Shawn (@therealmaverick) on taste

Shawntherealmaverick

9 following9 reviews

Shawn and Carla went to The Village

Loop, Chicago

ShawnNov 20

●7.0

Went to the “oldest” Italian restaurant before seeing a show in Chicago’s theater’s district. Pros were the food was delicious like an Italian grandmother’s food, and they were cognizant of our showtime and made sure we were on time. Cons were the atmosphere was classic but empty, and while we made it fine for our show, there was a bit of panic because it wasn’t clear who our waiter was until we were ordering entrees. One final plus though — waiter was old school Italian. Nice authentic touch.

630

Shawn and Carla went to Formento's

Fulton Market, Chicago

ShawnOct 24

●10.0

In a crowded scene of being seen on Randolph Street, aka Restaurant Row in Chicago, Formento’s stands impressively apart in its stature of not being a scene. When I ordered a medium steak, it came out perfect and justified the choice. Carla’s shrimp pasta, proudly made with Italian ingredients from scratch (as is every dish), delivered beyond its outstanding presentation. You can come to Chicago for a scene. Or you can come for good food. Only being dinged because you pay Restaurant Row prices.

300

Shawn and Carla went to The Allis Chicago

Fulton Market, Chicago

ShawnAug 31

●10.0

A proper whiskey sour customized is a quality nightcap. Skip the busy bars and head to SoHo house.

210

Shawn reviewed SUSHI DOKKU Japanese RestaurantAug 31

823 W Randolph St

●9.6

Go to the speakeasy below Sushi Dokku. Skip the restaurant and walk to the alley and look for the red arrow. You can still get the menu from the restaurant but the cocktails and vibe are classic speakeasy Chicago style.

410

Shawn reviewed Guinness Open Gate Brewery – West LoopAug 28

901 W Kinzie St

●9.1

Always a delight to have good Guinness especially on a warm summer day. The turkey sandwich is outstanding. Add in the experience and this is a must visit in Chicago.

111

Shawn and Carla went to Plus Karaoke & Café

South San Francisco, California

CarlaAug 15

●7.0

Drove past a warehouse that was a karaoke bar. Plus was good vibes and clean room. Song selection was difficult. Everything was VERY expensive (and no outside food or drink). Mics stopped working multiple times. Also misleading because it’s priced by hour but it’s minimum two hours.

410

Shawn and Carla went to Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steakhouse

Bayfront, Burlingame

CarlaAug 15

●3.0

Great views at Kincaid’s but the food fell short of my expectations. My cocktail (Effervescence) was a miss, it wasn’t too sweet but also wasn’t flavorful. My fiery ahi was just ok. Hubby got the filet mignon which was also just ok. Blue cheese topping came out like cranberry sauce from a can on thanksgiving. Drinks were overpriced but the view was incredible. That said, the view from when we walked in (pictured) might be the best part.

410

Shawn and Carla went to Ichika Izakaya

Bayhill, San Bruno

CarlaAug 14

●10.0

Always interesting to find a sushi place in a strip mall near SFO. Highlights were the double toro roll and the A5 wagyu nigiri. Spicy tuna crispy rice was also excellent. Salmon and seabream nigiris were great fish but overdressed with wasabi which sort of ruined it. Overall good, I’d come back and pick up my prescriptions at the nearby CVS.

630

Shawn, Carla, and bill went to Chipotle Mexican Grill

West Loop, Chicago

ShawnAug 8

●7.4

Chipotle honey chicken is legit.

320

Shawn and Carla went to Sophie's Steakhouse & Bar

South Haven, Michigan

ShawnJul 28

●8.7

Pretty good higher end quality for a Michigan beach town. The salmon was perfectly cooked and delicious. The Mac n’ cheese was saucy, but in a good way. While the filet mignon came out overcooked, that’s better than undercooked and was still an above average sourced filet. Note that if you want to dress your steak, the chef is willing to accommodate what you prefer, even if it’s not on menu. Also some early birthday cake with vanilla sorbet is always a plus! Good vibe, much quieter and upscale than other restaurants, but not stuffy where there’s a dress code if you’re just coming from the dock. Outstanding playlist. I can’t figure out if it was cool that they had a pool table behind their bar or a bit tacky. Overall a great choice and budget friendly. Just be clear with the steak order. Wonderful service too.

420