Turquoise Cafe Review

2147 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618

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Short Review: My new neighborhood favorite. This is a great neighborhood spot for some good Turkish food in a nice dining atmosphere in a great area.

Long Review:
Just got back from a good spot in Roscoe Village for with a laid back Mediterranean cafe feel to it- Turquoise Cafe. This place is a neighborhood favorite based on how quickly it filled up by 7pm on a cold Monday night- during a very bad recession too.

The atmosphere is my one of favorite types of atmospheres- small, intimate, low lighting, white table, clothes, framed art on the wall, large selection of wine and champagne stocked behind the bar, and lots of full tables with happy people talking and laughing. It already got two points by the time I walked up the hosts booth. Most of the waitstaff is Turkish which makes it very authentic. It has a nice Euro/ Mediterranean vibe about it. On to the food.

They menu is mainly focused on Turkish dishes but there are some Italian and Greek dishes on there also. It has a very nice selection of Mediterranean fare.

We started out with mussels steamed in wine. They were so good I could have made a meal out of them on their own.
Despite being at a (mostly) Turkish restaurant I decided to go a little Italian tonight and order the Osso Buco. It was very good and came with Polenta with shaved Parmesan cheese.

My dining companion had Rack of Lamb. The lamb was just as good- if not better than lamb I've had in Greektown. And the roasted vegetables which came with the dish, delish! I ate what she couldn't finish and was grateful for it.

Unfortunately, I didn't have desert since we were full but we will definitely be back soon as this is now my favorite spot in Roscoe Village. Too bad I came in the Fall, I would have liked to sit outdoors and dine al fresco.

4.5 out of 5 stars

BTW, our tab came out to about $50 for the two of use for dinner so while I wouldn't put it in the expensive category it may be a place to save for special occasions in this economy but definitely worth the visit for any occasion.

Costello Sandwich & Sides Review

2015 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618

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Short Review: Went to Roscoe Village to grab a nice lunch but left Costello's in a not so nice mood.

Long Review: Here's why

I walked into Costello's Sandwich Shop after walking up and down Roscoe Street figuring out where to go, it was getting late so I popped in. There were barely any people in the store... on a Saturday at 1:00... right after a Cubs Game let out.

Something shiny in the corner near the window caught my attention. It was a... tin foil robot? Hmmm... quirky.

Nonetheless, I was hungry anyway and decided to order a Turkey Club sandwich after mulling over the sandwich board for a minute. The man behind the counter rang me up-

"$7.50." He told me.

I thought I was heard him wrong and looked at the cash register, it displayed $7.50 also. G

God! that's a bit expensive for a sandwich I thought. I pulled out all my money- all of it meaning my wallet was empty when I handed over all my money to him. He asked if I wanted a drink.

No, just water. I don't think I want to be charged an extra two dollars for a Pepsi. "This better be a good sandwich." I thought.

I sat at one of the empty tables and flipped through The Onion trying to get my mind off of how much I paid for a turkey sandwich.

I took a bit after what seemed like an unusually long wait.

It arrived and it was a bit- bland. Something like what your would receive in a college cafeteria. There was more chopped lettuce on the sandwich than Turkey meat. And don''t Lay's Potato Chips only cost $1? 6.50 for a sandwich? That price is almost as bad as when I went to grab an $9 dollar burger from Busy Burger. I support local businesses and want to see them stick around the neighborhood but the price for this sandwich was $2 too much.

I was about to go out on the street and tell someone to call the police because I was robbed. I was even tempted to tell the other patrons who were now filling up the store to run while they still have their money.

Though, I didn't. I finished my sandwich and left a bit peeved I had emptied my wallet for a turkey sandwich I could make at home- at better quality.

2 out of 5 stars