Since opening last summer, Guanajuato has added a little spice to Glencoe's dining lineup. Named for a state in the Mexican highlands where the restaurant's owner and executive chef were born, the spot's casual atmosphere and wide selection of Mexican dishes has been attracting big crowds. I called ahead before my first visit to Guanajuato and was told the restaurant doesn't take reservations but a party of two wouldn't have any problem finding space at 7 p.m. Friday. When we arrived, the place was packed with a mix of families, couples and groups in the 40-and-up set. The wooden bar is lit …

Andrew Braverman is extremely confident in his family's business. "I'll match our Italian beef sandwich and hot dogs up against anybody in the city," he boasts. The Dogout opened three years ago on Waukegan Road in Bannockburn and has been attracting a wide variety of customers ever since. "We do our best to know everybody by name. It's the way it's always been," said Braverman, who recently moved back home to help his parents with the business. His dad opens every morning, his mom is behind the counter during the day and he jumps in during the rush hours--a casual family routine that …

Sometimes an egg roll is just an egg roll. Often, however, we forget just how deep our relationships with food can go. Our choices about what and when to eat factor into everything, whether we're celebrating or mourning, and the associations form early on. The verbal shorthand we all share recalls the comforts of childhood when we talk about food "just like mom used to make," and it can express our deepest anxieties when we sometimes, unfortunately, "worry about where our next meal is going to come from." I knew my next meal was going to come from Little Szechwan. My companion for this meal …

No need to cross south of the border for some flavor when San Gabriel Mexican Café is right next door. The Bannockburn favorite was recently named one of the 20 most authentic Mexican restaurants in the Chicagoland area. The "Sabores Autenticos de Mexico" title was awarded to restaurants by the Mexican Consulate in Chicago and U.S.-Mexican Chamber of Commerce in October. The goal is to praise local establishments for their Mexican flair.  "The most authentic and original classic Mexican menu on this side of the North Shore," is how executive chef Dudley Nieto described his work at San Gabriel…

Bored with the same old dining out destinations you've been going to for years? Hungering for a new fabulous food experience? Rather than perusing the web or taking tips from friends, we've got a better idea. Each week, Northbrook Patch editors and readers will pick a great restaurant either in town or nearby whose cuisine is considered to reign supreme. Here's this week's choice: Wolfy's Hot Dogs Greatest Dish Ever: Naturally, anything that comes in a bun, from Chicago style hot dogs (NO KETCHUP) to Polish sausage.Don't Miss: Italian Beef. Chef Andrew "Kappy" Kaplan, who blogs for Rachael …

My husband and I feel lucky to have his parents living nearby, so it is often a treat to have dinner together.  And it's always a treat to find someplace new. So where to go? How about Mexican!  We headed to Taste of Mexico and found it to be a great little restaurant, reminiscent of one of those wonderful hole-in-the-wall spots you might find in the city. Located at 2661 Shermer Road in the same small strip mall as Marios's Pizza, Taste of Mexico offers home cooking, reasonable prices and delicious local flavor all served with a smile. Although it has apparently been there for three years, …

When we find ourselves at a complete loss, there are three areas of conversation to which we can always turn: our commutes, the weather, and where to eat. As for the first two, we often find common ground. Everybody loves sharing tips on avoiding expressway construction and raving about summery autumn weather. When it comes to eating out, however, things get serious: we never know exactly how stupid our friends are until they tell us that they think our favorite taco place sucks. The mentality is everywhere. A proven way to start an Internet firestorm is through debating who has the best …

After more than a decade out of business, The Claim Company has been resurrected replete with wagon wheels and lanterns at Northbrook Court.     First opened at the mall in 1979, The Claim Company in Northbrook was the first suburban offshoot of the popular, Southwestern-themed restaurant downtown. It thrived and attracted the attention of The Weatherly Hospitality Group, a company that wanted to turn the concept into a national franchise. The original owner sold the restaurants in 1994, but instead of expanding the new ownership shut them all down by 1997. After more than a decade, the …

The Pinstripes experience actually begins outside the restaurant itself, and even then before you realize it. Stepping inside the place is much like walking into a large hotel lobby or Las Vegas casino. To the right, a winding staircase ascends toward the second floor beneath a raftered, three story roof, and to the left, dual bocce ball courts extend into distance. In the background are the faint sounds of bowling. The experience almost overwhelms, and one instantly gets the sense that what looked from the outside to be merely a big restaurant is actually an outsized "entertainment and …

When Georgie V's Pancake House owner George Vlahakis decided to get back to his Greek roots and open a restaurant with sons Peter and Ted Vlahakis, the idea was to serve up fresh and reasonably priced classic dishes quickly. Greek Feast, at 2784 Dundee Rd., does just that, with an upscale glass-and-wood atmosphere and counter-order table-delivery service. Opened March 15, the restaurant was packed on the Thursday night I visited, including many happy repeat customers enjoying generous portions and reasonable prices. A small but interesting selection of beers is available, along with red, rosé…