Mother-and-daughter team Guadalupe Castellanos and Maria Huerta have taken over the cozy North Avenue dining room that used to belong to Dinotto, decorating it with folk art as an offshoot of their Lake Street restaurant, Barro. At BARRO CANTINA they depart from traditional Mexican food and focus more broadly on South American-influenced cuisine, offered in small portions. There are more than a dozen hot tapas: Picaditas surtidas are homemade masa rounds topped with the wonderfully contrasting flavors of sweet plantains, creamy guacamole, and salty soft cheese. Bocaditos de pollo, or croquettes of chicken and potato, come alive when dipped in the chipotle aioli they’re served with. Jumbo garlic-marinated shrimp are wrapped in bacon and served with a tangy mango-tamarind relish. And barbacoa en barro is a specialty worth trying–tender shredded marinated beef steamed in a banana leaf, then served with lime and warm tortillas. There are also some cold options, along with specials like a stuffed chili of the day or a tiny cactus filled with grilled calamari and shrimp. The small plates are just right for sharing, but be sure to order at least two or three per person. The place exudes hospitality. Barro Cantina is at 163 W. North, 312-266-2484.
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The sleek wall of windows on the facade of BAD DOG TAVERN–in the former Grecian Taverna space–hints at the major overhaul the building recently underwent. Inside, the old blue stone floors take on a completely different look next to bronze leather banquettes, spinning ceiling fans, and walls in cool tones of silver and gray. The front bar area has just a few tables near the windows and a long, dark oak bar; the predominant seating area is the back room, where the fireplace and orange mesh sconces cast a diffuse glow. Chef Michael Blaho’s global-fusion-meets-contemporary-American menu is several steps above bar food. Yes, there’s calamari, but it’s panfried and served with a horseradish cocktail sauce. An order of tempura-style green beans comes with a lime-ginger-soy dipping sauce. There are pizzas with classic toppings, but for a late-night snack the sandwiches and salads are more interesting: spinach is tossed with juicy mandarin oranges, crispy tofu, and chow mein noodles in a ginger vinaigrette, while blackened salmon comes on a crusty French baguette with pickled red onion, bitter greens, and a cucumber-dill mayo. The ambitious entrees include grouper with julienned vegetables steamed in parchment paper with a lemon white-wine sauce (ours came slightly undercooked) and a double-cut pork chop glazed in maple syrup and served next to couscous adorned with caramelized onions, cherries, and dried apricots. The dozen draft beers include Staropramen Pils, Strongbow cider, Summit Hefe-Weizen, and de Koninck Belgian ale, while the wine list is limited. Servers are cheerful and eager to give accurate descriptions. Bad Dog Tavern is at 4535 N. Lincoln, 773-334-4040.
