The spot: Lebanese natives Sam and Lina Elakhaoui named their three-year-old restaurant Fattoush after what they call "the king of salads." Available as an appetizer ($5.45) or an entree ($10.45), it’s made with a slew of chopped vegetables, parsley, mint and toasted pita chips. The humble dining room is small, but the north and south walls are spruced up with painted murals of old-world Lebanon. Familiar Middle Eastern appetizers such as hummos ($5.35) and falafel ($5.25) are great for nibbling. For heartier appetites, Elakhaoui recommends the kafta kabab, made from ground lamb patties ($13.50), and the shish tawouk, cubes of marinated chicken breast ($13.75).

The bottle: Arak, the Lebanese version of ouzo, is the drink of choice with Lebanese cuisine. Sam’s Wines & Spirits carries Razzouk arak, distilled from grape juice with fresh aniseed ($19.99 for 750 milliliters). For $28.99, you can pick up a 750-milliliter bottle of Ksarak arak, which is matured for two years in clay jars. Typically, Lebanese diners mix part arak with two parts water before adding ice. If the cloudy concoction doesn’t float your boat, Elakhaoui says beer pairs just fine with some of the vegetarian appetizers on the menu. Head up the street to Park West Food and Liquor (2733 N. Halsted St. 773- 477-2099) for an assortment of chilled six-packs, such as the seasonal Spaten Munich Oktoberfest ($8.49) or Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat ($7.99) -- Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor. metromix@tribune.com

File under: I think we could have guessed.

TV's foul-mouthed foodie, Gordon Ramsay, star of Hell's Kitchen, has published an article on cnn.com that perhaps gives you some insight on where he learned to be such a mega jerk--Dear old Dad.

"Growing up, my father was less than a perfect role model. I watched how he battled alcoholism and how he became terribly violent with my mum, to the point where she feared for her life…To this day, I will never understand why mum stayed with him. She deserved so much better and so much more; it still pains me to remember how badly he treated her. I have four young children of my own, and I could never see myself behaving the way my father did when I was a child. I want to be a role model for my children and have them look up to me."

Let's just hope they don't watch his show.

Another unnecessary horror flick not screened for critics, another box office champ. Milla Jovovich’s videogame-inspired sci-fi sequel “Resident Evil: Extinction” earned $24 million to take the top spot over the weekend. That’s more than the original movie, which made $17.7 million in its first week in 2002, and “Resident Evil: Apocalype,” which earned $23 million in its debut in 2004. Behind Jovovich and the army of zombies was the terrible Dane Cook-Jessica Alba comedy, “Good Luck Chuck,” with $14 million to land at No. 2. Amanda Bynes’ pathetic “Snow White” modernization, “Sydney White,” brought in only $5.3 million to place sixth. The best news of the weekend is that “Eastern Promises,” David Cronenberg’s terrific crime thriller, jumped to No. 5 with $5.7 million as it expanded to more theaters across the country. What did you see over the weekend? How many more “Resident Evil” movies will there be? Will anyone admit to seeing “Good Luck Chuck”?

After seven years, Cherry Red closed this past weekend. (We have to admit, it seemed like the place was struggling the last year or two. But boy, was it the hot spot for young Lakeview and Lincoln Park kids back in the day.) Take one last bite when Cherry Red celebrates the closing with two goodbye parties: On Sept. 28 (9 p.m.) get $1 domestic beers and well cocktails, and $2 everything else. Former resident DJs will spin, old staff will be back serving, and it’s only a $7 cover charge (for being open seven years). Not a bad deal! And attention all industry vets: You can celebrate with your fellow bar buddies on Sept. 30 with a $20 super premium package from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. What's next for the space? Look for Bottle Bar to open soon; check New on the Scene for updates

This is it! Friday and Saturday are the last nights that Le Passage will be open--as you've come to know it. After the weekend, the subterranean night spot will close in order to undergo an extensive remodel. Look for the revamped version to open in late October/early November. Click here for more deets...

A couple of weeks ago we thought that Sara and Dale would end up on the chopping block together (though we thought it would be last week, not this week), but we didn’t think it would be quite such a nail biter.

In the end, it came down to execution issues (Sara) vs. conceptual issues (Dale). And somehow, miraculously, Dale edged our favorite cheesemaker out.

It might have had something to do with this speech, possibly most eloquent rumination on the meaning of food and life that “Top Chef” ever has seen: “Cooking is love. You can taste it when a chef has not had their heart broken. And you definitely know who got laid last night. That’s how I cook. I’m the first one to notice my faults, because I don’t want to give them to you.”

This, from the man who gave us this classic Dale-ism earlier in the evening: “I’m a big gay chef, and I’m gonna outcook your ass.”

Of course, that’s precisely why we’ve come to love Dale. He has confidence and he has heart—and he knows when to let them shine and when to play it cool. Unfortunately, he also has a bit of forgetfulness problem, as evidenced by recent portioning and saucing snafus. Is it enough to keep him out of the final two? Or will he slide through?

As we head into next week’s finale, let’s revisit our predictions from a couple of weeks back and see how we’re doing.

Hung: We had him in sixth. He’s still around. So where did we go wrong? He slipped by last week, and we simply didn’t see this week’s challenge coming. It was tailor-made for Hung, a CIA grad who most recently logged time in the kitchen at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas. If he’d blown it we would have been shocked. And now that he’s made it this far, he’s gaining momentum. We’re pretty sure he’ll make it to the final two.

Dale: We had him in fourth or fifth. He’s still around, but we think he’ll go next week. We love him, but he’s had too many mental errors, from forgetting an entire entree last week to forgetting to sauce his chicken this week.

Sara: We were more or less right on this one. Anyway, she’s presumably off to Jamaica to open her own cheese dairy now, so we’re not terribly worried about her.

Brian: We had Brian making it to the final four, but not the top two. We’re standing by this one. He’s been moving ahead simply by not being the worst, and that strategy becomes less and less effective as the number of competitors dwindles.

CJ: Whoops. We had him in the top two, and he finished sixth. We’re still surprised he got booted last week. But at least his exit cleared the way for Hung, who will, if nothing else, will make the finale interesting.

Casey: We had Casey finishing first. We’re standing by this one. Here’s why: After this week’s show, we think she’ll be going up against Hung in the finale. And whether he realized it or not, Dale’s already predicted the outcome of a Casey-Hung matchup: “In my world, the best food has heart. And when you don’t have one, it doesn’t taste good.”

I’ll be at Melvin B’s, enjoying today’s summertime temps and sipping a vodka lemonade or two. And I’ll be chatting with Jackie Tranchida of “Metromix” on CLTV—we’re filming a segment for tonight’s 7 p.m. show live from the bar before it closes forever at the end of this month. So if you don’t have plans, join us for a last summer fling with Mel tonight. See ya there!

  

The spot: Blink while cruising down Western Avenue, and you might miss Thai Eatery, a cozy spot on the edge Logan Square. Owners Panida and Trak Silapaduriyang run this little 3-year-old spot—and “little” is no exaggeration, with just seven tables seating 22 people total. Trak recommends his wife’s fresh crab rangoon ($4.95), made on site daily. One of Thai eatery’s newer appetizers is Shrimp in a Blanket ($4.95), a crispy spring roll wrapper stuffed with shrimp, crab meat and cream cheese. You’ll find the usual Thai entrees here, but we recommend the house specialties: red or green curry ($6.99 each).

The bottle: Danny’s Liquors is just two doors down and, for a corner liquor shop, the wine selection is surprisingly broad. Find bottles from Australia, California, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and Spain in sections labeled by country. The 2006 Burgans Albarino ($12.99) from Spain is a crisp white that pairs well with spicy curry dishes. Or drop a little more cash (and it is cash-only here, with an ATM on the premises) for the sweet 2005 Balthasar Ress riesling ($18.99) from Germany. Thai Eatery does not charge a corkage fee. --Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. 

You heard it here first: Stone Lotus will now be open late-night. As in really late-night. The official launch party for the 4 a.m. liquor license (5 a.m. on Saturday) is not until Oct. 12, when DJ Klutch comes to town, but owners say the new hours could kick in as early as this weekend.

With Crescendo out of the picture and nearby spots Enclave and Climax only open until 2 a.m., this looks like a good move for the so-called Liquor Spa. Stay tuned for more updates on Stone Lotus and its yet-to-be-named Wells Street sibling.

Pssst. Have you heard? Metromix has a new look.

Perhaps you've noticed the cleaner design and improved search. Stay a while and you'll also see that we have better maps, more photos and handy calendars.

(Don't worry: We've still got drink deals, movie times and "New on the Scene" columns too.)
 
We've made these changes with you in mind. Basically, our goal was to give you the best information as quickly as possible. We know: You've got other things to do.
 
For when you want to stick around, we've added features that'll allow you to get more involved in Metromix. In addition to writing reviews of bars and restaurants, you can now upload your nightlife photos to the site and comment on stories.  

So click around, check out the new features and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.

Cheers!

Matt McGuire

Metromix Editor

 

Jodie Foster’s vigilante flick "The Brave One" took charge of the box office this weekend, earning $14 million to snag the top spot. That’s a pretty lame opening for a very hit-and-miss movie, but thankfully more than the take for "Mr. Woodcock," which landed at No. 3--just behind "3:10 to Yuma"--with $9.1 million. Even sadder, though, was the debut for "D-War: Dragon Wars"—or is it just "D-War" or "Dragon Wars: D-War" or "Dragon War: D-War: The War of the Dragons of the War of the Dragons"?—which brought in only $5.38 million. Things will surely bounce back next weekend, though, right? I mean, who doesn’t want to see Amanda Bynes update "Snow White" in "Sydney White," or Jessica Alba do a lot of cute, stupid stuff in "Good Luck Chuck"? Yeah; we don’t really want to see that either.

Is it just us, or is everyone meaner when Anthony Bourdain is around?

It’s like all of the other judges feel the need to one-up his searing criticisms and outrageous metaphors. Don’t get us wrong—we love his colorful comments. We’ve just noticed that Tom is in rare form when Bourdain is next to him. Even Padma—dear, sweet Padma—acquires a bit of an edge when he’s around. We shudder to think what effect he might have had on Gail if she’d been around to judge this week.

With Bourdain leading the charge, things got brutal on this episode. Some of it was probably deserved. (We didn’t even want to look at Tall C.J.’s broccolini, his ultimate undoing, let alone eat it.) But the comparisons to prison food and references to the worst dish ever served on Top Chef felt a bit over-the-top. So, since everyone’s probably feeling a bit wounded at the moment, we though we’d bring a little positive energy to the table by pointing out the things we love about each contestant.

Dale: There are several things we love about Dale, not least among them the fact that he’s from Chicago. But first: Whew. That was a close one. We’ve noticed Dale’s not really a detail guy, but portioning for 17 diners instead of 18 was a fairly large oversight. It probably would have cost him the round if everyone else’s food hadn’t been so awful. What Dale does do well, though, is teamwork. We’re not yet sure if he’s a leader, but what we do know—and love—about him is that he’s a good teammate. He’s aware of what’s going on around him the kitchen, and when he sees someone in trouble, he swoops in to help—he’s SuperDale! We also love that when other chefs don’t take the same tack (not to name any names, Hung), he calls them out on it.

Brian: Brian’s just a loveble guy. He hasn’t blown up at anyone yet, and he takes his lumps—and he’s seen plenty in the last two episodes—like a man. Speaking of lumps, we’re pretty sure Bourdain likened one of Brian’s dishes to “doll head” on this week’s episode. No matter how many times we tracked back on the DVR to hear it again, it came out sounding the same: “doll head … doll head … doll head.” After awhile it started to feel creepy so we gave up and moved on.

Casey: We love Casey because she did not hit Padma when she jumped into her bed and started tickling her to wake her up before this week’s Quickfire Challenge. Because, seriously, we might have. But this sort of restraint represents what Casey’s all about. She’s calm, she’s professional, and as far as we can tell, she’s a darn good chef. There’s lots to love here, and that’s why we still think she’s going to take it all this season.

Sara: Though she nearly fell victim to her own overcooked couscous, we’re glad to see Sara’s still around. Of all the contestants, she’s had to fight the hardest to get this far. It would’ve been easy to throw in the towel after experiencing yet another dessert debacle last week, and we won’t even get into all of her past run-ins with Howie, but she persevered. She’s emerging as the season’s underdog—and everyone loves an underdog.

Hung: OK, this one’s the hardest. Why didn’t he help Tall C.J. out when he was clearly in the weeds during prep for the Elimination Challenge? And why does he obviously spill things (bottles of truffle oil) and then pretend he didn’t? (Psst, Hung: Has anyone told you this is all being filmed?) But what we love about Hung is that he has gumption to do wacky things like build a tiny village out of crushed Fruit Loops and then defend it with the same conviction he brings to a dish that’s a clear home run, like this week’s Padma-pleasing Grand Marnier-spiked smoothie. He’s audacious, he’s inconsiderate, and he’s arrogant. But he’s consistent, and in the kitchen, that can make all the difference.

For a full rundown of this week’s episode, check out what our friends at The Stew are saying.

If ticketholders weren't already upset by the cancellation of Amy Winehouse's upcoming show in Chicago, they will be now: both of the White Stripes' dates at the Aragon (Oct. 6-7) have been cancelled as well. A press release explained that drummer Meg White is suffering from "acute anxiety" and unable to travel, so the entire tour has been called off. Says the band, "We hate to let people down and are very sorry." Well, we forgive you Jack and Meg. Get well soon. Then come back!

The spot: The service couldn’t be friendlier Los Nopales, a quaint Lincoln Square Mexican spot; the accommodating staff brightens an already welcoming yellow-walled dining room. The restaurant’s  namesake, los nopales, or cacti, appears in a few dishes, including a tasty Los Nopales skirt steak special ($13.95). The steak, chargrilled and sprinkled with cheese, is served with frijoles borrachos (drunken beans) and grilled cactus salad. More traditional dishes come with rice, beans and salad. Try the tilapa en salsa verde ($11.95), a tender grilled tilapia filet served over Spanish white rice and smothered in green tomatillo sauce.

The bottle: The only thing missing from the authentic Mexican menu at Los Nopales is a margarita—and luckily, you only have to stroll a block north to Westwood Food Shop (4634 N Western Ave. 773-561-0463) to find one. Pick up a bottle of ready-to-drink Jose Cuervo Authentic Cuervo Lime Margarita ($13.99 for 750 milliliters), with Cuervo Especial right in the bottle. If you only need tequila, grab a 750-milliliter bottle of Jose Cuervo Especial Gold ($17.99). Like your marg with salt? Snag a container for $1.99. Los Nopales charges a $1 corkage fee for each bottle or six-pack. -- Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor.

"Yuma" corrals slow weekend Audiences gave a collective yawn towards last week’s new releases, with “3:10 to Yuma” topping the box office with an unimpressive $14.1 million. That’s awfully low for a well-reviewed vehicle starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, but considering the pleasant weather and people’s general disinterest in Westerns, $14 million isn’t too shabby. $5.5 million, however, is pretty shabby, though, and that’s all that the repulsive action flick “Shoot ‘Em Up” took in over the weekend to land at No. 6. (Smart move, America.) But the weekend’s big, big, big loser was “The Brothers Solomon,” an occasionally funny comedy that brought in just over $500,000. Yikes. Did you strap on your spurs and go see “3:10 to Yuma”? How do you think “Shoot ‘Em Up” compares to that other Clive-Owen-protecting-a-baby movie, “Children of Men”?

Update on Doug Sohn: The owner and head sausage dude at Chicago's famous encased meat emporium, Hot Doug's, broke his leg three weeks ago, forcing him to close the place while he recuperated. Good news: He sent a note today telling us that he plans to reopen on September 12.

Finally, Colicchio and crew got it right. We were ready for Howie to pack his knives and go weeks ago.

But, oh, the irony! Poor Howie. When he finally decided to try to be a team player, his food tanked, and he had his worst night ever. So much for playing nice.

We don’t have a lot of sympathy for the guy, though. We just can’t get past the fact that he presented a big ol’ martini glass full of nothing during the Quickfire Challenge. You’re a chef, Howie. Your job is to feed people. And just how awful could it have been, anyway? Even Tall C.J. put on his best smile and served a dish he’d sweetened with … salt.

 

Now that we’re down to six chefs, things are going to get interesting. The challenges are tougher, and the stakes are higher. And that, of course, means it’s time to start making some predictions. Here are ours, in the order we think they’ll pack their knives and go.

 

Hung: Yeah, we like to play with our food too. But not when $100,000 is on the line. It’s bad enough that you’re buddies with evil Marcel from Season 2 and that you almost sliced Casey’s head off a couple of episodes back, but then you had to go and build a psychedelic Smurf village during last night’s Quickfire Challenge? Nobody cares what you do in your off-time, Hung, but the only mushrooms that belong in a kitchen are portabellas, oysters, shitakes … and, well, we’ll leave it at that. And what was up with that salmon mousse blob on a cucumber? It might go over well at the country club with Buffy and Mitzi, but Dana Cowin clearly was not amused.

 

Dale: Honestly, we’re torn as to whether Dale or Sara will go home first. Obviously, we’re pulling for Dale. But at this point, we’ve got to be realistic. While Dale’s early issues (presentation, namely) seem to have resolved themselves, a new Achilles heel has emerged: He’s too nice. He took one for the team last night when he swapped $11 worth of goat cheese for yogurt at the supermarket, and his dish suffered for it. We’re not asking you to go all Gordon Ramsay on us, but Dale, please, take a cue from Howie. Show some spine! If you don’t, you’ll only prove that old adage: Nice guys finish fifth.

 

Sara: Our favorite cheese maker has been the show’s biggest sleeper, only really coming into her own during the last few episodes. And now that her nemesis, Howie, is gone, she’s going to be able to focus even more on her food. She might not quite be Top Chef material, but everybody loves cheese.

 

Brian: Last night’s Spam triumph aside, Brian is bound to meet his match eventually with a challenge that forces him to cook something other than fish. Also, does anyone else feel that part of the reason Brian’s stuck around this long is because, well, he’s kinda cute? Don’t get us wrong—he’s no Sam Talbot. But he’s clearly emerging as the show’s token hottie (male hottie, that is—we don’t mean to take anything away from Casey) and it always seems that the final few contestants are among the most, uh, “marketable.”

 

Tall C.J.: Last night’s episode said it all. Where Howie buckled and threw in the towel, C.J. took a potentially devastating mistake (oops, that was salt!) in stride and moved on. He’s cool under pressure, people don’t hate him, and he turns out sophisticated dishes with relative consistency. Plus, he’s able to work in small spaces despite his freakish height.

 

Casey: That’s right, you heard it here: Season 3 will give us our first female Top Chef.

See what our friends at The Stew had to say about last night's show.

Last night was a great night that pretty much felt like an official end to a long and awesome summer—my beach volleyball team won our bracket of the Chicago Sport & Social Club’s rec league! We played against two teams, for two and a half hours, on wet sand due to passing pre-game rain showers, and well into the darkness to win the title (and a long-sleeve, commemorative championship T-shirt). Congrats, Purple Cobras!

To celebrate, the team went to Melvin B’s. It seemed fitting: As we marked an end to our summer league, the famous truck stop-themed bar and grill was supposed to be making its final call on Sunday to make way for a boutique hotel. Imagine our surprise when staffers told us they got a stay—Melvin B’s will now be open until October 1! Let’s raise a glass to a warm and dry September.

So keep summer going with Melvin B's frozen (and strong) strawberry daiquiris, rum runners and vodka lemonades while you can. Fill up on a juicy cheeseburger with fresh-cut potato chips. Order a round of brews with your pals. This patio scene has been a Gold Coast staple since the ’60s, and despite the bugs crawling up the trees and fences on muggy nights, or the dingy interior, this place has a special Chicago charm that draws a crowd. Thanks for the memories, Melvin.

The spot: Claustrophobes need not fear Adesso, a corner Italian restaurant with a spacious, airy dining room and even more expansive outdoor seating along Broadway and Buckingham Place. Sit along the bustling sidewalk, and you'll never lack for topics of conversation (though if you're looking for a bit more intimacy, ask for a seat on the Buckingham side). Inside, the industrial chic decor sets a sleek backdrop for the regional Italian cuisine. On the menu, you'll find traditional pasta favorites such as lasagne Barese ($15) and spicy spaghetti arrabiata ($11; $14 with shrimp), as well as some unique options such as the hamburger con rucula, an arugula-pesto burger smothered in provolone and served on a pretzel roll with a side of rosemary-sea salt fries ($11).

The bottle: Wander up the street to Treasure Island (3460 N. Broadway. 773-327-3880) for a bottle of Italian wine to complete your meal. Tracy Liang, director of wine and spirits for Treasure Island Foods, makes it easy for you to select the perfect vino with shelf notes on several wines. She recommends a medium-bodied 2004 Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico "Piegaia" ($13.99) to go with heavier lasagna or cream-based dishes, or a crisp 2006 Villa del Borgo Pinot Grigio ($9.99) to complement seafood. The 2005 Dievole "Pinocchio" Nero d'Avola ($10.99), a popular red choice due to the sketch of the famous puppet on the label, is best served with stick-to-your-ribs pasta or meat dishes.

[ Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. ] metromix@tribune.com

So we finally caught up with chef Shawn McClain to get the scoop on his involvement with the revamping of LePassage. As it turns out, Three-Headed Productions partner Matt Lindner is a friend of McClain's, as well as in investor in his restaurant Green Zebra.

"It's a friendship thing," McClain said of his role in the LePassage project. The chef will draw up some ideas for updated bar food and small plates-as of now, nothing's been finalized. "I'm sure [the menu] will be eclectic. ...no specific theme ... It's not gonna be serious," McClain said.

Other than coming up with the ideas for the nighttime nibbles, don't expect to see him working at the subterranean spot. McClain tells us he's just helping out where he can with ideas, but he will not be in the kitchen. He's just a friend helping a friend.

The Chicago City Council considers a bill allowing restaurants to allow owners to bring their dogs to outdoor cafes today. If it passes, Brasserie Jo says has the perfect way for Fido to celebrate.

Doggy beer.

Yes, depending on the outcome, tomorrow the restaurant will provide coupons for Happy Tail Ale, which will be redeemable at the restaurant next alfresco season (the law won't go into effect until 2008) attatched to a house-made doggy biscuit.

What is Happy Tail Ale? According to the manufacturer's web site, beerfordogs.com, the drink contains "malted barely and filtered water, fortified with glucosamine and vitamin E, with natural beef flavoring."

Well, if your dog is trying to cut back, don't worry--there's no alcohol in it.

Who says people have had enough "Halloween" movies? Rob Zombie's remake of the original slasher classic topped the box office over the holiday weekend with a better-than-predicted $31 million. In fact, that makes the otherwise disappointing "Halloween" the highest-grossing Labor Day debut ever, ahead of the previous champ, 2005's "Transporter 2" with $18.1 million. In third place this week was "Balls of Fury" with an OK $14.3 million, far better than the week's big bomb, "Death Sentence." Kevin Bacon's action flick took in only $5.2 million to land at No. 8. Do you prefer the original "Halloween" or the remake? Does the title "Balls of Fury" make you giggle?