featured a little cinnamon, maybe even some hot pepper. And the churros were sweeter and not as crisp as you might find in Madrid, but I liked them quite a bit (although I might have preferred a little more crispness).


Churros y chocolate



Finally, and maybe even my favorite dessert, the Crema Catalana. Think creme brulee, lightly scented with orange, topped with a crispy, sugary crust and some apples (some sea salt too I believe). The custard was so light and smooth, and utterly delicious. The crispy, salty crust and apples elevated it into pure decadence. Good luck sharing this dish - we almost had trouble. And don't tell the French, but this Crema Catalana will have you running from creme brulee.


Crema Catalana



Our waitress was terrific- friendly, approachable, excellent knowledge of the menu, and she picked some really nice wines and sherries for us. She was also kind enough to suggest a sherry we could share just for the foie gras dish. I've had some really great dinners recently - Elizabeth, Nightwood, Avec, Next . . . I could go on. But honestly, the only dinner I enjoyed more this year was the El Bulli menu at Next. Bold statement, yes, but this was really one of the best meals I've had in the past few years. And there were several more dishes I wish I could have tried (next time).

Food-wise, Vera reminds me some of Avec, but those averse to the seating/noise of Avec would probably be far happier with the atmosphere at Vera. And honestly, the menu is even more appealing to me. I understand from perusing this thread that not everyone has loved Vera. Perhaps things are different now, but I can't imagine anyone having eaten the meal we ate last night and walking away with anything other than glowing praise - it was that good.

BR does a fine job recounting what was an absolutely terrific meal. And his pic's ain't bad either Part of our discussion last night centered on the idea that there are so many solidly good restaurants in the "Vera" space--not too expensive, interesting menu, good beverage choices--places like Sirena Clandestina, Avec and Carriage House come to mind--but I often find that while I enjoy the places when I'm there, I usually don't rush back because there's always a new place to go. Vera really breaks through the crowd for me and I bet I'll be back there sooner than later.

I agree with your sentiment boudreaulicious (and BR), there are so many great restaurants in our fair city, it's sometimes tough to choose! I was at Vera last night, dining at the bar with a friend, and we had some great dishes on chef Mendez's new menu. My friend and I finished with that cured ham and carrots dish, which was excellent, and also really loved the uni toast, another new item. I've had most of the others, as I try to get to Vera at least once a month to enjoy Mark's food, Liz's beverages and their staff's friendly and informed service.

Normally not so crazy about brussel sprouts, even fried brussel sprouts, but I agree the ones on the menu now at Vera are incredible. Crispy, salty, umami, with a cut of tang. They are like crack. I ate almost an entire order.

Not so much with the papas bravas, previously my favorite. Once a lightly fried dish of smoky potatoes with a tangy aioli sauce has unfortunately morphed into undercooked and then deep-fried potatoes with an anemic level of sauce. Too bad.

Mark's wife Liz was actually our waitress last time we were at Vera. She's a real treat. Overall just a great experience.

Vera's food is excellent. And those photos make me want to go back... vera soon.

According to Eater Vera is now going to be accepting reservations via phone and email and will soon have an online system in place for taking reservations. This apparently was borne out of the large number of requests for reservations for New Years.

fropones wrote:According to Eater Vera is now going to be accepting reservations via phone and email and will soon have an online system in place for taking reservations. This apparently was borne out of the large number of requests for reservations for New Years.

Great news! I haven't avoided Vera for lack of being able to reserve a table but I have to say that being able to make a reservation opens the door to going there more often . . . and it's been way too long.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

fropones wrote:According to Eater Vera is now going to be accepting reservations via phone and email and will soon have an online system in place for taking reservations. This apparently was borne out of the large number of requests for reservations for New Years.

Great news! I haven't avoided Vera for lack of being able to reserve a table but I have to say that being able to make a reservation opens the door to going there more often . . . and it's been way too long.

=R=

I'm hoping this means it's possible to reserve the Otro Bar.

boudreaulicious wrote:I often find that while I enjoy the places when I'm there, I usually don't rush back because there's always a new place to go.

This is very true! We actually planned on going to Vera this weekend and got sidetracked by Au Cheval on our way there. I don't have any problems with no reservation restaurants, but we definitely would have stuck to our original plan if Vera had been taking reservations last weekend.

Vera is apparently taking reservations now.

leek wrote:Vera is apparently taking reservations now.

Yes, as fropones posted above.

=R=

My love for Vera is increases on every visit and in my case that's quite a few. Vera has filled the void left by Mado for me, it's dedication to execution, use of the highest quality ingredients and the simplicity of the dishes evokes the best that American cooks can do. Mark never uses 10 ingredients when 5 are enough, he always lets the quality of the food shine through with just enough ingredients to compliment it. The brussels sprouts with hazelnuts and anchovy vinaigrette are my favorite prep of that much maligned vegetable ever. The eggplant with honey, sesame seeds and feta is a combination I wouldn't have thought of, but works perfectly, the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Last fall a good friend wanted to take me out for my birthday and I requested Vera. I called to see if they could make the porterhouse that was off menu at that time and they told me that with some lead time they could. It was better than any steakhouse I've been to, served with a salsa verde and cooked with just a brush of olive oil and salt and pepper, accompanied by the crispy papas bravas, brussels sprouts and a wonderful wine picked with help from Liz it qualifies as one of my favorite meals last year.

The beef tongue pincho makes you understand why people eat tongue, luxurious tasting perfectly complimented by the salsa verde. The clams, chorizo, squid ink fideos is another must those noodles are a taste of the sea along with the clams, complimented by the spice of the chorizo. I could go on about the uni toast, the pig head bocadillo, the whole fish and paella, but instead go eat for yourself.

That this restaurant is run by the nicest couple in Chicago is a bonus, their warmth and friendliness to their guests is above and beyond. Vera is a refreshing antidote to the often overhyped restaurants along the Randolph corridor.

My first visit to Vera was solo, with just the bread service and the secreto iberico to accompany a drink; I was happy, but coveting the pinchos and roasted vegetables coming out of the bright and merry kitchen.

After sampling almost everything on the menu earlier in the week in great company, I'm thinking the place may work best (at least for me) in small doses. The ingredient quality is beyond reproach, but when every single thing is heavily salted, saturated in good olive oil, darkly earth-toned, and cooked in various methods to char-caramel, it runs together on the palate and visually. I do see Mado flashes in the excellent tongue, and eggplant with honey and feta, but was missing all of the raw, bright, and acidic flavors I associate so strongly with that experience, where the proteins were jewels in a much larger artwork (even the blue hunk o' cow dinner). A few things puzzled me entirely: putting the lemony, sea-tangy uni on that much grilled toast overwhelmed it (pickled peppers were lovely, though), and I thought each seafood item was overcooked, in turn from the clams to octopus to the calamari.

Portion values vary widely, from one tiny, unctuous lamb slider for $6 to a very large plate of rare chicken thigh and fennel salad over a muted romesco for $8. The papas bravas is a generous serving with a twice-plunged crunch, but not particularly moist, and I was trying to think what it would pair with on a smaller table - I may have sorely needed some ceviche at that point.

As individual dishes, the Brussels sprouts and the blood sausage with fried egg were the standouts to me, and will be quick repeats when I return. Our clams and squid ink never arrived, and we were told they've ditched the accompanying fideos (either temporarily, or it may be a permanent rework), so I'll have to experiment with that part of the menu again. Mark was in-house and smiling; I thought service was plodding at points, but the vibe in the room is great. I don't see as many paths to balanced small-plate success (creating a satisfying, diverse meal for ones-self) as Avec or even similarly-lit Telegraph on the current menu, but know I'll return for snacking and sherry.

Santander wrote:After sampling almost everything on the menu earlier in the week in great company, I'm thinking the place may work best (at least for me) in small doses. The ingredient quality is beyond reproach, but when every single thing is heavily salted, saturated in good olive oil, darkly earth-toned, and cooked in various methods to char-caramel, it runs together on the palate and visually. I do see Mado flashes in the excellent tongue, and eggplant with honey and feta, but was missing all of the raw, bright, and acidic flavors I associate so strongly with that experience, where the proteins were jewels in a much larger artwork (even the blue hunk o' cow dinner). A few things puzzled me entirely: putting the lemony, sea-tangy uni on that much grilled toast overwhelmed it (pickled peppers were lovely, though), and I thought each seafood item was overcooked, in turn from the clams to octopus to the calamari.

Extremely well put, Santander. I thought I was on an island with my feelings about Vera.

This past meal I had there was my favorite. We ordered a number of the meat centric dishes that I usually order in small quantities when I'm out to eat, and I felt they were the strength of the meal. In particular both the pig head and lamb bocadillos were remarkably balanced given the richness of the protein. Once we moved past the appetizers, though, I felt like too much of the food skewed in one direction. Olive oil, caramelization, and a good amount of sweetness. I think each dish (with the exception of the clams with chorizo which I never thought worked together), would work well enough as a single dish, but there was no brightness or vegetable crunch to offset the assault. It's simply not an approach to Mediterranean cuisine that works for me.

I do love the sherry and the ingredients though. I'd gladly return to hang out at the bar and nibble on ham and sip sherry. In that right it's a unique spot in Chicagoland and a great place to know about.