Café Touché

By Trent Modglin

Brennan’s New Orleans eggs at Café Touché

This longtime Edison Park staple, which my foodie brother in law “would put up against any French restaurant in New York,” has a ton of options and is quite popular for weekend brunch (not to mention wedding and baby showers and birthday parties). While it’s difficult to stray from the French toast with bananas foster sauce or the Southern biscuits and gravy with chorizo, andouille sausage and eggs, we took the advice of our server recently and went with Brennan’s New Orleans eggs. We’re talking perfectly poached eggs on brioche toast with ham, gruyere cheese, spinach and hollandaise, and then a handful of crispy applewood bacon strips added on for good measure.

Pair Brennan’s New Orleans eggs with a mimosa, some jazzy music in the background, and a spot on the flower-lined patio, and your weekend is headed in the right direction.

Pair it with a mimosa or cold glass of white wine, some jazzy music in the background and a spot on the flower and fence-lined patio, and your weekend is headed in the right direction for sure.

6731 N. Northwest Hwy in Edison Park. CafeTouche.com

Seafood platter at the Howard Street Inn

It’s funny, if you asked me to choose any one of the four items on this popular sports bar and restaurant’s seafood platter, I’d be perfectly delighted in terms of an appetizer. But when you combine blackened shrimp, buffalo shrimp, tuna-stuffed avocado and stuffed crabs onto one plate, it’s worthy of some kind of medal. Perfectly sharable for the table (but we wouldn’t blame you if you kept it to your self), it really represents the best of all worlds and a nice assortment of flavors.

The stuffed crabs are the highlight: fresh lump crab meat, bread crumbs, red and green peppers, celery, scallions, some subtle Cajun seasoning and remoulade sauce all baked together.

The stuffed crabs are the highlight: fresh lump crab meat, bread crumbs, red and green peppers, celery, scallions, some subtle Cajun seasoning and remoulade sauce are all baked together and then stuffed back into the crab shell. Based on a Louisiana grandmother’s recipe. That should be all you need to know. Bonus: The wrap-around patio overlooking Tam O’Shanter golf course and daily specials are top notch.

6700 W. Howard St. in Niles. HowardStreetInn.com

Chennai chicken 65 biryani at Mughal the Biryani House

If you have yet to dine at this modern Indian restaurant located in the Shops of Uptown, it’s clear from the start that every dish is crafted to highlight the vibrant and diverse flavors of the culture. And there is an abundance of options (vegetarian, chicken, lamb, fish, soups, rice dishes, etc.) from which to choose.

The Chennai chicken 65 biryani consists of a large bowl of spiced rice layered with herbs and boneless biryani chicken that is marinated in a variety of seasonings, all topped with onions and lime. Incredibly flavorful and carrying just the right amount of heat, it’s a dish that could easily feed 2-3 people. And don’t forget the garlic naan.

It’s clear from the start that every dish at Mughal is crafted to highlight the vibrant and diverse flavors of the culture. And there is an abundance of options.

“It’s an authentic, traditional style of biryani that we have in the southernmost region of India (Chennai),” owner Lakshmi Sekar tells us. “It was created by a hotel restaurant in India and spread like wildfire. It’s our version of fried chicken.”

Bonus: Mughal is currently BYOB. 510 W. Touhy in Park Ridge. MughalTheBiryaniHouse.com

Greek yogurt parfait at Tavern on the Point

We’re big fans of the comfort food here, especially the avocado toast with eggs and the Monte Cristo sandwich (ham, oven-roasted turkey and Swiss on Texas toast) during brunch, but if you’re looking for a healthy break from the norm, try the Greek yogurt parfait. It’s an eye-catching, tasty combination of fresh yogurt, house granola, strawberries, blueberries and clover honey.

This dish, combined with a mimosa or bloody Mary (try their bottomless package) on Tavern on the Point’s beautiful rooftop deck, will have you feeling like you’ve hit the summer brunch jackpot.

6724 N. Northwest Highway in Edison Park. TavernOnThePoint.com

Chile chipotle barbecued lamb shank at Don Juan’s Cantina

Don Juan’s is the kind of friendly, relaxing place where you can lose an afternoon or stay longer into the evening than you anticipated. In a good way. Believe us, we’ve done it. And the flavored frozen margaritas, authentic Mexican dishes and smiling staff who seem to know everyone who walks in have a lot to do with that.

A new item on the menu (possibly for a limited time) this summer is the chile chipotle barbecued lamb shank, which is incredibly tender, seasoned perfectly and comes with cheddar polenta, creamy corn and spring onions. It checks a lot of boxes for sure. Especially when paired with a cold drink on the sidewalk patio.

650 N. Northwest Hwy in Park Ridge. DJsCantina.com

Pastitsio at Social18 Greek Kitchen

The positive reviews are everywhere thus far for the new Mully’s Grill. Or as owners Tom Sotos and Bob Giotakis like to call it, “the new Wally’s.” The burgers and gyros, especially, have been a big hit. And the menu for Social18, Mully’s sister establishment, was unveiled for all to enjoy in late July. A sneak peek was shared with us, and let’s just say, you won’t be disappointed.

Lots of tempting items on the new menu here, but the one that caught our attention out of the gate was the pastitsio, which is essentially “Greece’s answer to lasagna.”

Lots of tempting items, but the one that caught our attention out of the gate was the pastitsio, which is essentially “Greece’s answer to lasagna.” Think baked squares of macaroni, ground beef, mizithra cheese, béchamel and tomato sauce. Just one of many Greek specialties you can enjoy on their spacious new flower-lined sidewalk patio.

Insider’s tip: Be sure to check out the weekday happy hour from 3-6 p.m. with $7 house wines, $4 Miller Lites, $6 vodka cocktails, $8 Jim Beam old fashioneds and more.

24 Main Street in Park Ridge. Social18.com

Salmon kabab at Shemroon Kabab House

This Persian menu overwhelms us — in a good way — each time we visit. We have our favorite go-to dishes, but there’s always something intriguing that we didn’t notice before and have to try. Our advice is to order a few appetizers and entrees and share them with your table. Our choice on a recent evening was the seasoned salmon kabab with a skewer of grilled zucchini, bell pepper, tomato and onion, and we subbed out the basmati rice for a side Cesar salad.

There is a lot of flexibility with the menu, so don’t be afraid to ask for an alteration. Bonus: Take advantage of the sidewalk patio and happy hour deals.

430 W. Touhy Ave. in Park Ridge. ShemroonKababHouse.com

Chicken and pretzel sandwich at Harp & Fiddle

With how beautifully eye-catching the Main Street patio is here, it’s easy to forget they still have the original back beer garden too. And a perfect patio pairing with a cold draft beer is one of our favorite sandwiches around.

Harp & Fiddle’s marinated chicken sandwich is accompanied with a homemade beer cheese dipping sauce that takes things to another level.

We’re talking a marinated and grilled chicken breast topped with candied applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and fried onion straws. Sounds good, no? But that’s just where the fun begins, because it’s laid on a toasted pretzel bun and accompanied with a homemade beer cheese dipping sauce that takes things to another level.

110 Main Street in Park Ridge. TheHarpAndFiddle.com

Chicken parmigiana at Zia’s Social

The stylishly comfortable patio here — which they somehow manage to add a little something to each year — is one of the most sought-after outdoor dining spots in the area, and some solid daily and happy hour specials don’t hurt the cause.

The stylishly comfortable patio at Zia’s — which they somehow manage to add a little something to each year — is one of the most sought-after outdoor dining spots in the area.

While they do offer plenty of lighter options perfect for summer (like the Lake Superior whitefish in a white wine sauce), we do love the chicken and veal parm so much. It’s lightly breaded and pan fried and comes with a bed of penne pasta with marinara. A reminder of how easy is to get newcomers hooked here.

6158 N. Northwest Hwy in Norwood Park. ZiasSocial.com