Hungry Z, Grand Overview

When choosing a place to dine you can go for simple or you can choose something fun! From the minute you step inside Salsa 17 you know you are in for a good time. Lavishly decorated walls and high ceilings set the stage for an evening of good food and fun. So grab some friends and enjoy the ride!

The fun starts with an extremely knowledgeable staff that knows each menu item inside and out. The first thing you must try is the guacamole. Why? Prepared tableside, this super fresh dip can be catered to your liking. More garlic or less jalapeño, no problem!

How about ceviche prepared tableside as well? Yup, fresh scallops were incorporated with onion, cilantro, honeydew, and cantaloupe for a super fresh taste experience! Want more tableside fun? Many of their margaritas are actually shaken and poured right at your table!

Our main course was actually prepared in the kitchen but did not disappoint. A steaming plate of chicken tamales brings an intoxicating aroma to the table and its wonderful textures leave your mouth smiling. While they certainly have tacos and burritos, a wise choice would be to sink your teeth into the “Arrachera Chalco.” This super tender skirt steak cuts and tastes like a much more expensive cut of meat. It is topped with poblanos, onions, salsa, queso anejo, and is just wonderful.

Life isn’t complete without dessert and leaving without is simply not allowed. Mexican fried ice cream is a nice choice with its crisp cereal crust and creamy vanilla ice cream center. The true delight was the espresso flavored flan. Not overly sweet, this flavorful custard had the perfect texture!

Prices range from $10 all the way up to $23 for entrees, so how much you spend is entirely up to you. Overall Salsa 17 offers wonderful food, knowledgeable service, and fun atmosphere for average to above average prices. Rating *** out of ****.

Location

17 Campbell St

Arlington Heights, IL

(847)590-1122

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Hungry Z, Grand Overview

Seasons change, people change, and so do their taste buds. Ever notice how certain times of the year get you craving certain foods? The folks at Seasons 52 in Schaumburg understand that and have put forth a menu influenced by the four seasons. Each of the four seasons gets its own menu in order to keep the menu fresh. So what’s with the 52? Each week the chef has a new list of specials to tantalize diner’s taste buds and to flex his creative muscle.

Located in the old Bennigan’s in Schaumburg, Seasons 52 is one “BIG” restaurant! Even with its large size the noise level is quite low, giving the place a very intimate feel. First order of the night was the spicy chipotle shrimp flatbread. The crisp and chewy crust is topped with creamy feta, tender shrimp, and a sweet yet spicy chipotle sauce. This was so good that I was tempted to order another! Next up was the goat cheese ravioli. This rich ravioli was filled with delicious goat cheese but was unfortunately over cooked and a bit soggy.

Let’s talk about the main course now. Caramelized sea scallops were the top choice tonight. Grilled scallops were fork tender and nestled on a bed of sun dried tomato pearl pasta and roasted asparagus. The other selection was the wood roasted pork tenderloin. Tender yet under seasoned slices of pork lay on top of creamy polenta, cremini mushrooms, and topped with a sherry glaze. While still a solid choice, the flavor failed to match that of the scallops.

When it comes to dessert, that’s something you need to make room for. How much room is entirely up to you. Desserts here are served in shot glasses and are great for just a taste of something sweet or for a fun dessert “flight”. Sure I tried all 8 desserts available and of course I had a few favorites. The carrot cake was moist and thankfully not too sweet. The key lime pie was refreshing and balanced the sweet and tart flavors wonderfully.

Want to know a secret about every dish I just mentioned? Not one of them had more than 475 calories! These “lighter” not “smaller” dishes were actually quite satisfying and left me feeling rather comfortable at the end of the meal. Overall Seasons 52 offers tasty food, reasonable prices (most dishes under $20), and a guilt free feeling.

Rating ** and ½ (Good) out of ****.

 Check out all of Hungry Z’s reviews at HungryZ.com

Location
1770 East Higgins Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: (847) 517-5252
Fax: (847) 517-4452

Hungry Z, Grand Overview

No matter where in the world you are these days you will find pizza! Let’s face it though, we do it best. Chicagoans don’t just like pizza, we LOVE it! The casual pizza eater buys a slice every once in a while. Someone who likes pizza gets a pie delivered or occasionally goes out for some. But for those of us who love pizza, dream pizza, are generally fanatical about pizza, then Chicago Pizza Tours is for you. Read more »

HungryZ, Grandoverview

Do you like to try new foods? How adventurous are you? In the food world sometimes the oddest sounding combinations produce some fantastic flavors. Gourmet burgers are very much in vogue now but how about gourmet ice cream/gelato? Gelato is actually a wonderful canvas for the creative mind, so when the Food Network calls for a collaboration, you listen.

Bob Blumer, celebrity chef and host of the hit show Glutton for Punishment, which airs on the Food Network, called on Cristiana Ginatta, co-founder of Paciugo Gelato & Café, to help develop a collection of flavors for the popular 2009 Austin Ice Cream Festival. Their collaboration resulted in four unique flavors, including the Ice Cream Festival’s Best in Class award winner, Maple Bacon Crunch. The wacky culinary combinations and successful teamwork with Blumer inspired Ginatta to roll out the flavors as gelato in all Paciugo locations. 

So what are all these new flavors and should you try them? Read more »

Hungry Z, Grand Overview

How well do you know your city? Do you venture out and eat at new places, or do you stay within the same 7 mile radius most of the time? Are you a suburbanite who rarely if ever travels into the city for a bite to eat? If any of these applies to you, then you may want to check out one of the “Chicago Food Planet Food Tours” available. I had a chance to tag along with the “Near North” food tour recently and had a great time!

Be warned, this is a walking tour so make sure you wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to be on your feet for about 3 hours (insert Gilligan’s Island joke here). Our group met our guides Rebecca and Nikki in the Gold Coast at the Ashkenaz Deli where we got our itineraries and our first taste! While New Yorkers are blessed with many deli’s, us Chicagoans are not (Subway doesn’t count). At the deli we sampled a rueben made with sliced Vienna pastrami, sauerkraut, and homemade Russian dressing atop delicious marble rye. Off to a good start, let’s keep going. Read more »

Hungry Z, Grand Overview

So you sit down for dinner and the waiter hands you the wine list, what do you do? You want to pair the right wine with the right dish, but you’re not sure which one. Do you just guess? For those wanting to learn how to pair wines, there are some great wine dinners out there ready to help! Pinstripes in both Northbrook and South Barrington just finished hosting an evening with Terlato wines and have more such events planned for the future.

The beauty of these events is that you not only pair wines but you also hear from the chefs and wine makers themselves. John Terlato and Chef Mark Grimes guided us through a 5 course dinner and left us all a little more wine savvy. Our meal began with a salad consisting of crisp chicken liver, frisse, spring garlic, blood orange gastrique, and cippollini mustard vinaigrette that was paired with a fruit forward Terlato Pinot Grigio.

An elegant and refreshing Rutherford Hill chardonnay was paired with a buttery day boat scallop glazed in raw honey along side a citrus risotto. A complex Sanford Pinot Noir complimented the wonderful black duck and apple smoked bacon chips (yum!). My favorite course was the juniper berry-red wine marinated filet of beef, foie gras, and topped with amazing truffle butter! This was paired with Mazzoni Rosso Toscana and its ripe dark berry flavor.

While most lamb dishes are accompanied by mint, the lamb tonight is served tandori style with a nice level of spice! Read more »

Hungry Z, Grand Overview

Pop quiz…what is the most consumed beverage in the world behind water? The answer is tea! If this answer surprises you, it’s because in the U.S. tea ranks behind both coffee and soda pop. Think of it like soccer, all over the world people are crazy for it! In the states it’s less popular than the WNBA. What does this mean? Should we all start sipping tea and kick soccer balls? I say stick to baseball and give this tea thing a try! Read more »

Hungry Z, Grand Overview

“To eat well, is to live well.” Truer words haven’t been spoken, and it’s the slogan the folks at “Brio Tuscan Grille” live by. Brio actually means vigor and liveliness, so you might say to eat well, is to live brio. If the folks at Brio have their way, you’ll be livin’ large by nights end!

Glance over the menu and you start to see that Brio likes to change up some familiar favorites. Four variations of bruschetta are punctuated by a wonderful roasted red pepper, sweet balsamic, and fresh mozzarella rendition. Ditch the usual potato soup options and instead choose the velvety and slightly spicy lobster and shrimp bisque. Lumps of shrimp provide texture and the right amount of spice warms the back of your throat. Read more »

Hungry Z, Grandoverview.com

When you first start dating someone you’re likely to take them to a fancy restaurant to impress them. A well known place that everyone tells you is great and you have to make reservations weeks in advance. But when you start to truly care fore someone, that’s when you look for that small, hidden, and romantic restaurant that you and your special someone can really enjoy. Located in a strip mall in Hoffman Estates, Amore Mio is that secret little place that is way more impressive that its diminutive size would suggest.

 The menu is a collection of classic Italian favorites and some creative dishes as well. The first dish sampled was the tender chicken parmesan. Lightly battered so as not to overpower and topped with a lovely basil marinara. For a slight twist on an old favorite, the “Tortellini Belissima Mia” features al dente tortellini, sweet sun dried tomato, and mushrooms swimming in a heavenly garlic tomato cream sauce. Read more »

Hungry Z, GrandOverview

Greatness is often discovered during life’s most tragic times. At age 15 and in the midst of a family crisis, Rick Tramonto left school and began flipping square burgers in a New York Wendy’s. His drive and ambition eventually launched him from burgers to culinary greatness. After years studying abroad, Rick has created several successful restaurants, most notably Tru.

While Tru remains a hot spot for city folks, suburbanites can revel in an amazing dining experience of their own. Wheeling’s Tramonto’s Steak and Seafood (601 N. Milwaukee) wows patrons with lavish wood, deep reds, and dramatic ceilings. Luckily for the diners, the food is equally as impressive.

Similar to a good book, an appetizer should grab the diner’s attention. Scallion and red pepper infused shrimp tempura both tickle and awaken sleeping taste buds. Supporting characters play a vital role in how much we care for the star players. Heavenly white truffle macaroni and cheese adds comfort to your soul, while the grilled asparagus will keep your mother happy. Read more »