A tale of two ceviches

New trendy tapas destination stirs up conflicting emotions

By Chris LaMorte

September 27, 2006

 

DeLaCosta, you've got us confused. Again.

First, it was the opening date. You trumpeted early July, then sailed past it. Then, early September. No, mid-September. Thursday. No, Saturday. Finally, last Monday, you opened in the River East Art Center in Streeterville, not far from touristy Navy Pier.

Not unusual for Chicago, but the promise of cuisine from executive chef Douglas Rodriguez, who put pan-Latin on the culinary map, and a Miami jet-set inspired interior made this particular wait excruciating for both foodies and scenesters.

Then, it was your name. Originally, you told us it was De La Costa. Three simple words. Of the Coast. Now you tell us it's DeLaCosta, all smooshed together. It sounds like someone trying to do a Ricky Ricardo impersonation.

But now that we've gone--twice in one week!--we're confused once more. We're not sure if we love you or hate you. Can we resolve these two conflicting emotions? Let's make a list.

Decor
Loved it: Top designer Suhail goes for baroque, seemingly channeling Jerry Kleiner's Red Light in this 12,000 square-foot space. The result? A modernist-meets-Madrid-via-Miami riot of color, texture, sight and sound. Enter the space, and to your left, hit the large, party-friendly lounge overlooking Illinois Street. To your right, check out a small sushi bar--oops, we mean ceviche bar--with views into the kitchen through smoky gray windows. Dining rooms, including a river-facing solarium, are toward the back.
Hated it: From the dinner plates to the tacky paper stickers doubling as napkin rings--enough with the DeLaCosta logos everywhere! Where are we? Denny's?

Bars
Loved it: The cocktail bar. The enormous centerpiece bar features a dazzling constellation of chandeliers resembling falling white phosphorus and offers plenty of choice: fruit-laden sangrias, Latin classics such as a Cuba Libre ($10), and muddled drinks such as mojitos and a vodka-and-watermelon mash-up (both $10). Fun and fruity vodka Poptails ($12), the bar's signature drink, come with teeny housemade popsicles that steal the show. By Saturday, scenesters were already posing around it.
Hated it: The ceviche bar. Still pretty hit or miss at this point. Try the cherry stone clams ($12), but skip the Pink Shrimp ($13). Ordering additional Spanish tapas left us awkwardly balancing plates at the small bar.  

Food
Loved, loved, loved it: Lobster ceviche ($18). OK, so score one for that ceviche bar. Citrusy bits of meat served with a creamy coconut sorbet are hard to beat. The rest of the menu showed tons of ambition and was generally quite solid, but isn't quite hitting those same high notes just yet. Entrees such as Churrasco DeLaCosta (Uruguayan beef tenderloin with thyme chimichurri, $32) and verde chicken ($24) satisfied, but didn't wow.
Hated, hated, hated it: The bill. Those trendy tapas and ceviches add up quick! Throw in a few $14 margaritas, and you've got a tab that will make you say "Ay, caramba!"

[ chris lamorte is the metromix dining producer. ] clamorte@tribune.com

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