Pig Chef Menu Board

Bridge House Tavern, Northdown, Tolotzin, and ten more new restaurants

Bridge House Tavern | River North | $$$

Tucked down along the river by Clark Street, Bridge House Tavern has one of the finest outdoor patios in the city. It offers a view so spectacular that it's nearly enough to distract from the lackluster food—if only the food weren't screaming so loudly to be noticed, stacked with heavy-on-heavy ingredients like a stoner's wildest dream. The popcorn comes dressed with honey, bacon, jalapeño, and smoked salt, and the bites we had were alternately scorched, sweet, or overly salty. The grilled cheese throws together ultrasavory and sweet; the Brie, fontina, cheddar, thick bread, and bacon didn't stand a chance for balance against the mealy tomato and tomato jam. Even the spinach salad managed to be heavy under roasted beets, goat cheese, pecans, a fried egg, and a thickly applied strawberry vinaigrette, and the bread pudding was topped with two types of syrup and a dose of powdered sugar. The only winner of the evening arrived courtesy of outsourcing, a fine trio of charcuterie from the Butcher & Larder, best enjoyed alongside a light beer. 321 N. Clark, 312-644-0283, bridgehousetavern.com . Lunch: Mon-Fri; dinner: daily. Sat & Sun brunch. Open late: Sat till 3, other nights till 2.

Cantina No. 46 | River North | $$

The way I see it, Cantina No. 46 has two options: stifle some of the heat in the complimentary salsa, or add more flavor to the food that follows. By the time our queso arrived, I insisted that my dining partner try it again and again, to see if he could taste anything at all. We repeated the exercise with the baked shrimp empanadas. Only when the red snapper ceviche arrived did the Cantina deliver us from bland land, offering a beautifully balanced, light and citrusy bite. For the most part, the menu sits well within the Americanized Mexican safety zone, sticking to standards like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Where it branches out, though, it shines. The ancho-rubbed grilled skirt steak was a case in point; I had to resist the urge to peel off the outer layer of spices and eat it solo. Portobello mushroom fajitas, on the other hand, desperately needed seasoning. The drinks list includes a smattering of cocktails, with margaritas served ready to be topped off by the server's bottle of tequila, which is carried at all times in a holster. 46 E. Superior, 312-664-0100, cantina46.com . Lunch: Sun, Tue-Sat; dinner: daily. Open late: Fri & Sat till 2, Mon-Thu till midnight.