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BY MARGE KULLERSTRAND
margek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3244 | Sunday, January 13, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
Maria Elena's Valparaiso
454 S. Greenwich St., Valparaiso
(219) 477-2490
Perched along the edge of the Valparaiso University campus, this busy restaurant's appetizer menu features Italian standards such as fried calamari alongside the nacho mountain, which easily can serve four. There are eight warm sandwiches on the evening menu as well as five main course salads. Chef's specials can include such dishes as roast rack of lamb, all with a choice of vegetables. There is a raft of Mexican food among the diverse offerings and some good-looking pizzas to eat in or take out. A reasonable and pleasant place for a full meal or quick bite. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Live music weekend nights in the summer. Lunch with a beverage averages $7; dinner entrées range from $8.95 to $15.95.
Cuisine: Upscale casual
Reservations: Parties of five or more
Smoking: No
Kids menu: Yes
Price: $$
Bar: Beer and wine
Tip: Live music weekend nights in summer.
JD
Marti's Place at Ramsey's Landing
17519 N. 700 West, Hebron
(219) 996-3363
www.emartisplace.com
Marti’s Place at Ramsey’s Landing is a well-taken jog off the lakeshore path. But you’ll still be near water. The quickly moving Kankakee is said to be the fastest flat-land river because the drop is 67 feet from South Bend to the Illinois line. "A colony of blue heron live upriver and there’s lots of finches, woodpeckers and chipmunks," says owner Marti Klauer. Klauer purchased the 4-1/2-acre property in 1977 from the Ramseys who operated it as a key club in the 1930s. Since assuming ownership, Klauer and her son, Ron, have renovated the property, planting 1,400 feet of hostas, day lilies, geraniums, wave petunias and impatiens, and adding extensive outdoor dining and, of course, a full bar. Marti's Place has a reputation for prime rib, lake perch and crab cakes. And don't leave without a salad dolloped with housemade River Garlic salad dressing (also sold by the bottle). Grilled walleye Provençal, Po' Boys are also on the menu. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays,
until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Cuisine: Steaks/seafood
Reservations: On weekends
Smoking: In bar
Kids menu: Yes
Price: $$
Bar: Full bar
Tip: Try the River Garlic salad dressing (also sold by the bottle)
Maxine's
521 Franklin St., Michigan City
(219) 872-4500
Situated in the now-defunct Basil's restaurant site downtown, colorful Maxine's has the feel of a European restaurant. Main dining room sports colorful floor-to-ceiling murals and the new open kitchen can be seen but not heard. Large, lively full service bar. Large eclectic menu. Appetizers include escargots bourguignon, oysters Rockefeller and delicious bruschetta with smoked salmon. Signature dishes, among others, are roast duck with lingonberry sauce, chicken breasts Marsala, pork Esterhazy and steak au poivre. Fresh fish of the day. German-style classics are featured on Thursday nights. Classic desserts, such as tarte tatin and flourless chocolate cake. Wine list with over 100 wines and imported beers is well matched to the wide variety of dishes, with wines by the glass available in an amiable 6-ounce pour. Open for lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; Dinners to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Appetizers $6 to $11, main courses $12
to $27. Most major credit cards. Reservations recommended on weekends. Full bar. Smoking only in the bar.
Cuisine: Upscale eclectic
Reservations: On weekends
Smoking: In bar
Kids menu: No
Price: $$$
Bar: Full bar
Tip: wine list with over 100 wines and imported beers
JD
McVey's Restaurant & Bar
312 E. Commercial Ave. (Ind. 2), Lowell
(219) 696-7784
The storefront restaurant is in a turn-of-the-last-century building in the quaint, old downtown section of Lowell. It's a cozy spot with art on the walls, exposed brick and hardwood floors. The throwback to a '50s supper club features steak, seafood, chicken, and seldom-seen shrimp de jonghe, Chateaubriand for two and broasted chicken. Nearly everything is made inhouse, including three salad dressings, tartar, lemon-dill and cocktail sauces, and daily soups. I understand a recent sweet potato bisque was killer. Opt for a two- or three-item combination dinner to sample several dishes in one fell swoop. Look for prime rib all day Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays ($16.95 and $23.95). Other house favorites are ribs, pork tenderloin, meat loaf, Shrimp Scampi Linguine, Chicken Parmigiana, sautéed or deep-fried lake perch and crab legs. Amenities include a full bar, wine list, martini menu extraordinaire (consider the Angel Food Cake Tini), domestic and 14 imported beers, carryouts and free
refills on fountain drinks. Banquet facilities accommodate 60. This is a retro place with updated ambiance that features cloth napkins and welcomes families with open arms. The pint-size menu lists six items for $7.95 and under. The Grilled Cheese and Fries are $2.95. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 8 p.m. Sundays
Cuisine: Chicken/steak/seafood
Reservations: On weekends
Smoking: In bar
Kids menu: Yes
Price: $$
Bar: Yes
Tip: The four-piece broasted chicken dinner noon to 4 p.m. Sundays is a terrific value at $7.95.
Memo's Taco Mex
2128 45th St., Highland (in Porte de l'eau Plaza)
(219) 934-7300
If the refried beans at a Mexican restaurant are good, pretty much everything else is, too. Well, the frijoles at Memo's Taco Mex are great. Guillermo and Martha Munoz share cooking responsibilities but Guillermo is the chef and he offers something new to the region with five different salsas -- hot and mild red, smoky red, green and mango habañero -- and dishes like Crispy Shrimp Tacos with a chipotle cream sauce. Expect the usual suspects on the menu -- quesadillas, tostadas, burritos, tortas, fajitas -- and the not so common Carne en su Jugo (beef, bean and bacon in a hot green soup), Panchas (fried burritos) and Chilaquiles (scrambled eggs with fried corn chips, onion, tomato, Chihuahua cheese and salsa). Tamales are homemade and there is a separate weekend menu which sports Tortas Ahogadas (carnitas on French bread with two sauces), Cochinita Pibil (seasoned pork in a special sauce), Pozole Verde (purple hominy with pork and chicken), Menudo (tripe soup), shrimp and fish tacos,
huevos (eggs) many ways, and more. Prices range from $1.35 for a single tamale to $12.50. Don't miss the 20-ounce Horchata (a creamy rice-water drink with cinnamon, vanilla and sugar) for $1.89. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, until 9 p.m. Fridays; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, until 4 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays
Cuisine: Mexican
Reservations: No
Smoking: No
Kids menu: No
Price: $
Bar: No
Tip: Don't miss the Horchata, a creamy rice-water drink with cinnamon, vanilla and sugar
Mezza Mediterranean Cuisine
607 E. Lincolnway, Valparaiso
(219) 464-1060
www.mezzarestaurant.net
Mezza Mediterranean Cuisine in Valparaiso is proof that the small plates trend is here to stay. The restaurant's name means appetizer in Arabic and partners Moe Mroueh and Rachel Bucko are pulling it off in style. The 10-table restaurant packs in a reservations-only crowd for lunch and dinner (Mroueh ad Bucko close between 2 and 5 p.m. to regroup) in the lower-level eatery of the big white house at the intersection of Greenwich Street and Lincolnway. The boite boasts linens, bright walls and niches for experimentation with fusion takes on Middle Eastern cuisine. Vegetarians and carnivores alike should delight in Grape Leaves with housemade yogurt, Eggplant Bruschetta, Tabouleh, Cucumber Napoleon, Falafel, Fattoush salad, to name a few. For those who can't live without meat or seafood, the sirloin Kefta Quesadilla, Makanek (Lebanese sausage), Beef Shawerma (marinated beef stuffed in pita), Shish Kebabs, Smoked Salmon, Tostadas de Mariscos (crostini topped with shrimp, scallops and
calamari) should do the trick. While you mull over the menu, munch on the complimentary pita bread, hummus baba ghanouj and olives. Try as many or as few appetizers ($4 to $9 each) as you like and eat at your own pace. There is no minimum. There is a modest imported beer and wine list (from $6 by the glass, from $24 by the bottle) and a children's menu features pita pizza, ravioli and chicken kebabs for $5 each. Amenities include carryout, catering, private party accommodation and lunch delivery in Valparaiso. Dessert hound? Try the trio of baklava-type desserts and a cup of Turkish or organic coffee, or Iranian iced tea. Trust the knowledgeable servers. They're excited to turn you on to this healthy cuisine. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, until 10 p.m. Fridays, 5 to 10 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Reservations: Yes
Smoking: No
Kids menu: Yes
Price: $$
Bar: Beer and wine
Tip: Try the housemade Blossom Lemonade
Mia Cucina Ristorante and Pizzeria
210 Aberdeen Drive, Valparaiso
(219) 548-3300
The cuisine is decidedly Italian but fusion dishes and region favorites like fried lake perch have their place on the menu, and pub grub (appetizers, sandwiches, burgers) is available all day in the sports bar. Dinner showcase Italian and traditional takes on seafood, chicken, steaks and beef. Rudzinski is proud that everything coming out of his kitchen is made from scratch exclusive of the pastas and breads, which are from Labriola. The pizza's start at $13 for a large cheese and $1.50 for each topping. There is a nice selection of Australian, New Zealand, Italian, French, German, Chilean and domestic wines by the bottle and glass ($4 for a house wine). And befitting a former brewery, on tap are Blueberry ale and IPA pale ale from Backroad Microbrewery in LaPorte, and 10 other domestic and imported tap beers and 16 bottle beers. (More to come soon.) Private parties accommodated. Dinners average is $13. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays, closed Sundays. The pizzeria is open until 10 p.m. all six days for eat-in, carryout or delivery, and the bar is open later. Handicapped accessible, entertainment, parking, reservations on weekends parties of 6 more, children accommodated, all credit cards.
Cuisine: Upscale casual
Reservations: On weekends
Smoking: In bar
Kids menu: Yes
Price: $$$
Bar: Full bar
Tip: Nice selection of wines, microbrews, domestic and imported tap beers.
Miller Bakery Cafe
555 S. Lake St., Gary
(219) 938-2229
A popular storefront restaurant whose three art-filled dining rooms are crowded at both lunch and dinner with satisfied customers due to daily specials and many menu innovations. Lighter offerings at lunch such as crab cakes with Asian slaw and a nice selection of pastas, among others. Dinner can bring wood-grilled rack of lamb or pan-seared duck breast, among others. Bountiful, well-priced wine list. Imaginative desserts. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 to 8 p.m. Sundays. Look for a lighter fare menu being offered at the bar for an hour after dinners. Luncheon entrées $8 to $14; dinner entrées $16 to $28.
Cuisine: Upscale
Reservations: On weekend
Smoking: No
Kids menu: No
Price: $$$
Bar: Full bar
Tip: Live music on weekends
JD
Munster Gyros
8307 Calumet Ave., Munster
(219) 836-5507
This venerable gyros stand has stood the test of time for the past 24 years. You can't miss with their three topsellers -- gyros ($4.15 for the sandwich, $6.99 for the plate), ribs ($8.95 for a half slab, $15.95 for a full slab) and what some claim is the best Italian beef in town ($4.15). It's roasted on premises and the tzaziki sauce for the gyros is made in 5-gallon batches daily. The sauce is so popular, people buy it by the 12-ounce container ($1.30) to use as vegetable dip, on baked potatoes, with pita chips, even as a side for grilled fish. New items include a grilled chicken salad ($4.90) and grilled chicken sandwich on pita ($3.35). Also available are hot dogs, with a daily special of two dogs and fries for $2.99, hamburgers, BBQ beef, fish sandwiches, and a killer 10-inch sub made with salami, ham, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo and vinegar-and-oil for $4.60. The prices are right and the taste is right on! Hours: 10 am. to 9 p.m. Mondays through
Thursdays; 10 am. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed Sundays.
Cuisine: Gyros, beef, ribs
Reservations: No
Smoking: Yes
Kids menu: No but accommodated
Price: $
Bar: No
Tip: The Italian beef is some of the best you'll get outside of Chicago.
Niko's Steak and Seafood
216 S. Broad St., Griffith
(219) 934-0400
Cozy elegance awaits you at this Griffith restaurant whose food easily can pass for that of a Chicago chop house. Everything but the bread (Labriola) is made in house. Nick, Athena and Hercules Gardikiotes offer all Black Angus beef including; char-grilled ribeye, a 24 ounce porterhouse, ($32.95) strip and filet as well as lamb, pork chops and ribs. Try the grilled pork tenderloin with orange chipotle glaze ($16.95) and the double-baked potato. They offer a full array of fresh seafood including Salmon, Talipa and a Seafood Pasta dinner with white or red sauce for $18.95 Appetizers include shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, oysters Rockefeller and more. Desserts can serve two and specials rotate with always-on-the-menu carrot cake, tiramisu and ekmek, a Greek dessert sporting syrup-soaked cake, ice cream, Greek black cherries, toasted almonds, whipped cream and chocolate wafers. The full-service bar racks a respectable number of whites, reds, sparklers and Greek wines
available by the bar or glass. Average entrées are $19.95 for dinner. Open seven days a week 3 to 10 p.m. with the bar open later.
Cuisine: Steak and seafood
Reservations: On weekend
Smoking: In bar
Kids menu: Special entrees for $4.95
Price: $$$
Bar: Full bar
Tip: Look for "ekmek," a Greek dessert that will serve two.
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