Gift Guide.. better late than never

Christmas is next week and I've been done with my shopping for at least a month but there are a few things that are out of my price range but I just can't get off my mind. The number one non-necessity, fabulous find is the limited edition Dom Perignon Andy Warhol tribute bottles. It comes in three colors with the most beautiful boxes. I'm not sure if I want all three or just a print of these amazing boxes. My entire condo is full of bright pop art so naturally I'm obsessed.

Check out more gorgeous photos and awesome videos at NotCot.com. 

Graham Elliott

This weekend I had a mini family reunion with the women of my family. Everyone came in to Chicago so the pressure was on for me to pick good dining spots. Friday night we went to Hub51 which was dependably delicious, and I chose to go to Frontera Grill on Saturday. To make a very long and painful story short, two of Frontera's hostesses gave me horrible advice to just show up at 6pm for a table. When we did, the wait was three hours. Ten minutes after they opened, the wait was three hours. Okay, so that wasn't that short... anyways... my cousin had suggested Graham Elliot and low and behold they were able to seat the five us right away. They graciously and politely were able to accommodate us on a busy Saturday night. Take notes Frontera - I don't go around town saying you were my favorite restaurant and then come in to see a snotty, rude hostess look at me like I'm from Mars when I ask for a table.

Back to Graham Elliot! Interior was minimal but the organic tones and exposed brick walls paired well with natural decorations of bundled sticks and gourds. First up: cocktails. I'm usually one to experiment and try a few different varieties, but not when I encounter such a perfect cocktail. The "Blueberry Hill" includes Hendrick's gin, blueberry compote and a newcomer for me - creme de violette. I'm always a fan of blueberry, but this was unlike any blueberry concoction I've had before. My cousin Venessa was a big fan of the "London Calling" as well. Now for food. As a preview of the interesting and fun food to follow, GE started off with a bang serving us truffle oil-infused popcorn instead of the usual bread. This popcorn is legitimately addictive. When combined with the martinis, it is just lethal.

Even though I was tempted to do the tasting menu for $75 (NOT a bad deal at all once you taste this amazing food), I declined and ordered the sweet potato bisque. This was not your average soup. The bisque was poured table side over a big marshmallow, chipotle jam and corn nuts. Yep you read that right, corn nuts. The combination of creamy and crunchy was amazing. Next course: I split the scallops and the duck ravioli. The duck ravioli was great, but the scallops were to die for. As perfect as scallops can get in my opinion. But I did have one regret... my cousin Susan ordered the Wisconsin Cheddar Risotto and when it came out with Cheez-its on top, I immediately had to have a bite. Cheez-its? For all you Top Chef fans, it reminded me of the vending machine challenge - looks like snack food can truly be gourmet if you do it right.

And last but certainly not least, dessert. The "Caramel Heirloom Apple" was like a deconstructed apple pie with shortbread cookie, rings of apples, toasted nuts and caramel that combine to make the most delicious bite. I'm actually still thinking about how fresh and sweet that yummy dessert was. Finish it off with another Blueberry Hill and that was quite the delectable meal. I love food that isn't taken too seriously, and not only is Graham Elliot's food amazing, but it's clear he is having as much fun making it as we are eating it.

Cheddar Risotto - complete with Cheez-it garnish.

Jury's Out for Japonais

Rob's cousin was in town this weekend and for her upcoming birthday she decided she wanted to go to Japonais for dinner. I've been before for drinks and knew the interior was spectacular, but was hesitant about the food. We've all had bad experiences where the place looks amazing, but the food is a dud. Well... I wouldn't classify Japonais as a dud, but I won't be rushing back anytime soon. First of all, our service was incredibly slow. Our waitress only came to our table about every 15 minutes if she wasn't serving food. The entire meal took three hours! We started with "The Rock" - an extremely hot rock that you personally cook finely sliced beef on. We thought it was a pretty cool presentation, and the meat was great, but none of us could quite shake the fact the entire place smelled like hot meaty rock for the rest of the evening. We opted for one roll and then ordered two entrees to save a little money. The price of one roll was about the same as a large salmon or chicken dish - so I definitely recommend heading straight to entrees. The entrees were good, not great, but came in large portions. One big disappointment for me were the martinis. Everyone raves about them, but when I order a martini, I expect to have some taste of alcohol. The martinis were only filled to about 3/4 of the small martini glass and honestly tasted non-alcoholic. There was so much mixer and so little vodka, it made me quite upset that I spent $13 and was basically served a shot of juice.

All in all, the ambiance is great, the interior is truly beautiful, but I would only suggest this one if you have a lot of money to spare. And if you don't, hopefully you'll have ordered enough $13 juice martinis that you won't care when the bill comes.

Rick Bayless Never Lets Me Down

As an avid and very vocal fan of Frontera Grill, naturally I've been curious to try the sister restaurant next door, Topolobampo. Owned and operated by famous Mexican food chef (and fellow Bucktown/Wicker Park inhabitant) Rick Bayless, Topolobampo was rumored to be a little nicer and more adventerous Mexican dishes. Needless to say, I was thrilled when Rob pulled up outside as a surprise for my birthday dinner. And Rick and his crew did not disappoint! We had their version of tortilla soup and chile rellenos which were superb. I can tend to be a semi-safe, or as most of my friends say - boring, eater, so I literally told the waitress to surprise me with an entree. Rob ordered a lobster dish and the waitress brought me the duck. The duck was prepared two ways - seared and pulled and I honestly couldn't tell you which was better, they were both just that good. To top it off, I had an amazing Champagne Margarita and my go-to Mojito. I was thoroughly impressed with the creative menu and the interesting way they incorporated Mexican spices and traditional foods into inventive, gourmet dishes. Last year's birthday meal was at Frontera, so I'm very pleased with this tradition we've started. The meal was amazing. Mexican food lovers that are a tad adventurous, Topolobampo is a must.

Not your average chinese food!

My secret anniversary dinner wound up at China Grill, a spot I've been dying to try. And we were so glad we did - the food was amazing. China Grill is located in the Hard Rock Hotel, but don't worry, there isn't tacky Hollywood memorabilia anywhere to be found. The menu is served family style, and after blankly at the menu for a while, Rob and I decided to do the tasting menu so we could try some of everything.

Every course was phenomenal, and the majority of our favorites were dishes we never would've ordered! It's nice to see a tasting menu that takes some risks, and this one definitely did. The salads presented three ways were my favorite, but the lobster pancakes, crispy spinach and the garlic shrimp with tuna flakes (sounds crazy and it is... the heat from the food makes the flakes move and float around!) were the surprising highlights. Definitely a splurge spot (two tasting menus at $67 and a bottle of wine adds up) but you will not be disappointed!